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<NAME>Geremy Carnes</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
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<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE Court Secret: A NOVEL.</P>
<P>PART. I.</P>
<P>Written by <HI>P. B.</HI> Gent.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>R. E.</HI> for <HI>R. Baldwin,</HI> near the <HI>Black-Bull</HI> in the <HI>Old-Baily.</HI> 1689.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>TO THE Right Ho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 chunk"> John, LORD LO<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 chunk"> &amp;c. Captain of the Band of <HI>Pen&s;ioners.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>MY LORD,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>THE Motives which have in|duc'd &s;o great a &s;tran|ger as I am, to &s;hroud under your Honours
<PB REF="3">Protection, this little Hi&s;torical Novel, is that Zeal, which, from Heaven, animated your Brea&s;t, and pu&s;h'd you forward, to be Exemplary in the earlie&s;t endea|vours of uniting your own Per&s;on, and tho&s;e worthy Pa|triots, under your Lord&s;hips Conduct, to our late Generous Liberator's aid, our now mo&s;t Gracious
<PB REF="3">Lord and King, in the Freeing of our Di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Country from tho&s;e many heavy Pre&s;&s;ures un|der which it had lain groaning &s;o long, and which invited that Per&s;onal Valour, with which you &s;o bravely Oppos'd the Multitude, which only could re&s;i&s;t, (though not without the forfeiture of their Lives,) your no le&s;s
<PB REF="4">Ju&s;t than Generous De&s;igns. I have en|tertain'd &s;ome hopes, My Lord, that you would be pleas'd to look with a favour|able A&s;pect, on a Piece borrowed from a De&s;ign much like that, which &s;tirred up your Honour to lay all at &s;take, when the True Religion, and the Proper Liberty of the Subject, call'd out &s;o loud on all true
<PB REF="4"><HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Mens A&s;&s;i&s;t|ance. I am very &s;en|&s;ible, My Lord, of the fair opportunity I have at pre&s;ent, to enumerate, in a large Catalogue, your Ho|nours Noble Quali|ties and Virtues, ac|cording to our Mo|dern way of Dedi|cations; and cer|tainly, My Lord, I could not let pa&s;s &s;o fit an Occa&s;ion, of following the Mode,
<PB REF="5">but that I had been perfectly inform'd, how much your Ho|nour abhors &s;uch Gro&s;s Flattery, which has rais'd in me a fear of offending your Lord&s;hips Generous Temper, and made me re&s;t contented, with the Relation of tho&s;e few, but true Pa&s;&s;a|ges, cull'd from a prodigious Heap, which, be&s;ides the bu&s;ine&s;s I had in
<PB REF="5">hand, Ju&s;tice it &s;elf required from me, at the beginning of this Epi&s;tle. May your Lord&s;hip long live on Earth, to en|joy the Fruits of tho&s;e Noble En|deavours and At|chievements, and re|ceive hereafter in Heaven, tho&s;e Re|wards laid up for &s;uch, as like your Lord&s;hip, preferr'd the &s;afety of their
<PB REF="6">Religion and Coun|try, before their own Lives, and all other Worldly Intere&s;ts; So mo&s;t heartily Prays,</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>My Lord,</SALUTE> <SIGNED>Your Honours mo&s;t Humble Servant, <HI>P. B.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="6">
<HEAD>The Court Secret: A NOVEL.</HEAD>
<P>THere are no States nor Em|pires, but, at &s;ome time or other, have felt the dreadful Effects of tho&s;e Re|bellions, which, under the &s;pecious Cloak of Reformation in Religion, have been &s;tirred up and fomented by the Turbulent Spirits of Wicked Ambitious men; and though our <HI>Europe</HI> can &s;ufficiently &s;upply us with u&s;eful Examples of the &s;ame, yet it is not to be fixed wholly to that little Corner of the World; all Countries that the Sun enligh|tens,
<PB N="2" REF="7">have &s;hared in tho&s;e general Calamities; among&s;t which, the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire will at this pre|&s;ent furni&s;h us with a Story.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, which is &s;ingular in that va&s;t Empire, is not without Divi&s;ions into di|vers Sects, of which the principal is that of a great Prophet among&s;t them, named <HI>Haly,</HI> which was at fir&s;t the &s;ame with <HI>Mahomet,</HI> but &s;ince, through the Ambition Pride, and Luxury of its Prie&s;ts, &s;o alter'd and di&s;guis'd, by the introduction of an Idolatrous, Impertinent, Pom|pous way of Wor&s;hip, that there is not &s;o much left in it, as its true Name; for the Followers of it &s;corn to call it after its Foun|ders Name, but di&s;tingui&s;h it from their true Ancient Religion of <HI>Ma|homet,</HI> by the name of <HI>Haly</HI>'s U|niver&s;al Religion.</P>
<P>Tho&s;e Innovations were the Cau&s;e that a &s;elect number of the true <HI>Mahometans,</HI> &s;eeing &s;o many
<PB N="3" REF="7">Super&s;titious Ceremonies daily in|troduc'd into the outward wor&s;hip, and &s;o much Idolatry in the E&s;|&s;ential part of their Religion, and every Age &s;till adding new Inven|tions to that new &s;uper&s;tructure, did withdraw them&s;elves from tho&s;e &s;o gro&s;s and palpable Affronts which were daily offer'd unto the Deity, by taking from the Crea|tor the Honour and Glory, which of all right and due doth only, and wholly appertain to him, to give to his Creature; and they wor&s;hipped their God by them|&s;elves, in Holine&s;s of Life, and Purity of Doctrine, prote&s;ting a|gain&s;t all tho&s;e Innovations which had been foi&s;ted in, by the proud Prie&s;ts of the Sect of <HI>Haly.</HI> For which, the Prie&s;ts of <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect were not wanting in all their Arts, to ca&s;t dirt on the true Mahome|tans; they proclaim'd them Schi&s;|maticks, Hereticks, Doggs, and per&s;ecuted them in all places with
<PB N="4" REF="8">Fire and Sword, declaring that they de&s;erv'd a wor&s;e U&s;age yet, for having &s;eparated them&s;elves from the Body of the Church; while they them&s;elves were the per&s;ons that had di&s;tanc'd them|&s;elves, and fallen off from the true Mahometan Religion, by their prodigious addition of new Inven|tions, not becoming any &s;ober, true Religion, while that tho&s;e which they &s;o much calumniated, were the true Ob&s;ervers of the Maho|metan Religion, which they &s;till follow'd, and had only &s;eparated them&s;elves from the Innovations of the <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> to avoid offering of tho&s;e great Injuries to their God, which &s;o Idolatrous a Guilt as the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> did practice, would have oblig'd them to do.</P>
<P>The <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> who had more generally embraced the corrupt Sect of <HI>Haly</HI> than the <HI>Turks</HI> had, were more numerous and power|ful than the true Mahometans, and
<PB N="5" REF="8">their Emperors were &s;uch Zealous Maintainers of it, that, as their pre&s;ent Emperor has declar'd, they had de&s;ign'd long &s;ince to root out of their Dominions the <HI>Mahometan Religion,</HI> but that the State Affairs would not till his time admit of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o great a Change. But he being wholly govern'd by the mo&s;t wicked order of Profe&s;|&s;ors of the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> he fol|low'd their advice, and began by the murther of his own Subjects, of the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, that Univer&s;al Reduction to <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect, of all the true <HI>Mahometans,</HI> which he pretended to accompli&s;h.</P>
<P>In that he has outdone all his Predece&s;&s;ors, for they contented them&s;elves with retrenching little by little, the Authority which Se|parati&s;ts (as they call'd the true <HI>Ma|hometans</HI>) had obtain'd, together with the Priviledges and Liberty which they enjoy'd in their own Empire, and in &s;ending into the
<PB N="6" REF="9"><HI>Mahometan</HI> Empire &s;warms of Em|mi&s;&s;aries of the Sect of <HI>Haly:</HI> e&s;|pecially of tho&s;e from among&s;t them, which are the mo&s;t Learned and mo&s;t Wicked, and that a|mong&s;t all the re&s;t of the di&s;tinct Orders among&s;t the Prie&s;ts of <HI>Haly,</HI> have as proudly as wrong|fully a&s;&s;um'd the Title of the order of <HI>Mahomet,</HI> had thence call'd them|&s;elves <HI>Mahometi&s;ts.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Selim,</HI> the fir&s;t <HI>Turki&s;h</HI> Emperor of that Name, who had Married a Daughter of a <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Emperor, of the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> did dreadfully feel the effects of the Divi&s;ions which tho&s;e wicked Mahometi&s;ts had &s;ow'd among&s;t his People. For a certain &s;ort of di&s;affected Men to the Government both in Church and State, under the pretence of Reformation in both, rais'd Arms and Rebell'd again&s;t their lawful Emperor, took him Pri&s;oner, Mur|ther'd him, and cho&s;e the <HI>Aga</HI> of the <HI>Janizaries</HI> to be their Pro|tector,
<PB N="7" REF="9">after they had caus'd the <HI>Sultana</HI> and her three Sons, <HI>Selim</HI> the Second, <HI>Amurat</HI> and <HI>O&s;man,</HI> to flye from their Cruelty into <HI>Per|&s;ia.</HI> Where &s;he attempted by the &s;olicitation of the <HI>Mahometi&s;ts,</HI> to have her Children (who had al|waies been brought up by <HI>Selim</HI>'s particular Care in the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, in which he him&s;elf had liv'd and dy'd) to be brought over to her own Per&s;wa&s;ion, which being come to <HI>Selim</HI> the Second's Know|ledge, he got from her his younge&s;t Brother, which he &s;ecured under good hands, but &s;he retain'd <HI>Amurat,</HI> which by that means was brought up in the Sect of <HI>Haly.</HI></P>
<P>After the <HI>Turks</HI> had liv'd &s;ome years under divers &s;orts of Go|vernments, &s;till finding them&s;elves, as oft as they chang'd of Form of Government, after the Death of him they had cho&s;e Protector, in a wor&s;e condition than they were under the Reigns of their lawful
<PB N="8" REF="10">Emperor, they recalled back <HI>Selim</HI> the Second from his Exile; he and his two Brothers were re|ceiv'd by the whole Empire, with all the Expre&s;&s;ions of Joy imagina|ble, he was &s;eated on his Throne, Crown'd, and even Ador'd by his People.</P>
<P>Of Truth, never was Prince, except his Father, Endow'd with &s;o much Goodne&s;s and Mildne&s;s, mixt with Maje&s;ty and Greatne&s;s of Soul. He had not been long re|e&s;tabli&s;hed in his Dominions, but that, through the &s;ollicitation of his people, who earne&s;tly de&s;ired to be govern'd by an Off-&s;pring of &s;o good a Prince, he Marryed a Foreign Prince&s;s, of the &s;ame tem|per of mind as him&s;elf, though an <HI>Hali&s;t,</HI> by whom he had no I&s;&s;ue.</P>
<P>This was a great Misfortune to him, becau&s;e that his natural, mild, and good di&s;po&s;ition, did incline him infinitely to love Children,
<PB N="9" REF="10">and the Conver&s;ation of the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Sex, when he had a mind <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> bend his thoughts, and give <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;elf &s;ome Divertion from the bu&s;i|ne&s;s of State.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas,</HI> the then Emperor of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> who had fill'd <HI>Selim</HI>'s Em|pire with all &s;orts of Orders of the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> e&s;pecially of the <HI>Mahometi&s;ts,</HI> who were like &s;o many Spies in <HI>Selim</HI>'s Court, was inform'd among&s;t the re&s;t of <HI>Se|lim</HI>'s Amorous Di&s;po&s;ition, to which Inclination he gave the more &s;cope, for want of Children by his <HI>Sultane&s;s,</HI> to pa&s;s his time with. There was &s;ent over to that pur|po&s;e, a <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Woman, indiffe|rently hand&s;ome, of a mean Ex|traction, a great Zealot of the Sect of <HI>Haly;</HI> with full in&s;tructions how to gain <HI>Selim</HI>'s Affections, and when that was done, how to govern him, get from him a cer|tain Knowledge of all the mo&s;t private Con&s;ultations and De&s;igns
<PB N="10" REF="11">of the State, and to influence him in all his undertakings; &s;he &s;oon got &s;o much the ma&s;tery over <HI>Se|lim</HI>'s Heart, that through her means, all the &s;ecrets of the Port were known in <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> according to which, <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> and his <HI>Mahome|tical</HI> Coun&s;el, did take &s;uch mea|&s;ures, as did &s;till tend towards ac|compli&s;hing that great work, of extirpation of Here&s;ie (as they &s;ti|led it) which had been &s;o long contriving.</P>
<P>It was thought that the quicke&s;t way would be, in getting <HI>Selim</HI> to for&s;ake the Religion he was brought up in, and to bring him over to the Sect of <HI>Haly:</HI> very particular in|&s;tructions were given to that pur|po&s;e to his <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Mi&s;tre&s;s, whom he lov'd the more, becau&s;e &s;he had brought him forth &s;ome Chil|dren, which were the Darlings of <HI>Selim</HI>'s Heart. She together with others of that Faction in the Court, did u&s;e all their Indeavours to
<PB N="11" REF="11">bring that great work about, and finding him &s;o firm and &s;tedfa&s;t to his Principles in Religion, as not in the lea&s;t to yield to their Solicita|tions; <HI>Cha-Abas,</HI> with his wicked Coun&s;el, thought it fit to remove him from the Throne, to make room for his Brother <HI>Amurat,</HI> who as you have already heard, was very zealous to the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> and did privately pro|fe&s;s it.</P>
<P>All things being fitted in Church and State for that great Change, upon which depended the entire and univer&s;al de&s;truction, of the true Antient Orthodox <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, &s;o long before de&s;ign'd, and privately whi&s;per'd about, and which could never be accompli&s;h'd, till the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, as it was particularly exercis'd in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, were fir&s;t ruin'd. There was a de&s;ign fram'd of Murthering the <HI>Sultan,</HI> of &s;ending over a <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Army, all of the
<PB N="12" REF="12">Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> of &s;ending Commi&s;|&s;ions to all the Nobility, that were of the Sect of <HI>Haly</HI> in <HI>Selim</HI>'s Em|pire, and in fine, of &s;etting up <HI>A|murat</HI> to be <HI>Sultan,</HI> who &s;hould aid to bring in the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> and by his Power and Authority maintain it, and &s;hould declare him&s;elf of that Sect, and the Main|tainer of it.</P>
<P>The Storm was ready to break and fall upon the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire from <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> when the Plot was di&s;cover'd, the Grand Council of the <HI>Divan</HI> being Summoned, they took the bu&s;ine&s;s into con&s;idera|tion, &s;ifted it to the bottom, and found out all the contrivances, the Con&s;pirators, and their Abettors; all tho&s;e that could be &s;eiz'd at <HI>Con&s;tantinople</HI> and el&s;ewhere in the Empire, were put in Pri&s;on, Exa|min'd. Convicted by Authentick and undeniable Evidences, to be guilty of the Enterpri&s;e, which being again&s;t the Laws of the Em|pire,
<PB N="13" REF="12">they &s;uffered the Condign Puni&s;hment which the &s;aid Laws had order'd to be inflicted on &s;uch Notorious Criminals; after which, all the Prie&s;ts of the Sect of <HI>Haly</HI> were &s;eiz'd, that could be taken; and according to a Statute of the Empire, whereby they are declar'd Traytors, divers of them receiv'd the due Reward of &s;uch Villainous Enterpri&s;es, which they had made again&s;t the <HI>Sultan</HI> and the Empire. And all tho&s;e in the Empire, of what degree and condition &s;oever, that were of the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> were dive&s;ted from all Publick Offices or Employes, incapacitated for the future, from having any Sway, or bearing any Offices either Civil or Military, bani&s;hed from Court, and commanded to remain at twenty Miles di&s;tance from <HI>Con|&s;tantinople,</HI> on great Penalties.</P>
<P>Thus that great &s;torm, which &s;o &s;everely threatned the whole de|&s;truction of the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, was
<PB N="14" REF="13">di&s;pers'd, and the Empire rea&s;&s;um'd again its pri&s;tine Greatne&s;s, Quiet, and Natural Te<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">, all <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">er&s;ons believing them&s;elves, and &s;ecure from any fut<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">em, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> that Nature, by <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> whole|&s;ome Laws, tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Selim</HI> and his great Council did Enact upon this great Deliverance, among&s;t which they would have made one, that &s;hould have excluded from &s;uccee|ding to the Throne, any Per&s;ons that &s;hould be of <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect, though they were in all other re&s;pects qua|lified, and known to be the un|doubted Heir to the Empire. But <HI>Selim</HI>'s tender Love and Affection to his Brother <HI>Amurat,</HI> would ne|ver permit him to give his con&s;ent to it, &s;o that it was not done.</P>
<P>Things were in this po&s;ture, when <HI>Roxana,</HI> of whom we are go|ing to rehear&s;e the Story, began to appear in the World, with all tho&s;e Charms, which made her as many Slaves as &s;he had of Spectators.</P>
<PB N="15" REF="13">
<P>She was Daughter to <HI>Aladin,</HI> the Seraquiere or Lord Lieutenant of a Province, a Per&s;on of a Noble Extraction, very Wealthy and Po|pular, and of the Sect of <HI>Haly:</HI> She was Endow'd by Nature with all the Perfections, which could ac|compli&s;h a Per&s;on of about eighteen or nineteen years of Age, and &s;he had receiv'd an Education propor|tionable to her Birth and Beauty. Her Father, who perfectly under|&s;tood the ways of the Court, thought it his be&s;t cour&s;e, in order to pre&s;erve his Fair Daughter from the cen&s;ure of the World, to keep her as far as he could from <HI>Con&s;tan|tinople,</HI> and to di&s;po&s;e of her in Marriage to &s;ome Worthy Per&s;on, &s;uitable to her Quality, and that great Portion which he de&s;ign'd her.</P>
<P>But his Wife, being of another mind, and very de&s;irous to &s;ee the Court, did watch but for a time to go thither, and to bring her beau|tiful
<PB N="16" REF="14">Daughter <HI>Roxana</HI> along with her. She was not long without a fair occa&s;ion for that purpo&s;e. Her Si&s;ter Marrying of her Daughter there, to a per&s;on who had a very con&s;iderable Employ at the Port. The earne&s;t Invitation which they received from her Si&s;ter, to honour them with their pre&s;ence, and &s;ome occa&s;ion which did call upon <HI>Ala|din,</HI> to give his attendance at the Port about that time upon earne&s;t bu&s;ine&s;s; made them to take hold of this Opportunity, &s;o that they all came to <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> where <HI>Aladin</HI> had a very &s;tately Palace of his own.</P>
<P>It was not long before <HI>Roxana's</HI> Beauty was blaz'd all about <HI>Con|&s;tantinople,</HI> even within the Gates of the <HI>Seraglio;</HI> among&s;t tho&s;e who had had the happy Opportunity of &s;eeing this Beauty, one who was the Son of a <HI>Ba&s;&s;a,</HI> and who had an Hou&s;e in another Street, who&s;e Wall joined to the end of <HI>Aladin's</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="14">Garden, was the mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ionate of all her Lovers. He had contriv'd &s;o cunningly, a hole in the Stone Wall, which an&s;wer'd to <HI>Aladin's</HI> Garden, that it could not be per|ceiv'd, it being &s;o &s;mall in <HI>Aladin's</HI> Garden, and large enough in <HI>Ibra|him's</HI> Garden (&s;o was the Lover call'd) to put his Head in &s;o, that he could almo&s;t &s;ee all over that part of the Garden, that was next to that Walk. He had heard of <HI>Raxana's</HI> Beauty, which had made him de&s;irous to &s;ee whether her Face did an&s;wer that Fame which was &s;pread of her, and having learn'd that all the Air that &s;he took, was in the Walks of her Garden, which was not overlook'd from any hou&s;e, but her Fathers; and that neither him&s;elf, nor any body el&s;e had lived in his Hou&s;e, &s;ince the death of his Father, therefore he hoped to gratifie his earne&s;t de&s;ires and curio&s;ity.</P>
<P>He wanted not of opportunity of &s;eeing <HI>Roxana,</HI> for &s;he delighting
<PB N="18" REF="15">in Cultivating of Flowers, did Con|&s;tantly towards the Cool of the Evening walk in the Garden, and look after her Plants; one day, a &s;udden &s;hower of Rain falling, &s;he was forc'd to retire into a little Sum|mer Hou&s;e, where, &s;itting down, &s;he began to entertain her &s;el<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> with her Woman, and the Subject of her di&s;cour&s;e being the mariage at which &s;he had lately a&s;&s;i&s;ted, &s;he asked her Woman what &s;he thought of the Bridegroom? who made an&s;wer, that &s;he did think him very accom|pli&s;h'd. To which, <HI>Roxana replyed,</HI> that for her part &s;he could not af|fect him, and then began to &s;peak of a man as &s;he would like, and that &s;he could Love. Her maid &s;aid, <HI>that &s;uch a man was not to be found in Nature;</HI> to which &s;he replyed again, <HI>that &s;he would have &s;uch a one or none, and that &s;he would &s;tay till &s;he found &s;uch a one.</HI> This di&s;cour&s;e was clearly overheard by <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> who had then cau&s;e to admire her
<PB N="19" REF="15">Wit, as well as her Beauty; of a truth he was &s;o taken with both, that he re&s;olved upon a De|claration of Love, which he thought ought fir&s;t to be u&s;hered in by asking of her Parents Con&s;ent, and immediately he &s;et &s;ome of his Friends about it, but his Suit was &s;o rejected by the Father, who de|&s;ign'd to marry her in his own Province, that <HI>Ibrahim</HI> thought it needle&s;s to apply him&s;elf any longer to her Parents, but re&s;olved to endeavour the gaining of her Af|fections by all the means imaginable; but how to come to the &s;peech of her, or by what means to con|vey his thoughts to her, was the bu&s;ine&s;s. After divers thoughts on that point, he thought it conveni|ent to u&s;her in his declaration by &s;ome pieces of Services, &s;uch as he &s;hould be capable of performing, and which he &s;hould think would plea&s;e her be&s;t.</P>
<P>He had not been above two or
<PB N="20" REF="16">three days in Town &s;ince the death of his Father which was above two years before, and having &s;carce been &s;een at <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> he gave out to tho&s;e few Friends which he had vi&s;ited, that a bu&s;ine&s;s of impor|tance which he was to accompli&s;h, in the Country, and which had occa|&s;ioned his coming to <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> calling for him in ha&s;te back, he would be immediately gon a|gain; after which having taken leave of them, and gone with his People out of Town a little way, he &s;ent them all to his Country Hou&s;e, under the care of his Stew|ard, only retaining with him one Slave, who was his Gardner, in whom he had repo&s;ed very great Confidence. He had lain at a Friends Hou&s;e tho&s;e two days he had been in Town, &s;o that the Gates of his Hou&s;e having not at all been open'd, in the Night he return'd into the Town, where being come, he &s;ent his Slave <HI>Moretto</HI> to get in &s;uch
