for I keep all my subjects in her street, and bring her many from England
and many other realms." Spain would have the Princess of Lucre, spite of
Holland and all the Jews, and England, the Princess of Pleasure in spite
of the Pagans. But the Pope claimed the three, and for better reasons
than all the others; and Belial admits him next to them in each street."
"Is that the cause of this commerce?" said I. "No," said he, "Belial has
made peace between them upon that matter long ago. But now he has bid
the three put their heads together to consider how they can the soonest
destroy yon bye-street; that is the City of Emmanuel, and especially one
great mansion therein, out of mere jealousy, perceiving it to be a finer
edifice than any in all the City of Destruction. And Belial promises
half his kingdom during his life, and the whole on his decease, to him
who succeeds in doing so. But notwithstanding the magnitude of his
power, the depth of his wiles, and the number of emperors, kings and
crafty rulers that are beneath his sceptre in that huge City of
Destruction, notwithstanding the courage of his countless hosts beyond
the gates in the lower region, that task will prove too difficult for
them; however great, powerful and untiring his majesty may be, in yon
small street is a greater than he."

I was not able to give very close attention to his angelic reasons, being
occupied in watching the frequent falls people were having on the
slippery street. Some I could see with ladders scaling the tower, and
having reached the highest rung, falling headlong to the bottom. "Where
do those fools try to get to?" I asked. "To a place that is high enough-
-they are endeavouring to break into the treasury of the princess." "I
warrant it be full," quoth I. "Yes," answered he, "of everything that
belongs to this street, to be distributed among its denizens: all kinds
of weapons for invading and extending territories; all kinds of coats-of-
arms, banners, escutcheons, books of genealogy, sayings of the ancients,