he attempted, so he accomplished his design: he debauched the man,
and by little and little so drew him into sin and wickedness, that
at last he was not only debauched, as at first, and so by
consequence defiled, but was almost (at last, I say) past all
conscience of sin. And this was the farthest Diabolus could go.
Wherefore he bethinks him of another project, and that was, to
persuade the men of the town that Mr. Recorder was mad, and so not
to be regarded. And for this he urged his fits, and said, 'If he
be himself, why doth he not do thus always? But,' quoth he, 'as
all mad folks have their fits, and in them their raving language,
so hath this old and doating gentleman.'

Thus, by one means or another, he quickly got Mansoul to slight,
neglect, and despise whatever Mr. Recorder could say. For, besides
what already you have heard, Diabolus had a way to make the old
gentleman, when he was merry, unsay and deny what he in his fits
had affirmed. And, indeed, this was the next way to make himself
ridiculous, and to cause that no man should regard him. Also now
he never spake freely for King Shaddai, but also by force and
constraint. Besides, he would at one time be hot against that at
which, at another, he would hold his peace; so uneven was he now in
his doings. Sometimes he would be as if fast asleep, and again
sometimes as dead, even then when the whole town of Mansoul was in
her career after vanity, and in her dance after the giant's pipe.

Wherefore, sometimes when Mansoul did use to be frighted with the
thundering voice of the Recorder that was, and when they did tell
Diabolus of it, he would answer, that what the old gentleman said
was neither of love to him nor pity to them, but of a foolish
fondness that he had to be prating; and so would hush, still, and