<PB N="21" REF="16">things as he &s;hould nece&s;&s;arily want, and to bring them to him the next Night at the deade&s;t time of it, and that he &s;hould take a &s;pecial care of not being &s;een, when he came into the Hou&s;e by the &s;table door. After having given the&s;e in|&s;tructions to his Servant, who was an ab&s;olute Stranger in the City, he got privately into his Hou&s;e, and having found in the Garden hou&s;e &s;ome Tools, he fell to work, in making a hole in the Garden Wall, through which he might Peep, and behold his invi&s;ible Mi&s;tre&s;s. It was through that Hole, that he had beheld her, and heard her &s;peak; he ob&s;erved how &s;he ordered her Flowers and Plants, and once he heard her &s;ay to her Maid, they would do much better, if they were removed in the empty Bed, which was on the other &s;ide of the Gar|den, and that if they were Water'd early in the Morning, they would thrive much better; but that &s;he
<PB N="22" REF="17">and her Maid were both too la&s;ie to ri&s;e &s;o early, and that &s;he would not tru&s;t the care of tho&s;e Plants to any but her &s;elf, that when they were come to Perfection, they might owe the whole obligation of their being to her own hands and Care, and that &s;he might take the greater delight in the u&s;e of them.</P>
<P>This <HI>Ibrahim</HI> took upon him&s;elf, as if his Mi&s;tre&s;s had &s;poken par|ticularly to him, he therefore takes the Re&s;olution in the dead of the Night, to get over the Wall into her Garden, and there perform all that &s;he had mentioned to her Ser|vant, but becau&s;e he thought the work might be too much for one pair of hands to perform in &s;ome few hours, he commanded <HI>Moretto</HI> to follow him. They got over the Wall, and the fir&s;t thing they did, was to gather up every the lea&s;t bit of Rubbi&s;h which might have dropp'd at their coming over, which put him in mind al&s;o to go towards
<PB N="23" REF="17">the place where the hole was made, and examine how that &s;tood, he found much Rubbi&s;h fallen there, but &s;ome Weeds growing high and thick in that place, as being &s;ome|what out of the way, they did hide them: however, for fear of any di&s;covery, when tho&s;e Weeds &s;hould be cut down, he caus'd <HI>Mo|retto</HI> to gather them all up, and fill his Pockets with them, while he him&s;elf took care to hide the hole under a large Leaf, which he might ea&s;ily at any time remove to the one &s;ide, with a little green Sprig.</P>
<P>This done, they immediately fell to work, <HI>Moretto</HI> dug up the Roots, and brought them to <HI>Ibra|him,</HI> and he &s;et them again in the other place; when they were all remov'd, he water'd them very well, out of a Ci&s;tern which was near the little Summer Hou&s;e, in which he had la&s;t &s;een <HI>Roxana;</HI> while <HI>Mo|retto</HI> was employ'd in &s;moothing
<PB N="24" REF="18">up the old Bed, and clean&s;ing all places &s;o well, that no foot-&s;teps nor any other things might be &s;een out of order. They after that, got over the Wall again into <HI>Ibrahim's</HI> own Garden, and went to re&s;t the remainder of the night.</P>
<P>The <HI>Sultana</HI> having heard of <HI>Roxana's</HI> Beauty and Wit, &s;he had a great de&s;ire to &s;ee her, wherefore &s;he &s;ent the next morning, to in|vite her and her mother to the <HI>Se|raglio.</HI> This being &s;uch an honour as was not to be refus'd, they &s;oon got <HI>Aladin</HI>'s con&s;ent for their going thither; where they were very courteou&s;ly receiv'd by the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> who, finding <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Beauty and Wit, beyond all that &s;he had heard, did pre&s;ent her with very Rich Jewels, and was very unwilling to part with her &s;o &s;oon as that night, &s;he was de&s;iring their &s;tay with her for two or three days longer, which they knew not well how to grant, becau&s;e <HI>Aladin</HI> did expect them
<PB N="25" REF="18">home that night, nor how to re|fu&s;e the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who had been &s;o liberal to them, and who had re|quir'd them to &s;tay in &s;o obliging terms, when that News were brought to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> that the Jani&s;aries had taken up Arms, and were tumultuou&s;ly a&s;&s;embled, to demand their Arrears, and the Heads of &s;ome of the great ones of the <HI>Divan;</HI> that they were &s;o outrageous, that it was not &s;afe for any one to appear in the &s;treet, this pre&s;ently caus'd <HI>Roxana</HI> and her Mother to con&s;ent to the <HI>Sul|tana</HI>'s de&s;ires. So that they both remain'd in the <HI>Seraglio</HI> four days, at the end of which, the <HI>Jani&s;aries</HI> having been appeas'd, with the Money which they had receiv'd for their Arrears, and a Months whole pay advance, provided they would lay down their Arms, and retire every one to their quarters, with a&s;&s;urance that tho&s;e per&s;ons who&s;e heads they demanded, &s;hould
<PB N="26" REF="19">be &s;trictly examin'd, and if found guilty in the lea&s;t, their heads &s;hould go off, they all were di&s;|pers'd; and <HI>Roxana</HI> and her Mo|ther, having thanked the <HI>Sultana</HI> for the honour &s;he had made them, they return'd home well &s;atisfyed.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> was no &s;ooner return'd, but &s;he made ready to go vi&s;it her Nur&s;elings, &s;he had taken the Key of that part of the Garden with her, which &s;he u&s;ually kept in her pocket, and that unexpected delay from attending them, having made her think they were all de&s;troy'd for want of watering, &s;he ha&s;tned in great diligence with her Maid into the Garden; but how great was her &s;urpri&s;al, when come|ing within &s;ight of the bank or border that &s;he had left the Flow|ers growing on, &s;eeing nothing but the Mold, &s;he pre&s;ently con|cluded, that they had all been burnt up by the Sun, but coming
<PB N="27" REF="19">nearer, &s;he could not &s;o much as perceive the lea&s;t &s;ign that any had lately grown there; and cau&s;ing her Maid to dig for a Root, and finding none neither, it increas'd her wonder, &s;o that &s;he knew not what to think; but looking on her Maid, &s;aid &s;he, <HI>by this very misfortune happened to all my Flow|ers, may be gathered, that we &s;hould never defer to another time what we can do at the pre&s;ent; had I re|mov'd my Flowers,</HI> continued &s;he, <HI>in that &s;hady bed again&s;t that other Wall, as I intended before the</HI> Sul|tana <HI>had &s;ent for me, I might have found them all alive yet.</HI> All this was &s;aid as &s;he was walking towards another part of the Garden; being come to the end of a quick-&s;et, which took from her, till then, the &s;ight of her regretted Flowers, of a &s;uddain pre&s;enting them&s;elves all fre&s;h and flouri&s;hing to her Eye, it again did &s;trik<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ner into &s;uch an amazement, that &s;he &s;tood &s;till,
<PB N="28" REF="20">admiring, without &s;peaking one word, which gave time to her Maid to &s;ay, <HI>Certainly, Madam, it was out of your mind that you had order'd &s;ome body to perform this Tran&s;plan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ation? Who, I?</HI> reply'd <HI>Roxana, and have the Key in my pocket, and not the lea&s;t remembrance of giving &s;uch orders, nay, never ha|ving had the lea&s;t inclination to|wards commanding any body about that work, but your a&s;&s;i&s;ting of me? In this place, where I am certain not a man nor woman have &s;et their fool, but us two, &s;ince our coming hither; there is no &s;uch thing, continu'd &s;he, be&s;ides the&s;e Flowers look not as if newly tran&s;planted, they are all full <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">own, and hold up their heads, as if this had been their fir&s;t natural led, neither can I perceive one &s;ign of any per&s;ons having been here, and if I &s;hould mi&s;tru&s;t &s;ome body coming over the Wall, all tho&s;e hou&s;es that abut on our Garden are empty. And who would have
<PB N="29" REF="20">come over here, but with a de&s;ign of robbing me, rather than of pre|&s;erving of tho&s;e things in which I take &s;o much delight. Yet, Madam,</HI> &s;aid the Maid, <HI>&s;omething mu&s;t be the matter, they cannot, at your &s;ingle command or de&s;ire, have tran&s;plan|ted them&s;elves. I know not what to &s;ay, nor what to think,</HI> reply'd <HI>Rox|ana; &s;ay nothing of the adventure, till I have examin'd every body in the hou&s;e in particular, even my Fa|ther al&s;o. Come let us in.</HI></P>
<P>Of truth it was &s;urpri&s;ing to find all tho&s;e Flowers to pro&s;per &s;o well upon their removal, but divers things did concur to it. Fir&s;t, the tran&s;|planting of them in the cool of the night, the quick di&s;patch of the work, the plentiful and con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i|nual watering of them, by our new Gardiner and his Man, and the &s;upporting of tho&s;e that droop'd at fir&s;t, by &s;oft and gentle props, which had been remov'd when they look'd up again, all which <HI>Ibrahim</HI>
<PB N="30" REF="21">had done ever &s;ince their removal; for you mu&s;t know, that he having not &s;een the next day <HI>Roxana</HI> as he us'd to do, (and he and his man by turns, had been ince&s;&s;antly on the watch) he had &s;ent him out to know what was the matter; which having learnt from one of the Ser|vants, and that no body had a Key to that furthe&s;t part of the Garden, but <HI>Roxana,</HI> who was very curious and laborious in bringing up of Flowers. <HI>Moretto</HI> did fur|ther of his own accord (being a good Gardiner of him&s;elf, inquire whether he might be admitted as Gardiner, to the Father, or to the Daughter, and promi&s;e having been made him of an inquiry into it, he had brought the News of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s ab&s;ence to his Ma&s;ter, who had taken the opportunity of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s ab&s;ence, to take a parti|cular care of tho&s;e Plants which he had remov'd, as the greate&s;t Jew|els his Mi&s;tre&s;s delighted in, and
<PB N="31" REF="21">as Lovers u&s;e to fancy, by her &s;pecial Command. He had like|wi&s;e left upon the Table in the Summer Hou&s;e, whence he fancied to have receiv'd tho&s;e orders, a paper of Ver&s;es, of which I here give you a Copy.</P>
<FLOATEXT LANG="eng" TYPE="poem">
<L>Our Mighty Prophet, cannot be a|low'd</L>
<L>With &s;uch Perfections to have been endow'd,</L>
<L>As you would have the man you chu&s;e to be,</L>
<L>In fancy only &s;uch Heroes you'l &s;ee.</L>
<L>Yet <HI>Mahomet</HI> was good, was great, was ju&s;t,</L>
<L>And in him our great <HI>Ala</HI> put his tru&s;t.</L>
<L>But if his Soul was fill'd with mighty <HI>Jove,</HI></L>
<L>My heart is as brim full of mighty Love.</L>
<L>In this I go beyond him, I love more,</L>
<L>And you alone, <HI>Roxana,</HI> I adore.</L>
</FLOATEXT>
<PB N="32" REF="22">
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> was to pa&s;s by that Sum|mer-Hou&s;e returning, &s;he ca&s;t her Eye that way, and perceived the Paper, which gave her the cu|rio&s;ity of &s;tepping in, and taking of it up; &s;he opened, and read it, and was no le&s;s &s;urprized at that than &s;he had been at the Flowers removal, which made her to ha&s;ten the more to the Hou&s;e to be bet|ter inform'd of tho&s;e My&s;teries, if &s;he could po&s;&s;ible; not without great reflection on the whole. Be|ing got in, the fir&s;t thing &s;he did was to enquire of her Father whe|ther he had employed any body &s;ince her ab&s;ence to work in the Garden? He told her <HI>no, and that he had not &s;een any per&s;on appear in it be&s;ides the old Gardner, &s;ince her going to the Sultana's, though he had walk'd in it more than u|&s;ually, &s;ince he had been detain'd at home by the Jani&s;aries Tumults, and that as far as he could &s;ee in her Nurcery over the Quick-&s;et, he
<PB N="33" REF="22">had not perceiv'd any body.</HI> She, after this an&s;wer made as &s;trict an enquiry as &s;he could po&s;&s;ible of all the Servants and Slaves, one by one; threatning &s;ome, and mak|ing fair promi&s;es to others, if they would di&s;cover who had been in her Privy-Garden &s;ince three or four days; but all to no purpo&s;e, none could inform her; Where|upon &s;he re&s;olv'd to &s;et a Watch for &s;ome nights, to &s;urprize any per&s;on that &s;hould come over the Walls, and have them brought to examination. But all was to no effect. In the mean time, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> was not wanting in &s;ending forth his Scout in the night, to learn how things were: <HI>Moretto</HI> was told that <HI>Roxana</HI> was &s;en&s;ible that du|ring her ab&s;ence, &s;ome body had got into her Garden, but which way &s;he knew not, but upon &s;u&s;|picion that is could not be with|out the old Gardner's knowledge, though he could not be brought
<PB N="34" REF="23">to confe&s;s any thing, &s;he had cau|&s;ed her Father to turn him away, who had readily complyed with his Daughters de&s;ires in a bu&s;ine&s;s of that nature; that they were now in want of a Gardner, and if he would offer him&s;elf, and were ex|pert at it, he might ea&s;ily get the place, which was worth looking after.</P>
<P><HI>Moretto</HI> having had the&s;e Infor|mations, de&s;ired the Fellow to pro|po&s;e him the next day for Gard|ner, which the other having pro|mi&s;ed to do, he returned to his Ma|&s;ter, full freighted with all this good News.</P>
<P><HI>Ibrahim,</HI> who expected his return with the impatiency of a Lover, was glad to &s;ee him, and more too, when he heard all the &s;tory, and that there was not the lea&s;t di|&s;tru&s;t from his Hou&s;e and Garden; but above all, when <HI>Moretto</HI> told him, that with his leave, if his Ma|&s;ter thought he could do him any
<PB N="35" REF="23">&s;ervice in it, he believ'd that he could be taken as Gardiner into <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Father's Hou&s;e, in the place of the old Gardner that had been di&s;plac'd, upon <HI>Roxana's</HI> Su&s;pitions. I'll give thee leave, reply'd <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> and charge thee mo&s;t &s;trictly al&s;o, not to lo&s;e &s;o good and great an Op|portunity of &s;erving me, which if thou do&s;t hone&s;tly, I &s;hall not on|ly &s;et thee free, but &s;hall al&s;o pre|fer thee to &s;ome hand&s;ome Employ|ment an&s;werable to tho&s;e great Ser|vices which thou &s;halt render me; but thou mu&s;t fir&s;t get me in all manner of provi&s;ion for a Week, and then go and engage thy &s;elf to that Service, from which I expect &s;uch great advantages, as it may be contri|ved betwixt thee and me, but be thou &s;ure &s;till to engage indu&s;triou&s;ly <HI>Roxana</HI> as &s;he pa&s;&s;es by thee in &s;ome di&s;cour&s;e, upon thy particular skill in the rai&s;ing of Flowers, that &s;he may, if po&s;&s;ible, have a fancy to thy Service, or at lea&s;t to &s;ome of
<PB N="36" REF="24">thy advice; and ob&s;erve exactly all her actions and her words, that thou maye&s;t give me a faithful ac|count of them. Thus was <HI>Moretto</HI> &s;ent to get in Provi&s;ions after which he went to learn of his Friend, what hopes he had of his getting him into that Family; <HI>It is your fault, if you get not in this very day,</HI> &s;aid the Friend, <HI>I have propo&s;ed the matter; it is hearkned unto, e&s;pecial|ly by</HI> Roxana, <HI>who has commanded me to bring you to her Father &s;o &s;oon as I &s;aw you next, therefore come in with me, and I will &s;hew you to our Ma&s;ter, who is now walking in the Garden.</HI> So &s;aid, &s;o done; And <HI>A|ladin</HI> did &s;o well like of <HI>Moretto</HI>'s per&s;on, promi&s;es of performance, and brisk an&s;wers, that he immedi|ately &s;ent for <HI>Roxana,</HI> and told her, he had met with a Gardner, who, he fancied to be more skilful than or<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">inary in his Art, wherefore he de&s;ign'd to retain him, and that if &s;he de&s;ired it, he &s;hould al&s;o have
<PB N="37" REF="24">an Eye over her Garden. This did <HI>Moretto</HI> readily offer to do, pre|tending extraordinary skill, in the rai&s;ing of Flowers from &s;eeds; &s;he an&s;wer'd, <HI>that &s;he wanted no body for that work, but that having a de|&s;ign to remove &s;ome Flowers on the &s;hady &s;ide of the Garden, &s;eeing that tho&s;e did &s;o well that had been al|ready remov'd there &s;he knew not how, &s;he would therefore employ him in &s;tir|ring up the Earth, and fitting it for the Tran&s;plantation. Moretto</HI> was not wanting in pre&s;ently informing them of the great Art he had in preparing of Earth, &s;o that no Ver|min nor Weeds &s;hould mole&s;t the Plants. After which <HI>Aladin</HI> and <HI>Rox|ana</HI> retir'd; and <HI>Moretto</HI> fell to work in the Garden.</P>
<P>In the Evening, <HI>Moretto</HI> took the pretence of g ing to fetch &s;ome Lin|nen, that he might l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">w <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he liber|ty of giving his Ma&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> an Account of h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> good S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ce&s;s; he told him all that had pa&s;&s;ed, and that he did
<PB N="38" REF="25">not de&s;pair of finding opportunities to &s;erve him to &s;ome good purpo&s;e. They took their mea&s;ures accor|dingly, and that they might have a corre&s;pondency together without &s;u&s;picion; they agreed upon this following expedient. <HI>Moretto</HI> could not write, but read very well his Ma&s;ter's Writing; <HI>Ibrahim</HI> therefore was to write what he de&s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">'d to know; which he was to fa&s;ten to a &s;tone, and this Stone he was to throw in <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Garden, pre&s;ently after he had made a certain noi&s;e, and which was to be an&s;wer'd by <HI>Moretto</HI>'s &s;tri|king upon his Spade, with the In|&s;trument that he u&s;ed to clean it with, which was the &s;ign he was at hand to receive the Me&s;&s;age; that <HI>Moretto</HI> having taken it up, and read the Contents, he &s;hould fling over a white Stone for the Affirmative, and a black &s;tone when it was in the Negative. This Intreague went on very currant for three or four days, during which, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> did
<PB N="39" REF="25">often &s;ee <HI>Roxana</HI> in her Garden; but one day <HI>Ibrahim</HI> having heard the Signal, and ca&s;ting the Stone &s;hort, &s;o that it fell on this &s;ide the Quick-&s;et Hedge in <HI>Roxana's</HI> Garden, the door of it being &s;hut, and not knowing which way to come at it, he at la&s;t &s;ought &s;o long, that he &s;ound in a Corner next to the Wall at the foot of the Quick&s;et, a &s;pace which was more thin than the re&s;t, he went to work about it, having fir&s;t looked about whether the Coa&s;t was clear, and with his Knife ha|ving made him&s;elf a pa&s;&s;age, which he indu&s;triou&s;ly covered without and within, with the Branches which he had left to that purpo&s;e, he got into <HI>Roxana's</HI> Garden, took up the Stone, and could not forbear run|ning ha&s;tily to the Hole in the Wall, to &s;ee whether he could &s;ee or &s;peak with his Ma&s;ter; by good Fortune his Ma&s;ter was on the Watch, and hearing a noi&s;e he went to the peep-hole, where he &s;aw his
<PB N="40" REF="26"><HI>Moretto,</HI> who told him of the occa&s;i|on of his coming, which was to adverti&s;e him that he &s;hould throw the Stones far enough, for fear that at &s;ome time or other he &s;hould be di&s;cover'd going to fetch them, through the hole he had made in the Quick&s;et. <HI>Ibrahim</HI> had &s;o many Que&s;tions to make to <HI>Moretto,</HI> that it kept him &s;o long in the Garden, that he heard a noi&s;e at the entry of it. It was <HI>Roxana,</HI> who, &s;ooner than her u&s;ual hour, was come with a de&s;ign to take <HI>Moretto</HI> into her Garden with her, and &s;hew him, what &s;he would have him to do; he heard her &s;peak to her Woman, and by the Voice, judged they were drawing nearer to the place where he was. <HI>Ibrahim</HI> did not know what to advi&s;e him to he <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">idding him go hide him&s;elf in the Sum|merhou&s;e, which <HI>Moretto</HI> would have done, but beginning to per|ceive their Cloaths, he could not re|cover that place without <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ing di&s;|covered,
<PB N="41" REF="26">at la&s;t being pre&s;t to it, he fell a digging, and minded them not. <HI>Roxana</HI> was wonderfully &s;ur|priz'd, when &s;he fir&s;t perceiv'd this new Gardner at work in her Gar|den, &s;he came up to him, and ask|ed him how he came there, and who had &s;et him to work? he re&s;olutely made an&s;wer, that finding the door open, and having heard her &s;ay, That &s;he de&s;ign'd to have the re&s;t of her Flowers remov'd to that &s;ide of the Garden, he had taken the boldne&s;s to &s;tep in, and to &s;hut the Door after him; and that when he was in, he could not forbear trying the goodne&s;s of the Earth with his Spade, that he might give her an account of it. The readi s of the An&s;wer, and the boldne&s;s with which it was given, did incline <HI>Roxana</HI> to believe the Story <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> be true: wherefore having check'd her Maid for having not &s;hut the Gar|den Door when they went la&s;t out of it; to which, the Maid pro|te&s;ted,
<PB N="42" REF="27">&s;he thought &s;he had; gave <HI>Moretto</HI> her In&s;tructions. And then &s;he went into the Summer-Hou&s;e, where <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> who was &s;till upon the watch, did &s;ee her pull out a Paper, which &s;he read very atten|tively; which done, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> heard her &s;ay, It is &s;trange that I cannot learn who wrote this Paper, and by what means it was convey'd here? it &s;peaks as if it came from one who knew my very thoughts. As if, Madam, the per&s;on had heard what you had &s;poken the day be|fore, &s;aid the Maid, when you ask'd me my thoughts on the Bride|groom? <HI>Prithee what did I &s;ay,</HI> reply'd <HI>Roxana?</HI> That you could not fancy &s;uch a Man, Madam, <HI>an&s;wer'd</HI> the Maid, and then, <HI>con|tinu'd &s;he,</HI> you gave &s;uch a Picture of an Hero, as &s;carce could ever be found in any Romance. I hum|bly conceive, Madam, that the Au|thor of tho&s;e Ver&s;es aims at that, when he &s;ays, that even our Great
<PB N="43" REF="27">Prophet was not &s;o qualified, as you require your Lover &s;hould be; and certainly, Madam, he that wrote tho&s;e Lines had a world of Love, at lea&s;t he expre&s;&s;es much of Pa&s;|&s;ion, and if his other qualities an|&s;wer that, though he &s;hould not be &s;o perfectly accompli&s;h'd in beauty and &s;hape as you would de|&s;ire; he doubtle&s;s might merit much. <HI>Hold, not &s;o fa&s;t, reply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>if you would not have me believe you had an hand in the con|veyance of the Paper here, and are become his Advocate:</HI> If I were Madam, though I prote&s;t I am all Ignorance in this My&s;tery, reply'd the Maid, if his good Meen, his Birth, his Riches, his Courage can|not be que&s;tion'd that dares lift up his thoughts to you; if, in a word all other things an&s;wer'd the Great|ne&s;s of his Soul, would you be an|gry I &s;hould &s;erve a Per&s;on that &s;hould expre&s;s &s;o much Love for you, Madam, who&s;e happine&s;s I
