paying my Refpects, to take up the Coach and two Horfes very carefully in my Hands (for, if there were fix Horses, the Poftillion always unhar neffed four) and place them on a Table, where I had fixed a moveable Rim quite round, of five Inches high, to prevent Accidents. And I have often had four Coaches and Horfes at once on my Table full of Company, while I fat in my Chair, leaning my Face towards them; and, when I was engaged with one Set, the Coachmen would gently drive the others round my Table. I have paffed many an Afternoon very agreeably in these Converfations. But I defy the Treasurer, or his two Informers (I will name them, and let them make their best of it) Cluftril and Drunlo, to prove that any Perfon ever came to me incognito, except the Secretary Reldrefal, who was fent by exprefs Command of his Imperial Majefty, as I have before related. I fhould not have dwelt fo long upon this Particular, if it had not been a Point where in the Reputation of a great Lady is fo nearly concerned, to fay nothing of my own; though I then had the Honour to be a Nardac, which the Treafurer himself is not ; for all the World knows that he is only a Glumglum, a Title inferior by one Degree, as that of a Marquefs is to a Duke in England, although I allow he preceded me in right of his Poft. Thefe falfe Informations, which I afterwards came to the Knowledge of, by an Accident not proper to mention, made Flimnap, the Treasurer, fhew his Lady, for fome Time, an ill Countenance, and me a worfe; and although he were at laft undeceived and reconciled to her, yet I loft all Credit with him, and found my Interest decline very faft with the Emperor himself, who was indeed too much governed by that Favourite.

CHAP.

CHA P. VII.

The Author, being informed of a Defign to accufe him of High-Treafon, makes his Escape to Blefufcu. His Reception there.

B

EFORE I proceed to give an Account of my leaving this Kingdom, it may be proper to inform the Reader of a private Intrigue which had been for two Months forming against me.

I had been hitherto all my Life a Stranger to Courts, for which I was unqualified by the Meannefs of my Condition. I had indeed heard and read enough of the Difpofitions of great Princes and Ministers; but never expected to have found fuch terrible Effects of them in fo remote a Country, governed, as I thought, by very different Maxims from thofe in Europe.

When I was just preparing to pay my Attendance on the Emperor of Blefufcu, a confiderable Perfon at Court (to whom I had been very serviceable, at a Time when he lay under the highest Difpleasure of his Imperial Majefty) came to my House very privately at Night in a close Chair, and, without fending his Name, defired Admittance: The Chairmen were dismissed; I put the Chair, with his Lordship in it, into my CoatPocket; and, giving Orders to a trufty Servant to fay I was indifpofed and gone to Sleep, I faftened the Door of my Houfe, placed the Chair on the Table, according to my ufual Custom, and fat down by it. After the common Salutations were over, obferving his Lordship's Countenance full of Concern, and enquiring into the Reason, he defired I would hear him with Patience in a Matter

that

that highly concerned my Honour and my Life. His Speech was to the following Effect, for I took Notes of it as foon as he left me.

You are to know, said he, that several Commit tées of Council have been lately called in the most private Manner on your Account; and it is but two Days fince his Majefty came to a full Refolution.

You are very fenfible that Skyris Bolgolam (Gal bet, or High-Admiral) hath been your mortal Enemy almost ever fince your Arrival: His origi nal Reafons I know not; but his Hatred is encreafed fince your great Success against Belfufcu, by which his Glory, as Admiral, is much obfcu red. This Lord, in Conjunction with Flimnap, the High-Treasurer, whofe Enmity against you is notorious on Account of his Lady, Limtoc the General, Lalcon the Chamberlain, and Balmuff the grand Jufticiary, have prepared Articles of Im-. peachment against you, for Treafon, and other capital Crimes.

This Preface made me fo impatient, being con fcious of my own Merits and Innocence, that I was going to interrupt: When he entreated me to be filent, and thus proceeded :

Out of Gratitude for the Favours you have done me, I procured Information of the whole Proceedings, and a Copy of the Articles, wherein I venture my Head for your Service.

Articles of Impeachment against Quinbus Fleftrin (the Man-Mountain:)

ARTICLE I.

Whereas, by a Statute made in the Reign

of

Imperial Majefty Calin Deffar

Plune, it is enacted, that whoever fhall make

Water

Water within the Precincts of the Royal Palace, fhall be liable to the Pains and Penalties of high Treafon: Notwithstanding the faid Quinbus Flef Arin in open Breach of the faid Law, under Colour of extinguishing the Fire kindled in the Apartment of his Majefty's most dear Imperial Confort, did malicioufly, traiteroufly, and devilishly, by Difcharge of his Urine, put out the faid Fire kindled in the faid Apartment, lying and being within the Precincts of the faid Royal Palace, against the Statute in that Cafe provided, &c. against the Duty, &c.

ARTICLE II:

That the faid Quinbus Fleftrin having brought the Imperial Fleet of Blefufcu into the Royal Port, and being afterwards commanded by his Imperial Majefty to feize all the other Ships of the faid Empire of Blefufcu, and reduce that Empire to a Province, to be governed by a ViceRoy from hence, and to deftroy and put to Death not only all the Big-Endian Exiles, but likewife all the People of that Empire, who would not immediately forfake the Big-Indian Herefy: He the faid Flefrin, like a falfe Traitor against his moft Aufpicious, Serene, Imperial Majefty, did petition to be excufed from the faid Service, upon Pretence of Unwillingness to force the Confciences, or destroy the Liberties and Lives of innocent People.

ARTICLE III.

That, whereas certain Ambaffadors arrived from the Court of Blefufcu, to fue for Peace in his Majefty's Court He the faid Fleftrin did, like a falfe Traitor, aid, abet, comfort, and divert the faid Ambaffadors; although he knew them to be F

Ser.

Servants to

a Prince who was lately an open Enemy to his Imperial Majefty, and in open War against his faid Majefty.

ARTICLE IV.

That the faid Quinbus Fleftrin, contrary to the Duty of a faithful Subject, is now preparing to make a Voyage to the Court and Empire of Blefufcu, for which he hath received only verbal Li cence from his Imperial Majefty; and under Colour of the faid Licence doth falfly and traiteroufly intend to take the faid Voyage, and thereby to aid, comfort, and abet the Emperor of Blefufcu, fo late an Enemy, and in open War with his Imperial Majesty aforesaid.

There are fome other Articles, but these are the most important, of which I have read you an Abstract.

In the feveral Debates upon this Impeachment, it must be confeffed that his Majefty gave many Marks of his great Lenity, often urging the Services you had done him, and endeavouring to extenuate your Crimes. The Treafurer and Admiral infifted that you should be put to the most painful and ignominous Death, by letting Fire on your Houfe at Night, and the General was to attend with twenty thousand Men armed with poisoned Arrows to fhoot you on the Face and Hands. Some of your Servants were to have private Orders to ftrew a poisonous Juice on your Shirts and Sheets, which would foon make you tear your own Flesh, and die in the utmoit Torture. The General came into the fame Opinion; fo that for a long Time there was a Majority againft you: But his Majefty refolving, if poffible, to fpare your Life, at laft brought off the Chamberlain.

Upon