<PB N="44" REF="28">wi&s;h for above my own. <HI>But what do&s;t thou know, reply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>but that he counterfeits, and that his Body is as counterfeited as his Mind?</HI> But if otherwi&s;e, reply'd the Maid? well Madam, give me leave to wi&s;h for your Content, that he were as I fancy him, and that you could be &s;atisfy'd of that with your own eyes. <HI>Thou &s;peake&s;t of impo&s;&s;ibilities, reply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>'twas ea&s;ie to have this Paper conveyed here, but a man cannot &s;o ea&s;ily convey him&s;elf; be&s;ides, it were beyond, what my Condition would permit me to allow of, without the highe&s;t re&s;entment imaginable.</HI> Yet a Letter of Submi&s;&s;ion and of Love from &s;uch a per&s;on would not de&s;troy you, Madam, reply'd the Maid. <HI>But how &s;hould I know &s;till whether all the re&s;t did an&s;wer to that Love, or whether that Love was not meerly pretended to make him &s;port withal?</HI> Then Madam, &s;aid the Maid, he would be the wor&s;t of men, and I &s;hould be
<PB N="45" REF="28">&s;orry of ever having harbour'd one good thought of him in my Opi|nion. <HI>Well, to tell thee the truth, reply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>&s;uch a Per&s;on I &s;hould be glad to &s;ee, if it did not co&s;t me too dear.</HI> May you have your de&s;ires, Madam, reply'd the Maid, and I wi&s;h I could have him in|form'd of it. <HI>Not for the World, re|ply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>I have a great fancy that he had an hand in the tran&s;plant|ing of my Flowers, though no mention is made of it in his Ver&s;es.</HI> I have had the &s;ame Thoughts, Madam, reply'd the Maid, for why &s;hould not he who knew your thoughts in one thing, know them in another al&s;o. <HI>Well, all that I can make of it, reply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>is, I fear, that &s;ome of my Servants have been brib'd to let a Per&s;on into my Garden, who being clo&s;ely conceal'd, did over|hear all that I &s;aid and acted, ac|cording as his humour led him after it.</HI> Pray, Madam, give me leave to con&s;ult a <HI>Caldean</HI> about it, &s;aid
<PB N="46" REF="29">the Maid, I know one that is very expert, and who has told me &s;trange things concerning my &s;elf? <HI>Do what thou wilt, reply'd</HI> Roxana, <HI>but take it all upon thy &s;elf, I will have no hand in it.</HI> With that <HI>Rox|ana</HI> went out of the Summer-hou&s;e, ordering <HI>Moretto</HI> to draw the door after him when he had done in the Garden.</P>
<P>You may imagine in what rap|ture <HI>Ibrahim</HI> was at all he had &s;een and heard; he re&s;olved to make good u&s;e of it, and to that purpo&s;e he did ca&s;t a little Stone over, towards the place where <HI>Moretto</HI> was at work; who did gue&s;s at the meaning of it, and having &s;een whether the Coa&s;t was clear, he drew near to the peep-hole, where <HI>Ibrahim</HI> told him all that had pa&s;&s;ed; after which, it was agreed that <HI>Moretto</HI> &s;hould ask leave to go to a <HI>Caldean</HI> which he had heard of, who us'd to in|form him as to Gardening, to know
<PB N="47" REF="29">of him when the Stars and the Moon were in the be&s;t di&s;po&s;ition for to tran&s;plant tho&s;e Flowers which <HI>Roxana</HI> had commanded him to remove; that that &s;hould be an introduction by which, through his Wit and good Management, he &s;hould in&s;inuate to the Maid that &s;he could not employ a more Learn|ed Man than that <HI>Caldean,</HI> if &s;he &s;hould give him the lea&s;t hint of any de&s;ire &s;he had that way; and if &s;o, that then he him&s;elf would in a di&s;gui&s;e pa&s;s for the <HI>Caldean,</HI> and by that means work his own ends to his full content. This be|ing agreed upon, <HI>Moretto</HI> return'd to fini&s;h his work, and then he re|turn'd into the Hou&s;e, while his Ma&s;ter retired to re&s;t, and to ex|pect his an&s;wer.</P>
<P><HI>Moretto,</HI> who&s;e Wit an&s;wered the great inclination which he had to &s;erve his Ma&s;ter, fail'd not of addre&s;&s;ing him&s;elf to <HI>Roxana's</HI> Maid, to obtain leave of going out, as
<PB N="48" REF="30">he had projected; and he told her &s;o many wonderful things of this <HI>Caldean,</HI> that the Maid grew impa|tient of &s;peaking with him her &s;elf, with a de&s;ign that if he did not an|&s;wer exactly the expectation which <HI>Moretto</HI> had &s;tir'd up in her by his recital, &s;he would pa&s;s him by, and go to her old acquaintance; and no &s;ooner was <HI>Moretto</HI> gone, but that &s;he acquainted <HI>Roxana</HI> with the wonders which <HI>Moretto</HI> had told her of his <HI>Caldean;</HI> this &s;et her as much a-gog as her Maid, of hearing what he could &s;ay, but for fear any body &s;hould have the lea&s;t &s;u&s;pition of it, &s;he ordered her Maid to enter|tain him from a low Window, and that &s;he would be concealed in &s;ome convenient place of the room, where &s;he might hear all.</P>
<P>Mean time away gets <HI>Moretto</HI> in the dusk of the evening to his Ma|&s;ter, with &s;uch accoutrements as
<PB N="49" REF="30">were proper for to make an ab&s;o|late <HI>Caldean</HI> of him, he fitted them upon him, gave him his Cue, and when it was dark they both got out at the Stable door, and away they trudg'd towards <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Hou&s;e, which, though near, required many &s;teps to get the right way unto it; being got thither, our new <HI>Caldean</HI> &s;tood at a little di&s;tance from the Hou&s;e while <HI>Moretto</HI> went into give the Maid notice, who being upon the watch, bid him &s;tay a little for an an&s;wer, and went towards her La|dies Appartment: This gave <HI>Mo|retto</HI> &s;ome thoughts that her Lady was to be made acquainted with it, in which he was pre&s;ently confir|med; for after the Maid had told him at what Window he &s;hould bring the <HI>Caldean,</HI> he going out, turn'd back &s;uddenly, to ask her if he &s;hould remain with the <HI>Caldean,</HI> or come in again, he had a glimps of <HI>Roxana</HI> who was getting into that low Room; he was bid to
<PB N="50" REF="31">come in again, and leave the <HI>Cal|dean</HI> to di&s;cour&s;e with her pri|vately.</P>
<P><HI>Moretto</HI> pre&s;ently inform'd <HI>Ibra|him</HI> of his new di&s;covery; after which he brought him to the ap|pointed Window, where he left him, and &s;o went into the hou&s;e, leaving his Ma&s;ter to manage tho&s;e two Females.</P>
<P>The Maid ask'd him, whether he was the <HI>Caldean</HI> of whom their Gardner had given &s;o great a Cha|racter? he an&s;wer'd that he was the per&s;on, in a low voice; &s;he bid him &s;peak louder without fear, becau&s;e there being No body el&s;e that could hear: no, &s;aid he, then I find you have a mind to play upon me, and &s;eeing that you will not deal with me, as I de&s;ign'd to deal with you both, added he, I'll re|tire immediately, and <HI>Roxana</HI> &s;hall not have the &s;atisfaction which &s;he expected from me. At the word <HI>Roxana,</HI> both the Mi&s;tre&s;s and the
<PB N="51" REF="31">Maid &s;tarted, and perceiving that he was going to be as good as his word, by moving from the Win|dow; <HI>Hold,</HI> &s;aid the Maid by <HI>Rox|ana's</HI> Command, <HI>and &s;ince nothing is hid from your great Knowledge, &s;peak boldly to us both!</HI> Do, &s;aid <HI>Roxana,</HI> and if thou goe&s;t on as thou ha&s;t begun, I will highly gratifie thee. <HI>Then &s;ay not one word more, reply'd</HI> Ibrahim, <HI>for it were needle&s;s; I know your Thonghts, and as dark as it is can read them on your fore|heads as ea&s;ily as the Ver&s;es in your Pocket. Ask me no more que&s;tions, I &s;ay, continu'd he, no more than I ask you, but hear with attention all that I know of your Thoughts, your Wi&s;hes, and De&s;ires. 'Twas by my great Art, my Infallible Art, that the Flowers in your Garden were Tran&s;planted; I cau&s;ed tho&s;e Ver&s;es to be Wrote, which you found in the Summer-Hou&s;e, after you had given your Maid an account of the qualifications that man &s;hould have that you could
<PB N="52" REF="32">Love. I infus'd into &s;uch a Per&s;on the de&s;ire to &s;ee you, to like you, and to give you that &s;hort decla|ration of Love in Ver&s;e: Ask me not why I did this for you, I &s;ee your longing de&s;ire to do it, not one word. I read al&s;o that you would be glad to &s;ee that &s;o accompli&s;h'd a Per&s;on, and fore&s;ee that you will love him, and that your hearts will agree. I know that your Servant would have addre&s;|&s;ed her &s;elf to another of my Profe&s;|&s;ion, but he had not given you all this &s;atisfaction. I know your Pa|rents will thwart his Love to you, and that it is not to be &s;lackned by their greate&s;t &s;everity; and that you will, nay that you mu&s;t, for the Hea|vens have Decreed it, I &s;ay, you mu&s;t repay his Love with yours, mu|tually enterchange your hearts, and by firm Promi&s;e make you both one Per&s;on, 'till time and Friends work your Parents to give their con&s;ent. I know, la&s;tly, that you would be glad to &s;ee the Per&s;on's Idea or Form,
<PB N="53" REF="32">which you &s;hall do; hear it &s;peak, Court you, as if it were he him&s;elf, if you dare with only this your Maid, go to the Summer-Hou&s;e this night at Twelve, where I engage nothing &s;hall appear, or be heard to affright you. And now I have done; when you would hear more, &s;end for me here a|gain, or I'll come of my &s;elf when I think you may want me: remember this night at Twelve, on which de|pends much of your future happine&s;s.</HI> He was Retiring, when <HI>Roxana</HI> holding a Pur&s;e in her hand, cry'd <HI>hold, take this.</HI> At which turning his head, <HI>I de&s;pi&s;e your gilded dro&s;s,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>and move by Nobler Mo|tives.</HI> So he retir'd.</P>
<P>It is &s;carce to be imagin'd, in what &s;urprizal and confu&s;ion of thoughts our <HI>Caldean</HI> left his Mi|&s;tre&s;s and her Maid by his pretend|ed miraculous Skill, they took him for no le&s;s than a great Prophet; but the only &s;cruple which was left in <HI>Roxana's</HI> thoughts was, why
<PB N="54" REF="33">he had, by his own Confe&s;&s;ion, &s;o much concern'd him&s;elf in the inte|re&s;t of a Per&s;on &s;o ab&s;olute a &s;tran|ger to him as &s;he was? to which the Maid made an&s;wer, <HI>That though he was not pleas'd to di&s;cover his rea|&s;ons for it, &s;he might conclude, that if &s;he knew not him, it was probable that he not only knew her, but had al&s;o &s;ome great Rea&s;ons that led him to act as he did: and pray, Madam, give me further leave,</HI> added &s;he, <HI>to tell you, that I look not upon this Per&s;on as one of tho&s;e ordinary men which we employ to tell us our For|tunes.</HI> Nor I neither, reply'd <HI>Rox|ana,</HI> I rather take him to be &s;ome Great Ma&s;ter in the Mathematicks, who by his great Reading, and profound Learning, joyned to &s;ome conver&s;ation with Chri&s;tians, who it is &s;aid are incomparable in tho&s;e fore-telling Arts, has attained to this wonderful heighth of Know|ledge, as to read our very thoughts. And in that opinion, I have a great
<PB N="55" REF="33">de&s;ire this night to try this prodi|gious experiment which he has &s;aid he would &s;hew me. <HI>There Madam, I leave you, &s;aid the Maid, and mu&s;t acknowledge my weakne&s;s, my fears and apprehen&s;ions, of I know not what danger, prevail too much upon me, to venture &s;o far.</HI> Thy panick fears, reply'd <HI>Roxana,</HI> I have as much to hazard as you, and yet my de&s;ires are &s;o great to &s;ee the &s;hape of the Per&s;on he mention'd, that I will venture on the thing. <HI>Ma|dam, I confe&s;s, that as you are of a greater Rank, you have more to lo&s;e than I, but then give me leave to tell you, that you have al&s;o more to gain; for if I mi&s;take not, pardon my boldne&s;s, Madam, there is another Motive than bare curio&s;ity that leads you on, while I have neither intere&s;t nor curio&s;ity enough to venture.</HI> You cannot think it &s;hould be Love &s;hould pu&s;h me on, reply'd <HI>Roxana,</HI> with a Per&s;on that I never yet did &s;ee? <HI>But, Madam, there may be
<PB N="56" REF="34">Inclinations and De&s;ires to &s;ee an Object &s;o conformable to ones wi&s;hes, as our great Man has promis'd to &s;hew you,</HI> &s;aid the Maid. <HI>I mu&s;t confe&s;s,</HI> reply'd <HI>Roxana, that nothing could plea&s;e me more than to &s;ee &s;uch a Per&s;on as I have repre&s;ent|ed to my &s;elf divers times, and which I have never &s;een. Doubt|le&s;s, Madam,</HI> &s;aid the Maid, <HI>and it would not be very difficult for you to love &s;uch a Per&s;on too. Thou com'&s;t near to the point,</HI> reply'd <HI>Roxana; well, to encourage thee to attend me with thy endeavours, I will confe&s;s to thee that I have had &s;ome inclination towards that Per&s;on who writ the Ver&s;es which I found in the Summer-hou&s;e, ever &s;ince I fir&s;t read them; and that then, and divers times &s;ince, I have wi&s;h'd that that Per&s;on were qualify'd ac|cording to my de&s;ire. Be &s;ure to keep my Secret, now that I have made thee my Confident. This is to engage you further,</HI> added &s;he, giv|ing
<PB N="57" REF="34">her the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">r&s;e which our Ma|gician had refus'd, <HI>take it as an a&s;&s;urance of my further Favours, which I will always mea&s;ure by tho&s;e Services that you will render me.</HI> There needed no more to engage her Maid wholly to her devotion; &s;he prote&s;ted that &s;he would go through Fire and Water, and pa&s;s over the greate&s;t difficulties ima|ginable: that &s;he was not only rea|dy to attend her that night, but al&s;o to lay down her life at any time for her Service: Thus they having &s;pun the time away till the hour of Ten. <HI>Roxana</HI> laid her &s;elf in a Day-Bed, which was in an open Room, joyning the Gardens, more to rave on the Adventure &s;he was going about, than to &s;leep; while &s;he left her Maid watching, with &s;trict charge to call upon her at the appointed Hour; &s;he hav|ing &s;uch an a&s;cendant over her Mother, and now that <HI>Aladin</HI> was &s;till ab&s;ent, as he had been for two
<PB N="58" REF="35">days before, &s;he di&s;p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s'd of her &s;elf and Servants as &s;he pleas'd; which was the rea&s;on that &s;he had pre|tended that to enjoy the cool Air which came from the Garden in|to that Room &s;he had cho&s;en to lye there that night.</P>
<P>If <HI>Roxana</HI> bu&s;ied her thoughts one way, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> was not more quiet in another. He hugg'd him|&s;elf a thou&s;and times for carrying on his De&s;ign &s;o well, and without the lea&s;t &s;u&s;picion; he thank'd his propitious Stars as oft, and wi&s;h'd that he might but conver&s;e for &s;ome few moments with his <HI>Mo|retto,</HI> to take further mea&s;ures to fini&s;h the &s;o well begun Work: He was weighing every particular cir|cum&s;tance; his Fears and Hopes were ebbing and flowing accord|ing as his thoughts did &s;ugge&s;t him, when <HI>Moretto,</HI> who through his hole in the Quick&s;et had got in|to the Garden, &s;o &s;oon as he had &s;een the Coa&s;t clear, did ca&s;t &s;ome
<PB N="59" REF="35">Stones over into his Ma&s;ter's Gar|den, to give him notice of his being at the hole. <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> who&s;e &s;oli|citous thoughts did not hinder him from being attentive that way, pre|&s;ently repair'd to the place; where, hearing that it was <HI>Moretto,</HI> he ca&s;t the Rope-ladder over the Wall, and bid him come over to him. There he told him what he had done, and in what an amazement he had left both Mi&s;tre&s;s and Maid; what he had promis'd them to perform that night at Twelve, and what he de&s;ign'd further to act. <HI>But, my dear Moretto,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>do&s;t thou think that</HI> Roxana <HI>will have &s;o much Curio&s;ity and Cou|rage as to adventure her &s;elf at the Place? Sir,</HI> reply'd <HI>Moretto, if the Character you have given her of your own Per&s;on has touch'd her Heart, you may be &s;ure that &s;he will pa&s;s over all dangers to &s;ee &s;o charming an Object; and that &s;he had &s;ome propen&s;ity that way, is clear,
<PB N="60" REF="36">by her de&s;ire to be pre&s;ent at the</HI> Caldean's <HI>Di&s;cour&s;e. However,</HI> re|ply'd <HI>Ibrahim, I will prepare my &s;elf for that purpo&s;e, in which I mu&s;t have thy a&s;&s;i&s;tance to carry all off without the lea&s;t &s;u&s;picion.</HI> Then he told him how he had laid the Plot, what part he was to act, and that he would perform the re&s;t; he bid him put on that <HI>Caldean</HI> Habit which he had worn, to di&s;|gui&s;e him&s;elf; that he &s;hould hide him&s;elf behind the Bu&s;hes which &s;urrounded the Summer-Hou&s;e, &s;o that he might &s;ee when they were got into the Hou&s;e, that then he &s;hould pull the door clo&s;e by a String ty'd to the Lock, and keep it &s;hut on the out-&s;ide, till he &s;hould hear him to di&s;mi&s;s them, and then he &s;hould let loo&s;e the door, &s;lip off the &s;tring, and get as fa&s;t as he could into the out-hou&s;es where he u&s;ually lay.</P>
<P><HI>Ibrahim</HI> having made an end of informing <HI>Moretto</HI> how he &s;hould
<PB N="61" REF="36">act, he gave him &s;ome Lamps to &s;et up in divers places of the Sum|mer-hou&s;e, with order to watch their coming, and to fling a Stone for Signal of their approach; after which <HI>Moretto</HI> got over the Wall in his <HI>Caldean</HI> Habit, di&s;pos'd of the Lamps, fa&s;tn'd the String to the Lock of the Door, and went to watch their coming.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> in the mean time being too full of imaginations to get a moments &s;leep, began to talk to her Maid, which was over-heard by <HI>Moretto,</HI> as he was got to the outward Quick&s;et, which parted <HI>Roxana's</HI> Garden from her Fathers; this made him Curious to lend an ear to tho&s;e Voices, but what with their &s;peaking too low for fear of being over-heard in the Hou&s;e, and with the di&s;tance he was at, he could not under&s;tand what they &s;aid, &s;o that he did not know who tho&s;e per&s;ons were; but he was &s;oon inform'd of that, for <HI>Roxana</HI> ha|ving
<PB N="62" REF="37">a mind to try her own Cou|rage as well as her Maids, in go|ing into her Father's Garden before hand, (for then it was but half an hour after Eleven) &s;he had ventur'd out, and they were walking to|wards the Quick&s;et partition, on the other end of it that <HI>Moretto</HI>'s Creeping hole was &s;o that he could di&s;tinctly hear the Maid &s;ay, <HI>Ma|dam, I know not what I ail, but a certain horrour &s;eizes me on the &s;ud|den, which makes me fancy I &s;ee &s;trange things about me.</HI> Thou art able, reply'd <HI>Roxana,</HI> to produce fear in the mo&s;t re&s;olute, with thy &s;trange fancies; and thy talk &s;o works upon my imagination, that methinks I &s;ee &s;trange things al&s;o; I find we are both very unfit for &s;o great an Enterpri&s;e, continu'd &s;he, and &s;eeing thou ha&s;t not the Courage to hearten me up, I'll think of a timely retreat, and de&s;i&s;t from this attempt, at lea&s;t for this night. With this &s;he turn'd back to go to|wards
<PB N="63" REF="37">the Hou&s;e, &s;till di&s;cour&s;ing with the Maid.</P>
<P><HI>Moretto,</HI> who had heard this, thought he had enough, and ha|ving the <HI>Caldean</HI>'s di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="4 letters"> upon him, did re&s;olve to break <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">heir new mea&s;ures; to that purpo&s;e he crept all along a Hedge which hid him from their &s;ight, in order to inter|cept their return, and to fright them into a compliance to his Ma&s;ter's de&s;igns: but as he was making all the ha&s;te he could, he made a noi&s;e; which conduc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d to his de&s;igns, for <HI>Roxana</HI> hearing it, and as fear aug|ments all Objects, &s;o it increa&s;es Sounds, &s;he imagin'd it to be much nearer to her than really it was, which made her and her Maid remain movele&s;s in the place where they were. This gave time to <HI>Moretto</HI> to recover him&s;elf, and to get before them un&s;een into the Room, where he found the Door open, not doubting but that they came from thence; where he de|&s;ign'd
<PB N="64" REF="38">to &s;tand, and to affright them back again towards the Gar|den.</P>
<P>After that <HI>Roxana</HI> had &s;tood li&s;tning a while, and heard no more noi&s;e, &s;he began to whi&s;per to her Maid, <HI>that &s;he wi&s;h'd her &s;elf in the Hou&s;e again.</HI> To which the Maid an&s;wer'd, that it was her thoughts al&s;o; and added, pray Madam let us get in &s;o &s;oon as we can; this &s;he &s;aid, creeping &s;oftly after her Mi&s;tre&s;s, that mov'd as &s;low as &s;he could; they got at la&s;t to the door of the Room, where the Maid, being more frighted than the Mi|&s;tre&s;s, would have run in fir&s;t. But what a horrour was &s;he in, when &s;he found the pa&s;&s;age po&s;&s;e&s;t by the <HI>Caldean,</HI> which &s;he knew by his Habit, with that &s;mall light of the Stars which they had. She pre|&s;ently run back, giving a &s;hriek, which made <HI>Roxana</HI> do the like; but &s;triking violently one again&s;t another it broke the violence of it;
<PB N="65" REF="38">&s;o that it being in the deepe&s;t &s;i|lence of the night, and far from the body of the Hou&s;e, by good for|tune it was not heard. But what with the fear and the &s;hock they had given one another they both had fallen, the Maid in a &s;woon, and <HI>Roxana</HI> not far from it. This put <HI>Moretto</HI> into greater trouble than before, he knew the hour was near, that his Ma&s;ter was in ex|pectation of them, but how to get them thither he knew not; he found that <HI>Roxana</HI> mov'd, which made him to tell her, <HI>That &s;he &s;hould not fear any thing &s;o long as he was by her; that &s;o &s;oon as he did fore&s;ee her fears coming upon her, and that &s;he de&s;ign'd to retire, and not give her &s;elf the &s;atisfaction of &s;eeing that which &s;he mo&s;t de&s;ired, and on which depended all her future mi&s;ery or happine&s;s, he had Tran&s;ported him|&s;elf to her aid, to &s;trengthen her confidence, and to be her Protector; That he very much feared &s;ome evil
<PB N="66" REF="39">would befall her Lover or her &s;elf for the want of Faith, and that if &s;he would not bring her own or the Per&s;ons ruine upon him, which &s;he was to have &s;een, &s;he ought to go on boldly, being a&s;&s;ured that under his conduct, &s;he and her Maid would both remain &s;ecure from all manner of dangers.</HI> All this he &s;aid, feigning his voice, pretending to &s;peak &s;oft|ly for fear of being over-heard; but his de&s;ign was to di&s;gui&s;e his voice that they &s;hould not perceive the change was put upon them. They had never heard him &s;peak but once before, and had not &s;een his face till then, becau&s;e that at the Window, the Street being lower than the Room <HI>Roxana</HI> was in, they could not well &s;ee his face, &s;o that he pa&s;s'd for currant for the &s;ame per&s;on in both their Opinions; I &s;ay in both their Opinions, becau&s;e that by this time the Maid was recovered out of her Trance, and had lain &s;till and heard part of what
<PB N="67" REF="39"><HI>Moretto</HI> had &s;aid to <HI>Roxana,</HI> and was &s;itting on the ground at her Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es feet, whom <HI>Moretto</HI> had rai&s;ed up. <HI>Roxana</HI> being &s;omewhat comforted, a&s;&s;ured, and affrighted by the danger &s;he or her Lover would be in, if &s;he &s;till per&s;i&s;ted in refu&s;ing to go, told the <HI>Caldean, that if he would accompany her, &s;he would under his protection adventure on.</HI> He having again &s;poken all he could to encourage them both, with a&s;&s;urance of his protection, <HI>Roxana</HI> gave him the Key to open the door of her Garden, and he led them both towards it. He was &s;till in a peck of troubles for want of an opportunity of giving <HI>Ibra|him</HI> the &s;ign of their approaches, that the Lamps might be light|ed. And <HI>Roxana</HI> had more than once complain'd of the darkne&s;s, which &s;he confe&s;s'd increas'd her fears; and to a&s;&s;ure her, he had told her that he would order lights &s;ufficiently by that time they got
<PB N="68" REF="40">there. <HI>I have but to &s;peak a word, give a &s;ign to my Spirits, or ca&s;t a &s;tone, and they will &s;oon obey my will; you &s;hall &s;ee the Experiment of it, continu'd he, &s;o &s;tooping he took up a &s;tone, and flung it towards the Summer-Hou&s;e; now, &s;aid he, ob|&s;erve how the place will be enlightned to your de&s;ire.</HI> They had not gone two &s;teps further, but they began to perceive a Light in the Summer-Hou&s;e, which &s;till encrea&s;ed, as they drew near. <HI>Moretto</HI> did en|tertain them as well as he could, with a&s;&s;urances of &s;afety, to take off all their fears; at la&s;t coming towards the Summer-Hou&s;e, he rais'd his voice on purpo&s;e, that his Ma&s;ter &s;hould not be &s;urpriz'd at his coming with them, and &s;aid, <HI>Now, Madam, is the time for you to bani&s;h from you all fears, and to fill your heart with Love, for I have done for you more than I promi&s;ed; I only told you I would bring that Per&s;on's Idea to your pre&s;ence, who
<PB N="69" REF="40">wrote the Ver&s;es, but there is &s;ome|thing which mu&s;t &s;till remain &s;ecret, which makes me think I can ne|ver do too much for you, wherefore I have tran&s;mitted the Per&s;on him&s;elf here; he was in his &s;leep when I did it, but I &s;uppo&s;e by this awakned, or will &s;oon awaken at your coming. Moretto</HI> being now come to the &s;teps that went to the Summer-Hou&s;e door, <HI>A&s;cend, Madam, conti|nued he, and then admire what I have done for you.</HI> With that, he led her up, and put her into the hou&s;e, then took the Maid who follow'd her Mi&s;tre&s;s, and put her in al&s;o, <HI>and bid them go forward to the Table.</HI> As re-a&s;&s;ur'd as <HI>Roxana</HI> was, &s;he dur&s;t not contradict her Guide, which gave him time to &s;hut the door upon them, and to retire. <HI>Roxana</HI> was wondering at the great and clear light which &s;o many Lamps as were placed there did give; when that <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> as if new|ly awakned, being &s;et off with the
<PB N="70" REF="41">mo&s;t advantageous Dre&s;s that he could po&s;&s;ible put on, and adorn'd with a world of Jewels, did rai&s;e him&s;elf from a Day-Bed, on which he was lying, and, as if amaz'd, &s;tartling and &s;taring. <HI>Is it a Dream, or do I wake?</HI> &s;aid he; then looking a|bout him, <HI>Where am I?</HI> continu'd he. Then looking on <HI>Roxana, Ha! What do I &s;ee? the very Darling of my Soul, my Heart's Delight, and all that I mo&s;t de&s;ired. What good Angel has been &s;o kind as to continue and con|clude my Dream with &s;uch a ble&s;&s;ed Vi&s;ion!</HI> Roxana, <HI>Divine</HI> Roxana <HI>here, and I &s;tand &s;till, and not ca&s;t at her feet a Heart that is &s;o wholly hers! Pardon, &s;weet Angel, the Errour that the great &s;urpri|&s;al I am in, at &s;o fair a Vi&s;ion, has caus'd me to commit; and deign to accept the offers of an Heart who&s;e greate&s;t Glory is to be your Slave.</HI> With that he was going to throw him&s;elf at <HI>Roxana</HI>'s feet, when &s;he moving her Body that
<PB N="71" REF="41">way, <HI>But hold,</HI> &s;aid he again, to him&s;elf, <HI>let not my exce&s;s of Joy render me too ra&s;h, and lo&s;e the Ble&s;&s;ing I enjoy in this bright Ap|parition, by drawing too near with my Terre&s;trial Body:</HI> then falling back again, while he was &s;peaking this, thus he continu'd; <HI>If you are not but condens'd Air, or &s;ome Etherial Spirit, who to mock my Pa&s;&s;ion for a time, has a&s;&s;um'd this glorious &s;hape to render me after|wards the mo&s;t mi&s;erable wretch living, when you again di&s;&s;olve into &s;oft Air. Speak, give me &s;ome &s;igns of Life; a Voice coming from &s;o admirable a Shape, cannot but be all Harmony to my Heart.</HI> At this <HI>Roxana</HI> bowing forward, was go|ing to &s;peak, when he again in|terrupted her thus; <HI>By Heavens, it moves! but one word, and I am ble&s;&s;ed for ever.</HI> Then did <HI>Roxa|na</HI> &s;ay, <HI>Whoe're you are, that thus exerci&s;e your Wit and Fancy upon a Per&s;on who knows her &s;elf much
<PB N="72" REF="42">inferiour to what the exta&s;y you &s;eem to be in leads you to &s;peak; know that I am the real</HI> Roxana, <HI>Mi&s;tre&s;s of this place. If all I hear and &s;ee is not Inchantments, which I am apt to believe is, when I con&s;ider that Shape which is before me, and tho&s;e Expre&s;&s;ions, which, whether true or feigned, real or delu&s;ive, plea&s;e my Ears and Heart? and if you are as real Sub&s;tance as I find my &s;elf to be, I may now &s;ay I have &s;een the reali|ty of tho&s;e things which I before did only frame in my imagination; and &s;ince I find that all which that Great man has told me proves true, even beyond my expectation, I am apt to believe that all the re&s;t he has told me will be of the &s;ame &s;tamp.</HI> If he has &s;aid, Madam, reply'd <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> that you &s;hould &s;ee a Per|&s;on, in who&s;e &s;ingle heart there was more Love contain'd for you, than in all the World be&s;ides, (though all were too little yet.) If that he told you, that it was im|po&s;&s;ible
<PB N="73" REF="42">for that per&s;on to live a day longer after &s;eeing you, with|out the hopes that you would ac|cept of an Heart which is wholly yours. If he has a&s;&s;ur'd you that from the fir&s;t moment that per&s;on beheld you, he vow'd to live e|ternally yours: I am the per&s;on. In confirmation of which, I here lay my life, and all I can call mine at your feet; prote&s;ting by our great Prophet, that I will never ri&s;e again from this place, till you are pleas'd to accept and receive this free (though unworthy) Gift I make you of my &s;elf. Saying this, he &s;lung him&s;elf at <HI>Roxana</HI>'s feet; &s;he extended her hand to rai&s;e him, but he taking hold of it, and pre&s;&s;ing it hard with his lips, <HI>No, Madam,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>never mu&s;t I ri&s;e from this place, till you have &s;poke my happine&s;s.</HI> To which thus <HI>Roxana</HI> an&s;wer'd, <HI>That I may the &s;ooner relieve you from this un|be&s;eeming and unea&s;ie po&s;ture, and
<PB N="74" REF="43">to follow what the Heavens have decreed, in which peradventure con|curs &s;omething of my own inclina|tion; for I cannot but think, when I reflect on all that has been acted this night, that it is the will of Heaven. Here is my Hand that I receive tho&s;e offers you have made me of your Heart, in ex|change of which, I give you another, that was never any others but mine, and now yours. And I, Madam,</HI> re|ply'd <HI>Ibrahim, do take the boldne&s;s to &s;eal this Contract on this white Author of my Happine&s;s with my Lips.</HI> With this &s;he took him up; then &s;aid to him, looking on her Maid, <HI>Here is one &s;hall be a &s;e|cret Witne&s;s of our &s;ecret Love, till we find means to get our Friends con&s;ents; mean time, you know my Father's &s;everity towards me, by which you may gue&s;s that if he had been now at</HI> Con&s;tantinople, <HI>I &s;hould not have had this opportunity, which I know not when we &s;hall have again,
<PB N="75" REF="43">becau&s;e he is expected here again to morrow.</HI> After this they fell to particular di&s;cour&s;es about the means they &s;hould u&s;e to &s;ee one another; and they agreed that <HI>Moretto,</HI> for having been &s;o in&s;trumental to their mutual happine&s;s, in bringing them to the knowledge of the <HI>Cal|dean,</HI> &s;hould be admitted into the Confidence, not doubting but that betwixt him and her Maid they &s;hould have &s;uch frequent news of one another, that they &s;hould not be long before they met again; upon which, and divers other di&s;|cour&s;es of that nature, day begin|ning to break forth, they thought fit to &s;eparate, which, after a thou|&s;and repeated a&s;&s;urances of con|&s;tancy on both &s;ides, they did; he leading fir&s;t <HI>Roxana</HI> to the Gate of her Garden, then he getting over the Wall by his Rope-ladder.</P>
<P>The brighte&s;t <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ay is frequently follow'd with a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ormy Night, and the faire&s;t Night &s;ucceeded by a
<PB N="76" REF="44">Cloudy Day. Our Lovers Joys, like all vehement Motions, were too great to la&s;t long, and though the Cau&s;e of it was not in them&s;elves, but from abroad; yet &s;o &s;uddain, &s;o great, and &s;o pa&s;&s;ionate a Love, as was between them, rendred them not long happy, as you &s;hall hear from what follows.</P>
<P><HI>Ibrahim</HI> was a Per&s;on, that in all re&s;pects was very de&s;irable; no wonder then if that <HI>Roxana</HI> was &s;o impatient to &s;ee again a Per&s;on &s;o like that which &s;he had fram'd in her imagination, that could only plea&s;e her. She had employ'd her Maid, and the Maid <HI>Moretto,</HI> &s;o that &s;he was certain that her Fa|ther would not return the day fol|lowing to <HI>Con&s;tantinople. Ibrahim</HI> was to be advertis'd of that, and means contriv'd of getting to the Summer-Hou&s;e, the only convenient place for their private interview; <HI>Moretto</HI> was to be con&s;ulted upon this, wherefore, when <HI>Roxana</HI> knew
<PB N="77" REF="44">that he was at work, &s;he took the opportunity to &s;peak to him, as &s;he went to vi&s;it her Flowers towards the Evening, and told him, <HI>That &s;he did not know how</HI> Ibrahim <HI>could get into the Summer-hou&s;e that night; as he had been the night before? Why, Madam, the &s;ame way, reply'd</HI> Moretto. <HI>We have no longer any need of the</HI> Cal|dean's <HI>a&s;&s;i&s;tance,</HI> &s;aid <HI>Roxana, and I would gladly conver&s;e with him, after his own coming to this place. Moretto,</HI> finding that he had like to have committed an error, &s;aid, <HI>Madam, though he was la&s;t night carried into the Summer Hou&s;e, while he was a&s;leep, by the</HI> Caldean's <HI>won|derful Power and Art, yet I &s;up|po&s;e that he convey'd him there through the Air over tho&s;e Walls which encompa&s;s your Garden; and no que&s;tion, Madam, but that if I in|form him, by your Order, of your de|&s;ires, let me but know the hour, and his Love will be &s;ufficient to find him Wings to flye to you, if all other
<PB N="78" REF="45">means were failing, he'll find or make a way over the Walls, no que&s;tion. Well, &s;aid</HI> Roxana, <HI>I leave that care to you, fail not to give him timely notice of it; but,</HI> added &s;he, <HI>where will you find him? we forgot that. Trouble not your &s;elf, Ma|dam,</HI> reply'd <HI>Moretto, the</HI> Caldean <HI>will &s;oon &s;atisfie me in that. 'Tis true,</HI> reply'd <HI>Roxana, but after you have got that knowledge ha&s;ten to him, and deliver him this Note:</HI> Then &s;he gave him the Note, and went to walk in her Garden as &s;he us'd to do; but being come near the Summer-hou&s;e, &s;he had not the power to ad|vance one &s;tep forward till &s;he had gone into it; where being &s;eated, &s;he began to reflect on all that had happen'd to her there the la&s;t night: a while after, &s;he pull'd <HI>Ibrahim</HI>'s Ver&s;es out of her bo&s;om, and ha|ving ki&s;s'd them, &s;he read them o|ver, ki&s;s'd them, and put them into her bo&s;om again; then fell a raving as before; and then by and
<PB N="79" REF="45">by again, out would &s;he pull the Paper, ki&s;s, read, and ki&s;s it a|gain; and this &s;port &s;he repeated over divers times. All this while <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> through his peep-hole, had the plea&s;ure of &s;eeing how much his beloved Mi&s;tre&s;s did make of his Ver&s;es; for he had &s;een them &s;o often that he could di&s;cern them at &s;uch a di&s;tance. This &s;ight did infinitely plea&s;e him, and he was &s;o attentive at it, that he per|ceiv'd not <HI>Moretto,</HI> who was coming to him, 'till he was clo&s;e by, he acquainted him with <HI>Roxana</HI>'s de|&s;ires, then gave him the Letter, which being opened by <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> he read in it what follows.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>You'll wonder it may be at my for|wardne&s;s, in making the&s;e advances, which I &s;hould, with the Decorum of my Sex, have expected fir&s;t from you, but mighty Love cau&s;ing me to re|flect on all that the Heavens have done for me of late, I can no longer with&s;tand his invincible Power, it is
<PB N="80" REF="46">he that has guided my Pen, to in|form you that my Father not return|ing home this day, this night may be as freely ours as was the la&s;t. Hea|ven knows what we &s;hall do to con|tinue our enterview after <HI>Aladin</HI>'s return; but I leave all to Love, to whom I have wholly devoted my &s;elf. I will not doubt but that you will be as de&s;irous to meet me in the Summer-hou&s;e this night, at the &s;ame hour, as I &s;hall be to &s;ee you there. It is <HI>Roxana</HI> gives you this advice.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>It was now <HI>Ibrahim</HI>'s turn to ki&s;s the Letter, which he did over and over, and having bid <HI>Moretto</HI> to fetch him Ink and Paper, he pa&s;s'd his time till his return, in contemplating his Dear <HI>Roxana,</HI> who by this time was fallen a&s;leep, holding the Ver&s;es in her hand, which were ready to drop. To enjoy the better the bene|fit of the cool Air, &s;he had ca&s;t a&s;ide her Vail more than u&s;ually, by which he did di&s;cover whole
<PB N="81" REF="46">mines of Beauties which were &s;pread all over her neck and Brea&s;ts. When <HI>Moretto</HI> was return'd, he could not take off his Eyes, from &s;o Charming an Object, and when he did it, he enviou&s;ly turned his back towards the Hole, that <HI>Mo|retto</HI> &s;hould not rob him with his Eyes, of &s;ome part of that which he thought was wholly due un|to his Love.</P>
<P>In this place, as in many others of this Book, I might make di|vers curious Reflections; as here, for example, jealou&s;ie is the na|tural effect of Love, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> But my de&s;ign being to give you only a bare account of the Court-Secret, according to the faithfulne&s;s of my Memoires; be&s;ides that, the Sub|ject of this Novel is &s;ufficient enough of it &s;elf to furni&s;h me with mat|ter, I &s;hall decline all &s;uch kind of &s;uperfluous digre&s;&s;ions, and &s;tick clo&s;e to my Subject. This is then what <HI>Ibrahim</HI> writ back to <HI>Roxana.</HI></P>
<PB N="82" REF="47">
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>Our Love had a more noble birth, than to a&s;cribe unto it any of tho&s;e low Formalities, which were invented by meaner Souls than my <HI>Roxana's,</HI> and that are put in u&s;e by &s;uch per&s;ons as make Love more by form than by inclination. Let it &s;uffice, that your kind invitation is as acceptable to me, as if it was an a&s;&s;urance that you gave your con&s;ent to an&s;wer one from me. I &s;hall employ all the time, till the happy hour be come, in &s;uch plea&s;ant Reflections on what has al|ready pa&s;s'd, and in &s;uch Raptures on the Joys to come, that I &s;hall, by tho&s;e means, make that time, which otherwi&s;e would &s;eem an Age to me, be but a moment of plea&s;ure, till that happy hour. The Heavens, who has made me for my <HI>Roxana,</HI> and &s;he for her <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> pre&s;erve us both.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>This Letter being fini&s;hed, he di&s;patched <HI>Moretto</HI> away with more than u&s;ual ha&s;te, only that he might lo&s;e no more of that &s;ight which his &s;leeping <HI>Roxana</HI> did afford him. He was &s;till gazing on, wi&s;hing
<PB N="83" REF="47">him&s;elf all turn'd into Eyes, that he might devour her with looking on, when on a &s;udden a great noi&s;e was heard, of a confu&s;ion of Voi|ces, which &s;till drawing nearer to his Garden, he thought fit to re|tire into his Hou&s;e, for fear of a &s;urprize. When he was got thi|ther, he more di&s;tinctly heard the Voices, and gathered by them, that it was a Slave who had made his e&s;cape. Some of the Pur&s;uers were for getting over the Wall, and to &s;earch in the Garden; others a|gain &s;aid that no body liv'd in that hou&s;e; the &s;ooner for that, cryed others, let us &s;earch there; at la&s;t the mo&s;t voices carried it, for the &s;earch in the Garden: Some pre|&s;ently got over by the help of o|thers, at which <HI>Ibrahim</HI> having made fa&s;t all his doors, he kept within, and let them do what they plea&s;ed without, when, after they had looked all over, and found no body, they left off, but it was not without &s;ome cunning ob&s;ervations,
<PB N="84" REF="48">made by one of tho&s;e that came fir&s;t over; he, before the re&s;t was come, had ob&s;erved &s;ome foot&s;teps new made upon the Gra&s;s which was high, and tho&s;e &s;teps tending towards the Hou&s;e, he had follow'd them, and leaning his Ear to the Key-hole of the door, he had heard &s;ome kind of treading in the Hou&s;e, all this gave him &s;ome Jealou&s;ie, that the Fugitive was gotten into it; he made no more noi&s;e of it at that time, but was re&s;olved to watch thereabouts that night, to &s;eize on the Fugitive him&s;elf, when he &s;hould think of getting off, and have the &s;ole Honour and Reward of the bu&s;ine&s;s to him&s;elf; with the&s;e thoughts he mixt him&s;elf with the re&s;t of the Rabble, and got over the Wall as he had got in, and the noi&s;e going by little and little, further and further, at la&s;t all was quiet as before.</P>
<P>So &s;oon as the Storm was over, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> could no longer refrain from going again to have another
<PB N="85" REF="48">view of his Mi&s;tre&s;s a&s;leep; but when he came he found her gone, 'tis likely being awakned by the noi&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>Ibrahim</HI> gue&s;&s;ing that he had lo&s;t his happine&s;s by the noi&s;e which the multitude had made, did wi&s;h that he had had &s;ome of them there to revenge him&s;elf up n; but pre|&s;ently con&s;idering that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> night he &s;hould have the happine<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ee her nearer at hand, and to di&s;cour&s;e with her, he quieted him&s;elf with that Expectation, and return'd into the hou&s;e to wait till the good hour.</P>
<P>Mean time, <HI>Roxana</HI> on her part did not think the time le&s;s long, though &s;he had &s;lept &s;ome part of it away. She had receiv'd <HI>Ibrahim</HI>'s an&s;wer by <HI>Moretto,</HI> and &s;he was &s;o ordering of things, and di&s;po&s;ing of the Servants, that none but her own Maid and <HI>Moretto,</HI> the two Confidents, &s;hould know of the bu&s;ine&s;s: All things being put in order, and the hour drawing near,
<PB N="86" REF="49">&s;he thought it would be &s;ome &s;atis|faction to her, to &s;pend the re&s;t of the time at the Summer Hou&s;e, which &s;he did, taking her Maid a|long with her, and leaving <HI>Moret|to</HI> at her Garden door, to be in readine&s;s to give them the Alarm, if any Enemy &s;hould appear.</P>
<P>At la&s;t the twelve a Clock at night Prayers were proclaim'd from the top of a Tower, accor|ding to the cu&s;tom of that Coun|try, where they have no publick Clocks, nor Bells; and <HI>Ibrahim</HI> came to the Garden with his Rope-Ladder, he pre&s;ently fix'd it, and got up, and was &s;triding over the wall, when a piece was di&s;charg'd, which &s;hot him quite through the Body, &s;o that he fell head-long into <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Garden. He that had &s;hot him, followed clo&s;e his Game, not knowing which way he had fallen, and believing that he had &s;hot him, and not finding him on that &s;ide of the wall, cryed out, if there be any body in the next Garden, &s;top
<PB N="87" REF="49">that Fugitive which I have &s;hot; and looking for &s;ome convenient place to get over, he at la&s;t found the Rope-Ladder, on which having got, he leapt into <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Gar|den, and was &s;till &s;o attentive after his pur&s;ute, that he con&s;ider'd not the per&s;ons that were by, but glo|rying in his Prowe&s;s, <HI>'twas I kill'd him,</HI> &s;aid he: <HI>Moretto,</HI> who was come, and had &s;een what had hap|pen'd to his poor Ma&s;ter, was in &s;uch a rage at this Villains In&s;o|lence, that with a Spade he had in his hand, he cleav'd the fellow's head in two, and laid him &s;praw|ling on the ground.</P>
<P>You may imagine in what a con|dition <HI>Roxana</HI> was, who, &s;o &s;oon as &s;he had heard the Gun go off, and the per&s;on fall, imagining it could be none other than her <HI>Ibra|him,</HI> &s;he had run to him, and be|ing &s;tunn'd by his fall, &s;he had con|cluded him dead, con&s;idering the great effu&s;ion of Blood which came from him; &s;he pre&s;ently &s;ent her
<PB N="88" REF="50">Maid to call the Servants of the hou&s;e up, and to &s;end them for help; &s;he tore her Hair, endea|vour'd to &s;top his wounds with the Linnen which &s;he rent off her &s;elf; &s;he rais'd his head in her lap, call'd upon him to &s;peak to her, and finding no an&s;wer come from him, and that he was without motion, &s;he fell backwards with her head again&s;t the Wall, in a &s;woon. In this condition were they both found by the Servants, the A&s;&s;i|&s;tance which had been &s;ent for, and by her own Mother, who had been told of the &s;ad di&s;|a&s;ter, by &s;ome over-diligent Ser|vant, that had brought her thi|ther.</P>
<P>The Surgeons, moving of his body to &s;earch his wounds, &s;aw a great deal of Blood on <HI>Roxana,</HI> which had run from him, and they not knowing of the bu&s;ine&s;s any more than they &s;aw, did judge her hurt al&s;o, and by the place where the blood was, that &s;he was mor|tally
<PB N="89" REF="50">wounded. They &s;tirring of <HI>Ibrahim</HI>'s body, he came to life again, open'd his Eyes, turn'd his head about, and pre&s;ently ask'd where <HI>Roxana</HI> was, and whether &s;he was &s;afe? He was an&s;wer'd, that there &s;he lay by him dead, as they &s;uppos'd; <HI>Then is all your a&s;&s;i&s;tance in vain,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>I cannot live, if &s;he be not, open my wounds afre&s;h, or I'le tear them open with my own hands,</HI> continu'd he. <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Mo|ther by this was run to her Daugh|ter, and with rubbing of her, and giving her &s;ome Cordials, &s;he was brought to her &s;elf again. The fir&s;t thing &s;he did, as if they had con|&s;erted together, was to turn her head about, and then to ask where <HI>Ibrahim</HI> was? <HI>Here, Madam,</HI> &s;aid, one. <HI>Ay and dead,</HI> &s;aid &s;he! <HI>then farewel life, I can no longer live, if he is dead.</HI> With that &s;he flung her &s;elf back, and was returning into a &s;woon|ing fit, but that divers cry'd out aloud, <HI>Ibrahim</HI> is not dead, he lives.
<PB N="90" REF="51"><HI>Yes, Madam,</HI> &s;aid <HI>Ibrahim, long enough to tell you that I dye yours, as I de&s;ign'd ever to have liv'd. Then do I breathe again,</HI> &s;aid <HI>Roxana.</HI> At la&s;t the wound being &s;earch'd, the Sur|geons were ask'd what judgment they gave of it, whether Mortal or not? They with down looks, and &s;orrowful countenances, an|&s;wer'd, there was no hope of life. At which words, <HI>Roxana</HI> crying out aloud, <HI>then farewel</HI> Ibrahim, <HI>I'le go before:</HI> &s;he fell into a greater &s;woon than before, in which &s;he was carryed by Servants unto her Apartment, and laid in her bed. <HI>Ibrahim</HI> was al&s;o carryed to the hou&s;e of one of his Friends, that he might have better Attendance, where after he had langui&s;h'd two days, he dyed, crying continually on <HI>Roxana,</HI> his dear <HI>Roxana;</HI> and <HI>Moretto</HI> was &s;truck with &s;o much &s;orrow at the lo&s;s of &s;o good a Ma&s;ter, that he &s;tabb'd him&s;elf, and dyed at his Ma&s;ter's beds feet.</P>
<PB N="91" REF="51">
<P>As for <HI>Roxana,</HI> &s;he continu'd &s;o long in her fainting, that every body near her thought her to be dead; and when &s;he came to her &s;elf again, it was with &s;uch extra|vagancies, &s;uch unjointed di&s;cour&s;es, and &s;uch &s;udden flyings out, that it was ea&s;ie to perceive her grief was greater than &s;he could bear. Her Maid was had into examina|tion, who having confe&s;s'd all, was at la&s;t di&s;mi&s;t, and put away from her Mi&s;tre&s;s's &s;ervice; they would have confronted her with <HI>Moretto</HI> and the <HI>Caldean,</HI> but the fir&s;t being dead, by which means the la&s;t was not to be found, the bu&s;ine&s;s termin'd there. The body of that Wretch who had committed the Murder was found to be the Per&s;on who had watch'd for the Fugitive; he was deliver'd to his Friends, who came to demand him: Another per&s;on was plac'd near <HI>Roxana,</HI> on the account &s;he might ad|mini&s;ter Comforts to her as well
<PB N="92" REF="52">as other Services during her di&s;tra|ction; &s;he was Si&s;ter to a Mufti, who&s;e name was <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> and hers was <HI>Zora:</HI> This Mufti did al&s;o frequently vi&s;it <HI>Roxana</HI> during her &s;orrow, in order to reduce her to her &s;elf again. But enough of that at pre&s;ent; we &s;hall have occa&s;ion more than once to &s;peak of this Mufti and his Si&s;ter, till then I leave giving you a Character of them: mean time, leaving <HI>Roxana</HI> to the care of tho&s;e per&s;ons that were appointed by her Father and Mother to attend her, we will now come to the continuance of the Hi|&s;torical part of this Novel, till we have occa&s;ion to return to <HI>Roxana,</HI> and bring her again in play.</P>
<P><HI>Cha Abbas</HI> the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Emperour, perceiving that things did not go on as he would have them, towards the entire de&s;truction of the <HI>Maho|metan</HI> Religion, on which depended his Conque&s;t of the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Em|pire, at which he aim'd, under the
<PB N="93" REF="52">pretence of pure Zeal to his Reli|gion; and that notwith&s;tanding all his Efforts, the formidable number of Prie&s;ts of his &s;ort, which he had &s;ent to be like &s;o many Spies in the very heart of that Empire, the great number of Pen&s;ioners which he kept among&s;t <HI>Selim</HI>'s Courtiers and Chief Mini&s;ters of State, and the va&s;t expences he had been at to defray all tho&s;e Charges, he re|&s;olv'd to play quit or double. <HI>Se|lim</HI>'s Pul&s;e was once again to be felt, how he &s;tood affected; and perceiving that it &s;till beat true to the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, in a great Council which was held at <HI>I&s;pahan,</HI> in which the <HI>Mahometi&s;ts</HI> did rule the Ro&s;t, it was order'd and con|cluded that &s;eeing no good was to be done by <HI>Selim,</HI> he &s;hould cer|tainly be laid a&s;ide; whether there was any foul play &s;hew'd to him after this, my Memoirs therein fall &s;hort, but it is certain he liv'd not long after that re&s;olution was taken;
<PB N="94" REF="53">he dyed in a manner &s;uddenly, not without great &s;u&s;pition, that there had been given him &s;ome &s;trong ingredient, which came from <HI>Per|&s;ia,</HI> which had been mixed with his Co&s;&s;ee, or with tho&s;e Herbs which he delighted frequently to &s;mell to.</P>
<P>His death &s;urpriz'd all the world, but tho&s;e that were of the Cabal, and made way for his undoubted Succe&s;&s;our <HI>Amurat</HI> to mount on the Throne. After the Ceremo|nies of his Coronation were over, and that he was firmly E&s;tabli&s;h'd, he openly declar'd him&s;elf of the Sect of <HI>Haly;</HI> but did promi&s;e that he would pre&s;erve the Laws of the Empire, and the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Religion according as it was E&s;tabli&s;h'd, and as his late Brother <HI>Selim</HI> had left them.</P>
<P>Of Truth, <HI>Amurat</HI> of him&s;elf had very good inclinations, he was very Ju&s;t, Pious, Religious, Charitable, and de&s;irous to oblige
<PB N="95" REF="53">all per&s;ons, that came near him, and had he been left to his own Will and Plea&s;ure, he had doubt|le&s;s Govern'd the Empire with all Peaceablene&s;s, Tranquility and Ju|&s;tice, to the great joy and content of his people. But what will not a blind Zeal do, which is continually fomented by &s;uch as breathe no|thing but ruine and de&s;truction! It was now high time for <HI>Cha-Abbas</HI> and all his Creatures, to put the la&s;t hand to the great work; to this purpo&s;e, all the Prie&s;ts of <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect, which were about the Em|peror, were charg'd never to let him re&s;t, till they had brought him to a firm re&s;olution, of changing the Religion of the Empire, by to|tally rooting out and expelling from it, the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Religion, and e&s;tabli&s;hing in <HI>lieu</HI> of it, the Sect of <HI>Haly:</HI> This peal was daily rung in <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Ears, proclaiming that the Heavens having made choice of him, to be the great and wonder|ful
<PB N="96" REF="54">in&s;trument of &s;o good, &s;o great, and &s;o pious a work, by which he &s;hould avoid all expurgatory pu|ni&s;hments for his &s;ins, and &s;hould be immediately carried up by Angels, and laid at the feet of the great <HI>Ala,</HI> who &s;hould &s;eat him in a Throne of Glory near unto him|&s;elf; that he would leave behind him here on Earth a Name and Fame that &s;hould endure for ever, that his Memory would ever be in good Odour to all good per&s;ons, and that he &s;hould be here wor|&s;hipped as a Saint, with many o|ther &s;uch like a&s;&s;urances of honour and Glory, did at la&s;t prevail with him.</P>
<P>This was the daily practice of the Mahometi&s;ts, but they finding that though through their ince&s;&s;ant plying of <HI>Amurat,</HI> all the day long, they brought him to their Bow, yet every morning, he would, after con&s;ulting with his Pillow, &s;till continue in the goodne&s;s of
<PB N="97" REF="54">his natural di&s;po&s;ition, &s;o that he al|waies appeared cold in the morning in the promoting of their de&s;igns, how warm &s;oever they had left him the night before. They had recour&s;e to another Stratagem, the &s;ame promi&s;es of greatne&s;s and glory in this world, and the next, which they had promi&s;ed to him, they al&s;o a&s;&s;ur'd to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> that &s;he &s;hould enjoy in ample manner, if &s;he did but plye <HI>Amurat</HI> at night, when they were in bed together, as they did all the day long, telling her on the other hand, that if &s;he was &s;lack or remi&s;s in it, &s;he would not only lo&s;e all tho&s;e Honours, that Happine&s;s and bli&s;s which was prepared for her, but incur by her neglect eternal Mi&s;ery.</P>
<P>To what height will not a blind Zeal be &s;crew'd up, by &s;uch fair promi&s;es on the one hand, and the terror of &s;uch dreadful puni&s;hments on the other! No wonder then, if that the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s good, mild, and
<PB N="98" REF="55">affable di&s;po&s;ition, which &s;he had alwaies &s;hewn before &s;he was Em|pre&s;s, did change into a moro&s;e temper, and into a mo&s;t violent aver&s;ion again&s;t all tho&s;e that were not of <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect: She a&s;&s;ur'd <HI>Haly</HI>'s Prie&s;ts, that &s;he &s;hould not lo&s;e all tho&s;e glories, which had been promi&s;ed her, by any neg|lect in the performance of what was required of her: Of truth, &s;he &s;o ply'd <HI>Amurat</HI> by night, and the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> by day, that the wor&s;t of his Subjects or Slaves, was happy in compari&s;on to him; at bed, at Table, at Council, at his Recrea|tions, and Divertions, nay even at his Devotion, and greate&s;t Retire|ments, he was &s;o perpetually haun|ted and bated by tho&s;e Wolves in Sheeps cloathings, that he divers times wi&s;h'd him&s;elf in the &s;ame Station that he had formerly been, provided he might but enjoy al&s;o that tranquility of Mind and Spirit which he then po&s;&s;e&s;s'd. Who
<PB N="99" REF="55">could re&s;i&s;t, to &s;o many redoubled, nay rather to &s;uch a continu'd a&s;|&s;ault? For his own ea&s;e and quiet, and that he might but enjoy that content and quiet, which the mea|ne&s;t of his Servants po&s;&s;o&s;s'd, he was forc'd to yield to the <HI>Hali&s;t</HI>'s perpetual &s;olicitations, he promis'd to do all that they would, and to root out of his Dominions the Ma|hometan Religion, to e&s;tabli&s;h in lieu of it, therein, the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> to change and alter the Laws which had been from time to time made again&s;t that Sect, and to make new Laws, or that he would dye in the attempt.</P>
<P>From the moment that the <HI>Ha|li&s;t</HI>'s had got that a&s;&s;urance from him, they gave him liberty to breathe again. Pre&s;ently was <HI>Cha-Abbas</HI> acquainted with the good &s;uc|ce&s;s of the <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> and great joy was expre&s;&s;ed at it through all <HI>Per&s;ia.</HI> But th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> was not all, there was &s;till more to be done; they had
<PB N="100" REF="56">got but one point yet, the pre&s;ent e&s;tabli&s;hment of <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect, but how that &s;hould be &s;ecur'd for the future, was now the bu&s;ine&s;s in hand. New Orders were therefore &s;ent from <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> that the Prie&s;ts of <HI>Haly</HI> &s;hould immediately enter upon that work, that a Succe&s;&s;our of the &s;ame Sect &s;hould be procur'd, and &s;ecur'd, to &s;upply <HI>Amurat</HI>'s place after his Death, for fear of a relaps of the whole Empire, into the Religion of <HI>Mahomet</HI> again; and pre&s;ently the whole Crew fell to work: Divers ways were propos'd, too long here to be repeated, my Memoires mention only two of the mo&s;t eminent, which were mo&s;t in&s;i&s;ted upon. The fir&s;t was, that the Bodies of <HI>Amurat</HI> and of his <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> &s;hould be &s;o prepar'd and order'd by Medicines, as that the <HI>Sultana</HI> might bring forth a vigo|rous young Prince, to live, to be brought up in the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> and to be Succe&s;&s;or to <HI>Amurat.</HI>
<PB N="101" REF="56">All tho&s;e means were us'd, but to no purpo&s;e; this &s;tubborn refu&s;al of Nature, not to comply with the de&s;ires of &s;uch per&s;ons, as u&s;e to overcome all ob&s;tacles, in lieu of teaching them that <HI>Ala</HI> was above all their de&s;igns, did but enrage them the more, and make them the more earne&s;tly bent upon their wicked enterpri&s;es. A Succe&s;&s;our was to be produc'd, that &s;hould be of the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> and that &s;hould &s;tep in betwixt the Heir apparent to the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire and it, be|cau&s;e that the right Heir was of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, and con&s;e|quently unfit for their purpo&s;es, wherefore no means were to be left un&s;ought after, no ways untry'd, and no de&s;igns unattempted, that could conduce to the work in hand.</P>
<P>They therefore concluded to try what Prayers, Pilgrimages, and Offerings would do. The thing was propos'd to the Emperor and the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and in &s;hort agreed
<PB N="102" REF="57">upon, and the day prefix'd for the &s;etting forth of the Court, that all things might be in a readine&s;s a|gain&s;t the appointed time, yet &s;till delay'd from time to time by the <HI>Sultana</HI> and the Emperor's orders.</P>
<P>Among&s;t the Prie&s;ts of <HI>Haly</HI> was reckon'd in the fir&s;t rank this <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> which I have before men|tion'd, to be employ'd in admini|&s;tring of Con&s;olations to the af|flicted <HI>Roxana.</HI> Not that he was more Learned, or endowed with greater Gifts, or of a more Pious, Religious, and Sober Life than o|thers, but that through his Crafty In&s;inuations, and Indefatigable Ap|plication and Attendance, he had got fir&s;t the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s good opini|on, and by her means and recom|mendations, had rendred him&s;elf Ma&s;ter of his Ma&s;ter, the Empe|rour: He had his Ear as well as his Heart, &s;o that he did order and di&s;po&s;e of all places of Authority and Tru&s;t: He was of all the
<PB N="103" REF="57">Councils, even to the mo&s;t &s;ecret and particular: In a word, he was be|come the <HI>Dominus fac totum.</HI> This acquired him a great Repute, E&s;teem, Re&s;pect, and even Fear; for tho&s;e that had no occa&s;ion of his Services, did fear his Frowns, on which de|pended their Ruine, as their E&s;tab|li&s;hment on his Smiles and Conde|&s;centions.</P>
<P>This Creature, of mean, ob&s;cure Extraction, of as mean a mercena|ry Soul, and of vitiated Principles, in the Station he was got, was the <HI>Primum mobile,</HI> or great Wheel, which &s;et the whole Machine of the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> to work in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Em|pire; he had acce&s;s to the Empe|rour and to the <HI>Sultana</HI> at all times, at all hours of the day and night, even when they were in their pri|vate&s;t retirements: He had &s;ince his greatne&s;s at Court &s;haken off the Rags of Mona&s;teries, and had lick'd him&s;elf from a &s;hapele&s;s Cub, into a &s;pruce Courtier. The Court
<PB N="104" REF="58">was then repleni&s;h'd with Ladies, who&s;e Beauties might compare with tho&s;e of all the other Courts in the World. But the <HI>Sultana</HI> did tarni&s;h them all, and forc'd them tacitely to confe&s;s, that &s;he alone eclip&s;ed their Lu&s;tre. The <HI>Sul|tana</HI> had her Diver&s;ions among&s;t tho&s;e Ladies which compos'd her Court; and their Beauties did at|tract to them from all parts of the Empire divers Adorers of the o|ther Sex. But &s;till our Mufti not|with&s;tanding his multiplicity of Bu|&s;ine&s;s el&s;ewhere, would make one; he was always among&s;t the Ladies, and it was thought that tho&s;e hours which he was to have em|ployed in Private and Publick Pray|ers, and in other Devotions, he &s;pent in his conver&s;ation with the Female Sex; being led thereunto by that mo&s;t powerful <HI>Magnet,</HI> his na|tural inclination: He had not been &s;atisfied with tho&s;e private Stealths which he made on particular Per|&s;ons
<PB N="105" REF="58">Wives and Daughters, under the Authority and Power of his Function; but his Ambition and Lu&s;t &s;till encrea&s;ing, as did his Fortune and Credit, he re&s;olved to look higher, and to attempt the highe&s;t piece of Villany, and Im|pudence, under the Cloak of his Religion, and the de&s;ign of pro|pagating of it, as could be imagined.</P>
<P>The <HI>Sultana,</HI> according to divers occurrences, had given our Mufti not only a free acce&s;s into her greate&s;t retirements, but in diver|&s;ion had been more free with him in her Speeches and in Carriage than with others; her Beauty and this Freedom, which he thought his good Meen and De&s;erts had ac|quired him, did &s;o puff up his mind, that he thought it no difficult thing to ingratiate him&s;elf into the <HI>Sul|tana</HI>'s Affections: this impudent conceit of his (I can term it no better) did &s;et all his Wits to work to accompli&s;h his end; to which
<PB N="106" REF="59">purpo&s;e, he did watch but for an opportunity of privately deliver|ing to the <HI>Sultana</HI> what he had to &s;ay without interruption.</P>
<P>He was not long without one; the <HI>Sultana</HI> being one day &s;ome|what indi&s;pos'd, was retired into her Clo&s;et, with order that &s;he would not be di&s;turbed by any body. Our Mufti, who was al|ways on the watch him&s;elf, be|&s;ides the Spies he employed, had &s;oon an intelligence of it; he dre&s;s'd him&s;elf with all the ad|vantage imaginable, &s;et him&s;elf up in the Gla&s;s, perfum'd him&s;elf, in fine, he was fitted as a Bridegroom on his Wedding day; in this equipage he pre&s;ents him&s;elf to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Clo&s;et door, and be|ing deny'd entrance, he took it in &s;uch &s;corn and contempt, that he &s;tay'd not a &s;econd repul&s;e, but turning the Lock, entred of his own accord, and boldly intrudes upon the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who was look|ing
<PB N="107" REF="59">over of &s;ome Papers; he comes up to her briskly, and making a profound reverence, <HI>Madam,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>your Servant would have deny'd me entrance to you.</HI> The <HI>Sultana,</HI> who was amaz'd to &s;ee him &s;o gay, &s;o brisk, and &s;o much more confident than u&s;ually, though he never wanted any, looking upon him, as &s;omewhat &s;urpriz'd, told him, <HI>That the Servant had done nothing but what he had in charge, for that &s;he being indi&s;pos'd, &s;he had re<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">r'd with a de&s;ign nor to be di&s;turb'd, but &s;ince that he was come, &s;he bid him to tell her what he had to &s;ay. Madam,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>I am &s;or|ry I have thus intruded on your pri|vacy; and the bu&s;ine&s;s I come about requires a long di&s;cour&s;e, with a great deal of attention: I think it will be be&s;t for me to defer the opening of it to another time, and at pre&s;ent to retire. If the bu&s;ine&s;s is not of &s;uch a nature as to lend fewel to a certain Melancholy which has &s;eiz'd
<PB N="108" REF="60">me at pre&s;ent; I &s;hould rather chu&s;e this time than any other, to hear what you have to &s;ay,</HI> reply'd the Sultana: <HI>It may afford me &s;ome di|ver&s;ion; and as things are order'd on other accounts, you may not be di&s;turb'd in the relation: Place your &s;elf at ea&s;e, and let me hear what you would &s;ay.</HI></P>
<P>This good beginning did &s;till in&s;pire our Mufti more and more with Hope and Joy, which was &s;o great that it di&s;cover'd it &s;elf upon his Face, in his Eyes, and in all his Actions; having fitted him&s;elf for to deliver his Speech, he thus began;</P>
<P>It cannot be unknown to you, Madam, how in&s;trumental I have been, through the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of Heaven, in bringing about the great work of extirpating of He|re&s;ie out of this Empire, and of &s;ettling in it the Religion of our Great Prophet <HI>Hali:</HI> Since that it has reach'd the great <HI>Mufti</HI>'s Ears,
<PB N="109" REF="60">who upon that information, has Commi&s;&s;ionated me to go on with that work &s;o well begun, and to fini&s;h it, according as I &s;hall find occa&s;ions to act. You al&s;o know, Madam, with how little &s;ucce&s;s all Phy&s;ical means have been u&s;ed, both as to your per&s;on and to the Emperor's; &s;o that all helps are laid a&s;ide of having a young Succe&s;&s;or from his Loyns. I am not of your Opinion, <HI>replyed the Sultana,</HI> and I believe that the defect lyes more in me than in the Emperor, for though I &s;eem not to &s;ee, that I might not in the lea&s;t check his plea&s;ures, I know very well, that of late he has had a Child by one of his Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es. Madam, <HI>replyed our</HI> Mufti, you know not the Wiles and Artifices of tho&s;e kind of Crea|tures, they value not who gets their Children, they adopt them to what Father they think are mo&s;t proper to own them, it is &s;ufficient only that they have once
<PB N="110" REF="61">enjoyed the man; to per&s;wade him, nay convince him, that he is the true and right Father of the Child they go with; they go yet further, Madam, according to the per&s;ons inclinations, to one Sex more than another, the Child &s;hall be right or wrong of that very Sex; or there &s;hall be no child in the whole Em|pire of that Sex, to make a change with. I cannot think however, but that I am more in the fault than <HI>Amurat, replyed the Sultana,</HI> I am apt to believe that a certain decay which I feel in me, is the cau&s;e of my having no Children of late, where|fore I am de&s;irous to try, what the Heavens will do, being &s;olicited to that purpo&s;e, by tho&s;e Holy Pray|ers, Pilgrimages, and Offerings, which you your &s;elf have propo|&s;ed, and that have been re&s;olved upon both by the Emperor and the whole Court, and it is no little wonder to me to find you &s;o &s;oon, in &s;o contrary a mind. <HI>Madam</HI>
<PB N="111" REF="61">replyed the Mufti, <HI>I mu&s;t deal plainly with you, I have not, I con|fe&s;s, all the faith that might be imagin'd in tho&s;e things; of truth, they are good and nece&s;&s;ary, pious frauds, to amu&s;e the Vulgar withal, and to work divers good and Reli|gious ends; and it is to that purpo&s;e only, that we have now de&s;igned them, to plea&s;e and blind the people, and to exalt our Religion, with which none can compare for contriving of Miracles, of which that of your pro|ving with Child pre&s;ently upon the return from the Pilgrimage, however otherways the Child were got, would be none of the lea&s;t, but to the purpo&s;e. Madam, give me leave to tell you, Therefore that what I now propo&s;e, is not in the lea&s;t to put off the Pilgri|mage, on the contrary, it is to the &s;ame end. I have read &s;omething of Phy|&s;ick, have &s;een &s;ome operations, and di&s;&s;ections, and I am &s;ufficiently ver&s;ed in tho&s;e Arts, to be bold e|nough to lay a Wager, that the de|fect
<PB N="112" REF="62">is not in the lea&s;t in you, Ma|dam. How can we be &s;ure of that,</HI> replyed the Sultana? <HI>How, Madam?</HI> an&s;wered he again, <HI>if you made u&s;e of any other per&s;on than the Empe|ror to trye the Experiment, and that I had layed a great &s;um on it, I &s;hould &s;oon draw the Stakes. You &s;peak of things that cannot be,</HI> replyed the Sultana. <HI>That cannot be, Ma|dam,</HI> replyed the Mufti, <HI>&s;ay rather, Madam, that you will not admit to be? Is it not my Duty not to admit of any &s;uch thing?</HI> &s;aid &s;he ha&s;tily, rai&s;ing her voice. <HI>Yes, Madam,</HI> &s;aid the Mufti, <HI>according to the com|mon Rules; but, Madam, when the welfare of Empires, the extirpating of Here&s;ies, the e&s;tabli&s;hing of true Religion call for our A&s;&s;i&s;tances, all tho&s;e little particular Rules cea&s;e, they are overrul'd by an higher pow|er, and in the very de&s;ign and inten|tion of e&s;tabli&s;hing of Religion, all the&s;e &s;mall tyes upon our Duties, va|ni&s;h into Air; nothing can be too good,
<PB N="113" REF="62">too great, nor too holy, not to be &s;a|crificed to &s;o laudable and &s;o pious a work. That great and general Duty, &s;wallows up, and di&s;pences with all tho&s;e little ones, which at other times are in force; all mu&s;t yield to that great work: and that which at any other time would appear unju&s;t or un|lawful, becomes the mo&s;t ju&s;t, lawful, and nece&s;&s;ary good that can be done, when it is for the good of the Church. This Doctrine is &s;o new to me,</HI> an&s;we|red the <HI>Sultana, that I am more &s;ur|priz'd at, than edified by it. This, Madam, I have fore&s;een,</HI> &s;aid the <HI>Muf|ti, and it is for that rea&s;on, that I did chu&s;e this opportunity, in which, without di&s;turbance, I might in|fu&s;e tho&s;e weighty Rea&s;ons, which I have in order to per&s;wade you, to conde&s;cend to &s;o ju&s;t a reque&s;t as I am going to make to you. You have &s;ur|prized me, I &s;ay once again, and the nature of the bu&s;ine&s;s requires &s;ome &s;eri|ous con&s;iderations. Not that I in the lea&s;t incline to what you propo&s;e, but that I
<PB N="114" REF="63">may arm my &s;elf with &s;uch Argu|ments, again&s;t tho&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">w Doctrines which you &s;et up, that I may have &s;ome colour for my refu&s;al, be&s;ides, the natural abhorrence which I find in me towards what you propo&s;e, and I wi&s;h that &s;ome other means might be found out, in which I might be &s;o happy as to &s;erve the Church. None greater than this, Madam,</HI> Replyed the <HI>Mufti, who would not &s;o ea&s;ily be put by, and give me leave to add, Madam, to what I have &s;aid alrea|dy, that the Emperor is obliged for the forwarding of &s;o great a work, to give his con&s;ent to it, only all the bu&s;ine&s;s in this ca&s;e is, that it mu&s;t be made a My&s;tery, a Court-Secret, to avoid all Scandal; for in &s;uch Ca&s;es, Sin (if it may be call'd &s;o, con&s;idering to what a pious end it is acted) be|comes none, and the Scandal only which might ari&s;e from the Knowledge, and the divulging of &s;o great a Secret, be|comes &s;in. In a word, Madam, do but chu&s;e a Per&s;on &s;ecret, di&s;creet, and
<PB N="115" REF="63">in all other re&s;pects according to your liking, and the Ble&s;&s;ing of Heavens go along with the work.</HI> In &s;aying the&s;e words, the <HI>Mufti</HI> pricked up him&s;elf, that the <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;hould take more notice of his per&s;on, and perceiving that &s;he made no an&s;wer, <HI>Let me further tell you, Madam,</HI> con|tinued he, <HI>that this is not the fir&s;t time, &s;uch things have been acted, &s;till to a good end, though never none to &s;o great and pious an end as this. It was but in the la&s;t Age, that a Neighbouring Empire to this, had fallen into the hands of its Enemies, had not a</HI> Mufti <HI>been employed to get an Heir unto it; of truth, Ma|dam, there are no fitter per&s;ons in the World than tho&s;e of the Clergy, for &s;uch works, in divers re&s;pects; and e&s;pecially, I would advi&s;e you, Madam, to employ in this, one who&s;e fidelity, tru&s;t, and fore-knowledge and pre-in|gagements in this our great work, is throughly known to you, that you may ea&s;ily gain to you, without making any
<PB N="116" REF="64">more per&s;ons privy to tho&s;e My&s;teries, and great Arcanas of States; for in the&s;e Ca&s;es, it is mo&s;t certain, that the fewer are employed, the more &s;ecure the bu&s;ine&s;s is from di&s;covery.</HI> Here the <HI>Mufti</HI> made a full &s;top, not daring to di&s;cover his intention more plainly, (though he had &s;aid enough already) till he heard how the <HI>Sultana</HI> did re&s;ent it; and per|ceiving, that in&s;tead of giving him &s;ome an&s;wer, &s;he bu&s;ied her &s;elf in peru&s;ing of the papers that were before her. This &s;light did &s;o of|fend him, that, he could not for|bear &s;aying, <HI>I am &s;orry Madam, that I, who have already done &s;o much for your &s;ervice, and that of the Church, and who is ready to lay down his life for the &s;ervice of &s;o great, and &s;o char|ming a Prince&s;s as you are, &s;hould be &s;o little regarded, and his good ad|vi&s;es &s;o little valued.</HI> And with that he put him&s;elf in a po&s;ture of going, at which the <HI>Sultana,</HI> not &s;o much as looking once on him, &s;aid,
<PB N="117" REF="64"><HI>I have already told you, that I would take time to weigh your Rea&s;ons, and the nature of the thing you propo&s;e to me, and then after that I would give you my an&s;wer, till then forbear gi|ving your &s;elf or me any further trouble about it, I have a mind to &s;leep, &s;o good night.</HI></P>
<P>Though our <HI>Mufti</HI> had a months mind to have &s;tay'd longer, and to have ventured a little further, in pointing at the mo&s;t proper per&s;on for the work, which he fancyed to be him&s;elf, this unexpected an|&s;wer from the <HI>Sultana</HI> with her ha&s;ty ri&s;ing up, did force him to a decent retreat, which he did with|out an&s;wering one word more, af|ter he had made a profound Reve|rence.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti</HI> being gone, the <HI>Sultana</HI> re&s;eated her &s;elf, and doubtle&s;s made many and great reflections on things propos'd to her, by a Mufti too, which were &s;o oppo&s;ite to her Principles and Inclinations; after
<PB N="118" REF="65">which, having call'd for attendance, &s;he charg'd very &s;trictly all that were about her, and who&s;e duties were to keep the doors, not to permit the Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> on any pretence what&s;oever, to enter, when they knew that &s;he was retired, and alone; &s;he was re&s;olv'd to give him no more the opportunities of uttering &s;uch di&s;cour&s;es, &s;o unbe|&s;eeming his Function to &s;peak, and her Mode&s;ty and Greatne&s;s to hear; and &s;he knew well enough how to avoid his impertinencies, &s;hould he attempt any before Company; and of truth, &s;he was &s;o offended at his late di&s;cour&s;e, that had it not been that he was a nece&s;&s;ary In|&s;trument in forwarding the work (already begun) of Reformation: She would have acquainted the Em|perour with his attempt, and have had him di&s;mi&s;t the Court. But notwith&s;tanding the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s aver|&s;ion to all &s;uch &s;orts of ill ways, &s;he had another charge by our
<PB N="119" REF="65">Mufti, though not altogether of the &s;ame nature, who came accom|panied with two or three more, that were Mini&s;ters of State, and privy Coun&s;ellors, which demand|ed for admittance into a private Conference with the <HI>Sultana,</HI> on pre&s;&s;ing affairs, which oblig'd the <HI>Sultana</HI> to give them admittance. This &s;econd vi&s;it was on the ac|count, that notwith&s;tanding a day had been prefix'd for the en|tring on the Pilgrimage, there was &s;till &s;omething or other in the wind which broke it off; where|fore they now came with threat|nings, to terrify the <HI>Sultana</HI> into a compliance with their de&s;igns.</P>
<P>The Mufti told the <HI>Sultana</HI> that &s;ince the la&s;t time that he had the honour of entertaining her, he had been divers times to learn her re&s;olutions, but that not being ad|mitted her pre&s;ence, and the bu|&s;ine&s;s they were come about pre&s;|&s;ing, he had a&s;&s;ociated to him&s;elf
<PB N="120" REF="66">tho&s;e other worthy Per&s;ons, to communicate an Affair, though not quite of the &s;ame nature as the former, yet tending to the &s;ame end, which was the good of the Church, and the glory of <HI>Ala.</HI> The Sultana reply'd, <HI>That &s;he was very de&s;irous to be in&s;trumental in &s;o Pious and Good a Work, provi|ded it were not by any &s;ini&s;ter ends. To wave entring upon the late Di&s;|cour&s;e I had with you, Madam,</HI> &s;aid the Mufti, <HI>we are come here to let you know, that for very high and weighty rea&s;ons you mu&s;t forthwith, and without any further delays, &s;et forth in Pilgrimage to the Holy Wa|ters with the Emperour, and imme|diately after you have made your Offering and Devotions, give out that you are with Child: and you mu&s;t &s;o order matters, that every body may give credit to it, for tho&s;e very rea&s;ons which have already been given you. And I,</HI> &s;aid the Sultana, <HI>tell you for an&s;wer, as I
<PB N="121" REF="66">have already told you, that I will never con&s;ent to any &s;uch thing, nor impo&s;e upon the World thus, to the exclu&s;ion of the right Heir, without the Emperor's con&s;ent, and I am already certain before hand, that he will never give his a&s;&s;ent to &s;o ill a practice. Madam,</HI> &s;aid one of the Councellors, <HI>we have rea&s;on to be|lieve it, for we have already been de|ny'd by the Emperor, though we have us'd all the Arguments imaginable to per&s;wade him to it, on the contrary, we have found &s;o much and &s;o great an aver&s;ion in him, towards &s;uch a thing, that we de&s;pair ever bringing him to it; wherefore we are come, Madam, to denounce to you from his Sanctity, the Grand Mufti, that all you have done hitherto is of no value, if you per&s;i&s;t not in doing all the good you can for the advancement of the &V;ni|ver&s;al Faith; and that in lieu of gaining any advantage by what you have already done, you are immedi|ately to be pronounced degraded from
<PB N="122" REF="67">all the fair and a&s;&s;ured hopes of Ho|nour and Glory, which you were to have receiv'd in this and the other world, in ca&s;e you had per&s;i&s;ted to the end, and you are immediately to be deliver'd up to the Prince of Dark|ne&s;s, to do with you at his Plea&s;ure. Wonder not at this proceeding, Ma|dam,</HI> &s;aid then our Mufti, <HI>it is but ju&s;tice, that puni&s;hments &s;hould be in &s;ome mea&s;ure proportionable to the Crime for which they are inflicted, and can there be a greater, than to (wil|fully and meerly to gratifie &s;ome few &s;hallow &s;cruples) be the immediate cau&s;e of the de&s;truction of &s;o great a work, &s;o happily begun, and &s;o pro&s;pe|rou&s;ly gon on.</HI></P>
<P><HI>You have no more therefore to do, but to countenance the bu&s;ine&s;s, to &s;hape you a great belly, which you mu&s;t increa&s;e as the time of your reckoning will require; to which pur|po&s;e you mu&s;t confide in three or four women, which you &s;hall think fit to intru&s;t with &s;o great a &s;ecret, which
<PB N="123" REF="67">may a&s;&s;i&s;t you all the time of your feigned Breeding, and at the time of your delivery al&s;o. I find &s;o much difficulty in all this,</HI> reply'd the Sultana, <HI>that I know not what to &s;ay, nor what to do, I would do much to avoid tho&s;e horrid threatnings which are preparing to be put in execution again&s;t me; but on the other hand, how is it po&s;&s;ible that I &s;hould in the fir&s;t place deceive the Emperor, who being made jealous of &s;ome trick acted again&s;t his will, will be the more curious in the detection of it; and if he &s;hould at any time de&s;ire, for his &s;atisfaction, to feel the &s;tirring of the Child in my body, How &s;hall I pre|vent him from taking that liberty of &s;atisfying him&s;elf? Be&s;ides, grant this was fea&s;able: How is it po&s;&s;ible to delude &s;o many great Per&s;ons highly intere&s;&s;ed in this great bu&s;ine&s;s, who by the Law of the Empire are to be pre&s;ent, that are of</HI> Mahomet<HI>'s Religion, and who have at pre&s;ent &s;o much fears upon them, and &s;o much
<PB N="124" REF="68">cau&s;e to &s;u&s;pect foul play, that they will be more diligent than u&s;ually in re&s;pect to the bu&s;ine&s;s? To this we an|&s;wer, Madam, in the fir&s;t place, that the very &s;olemnity of the Pilgrimage, will be of great moment; next, that as to the Emperor, we fore&s;eeing &s;uch a thing, have provided again&s;t that inconveniency, by letting him know, as we have done already, that we have reciv'd an Holy Ointment, with which your Belly being once rubb'd, to prevent mi&s;carriage, no prophane hands mu&s;t for ever after offer to touch it till after delivery; and to that purpo&s;e, Madam, when you have once given out to the Emperor, that you are with Child by him, you mu&s;t keep your &s;elf &s;o clo&s;e lapped up, that he may not, by any &s;urpri&s;al when you are a&s;leep, attempt the Tryal. He is &s;o exact an ob&s;erver of all things, which the Church impo&s;es upon him, that after you have once a&s;&s;ured him of the thing, he will be one of the fir&s;t that will rejoice at your preg|nancy,
<PB N="125" REF="68">and that will &s;pread it abroad. And as to the other doubt you have rais'd, Madam, in the fir&s;t place, long before hand, we &s;hall get &s;eve|ral Women that reckon about the time we have prefixt, that among&s;t them we may have a Male-Child to &s;ub&s;titute for yours; and as to the ways of conveyance of it into the Bed to you, there are a hundred ways be&s;ides warm Clothes, warming-pans, trapp-doors, back-doors, and private windows at the Bedshead to bring a Child in; pi&s;h tho&s;e things are pra|ctis'd every day, e&s;pecially among&s;t us of the Clergy, who are not permitted to marry; but becau&s;e the grand</HI> Mufti <HI>knows that we, and he him|&s;elf, are made of the &s;ame Fle&s;h and Blood as other men, we are per|mitted the u&s;e of Women in private, and without giving Scandal, by which conver&s;ation it frequently happens, that we are put to &s;uch and the like Shifts; then let us alone for ordering things, &s;o as that none
<PB N="126" REF="69">but tho&s;e of our Sect &s;hall be pre&s;ent, at the time of your pretended deli|very, &s;ome &s;hall be &s;ent one way, others di&s;pers'd in other places, &s;o that all will have the wi&s;hed for &s;ucce&s;s that we all de&s;ire and pray for.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>Sultana</HI> having attentively hearkned to what had been &s;aid, and being beforehand terrified with tho&s;e horrid threatnings which they had denounc'd, con&s;idering within her &s;elf that all the evil that was in it, they took upon them|&s;elves, and that &s;he had no further end in it, but the good advance|ment of her Religion, &s;he con&s;en|ted, though yet not without &s;ome kind of Reluctancy; and told them, that &s;ince they a&s;&s;ured her, that they would take upon them&s;elves all the evil that &s;he might fancy to be in the Action, and that they would &s;tand by her always, encounter and oppo&s;e all the Jealou|&s;ies which the Emperor might have on this Affair; &s;he yielded to their
<PB N="127" REF="69">de&s;ires, and &s;aid &s;he would imme|diately go to the Emperor, and fix-on a certain day to &s;et forth.</P>
<P>All things being thus agreed up|on, they left the <HI>Sultana</HI> to perform her part, and every one of them went about to act theirs, in order of bringing about this grand work.</P>
<P>Here we &s;hall leave once more the Court, to give a vi&s;it to poor <HI>Roxana,</HI> who through the great care of tho&s;e that were about her, had perfectly recovered her Sen&s;es, but was &s;o melanchollick and &s;o de|jected, that &s;he avoided all Society, having no delight but to walk in her Garden, and to vi&s;it the Sum|merhou&s;e, in which &s;he had fir&s;t &s;een her beloved <HI>Ibrahim;</HI> though not without great di&s;turbances; and &s;ome time, when it came into her mind, looking on the place where &s;he la&s;t &s;aw him, what a di&s;mal &s;ight it was to her, to &s;ee him wel|tering in his own Blood. <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et</HI> had continually from time
<PB N="128" REF="70">to time, given her Vi&s;its, and &s;uch of his Coun&s;els and Advi&s;es as he thought fit, and finding her to be perfectly recovered of her alienation of mind, and fancying her more beautiful than ever, in that negli|gent dre&s;s &s;he now did wear, e&s;pe|cially after the lo&s;s of all his Amo|rous hopes towards the <HI>Sultana,</HI> he re&s;olved to change his Note, and under pretence of diverting her from her deep Melancholy, to en|tertain a commerce of Love, and gallantry with her. This was ea&s;ie for him to do, for what with the Li|berty u&s;ually allowed to Per&s;ons of his Profe&s;&s;ion, the &s;mall care, or rather little Love which her Fa|ther had for <HI>Roxana</HI> after this mi&s;|carriage; and that part which <HI>Zo|ra</HI> acted, who was the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s Si|&s;ter, as I have told you already, in her Brother's intere&s;t; the <HI>Mufti</HI> had opportunity enough, to declare his mind to <HI>Roxana,</HI> with all the Liberty and privacy imaginable.</P>
<PB N="129" REF="70">
<P>He made as much u&s;e of it as he po&s;&s;ibly could, unto which his Si|&s;ter <HI>Zora,</HI> who had been with <HI>Rox|ana</HI> ever &s;ince her di&s;traction, did not a little contribute. She was a Lady of the Town, one that lov'd much more to &s;ing a Lampoon, than to turn over her Beads, &s;he was for all Commer&s;e; all Ages, Complexions, Humours, Conditi|ons, &s;o they but brought Grits to the Mill, were welcome. But above all, &s;he had a particular inclination for a brisk young man, of good Parentage, good Meen, Education, and Inclinations, but of little or no Fortune, who&s;e name was <HI>Cara,</HI> and who had as little hopes of get|ting any at Court; for being no <HI>Hali&s;t,</HI> and having but a &s;mall &s;tock of ready Ca&s;h, wherewith to pu&s;h on his Fortune. <HI>Zora</HI> affecting this young Man, as I have &s;aid, &s;he did all &s;he could to gain his Affections, but he knowing what a cour&s;e of life &s;he had always lead, he was
<PB N="130" REF="71">not very forward on the bu&s;ine&s;s, no further than to take his &s;hare in the Croud, among&s;t the re&s;t of tho&s;e that kept her Company. She was hand&s;ome, and of a pretty good Con|ver&s;ation, but above all, &s;he was Si&s;ter to the all-doing <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> the <HI>Mufti.</HI> This la&s;t made him to in|cline very much to humor <HI>Zora,</HI> when he con&s;idered what influence &s;he had over her Brother, who was all at Court; he knew that <HI>Zora</HI> was inform'd of his Religion, and &s;eeing, that notwith&s;tanding, that &s;he took all occa&s;ions of expre&s;&s;ing her kindne&s;s towards him, though &s;he never would admit him to the la&s;t Favour, as having other de&s;igns upon him particularly, he began to build upon that bottom, and on that account, did vi&s;it her frequent|ly. She on her part, thinking that his repeated Civilities, were the pure effects of her Beauty, &s;he did all &s;he could to add lu&s;tre to that proportion which Nature had
<PB N="131" REF="71">be&s;tow'd on her with a Liberal hand: Thus did <HI>Cara</HI> and <HI>Zora</HI> live in good intelligence together, which was not di&s;continu'd, when &s;he came into <HI>Aladin</HI>'s family, though &s;he was then oblig'd, to bid fare|well to that great troop of Follow|ers, which &s;he formerly entertain'd, and was oblig'd to divert her &s;elf by &s;tealth in that Nature, in pri|vate Corners. For though <HI>Aladin,</HI> like the re&s;t, was forced to hold a Candle to the Devil, more for fear than love or wor&s;hip, which had made him yield to the taking of <HI>Zora</HI> into his Family at the fir&s;t reque&s;t, which <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had made him. It was with a Re&s;olution of not permitting any ill thing to be act|ed in his Hou&s;e, abroad &s;he might do what &s;he pleas'd, but what De|vil &s;oever &s;he was then, &s;he was to be a Saint in <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Hou&s;e, and in this her Brother the <HI>Mufti</HI> had not lo&s;t his aims, which were to get her a good Name again, if it
<PB N="132" REF="72">were po&s;&s;ible, which he knew &s;he might as &s;oon get in <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Fa|mily, as in a Convent, which had made him take the Opportunity of offering her &s;ervice in the behalf of <HI>Roxana,</HI> which at that time was accepted more freely, than it might have been at any other juncture.</P>
<P>One day <HI>Zora</HI> &s;eeing <HI>Cara</HI> pa&s;s by <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Gates, &s;he &s;ent a &s;lave to let him know that &s;he would &s;peak with him. He came to her, and &s;he told him, that &s;he could not doubt of the knowledge which he mu&s;t have gain'd by this time, of her affections towards him, but to let him know that her intenti|ons were real, and that &s;he had re|tired her &s;elf into <HI>Aladin</HI>'s &s;ober Family, but to give her &s;elf more intirely up to him, &s;he would now at that very time pre&s;ent him to her Brother, who was then in the Hou&s;e, and ingage him to take a particular care of him, and to ob|tain from the Emperor &s;ome con|&s;iderable
<PB N="133" REF="72">preferment, but that this &s;hould be on condition that he &s;hould make her a promi&s;e of marrying her. This word Mar|riage did not a little &s;urpri&s;e <HI>Cara,</HI> he was &s;o di&s;turbed at it, that he &s;tood mute, which gave time to <HI>Zora</HI> to continue thus. <HI>What are you &s;o great a Libertine, as to be affrighted at a bare propo&s;al of Mar|riage? No, Madam, not at the word,</HI> replyed <HI>Cara, but at the thing it &s;elf, for having never yet &s;pent one thought that way, it now a little in|tangles my Wits to find out an an|&s;wer, &s;uitable to my thoughts, and the honour you do me. Well, I'll allow you three days,</HI> replyed <HI>Zora, to con&s;ider of the Bu&s;ine&s;s;</HI> in the mean time, <HI>I will be beforehand with you, and in&s;tantly pre&s;ent you to my Brother.</HI> He was retur|ning mo&s;t humble thanks to her, when that a noi&s;e being heard, <HI>he is coming,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>I'll go and meet him;</HI> with that &s;he &s;tept towards
<PB N="134" REF="73">the <HI>Mufti,</HI> who was going out, and told him, that there was a Gentle|man which &s;he would recommend to his particular care, as a per&s;on, though no <HI>Hali&s;t,</HI> yet that in all other re&s;pects, did de&s;erve his friend|&s;hip and favour. At the&s;e words, the <HI>Mufti,</HI> to whom good words, and fair promi&s;es, never co&s;t any thing, whatever the effects were, came to meet <HI>Cara,</HI> who was coming to &s;a|lute the <HI>Mufti,</HI> and told him, Sir, <HI>my Si&s;ter has beforehand given me &s;uch a Character of you, if your name is</HI> Cara, <HI>that will oblige me to &s;erve you with the utmo&s;t of my power; you may firmly build on that fond, and &s;o &s;oon as I can po&s;&s;ible, I &s;hall make you &s;en&s;ible of the effects of my Promi&s;es; but you mu&s;t have a little patience, my hands are full, do but put me in mind of you &s;ometimes, by appearing before me, or before my Si&s;ter, and your bu&s;ine&s;s is done.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Cara</HI> was going to return him a great Complement of thanks, when
<PB N="135" REF="73">he thus interrupted him, <HI>Look you, Sir,</HI> &s;aid the <HI>Mufti, I know what you would, and what you &s;hould &s;ay, time is precious, be a&s;&s;ured that I'll be as good as my word, my Si&s;ter &s;hall en|gage for me, and &s;o Sir, your Servant.</HI> With that he took his Si&s;ter by the hand, and led her in another Room, which made <HI>Cara</HI> retire, to re|flect on <HI>Zora</HI>'s news propo&s;als.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti</HI> had &s;o heated him&s;elf near <HI>Roxana,</HI> who being that day in a little more plea&s;ing humour than u&s;ually, with the a&s;&s;urances that her Father had given her, to carry her into the Country again; that it had added much Lu&s;ture to her natural Beauty, which of late had been clouded with the black fumes of Melancholy, upon the hopes of being in a &s;hort time freed from this Prie&s;t's impertinen|cies. She had been a little more free than ordinary in her Conver&s;a|tion, which had made him to of|fer at more Liberty than u&s;ual; this
<PB N="136" REF="74">had &s;o offended her, that &s;he had ri&s;en from her Seat, and left the room. At which our <HI>Mufti</HI> all on a fire, had taken pet, and was gone down, to make his Complaint to his Si&s;ter, and to acquaint her with his Re&s;olutions. <HI>Dear Si&s;ter,</HI> &s;aid he <HI>to her, you can no more be ignorant of the Love which I have for</HI> Roxa|na, <HI>than I am of that which you have for</HI> Cara. <HI>I have given you my word, that I will prefer him to a con&s;ide|rable Employ, and that I will ob|lige him fir&s;t to marry you; and I here a&s;&s;ure you anew, that I will per|form all that I have promi&s;ed you to a title; but my Dear</HI> Zora, <HI>you mu&s;t take pity on me al&s;o. I mu&s;t tell you that I can no longer live, except I enjoy</HI> Roxana. <HI>Oh! how the thought of her di&s;turbs my heart,</HI> ad|ded he? <HI>I have u&s;ed all the fair means imaginable, and &s;he proves the more obdurate to all my &s;upplications, to all my &s;ubmi&s;&s;ions, and to all my Vows. What mu&s;t I do in this con|dition?</HI>
<PB N="137" REF="74">There pau&s;ing, <HI>Zora</HI> made this an&s;wer. <HI>Sir, I pity your condition the more, becau&s;e that mine is of the very &s;ame nature. And &s;eeing you have &s;o generou&s;ly offered me your a&s;&s;i&s;tance, I can do no le&s;s than to a&s;&s;ure you of mine, but &s;peak what you would have me do, and 'tis done. But remember this, both for my &s;ake, as well as your own, that no time mu&s;t be lo&s;t, becau&s;e</HI> Aladin <HI>has gi|ven orders to his Servants to be in a readine&s;s, to march to his Govern|ment three days hence; wherefore you mu&s;t be quick in the execution of your re&s;olutions. For that matter,</HI> replyed the <HI>Mufti, let me alone, I, who go|vern the Emperor, will ea&s;ily deal with</HI> Aladin; <HI>and oblige him to re|tard his Journey at my plea&s;ure, nay and if there is occa&s;ion, as you will find there will be, when I have told you all; I will have him &s;o &s;uddenly &s;ent into the Country, that he &s;hall not have time to take above a Ser|vant or two with him, therefore Dear</HI>
<PB N="138" REF="75">Zora, <HI>&s;et your heart at Re&s;t, that way. But to the point. I have been thinking that &s;ome little forcible at|tempt might prevail more with</HI> Roxa|na's <HI>humour, than all other means that I have tryed yet. I know that &s;ome Women will be forc'd, that they may have that to &s;ay for them&s;elves, when afterwards they readily comply with our de&s;ires. I have a great mind to try what that will do, when</HI> Aladin <HI>is gone, but without you I can do no|thing in it; it is you that mu&s;t di|&s;tance the Mother from</HI> Roxana's <HI>A|partment, and that mu&s;t either &s;end out of doors, or employ at di&s;tance, all the Servants, that none may hear her Cryes, in ca&s;e &s;he would be &s;o foo|li&s;h, and let me alone for the re&s;t. I will attempt her but once more by fair means, and then I'le go to extreams.</HI> Well, Brother, <HI>&s;aid Zora,</HI> be you a&s;&s;ur'd of me, let it be your bu|&s;ine&s;s to get <HI>Aladin</HI> remov'd far e|nough from hence, again&s;t that time for his prying Eye, and di|&s;tru&s;tful
<PB N="139" REF="75">di&s;po&s;ition, would &s;poil all, and be &s;ure not to forget <HI>Cara.</HI> Tru&s;t to me, dear Si&s;ter, <HI>an&s;wered Rep&s;et,</HI> and let me alone to manage things. With that he took leave of his Si&s;ter, and went his way.</P>
<P><HI>Aladin</HI> growing weary of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s too frequent vi&s;its to his Daughter, and of <HI>Zora</HI>'s Intreagues, how clo&s;e &s;oever &s;he carry'd them, was re&s;olv'd to put an end to both, by retiring to his Government, &s;ee|ing that he no longer had any Bu&s;ine&s;s to do in <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> and he had di&s;pos'd of all things to be in a readine&s;s to tran&s;port him&s;elf and his whole Family thither, with a full re&s;olution never to let his Wife nor Daughter &s;ee that great City again, at lea&s;t &s;o long as the la&s;t were under his Government, which he hoped would not be long, for he was re&s;olved to marry her out of hand, &s;o &s;oon as he were got down, to any Gentleman that would have her, to free him&s;elf
<PB N="140" REF="76">from the trouble of ob&s;erving her. To this purpo&s;e, he went to the Court to ask the Emperor's leave to retire the next morning to his Government, but he was come too late. The <HI>Mufti</HI> had already influ|enced the Emperor, that <HI>Aladin</HI>'s pre&s;ence was nece&s;&s;ary for &s;ome time longer here, at lea&s;t till a particular Council were over, at which he was to a&s;&s;i&s;t, which would not be till two or three days hence. This had the <HI>Mufti</HI> done, that he might have the Op|portunity of giving <HI>Roxana</HI> one Vi&s;it more, in which he would u&s;e all the Rhetorick imaginable to gain her Affections, and which &s;hould be the la&s;t, if he did not &s;ucceed. <HI>Aladin</HI> having receiv'd the Emperor's ab&s;olute Orders not to &s;tir, till that Con&s;ultation was over, he return'd home in order to obey it, but with a firm re&s;olu|tion that &s;o &s;oon as it were over, to be gone without any fur|ther
<PB N="141" REF="76">leave, but take hold of the Emperor's words, who had told him he &s;hould not go till that time was over; wherefore he &s;till kept all things in readine&s;s for his Jour|ney, only acquainting with it his Wife, and <HI>Roxana,</HI> who was daily courting of him to be going, as much as the Mother had a de&s;ire to &s;tay, for &s;he thought her &s;elf young enough yet to make a Fi|gure at Court.</P>
<P><HI>Cara</HI> all this while had lea&s;ure to reflect on what <HI>Zora</HI> had pro|pos'd to him, and did not know what cour&s;e to take. He had a fancy towards her, and would glad|ly have e&s;tabli&s;h'd a commerce of Gallantry betwixt them&s;elves, but when the thoughts of marrying her came in his head, that would &s;o pall his appetite, that nothing could quicken it again, but the hopes that her Brother would get him into &s;ome con&s;iderable employ|ment; that would again make him
<PB N="142" REF="77">re&s;olve not to break off wholly with <HI>Zora:</HI> in this his fluctuation of thoughts, he at la&s;t de&s;igned to &s;teer a middle cour&s;e betwixt <HI>Sylla</HI> and <HI>Charibdis,</HI> to avoid the dange|rous Rock of Matrimony, and that of want and nece&s;&s;ity al&s;o, by of|fering <HI>Zora</HI> a verbal promi&s;e of Marriage, which he would engage to perform when he was through|ly &s;ettled in an Employ, though he never intended it: In this de|&s;ign he re&s;olves to go &s;ee <HI>Zora,</HI> he finds her at <HI>Aladin</HI>'s, and lets her know that he was come to tell her that the love he had for her was &s;ufficient of it &s;elf to oblige him to do any thing that &s;he &s;hould require of him, but that he thought it prudence to be fully po&s;&s;e&s;s'd and fix'd in &s;ome Office or Em|ploy by the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s means before he married her, for fear that that being once done, the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s wil|lingne&s;s to &s;erve him &s;hould &s;lacken, or that he &s;hould quite give o|ver
<PB N="143" REF="77">all thoughts of a&s;&s;i&s;ting him. This &s;o rea&s;onable a reque&s;t did &s;top <HI>Zora</HI>'s mouth, &s;o that &s;he had nothing to &s;ay, but that &s;he knew &s;o well her Brother, that be&s;ides the intere&s;t and &s;hare that &s;he had, or at lea&s;t expected to have in the bu&s;ine&s;s, he was a per&s;on that would be as good as his word, &s;o &s;oon as it could be done without prejudice to the re&s;t of his Concerns; that in the mean time, &s;he de&s;ired his frequent vi&s;its, declaring that &s;he was never well plea&s;ed but in his company; and that he did not know how much it would oblige her and her Brother, if that he would give her a verbal a&s;&s;u|rance of Marrying her, as he had already promis'd, when things were &s;ettled to his mind. <HI>I am &s;o far, Madam,</HI> replyed <HI>Cara, from refu|&s;ing you &s;o ju&s;t a reque&s;t, and &s;o much conformable to my own de&s;ires, that I will propo&s;e further, with your leave, to confirm this promi&s;e,
<PB N="144" REF="78">and to make it a firm marriage be|twixt you and I. 'Tis the</HI> Mufti, <HI>that I fear, and not you; I will con&s;ummate the Marriage by bedding you privately. You know, Madam, that Marriages are made in Hea|ven, that we do but ratify them here on Earth, that that is perform|ed by our mutual con&s;ents, and that the outward and pompous Ceremonies thereof are but to &s;atisfy the World that &s;uch a Man and &s;uch a Wo|man are going to lye by con&s;ent with one another; and why may not we do that without all that bu&s;tle, when our hearts have before hand agreed upon the point? I know that what you &s;ay, is true,</HI> replyed <HI>Zora, but &s;hould you prove fal&s;e to me after all, then &s;hould I be wanting in the means to right my &s;elf, which a publick Matrimony would afford me. That is an errour, Madam, give me leave to tell you,</HI> replyed <HI>Cara; for were I &s;o ill inclin'd, that could not hinder me from leaving you,
<PB N="145" REF="78">at lea&s;t, and what difference be|twixt the one and the other? But you mu&s;t not fear any &s;uch thing from a Per&s;on that has &s;o much Love and Re&s;pect for you as I have. Well, I find,</HI> replyed <HI>Zora, that you have a charming Tongue, which with the concurrence of my Love towards you, makes me apt to give credit to what you &s;ay. You way rely on me in this, Madam,</HI> reply'd <HI>Cara, as on an Oracle. I will be true to you, nay, to my &s;elf, I &s;hould &s;ay; for my Love to you makes me to e&s;pou&s;e your Intere&s;t as my own: do but con&s;ent to afford me time and Opportunity of turning the verbal Promi&s;e you required of me, into an ab&s;olute marriage, by re|ceiving me into your Bed, into your arms.</HI> Well, <HI>replyed Zora,</HI> Since that I have already, long &s;ince, re|ceived you into my heart, I &s;hall the le&s;s &s;tand upon terms, on the a&s;&s;urance you give me, that you will publickly own our private mar|riage,
<PB N="146" REF="79">when you are once firmly fixed in &s;ome hand&s;ome Employ, I yield to your de&s;ires, and I will take but a day or two's time to contrive how to manage the bu|&s;ine&s;s, that we may not be di&s;co|vered; after which I &s;hall give you notice of the time and place. In the mean time fail not to &s;ee me every day, and never abu&s;e the tru&s;t which I put in you. <HI>Cara</HI> an&s;we|red <HI>Zora</HI> with ki&s;&s;es, after which having once again a&s;&s;ur'd her of his con&s;tancy, he went his ways.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti,</HI> who&s;e Love to <HI>Roxa|na</HI> did render as impatient and re&s;t|le&s;s as could be imagin'd, had not patience to defer the la&s;t tryal which he de&s;ign'd, of his Addre&s;&s;es to <HI>Roxana;</HI> he did not fail to give her a vi&s;it the next day, notwith|&s;tanding the repul&s;e which he had &s;o lately received from her; but &s;o &s;oon as &s;he had heard that the <HI>Muf|ti</HI> was return'd, &s;he had got into her Mother's Company, and would
<PB N="147" REF="79">not admit of his Vi&s;it, but in her Mother's pre&s;ence; he was forced to comply to that, for fear of gi|ving any &s;u&s;picion, wherefore he went in, and fell to compliment both Mother and Daughter, but much after another manner than he had don<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the day before. How|ever, he &s;eem'd &s;o complai&s;ant, that the mother was exceedingly pleas'd with his Conver&s;ation; he &s;tayed the longer in hopes that in time, bu&s;ine&s;s would call the Mother a|way, or that &s;he would go of her &s;elf; but he was very much mi&s;ta|ken in that, &s;he &s;till had a Colts Tooth of her own, and the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s very eajoling of her Daughter, tick|led her Fancy &s;o, that &s;he &s;ome|times would apply the di&s;cour&s;e to her &s;elf, and would an&s;wer accordingly, not without tacitly promi&s;ing her &s;elf, to repeat &s;uch plea&s;ing Conver&s;ation as often as &s;he could, during her &s;tay at <HI>Con&s;tantinople.</HI> At la&s;t the Mother
<PB N="148" REF="80">was whi&s;pered by a Servant, that &s;ome Company was come to give her a Vi&s;it, &s;he aro&s;e pre&s;ently to receive them; and &s;o &s;oon as <HI>Roxa|na</HI> &s;aw her Mother's motion, &s;he likewi&s;e did ri&s;e to follow her, but for all that &s;he could do, the <HI>Mufti</HI> did hold her &s;o fa&s;t, that &s;he was forc'd to &s;tay. I find, Madam, <HI>&s;aid he,</HI> that you have re&s;olved to ren|der me de&s;perate; how cruel are you, to &s;ee a man, &s;uch a one as I am, dye at your feet without the lea&s;t regret for having been the cau&s;e of it? If I am the cau&s;e of any Evil to you, <HI>replyed Roxana,</HI> I a&s;&s;ure you that I am a very inno|cent one. I &s;hould be &s;orry to cau&s;e the lea&s;t di&s;turbance to my Ene|mies, much le&s;s would I be guilty of &s;uch a Crime as you lay to my Charge, again&s;t a Per&s;on who&s;e Function I Honour and Re&s;pect. Good, Madam, <HI>replyed the Mufti,</HI> le&s;s of Honour and Re&s;pect to the Profe&s;&s;ion, and more of Love and
<PB N="149" REF="80">Complai&s;ance to the Per&s;on: You know, Madam, that I adore you, I have told you more than once, that I cannot live without you, take pity of me. Sir, I have alrea|dy told you I do, and I again tell you &s;o, the rather, becau&s;e I am &s;o unhappy as not to be in a ca|pacity of ea&s;ing you of your trouble, what can I &s;ay or do more? Re|pay my Affections and Love with yours, <HI>reply'd the Mufti,</HI> and Cro&s;s not for ever the &s;aying, that Love begets Love. Why, to tell you the truth, Sir, that Proverb is no Friend of yours, for every time I think on't I am convinc'd, that all you &s;ay to me is down right Gallantry and Amu&s;ement, becau&s;e that I find no other Inclination in me but of &s;uch like Diver&s;ion, but not one grain of Love, I can a&s;&s;ure you. The more mi&s;erable wretch am I, Ma|dam, <HI>&s;aid he;</HI> it is like that &s;ome o|ther is more happy than me, though not more in Love, nor more de|&s;erving
<PB N="150" REF="81">in any other re&s;pect. Par|don me. Sir, <HI>replyed Roxana,</HI> if I am not prepar'd at pre&s;ent for Con|fe&s;&s;ion, another time I may give you that trouble, till then, your Servant, with that &s;he run out of the Chamber &s;o &s;uddenly, that he could not overtake her.</P>
<P>This u&s;age did quite put him be|&s;ide the Cu&s;hion, he was at once in love, mad, angry, and full of &s;pight. He went off with a re&s;olu|tion to have a full revenge of the Daughter on the Father. To that end, that very night he inform'd the Emperor, that &s;ome Rumours which were &s;pread abroad of &s;ome in&s;urrection in or near <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Go|vernment, did require his immedi|ate pre&s;ence there, that in ca&s;e there were any occa&s;ion for it, he might quell the di&s;turbance, or by his pre&s;ence prevent any &s;uch De&s;igns, &s;o that the Em|peror
<PB N="151" REF="81">would do well to give him notice that very night to be gone early in the morning. The Emperor told him, that but the day before, he had advi&s;ed him to retain <HI>Aladin</HI> at <HI>Con&s;tantinople</HI> a while longer, wherefore he won|der'd at the &s;udden Alteration of his Council. The <HI>Mufti</HI> an&s;wer'd, that the&s;e news having been &s;pread abroad, not without &s;ome grounds, &s;ince he had given him that advice, he thought that now it was nece&s;&s;ary to alter it. Well, <HI>&s;aid the Emperor,</HI> &s;end for him in my Name, and I'le give him orders to depart to morrow. In the Morning, Sir, <HI>&s;aid the Mufti,</HI> for we know not what his delay of &s;ome hours might produce. Well, &s;aid the Emperor, be it &s;o; little dreaming of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s aim in it, which was, that <HI>Ala|din</HI> might not have &s;o much time, as to take his Wife and Daugh|ter with him, which he feared he might do, with two or three Ser|vants,
<PB N="152" REF="82">and leave the re&s;t to follow, &s;hould he have any longer time aloud him.</P>
<P><HI>Aladin</HI> was &s;ent for, and he re|ceiv'd Command from the Empe|ror, to depart the next morning early towards his Government. He was &s;urpris'd at the order, and con|&s;idering the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s a&s;&s;iduous vi&s;its to his Daughter, he mi&s;tru&s;ted that he had a hand in the bu&s;ine&s;s, and that it was with a de&s;ign to retain <HI>Roxana</HI> in town; he was the more troubled too, becau&s;e his Wife be|gan al&s;o to hearken to the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s Tales; this made him to de|&s;ire of <HI>Amurat,</HI> but &s;o much time as to take his Wife and Daugh|ter, with &s;ome few Servants, with him, a&s;&s;uring him that he would be gone in twenty four hours. The Emperor, thinking that there was not &s;o great and pre&s;&s;ing a nece&s;&s;i|ty, for <HI>Aladin</HI>'s departure, as the <HI>Mufti</HI> had &s;ugge&s;ted, did grant him his reque&s;t; for which favour <HI>Ala|din</HI>
<PB N="153" REF="82">having return'd his thanks, he went home, to u&s;e all diligence for his depart. He pre&s;ently gave order to his Wife and his Daugh|ter to be in a readine&s;s again&s;t next Morning, very early; he did appoint all tho&s;e of his Servants that &s;hould go along with him, and tho&s;e that &s;hould come after; and gave order for all other things requi&s;ite for the Journey.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti</HI> was not pre&s;ent when that <HI>Amurat</HI> had granted a day longer to <HI>Aladin</HI>'s de&s;ires, wherefore he knew nothing of that &s;top; and <HI>Aladin</HI> had been &s;o cunning that he had not given any notice of it to <HI>Zora,</HI> and had forbid his Wife and Daughter to &s;peak of it, for fear &s;he &s;hould have given her Bro|ther &s;ome information, who would have again broke his mea&s;ures; &s;o that the <HI>Mufti</HI> at his u&s;ual time of vi&s;it fail'd not to come to <HI>A|ladin</HI>'s Hou&s;e, as he us'd to do: he thought that now he was &s;e|cure
<PB N="154" REF="83">enough from being interrupt|ed by <HI>Aladin;</HI> but he &s;till was in fear of the trouble&s;ome Mother's company, which was not requi&s;ite, on the account of his vi&s;it to <HI>Rox|ana,</HI> but he thought that he would find a way to employ her el&s;e|where. He &s;tay'd not to be u&s;her'd in, as u&s;ually, but briskly getting up &s;tairs, humming of a tune to him&s;elf, as he went; he pu&s;h'd open the door of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Cham|ber, and ru&s;h'd in on the &s;udden, and was &s;o ha&s;ty to &s;hut the door upon him, that he might not be di&s;turb'd by the Mother, in his la&s;t addre&s;s of Court&s;hip to <HI>Roxana,</HI> that he had not perceiv'd <HI>Aladin</HI> and the Mother, who were both in the Room. You cannot but think that he was &s;trangely di&s;|compos'd at <HI>Aladin</HI>'s pre&s;ence, who he thought far off on his Journey? not in the lea&s;t, I a&s;&s;ure you; what with his accu&s;tomed confi|dence, and that pre&s;ence of mind
<PB N="155" REF="83">(which he never had but in &s;uch amorous intreagues) <HI>I come to tell you, Sir,</HI> &s;aid he to <HI>Aladin, that the</HI> Sultana <HI>hearing of</HI> Roxana's <HI>&s;afe and perfect recovery, de&s;ires to congratulate her and her Mother of it, as &s;he does you by me; and that to that end &s;he will have them to attend her this Evening at the Seragli<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> I have no more to &s;ay. You may wonder peradventure, why I was employ'd to deliver this Me&s;&s;age; but the rea&s;on was, that I was de|&s;irous to be the Me&s;&s;enger of &s;o good news to you. Prepare again&s;t the time, and fit your &s;elves for &s;o ho|nourable a vi&s;it. As to you, Sir,</HI> turning to <HI>Aladin, you may conti|nue your de&s;ign of &s;etting forth in the Morning;</HI> Amurat <HI>expects you &s;hould, for which I wi&s;h you a &s;afe conduct from our great Prophet.</HI> Having deliver'd this formal S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o|ry, <HI>I mu&s;t be going,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>earne&s;t bu&s;ine&s;s &s;tays for me, where|fore I take my leave.</HI></P>
<PB N="156" REF="84">
<P>Though <HI>Aladin</HI> did believe all this to be a Sham, he al&s;o knew that the <HI>Mufti</HI> had power and in|fluence enough upon the <HI>Sultana</HI> to put in her head a de&s;ire to &s;ee <HI>Roxana,</HI> for whom &s;he had a par|ticular kindne&s;s, not doubting but that the <HI>Sultana</HI> would be glad to have an account of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s late adventures from her own mouth: this was the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s opi|nion al&s;o; wherefore he immedi|ately addre&s;s'd his &s;teps towards the Seraglio, and all places being open to his confidence, he &s;oon found acce&s;s unto the <HI>Sultana,</HI> in whom he ea&s;ily in&s;pir'd the de&s;ires of &s;ending for <HI>Roxana</HI> and her Mother; which care he took up|on him&s;elf, and having already done that part, he had no more to do, but to fix on the day of the violent attempt on <HI>Roxana,</HI> with his Si&s;ter <HI>Zora</HI>'s a&s;&s;i&s;tance.</P>
<P>They both being certain that now <HI>Aladin</HI> would be oblig'd to be
<PB N="157" REF="84">gone the next morning without his Daughter, who &s;hould not re|turn home that night, by his con|trivance. They fix'd the time for the great work on the next day, about the time that <HI>Roxana</HI> came from walking in her Garden; &s;he u&s;ually did retire into her Clo&s;et for a time: <HI>Zora</HI> undertook to keep the Coa&s;t clear; and the <HI>Mufti</HI> a&s;&s;ur'd her that he would act his part like a Man of Mettle.</P>
<P><HI>Aladin</HI> not knowing how to remedy all this, thought it his be&s;t way to leave all to Fortune, for the pre&s;ent; and &s;o &s;oon as he were got to his Government, to &s;end for his Wife and Daughter; or to obtain leave to come and fetch them him&s;elf: mean time, he knew that it was but folly to with&s;tand the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s de&s;igns; and believing they inclin'd &s;o much towards his Daughter, that by that means his Wife might e|&s;cape; and <HI>Roxana</HI> having alrea|dy
<PB N="158" REF="85">been cen&s;ur'd by the World, for her late misfortune, he took the whole bu&s;ine&s;s more patient|ly; and receiving a me&s;&s;age at night from the Seraglio, that the <HI>Sultana</HI> would not part with his Wife and Daughter till the next day; he re&s;ted contented, at lea&s;t &s;eemingly &s;o, di&s;patch'd the re&s;t of his bu&s;ine&s;s, and &s;et forward on his Journey early the next Morn|ing, with two or three of his mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary Servants.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> and her Mother were courteou&s;ly receiv'd by the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who being crowded with vi&s;its that day, through the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s contrivance, had not the con|veniency of &s;atisfying her &s;elf of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s adventure, as &s;he de&s;ir'd; that, with the Emperour's coming to partake of the relation, by the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s in&s;tigation al&s;o, made it &s;o late before the <HI>Sultana</HI> was ful|ly &s;atisfy'd with <HI>Roxana</HI>'s compa|ny, that &s;he oblig'd her, and her
<PB N="159" REF="85">Mother, to &s;tay there all that night, and part of the next day, after which, the <HI>Sultana</HI> di&s;mi&s;s'd them, not without Pre&s;ents, as her Cu|&s;tom was to do.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> was in hopes that her Father would have &s;tay'd for their return, to have taken them along with him, but the Mother wi&s;h'd on the contrary, that he might be gone, that &s;he might enjoy more of tho&s;e plea&s;ant Conver&s;ations with the <HI>Mufti,</HI> of which &s;he had had but a &s;mall reli&s;h, which made her mouth water for more. This that made <HI>Roxana</HI>'s &s;orrow for <HI>A|ladin</HI>'s, departure, when &s;he was return'd home, was a matter of rejoycing for the Mother; and both believing that all was of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s contrivance, he was ble&s;s'd and curs'd for it, according to the divers intere&s;ts of the Parties con|cern'd.</P>
<P>Mean time, to make good the Proverb, <HI>That the more the Fox
<PB N="160" REF="86">is curs'd, the more he thrives;</HI> the <HI>Mufti</HI> was hugging of him&s;elf at this good &s;ucce&s;s, and at the hopes he had of pro&s;pering as well in the great work of that day; &s;o that it was with great impatience, that he waited for the la&s;ie Hours, that were to u&s;her in that happy moment. <HI>Zora</HI> was likewi&s;e giving all the nece&s;&s;ary orders beforehand, for to di&s;tance all the Servants from <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Apartment, that no inter|ruption &s;hould be given that way, and had found out a means to di|vert the Mother another way, &s;o that all things were in a readine&s;s, and &s;eem'd to concur with the grand De&s;ign.</P>
<P><HI>Cara,</HI> who &s;ince the late Engage|ment he had with <HI>Zora,</HI> was more a&s;&s;iduous in his Vi&s;its than ever, &s;el|dom fail'd of &s;eeing her once a day, he did u&s;ually take the time that <HI>Roxana</HI> walked in her Garden, becau&s;e that &s;he, not caring much for <HI>Zora</HI>'s Company, would go
<PB N="161" REF="86">without her, whereby <HI>Cara</HI> had the greater liberty of entertaining her; according to his Cu&s;tom he came, and finding &s;carce any per|&s;on in the body of the Hou&s;e, <HI>Zo|ra</HI> her &s;elf being, ju&s;t at that in&s;tant, out of the way, <HI>Cara</HI> believing that &s;he might be in her own Cham|ber, went to &s;ee, but finding her not there, and pa&s;&s;ing by <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Chamber, looked in, but not &s;eeing her there neither, and that the Key was in <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Clo&s;et door, he ventured in, and having knock'd, and no an&s;wer made, he made bold to open the Door and peep in. He was &s;o &s;urpri&s;ed at the fight of &s;o many delicate things, which com|pos'd the Ornament of it, that ga|zing earne&s;tly on, he enter'd quite in, and forgot him&s;elf in the a|mazement he was.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> being &s;omewhat indi&s;|pos'd, did return from her Garden &s;ooner than ordinary, &s;he came in|to her Chamber, and was immedi|ately
<PB N="162" REF="87">followed into it by the <HI>Mufti,</HI> (who was in watch with <HI>Zora</HI> in a dark Corner in the pa&s;&s;age,) &s;o clo&s;e that &s;he had not time to reach to the Clo&s;et. So &s;oon as he was got in, he &s;hut the door upon him with|in &s;ide, and went after <HI>Roxana,</HI> who, little thinking of him, was crying out, Oh! <HI>Ibrahim, Ibrahim.</HI> Madam, <HI>&s;aid he,</HI> coming &s;oftly behind her, and taking her gently by the middle with both his hands, di&s;turb not the dead; at this <HI>Roxana</HI> &s;tarted, for &s;he thought it had been &s;ome of her people that were giving their at|tendance, who had &s;hut the door; <HI>A living Dog is better than a dead Lion, continued he,</HI> and the Com|pari&s;on is not &s;o di&s;proportionable as you may imagin, betwixt your dead <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> and your living, mo&s;t humble, mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ionate, and mo&s;t mi&s;erable Lover, who not able to &s;ub&s;i&s;t any longer without your con|&s;ent, is come to dye imploring your pity and compa&s;&s;ion; &s;aying of this,
<PB N="163" REF="87">he flung him&s;elf at <HI>Roxana</HI>'s feet, who had been prevented by the <HI>Mufti,</HI> from di&s;covering <HI>Cara</HI> in the Clo&s;et; you may imagine with what apprehen&s;ions he remained there; <HI>Roxana,</HI> infinitely &s;ur|priz'd to find her &s;elf alone with the <HI>Mufti,</HI> and the door &s;hut, would have got to her Clo&s;et; but the <HI>Mufti</HI> taking hold of her Garment, <HI>&s;aid,</HI> Can you have &s;o much cruelty in you, Madam, as to let me peri&s;h here, and not &s;o much as afford me one word of Comfort? Speak, Madam, and let me know whether you doom me to life or death; there pau&s;ing, <HI>Roxana,</HI> who could not get from him, was forced to make him this an&s;wer. I wonder, Sir, that notwith&s;tanding I have &s;o frequently told you, that I &s;hould eternally &s;o much love the memo|ry of <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> that I &s;hould never afford to &s;pare one grain of Love on any thing el&s;e, you will &s;till per|&s;i&s;t in a fruitle&s;s pur&s;uit of an ima|ginary
<PB N="164" REF="88">Bli&s;s; which you can never obtain. If the World, Madam, <HI>re|plyed the Mufti,</HI> is not mi&s;taken, <HI>I|brahim,</HI> did gain from you, what you &s;o &s;everely deny to me. To un|deceive you, Sir, <HI>replyed</HI> Roxana, If you plea&s;e to ri&s;e, for I mu&s;t not &s;ee you any longer in &s;o unbecom|ing a po&s;ture before me, I will tell you, that though <HI>Ibrahim</HI> was my Husband, as much as all the &s;acred Tyes of faithful Promi&s;es and Oaths could bind us together, never to mar|ry any other, and to con&s;ummate that our private Contract and Ma|riage &s;o &s;oon as we had brought my Parents to con&s;ent. Know, Sir, I &s;ay, that I never admitted him to any further favour, than the mo&s;t mode&s;t Virgin in the World would a per&s;on that were an ab&s;olute &s;tran|ger, &s;etting a&s;ide one &s;ingle private enterview, unto which I was &s;ur|pris'd, when I gave my heart whol|ly to him, in lieu of his that he had given me.</P>
<PB N="165" REF="88">
<P>But Madam, <HI>an&s;wered the Mufti;</HI> your promi&s;es were made to a li|ving man, and they did bind you no longer than till death had broke tho&s;e bonds. Sir, <HI>replyed Roxana, interrupting him, with a little heat,</HI> if the Vows I made him were made void by my death, which I wi&s;h had been &s;o, he had not been freed from his part towards my me|mory, had he remained alive; the &s;ame it is with me. I tell you I am &s;till an untouch'd Maid, and that in the re&s;olution I am at pre&s;ent, which I hope time will never al|ter, &s;hould a Lover with an Em|pire be offered me, I &s;hould reject it, though it were in the ju&s;t and lawful account of marriage; where|fore, Sir, never think to gain any the lea&s;t point over me in tho&s;e &s;ini&s;ter ways that you attempt. Then, Madam, <HI>replyed the Mufti,</HI> &s;eeing that you are &s;o plain, I will be &s;o too, and tell you that my Pa&s;&s;ion being grown to that height
<PB N="162" REF="89">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="163" REF="89">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="166" REF="90">and &s;trength, that I can no longer be Ma&s;ter over it, I am now come to know of you, whether I mu&s;t obtain by con&s;ent or by force, that without which I can no longer live, and be my &s;elf. This made <HI>Roxana</HI> to change Colour, look about her, and to tremble, not being able to &s;tir from the place where &s;he was, which was far from the Door. Af|ter this, <HI>&s;aid &s;he,</HI> it is neither &s;afe nor ju&s;t, for me to remain here, wherefore let me go, or I &s;hall call for aid. In vain, Madam, <HI>replyed the Mufti,</HI> I have provided before hand, again&s;t all preventions, you are in my Power. There is not one of your Servants that can &s;o much as hear you, the door is fa&s;t, you cannot e&s;cape me; therefore, once more, Madam, I humbly beg of you to have compa&s;&s;ion on me, and to afford me freely, what you &s;ee you cannot prevent me from ta|king by force, and with that he held her fa&s;ter than before. <HI>Roxana,</HI>
<PB N="167" REF="90">perceiving in what a danger &s;he was, and that &s;he was to expect no|thing le&s;s than what the <HI>Mufti</HI> threatned, by the fiercene&s;s of his looks, and the fire in his Eyes, call'd out aloud for aid; at which he, with a forced &s;mile, &s;aid, In vain all this, I am not a per&s;on to do my work by halves, I once a|gain tell you, that no body can hear you, and that I will not lo&s;e this fair opportunity, and this ad|vantage of giving a vent to tho&s;e Flames, which would burn me up to a&s;hes, &s;hould they remain any longer blazing in my brea&s;t. <HI>Rox|ana</HI> made her la&s;t effort, to get from him, towards the door, which made the <HI>Mufti</HI> &s;ay, Nay then, Ma|dam, I mu&s;t carry you to that Couch, with that taking her up in his Arms, notwith&s;tanding all the re&s;i&s;tance that &s;he could po&s;|&s;ibly make, he carried her to|wards the Couch, at which, ha|ving given a great &s;hriek, &s;he &s;ain|ted away in his Arms.</P>
<PB N="168" REF="91">
<P>When <HI>Cara</HI> had heard the <HI>Muf|ti</HI>'s re&s;olution of forcing <HI>Roxana,</HI> he had de&s;ign'd to re&s;cue her, though he run him&s;elf into great danger by it; but to di&s;gui&s;e him|&s;elf, he had put upon him a long Ve&s;t of Cloth of Silver, and flung a thick Veil over his head, and face, which conceal'd him from any bodies knowledge; &s;o &s;oon as he heard <HI>Roxana</HI>'s la&s;t &s;hriek, and perceiv'd through the Key-hole, by the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s Violence, that it was time for him to come to her a&s;|&s;i&s;tance; he came &s;oftly out of the Clo&s;et, and violently forcing <HI>Rox|ana</HI> out of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s arms, (not without flinging him forcibly on the Floor) he laid her gently down on the Couch, went to the door and opened it, after which, he re|turn'd to <HI>Roxana,</HI> all this without &s;peaking one word; he did what he could to bring her to life, at la&s;t &s;he breathed again, opened her Eyes, and perceiving a &s;trange &s;hape by
<PB N="169" REF="91">her, appear'd di&s;turb'd at it, and pre&s;ently expre&s;&s;ed it more by a relap&s;ing into a &s;woon again. <HI>Cara</HI> perceiving it, and gue&s;&s;ing that it might be his Dre&s;s that did afflight her, while &s;he had &s;till the appre|hen&s;ions of her danger upon her, he made towards the Clo&s;et, to lay by tho&s;e things he had put on, and &s;o ha&s;tily &s;teal out of the Chamber un&s;een; and being turn'd, he found that the <HI>Mufti</HI> was got a|way. He was but ju&s;t got into the Clo&s;et again, when <HI>Zora</HI> came in|to the Chamber, who had doubt|le&s;s been &s;ent there by her Brother, &s;he pre&s;ently run towards <HI>Roxana,</HI> pretending a great &s;urpri&s;e, whom &s;he found coming to her &s;elf again, which made her run into the Clo|&s;et, to get &s;ome Cordials for her; <HI>Cara</HI> not knowing what to do, not to be di&s;cover'd, clapped on again the Vail, which he had already thrown off, and &s;tanding upright again&s;t the Wall, without motion.
<PB N="170" REF="92">So &s;oon as <HI>Zora</HI> perceiv'd him at the entring into the Clo&s;et, &s;he made a great &s;hriek, and running out as fa&s;t as her legs would carry her, &s;he got out of the Chamber, not mind|ing <HI>Roxana,</HI> who was by that time quite out of her fainting fit. <HI>Cara,</HI> fearing that the longer he &s;taid, the more difficult it would be for him to get off without being known, made after her, out of the Chamber, and being got in a blind pa&s;&s;age, he let drop his di&s;|gui&s;e, and as well as he could, got out of the Hou&s;e, being perceiv'd by no body but one Slave, who was at the outward gate. <HI>Roxana</HI> having at this &s;econd apparition of the Vi&s;ion, taken more notice of it, did fancy that &s;he knew that Ve&s;t, and perceiving no body in the Room, and the door wide open, after a little pau&s;e &s;he got off of the Couch, went into her Clo&s;et, and fin|ding that the Ve&s;t &s;he had &s;een was wanting, having lock'd the door up|on
<PB N="171" REF="92">her, and taken in the Key, &s;he recover'd her &s;elf little by little, and bu&s;i'd her thought in unravelling the my&s;tery of her great and wonderful deliverance, finding her &s;elf in the &s;ame condition that &s;he was in before the Attempt, &s;etting a&s;ide the di&s;or|ders that her fears, and her &s;truglings, had made in her Cloaths and mind.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> was not interrupted in the lea&s;t by <HI>Zora,</HI> &s;he had been &s;o frighted, at what her Brother had told her, ju&s;t pa&s;&s;ing by her, and what &s;he her &s;elf had &s;een, that &s;he had not the courage to return to <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Chamber, not doubting but that <HI>Roxana</HI> would pronounce her acce&s;&s;ary in her own thoughts, if not the chief In&s;trument of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s wicked enterpri&s;e, and the Mother being very bu&s;ie el&s;e-where, in putting up things which were in her particular Cu&s;tody, to be &s;ent after <HI>Aladin,</HI> who could not take them along with him, through her ab&s;ence, when he left the City.</P>
<PB N="172" REF="93">
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> had full lei&s;ure to reflect on the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s bold attempt, and on the &s;trangene&s;s of her delive|rance, &s;he remembred how near &s;he was being ravi&s;h'd, when pa&s;t hopes of all a&s;&s;i&s;tance, the door be|ing lock'd on the in&s;ide by her ra|vi&s;her, but could not retrieve how it came to pa&s;s that &s;he had remain'd untouch'd, her ravi&s;her gone, the door left open, and &s;he delivered from all her fears, and apprehen&s;ions, when there was no body by. Then again &s;he could not imagin who &s;hould be the Per&s;on, that &s;hould get into her Clo&s;et, how it came open, and wherefore they &s;hould go out, without &s;aying any thing to her, with one of her Ve&s;ts on, and one of her Veils over their face; all the&s;e things appear'd more like a Dream or a Vi&s;ion to her than a Reality, &s;he would have inclined to believe it &s;o, had not &s;he mi&s;t her Ve&s;t, and her Vail; and &s;till remained &s;en&s;ible of the di&s;turban|ces
<PB N="173" REF="93">and di&s;orders &s;he was in. She had a great de&s;ire to inform her &s;elf of all the&s;e things from <HI>Zora,</HI> but &s;he wondred that &s;he came not near her, and conjecturing by that, that it was her guilt which made her not to appear; &s;he could not tell which way to begin to open the bu&s;ine&s;s to her. She was &s;en|&s;ible of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s boundle&s;s pow|er, that he who had had &s;o much impudence, as to attempt &s;o horrid a violence upon her Cha&s;tity, in her own hou&s;e too, would not be wanting to him&s;elf, by &s;ome means or other, of &s;hifting his neck out of the Collar; nay, &s;he even ap|prehended that if &s;he &s;hould make a noi&s;e of it, he would not &s;tick to turn all the ill of the bu&s;ine&s;s upon her &s;elf, and that what with his tongue, his impudence, and his a&s;|cendant over the Emperor, the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> and the chiefe&s;t of the Court, he would &s;o manage things, that he &s;hould be counted innocent, and
<PB N="174" REF="94">&s;he guilty. In this perplexity of thought &s;he knew not what to re|&s;olve upon; &s;he continu'd ponde|ring on the bu&s;ine&s;s, without com|ing to any Re&s;olution, till her Mother finding the Chamber door open, did &s;tep in to &s;ee for her Daughter, after whom &s;he had in|quired; not &s;eeing her in the Cham|ber, &s;he call'd, to know whether &s;he was retir'd into her Clo&s;et; <HI>Roxana</HI> hearing her Mother's voice, open'd the Door, and her Mother briskly telling her, that &s;he had been a great while very bu&s;ie in &s;ending her Father's things after him; it put her quite off of giving any account of what had hap|pen'd, and from that Moment, &s;he re&s;olv'd to make no noi&s;e about it, at lea&s;t for &s;ome time, till &s;he had got as much light into the Bu&s;ine&s;s as &s;he could po&s;&s;ibly attain to.</P>
<P>The Mother asked her whether the <HI>Mufti,</HI> according to his Cu&s;tom, had not &s;een her that day? <HI>Truly,</HI>
<PB N="175" REF="94">&s;aid &s;he, not giving her Daughter time to an&s;wer, <HI>he is a man of ex|cellent Conver&s;ation, and con&s;idering, that no Scandal can happen from the vi&s;its of a Per&s;on of his Profe&s;&s;ion, though never &s;o frequently repeated, I mu&s;t confe&s;s, that I &s;hould take as much delight in that &s;ort of Diver|&s;ion, as in any other that I know. What think you Daughter, are not you of my Opinion? No, Madam,</HI> re|plyed <HI>Roxana,</HI> being vext at the &s;ubject of their Di&s;cour&s;e; <HI>I do not find in his Conver&s;ation that &s;atis|faction that you imagine, and mo&s;t commonly when he bu&s;ies him&s;elf in telling me all the fine things that he can think of, my thoughts are &s;o em|ploy'd el&s;ewhere, that I very frequent|ly, have given him &s;uch un&s;uttable an&s;wers to what he has &s;aid, that he has let me know how &s;en&s;ible he was of my in&s;en&s;ibility, as he was pleas'd to term it. This is to have ones thoughts wholly taken up another way</HI> an&s;we|red the Mother; <HI>for &s;hame leave off
<PB N="176" REF="95">tho&s;e melanchol<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y Reflections, you dai|ly employ upon a per&s;on that cannot &s;o much as be &s;en&s;ible of them, much le&s;s to requite them, and think on &s;ome other Subject, more fitting your youth and condition. I am fix'd, Madam,</HI> replyed Roxana, <HI>and be|lieve time which cures all things, will be defective in ea&s;ing me of my trouble. We are always apt to indulge tho&s;e affections which plea&s;e us mo&s;t,</HI> re|plyed the Mother, <HI>but none are &s;o agreeable, but that in &s;ucce&s;s of time, they become out of date, and almo&s;t quite defac'd out of our memory; it will be &s;o with you,</HI> Roxana, <HI>hereaf|ter; your grief is but young yet, it is &s;till in its full &s;trength and vigour, but it will grow old, decay, and wi|ther quite away, as all things el&s;e do. I cannot tell, Madam, what I &s;hall be, but I know what I feel now, I cannot an&s;wer for the future, but now I can admit of no greater com|fort, than of thinking of what I have lo&s;t. Well,</HI> replyed the Mother,
<PB N="177" REF="95"><HI>&s;ince you are &s;o wedded &s;till to your grief, and that I find you at this pre|&s;ent, more than ordinarily involv'd in it, I will not go about to a&s;&s;wage it any more for the pre&s;ent, for fear of rai&s;ing it higher, therefore I'll leave you.</HI> Saying of the&s;e words, her Mother went out of the Clo|&s;et, and left her mu&s;ing, though not wholly on that &s;ubject which &s;he imagined.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> was &s;o vext at the &s;ub|ject of her Mother's Di&s;cour&s;e, which was very un&s;ea&s;onable at that time to her, that &s;he was &s;carce able to give her Mother the re&s;pect &s;he owed her: She re|&s;olv'd not to &s;tir out of her Clo|&s;et till &s;he would go to Bed, and &s;ee whether <HI>Zora</HI> would come to her of her own accord, by which &s;he might gue&s;s whether &s;he had a hand in her Brother's late At|tempt, as &s;he que&s;tion'd not but &s;he had; but whether &s;he had or had nor, as &s;he made a re&s;olution
<PB N="178" REF="96">in her &s;elf never to give the <HI>Muf|ti</HI> the liberty of &s;peaking more with her, &s;o &s;he de&s;ign'd to leave <HI>Zora</HI> behind her, &s;o &s;oon as her Father &s;hould &s;end or come to fetch her into the Country, which he had promi&s;ed her he would in a Letter which he had left behind him.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti</HI> being got home, and retir'd privately into his Clo&s;et, to con&s;ider how to come off clear|ly of &s;o foul a bu&s;ine&s;s, had gi|ven order to his Servants to &s;ay to any that &s;hould ask after him, he was not within. Of all the whole bu&s;ine&s;s, that which he could by no means apprehend, was the manner of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s re&s;cue from his embraces, when he was &s;o near accompli&s;hing his bu&s;ine&s;s; he could not tell what to make of it: &s;ome times he thought that he had not &s;hut the door, then when he a&s;&s;ur'd him&s;elf he had, he fancied that there was certain|ly
<PB N="179" REF="96">&s;ome &s;ecret door belonging to <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Chamber, which he had never heard of, nor <HI>Zora</HI> neither, or that &s;he certainly would have &s;ecur'd it, or given him notice of it; then again he fancied that in the great ha&s;te he had made to get up and away, to the be&s;t of his remembrance, he had &s;een the Clo&s;et door open, and why might it not be &s;ome body that was in that Clo&s;et that had thus da&s;h'd all his hopes in pieces? That he thought the mo&s;t probable of all the conjectures which he could make: But then, how that Per&s;on &s;hould come to be there, to what end, what bu&s;ine&s;s he had to do in <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Clo&s;et, and why in &s;uch a &s;trange kind of di&s;gui&s;e, for he made no que&s;tion but that it was a Man, by the roughne&s;s with which he had been handled by him. All the&s;e que&s;tions which he made to him&s;elf were unan|&s;werable; the mo&s;t that he could
<PB N="180" REF="97">make of it was, that he believ'd that &s;ome Man was employ'd a|bout &s;ome bu&s;ine&s;s or other in the Clo&s;et, and that not willing to be known, he had come to <HI>Roxana</HI>'s re&s;cue unexpected, and after that, return'd about his bu|&s;ine&s;s: This gave him apprehen&s;i|ons that he might have a greater and more difficult game to play, in the di&s;covery of the Per&s;on, and &s;topping of his mouth, than in appea&s;ing of <HI>Roxana:</HI> this did perplex him infinitely, in&s;omuch that he knew not which way to go about to purge him&s;elf from all guilt. After he had taken di|vers turns in his Chamber, then return'd into his Clo&s;er, it being nece&s;&s;ary that he &s;hould go about ju&s;tifying him&s;elf without delay, he at la&s;t took up the re&s;olution of writting a Letter to <HI>Roxana,</HI> which he would inclo&s;e in ano|ther to his Si&s;ter, and &s;end it im|mediately by his Servant, to be
<PB N="181" REF="97">deliver'd into <HI>Zora</HI>'s own hand: He thus writ to <HI>Zora,</HI></P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>What Devil, envious of my Hap|pine&s;s, was got into the Clo&s;et, or had plac'd that Per&s;on there, who has not only been the great and only ob&s;tacle to my Joyes, but who, I fear, may prove more difficult to lay again, I know not; but certain it is, that when I had pa&s;s'd over all other difficulties, and that I was ready to lo&s;e my &s;elf in that Ocean of Plea&s;ures, which I was ju&s;t going to enjoy, my Prey was &s;natch'd from me, I rudely thrown on the Floor, <HI>Roxana</HI> re&s;cu'd, and I glad to get off &s;o, without any further knowledg of my Enemy; I cannot think of any neglect in you, but wholly attribute all the misfortune to my unlucky Stars. Fail not to deliver this inclo&s;ed into <HI>Roxana's</HI> own hand, after you have read it and &s;ealed it up; I hope it will in &s;ome mea&s;ure appea&s;e that fury
<PB N="182" REF="98">&s;he mu&s;t needs be in at pre&s;ent a|gain&s;t me; and though I have no longer hopes of obtaining any thing from her by fair means, I am re|&s;olv'd not to &s;top there, but to go on, and to leave no Plot, Stratagem, or Surprizal unattempted, till I get my ends, &s;eeing that it is im|po&s;&s;ible for me to live much longer without enjoying of her.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>This Letter being deliver'd into <HI>Zora</HI>'s hands by a tru&s;ty Servant of his, &s;he read it, but dur&s;t not venture to deliver it to <HI>Roxana</HI> with her own hands: She dread|ed to encounter the Storm which <HI>Roxana</HI> would rai&s;e again&s;t her, had &s;he the lea&s;t &s;u&s;picion that &s;he had an hand in the bu&s;ine&s;s; and it was very probabable that &s;he did mi&s;tru&s;t it; &s;he therefore gave it to the Me&s;&s;enger, and bid him to take no notice of having &s;een her, but that he &s;hould enquire for &s;ome of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Servants, to
<PB N="183" REF="98">whom he &s;hould give it, and charge him immediately to go and deliver it into <HI>Roxana</HI>'s hands, while he &s;hould &s;tay for his re|turn. It was in &s;hort, deliver'd to <HI>Roxana</HI> who not knowing the hand, open'd and read it; but how vexed was &s;he, when &s;he read from whom it came, that &s;he had not im|mediately &s;ent it back again, with|out &s;o much as looking upon it! but now it was too late, and &s;ince &s;he had begun to read, &s;he had as good go on to &s;ee the re&s;t of it as not, &s;he then read as follows.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>I &s;hould think you to be the mo&s;t in&s;en&s;ible Per&s;on in all the World, Ma|dam, &s;hould you not vent your Pa&s;|&s;ion again&s;t me, with all the rage and fury imaginable, and nothing more could per&s;wade me, that all you had done to &s;ave your Honour, were but feign'd, did you not think me the very wor&s;t of all men Yes, Ma|dam, you ought to re&s;ent in the high|e&s;t
<PB N="184" REF="99">nature, what I have attempted again&s;t you, and I am bound in con|&s;cience to give you that good and whol&s;ome Advice. But after all, Ma|dam, when you have given all that is due to your ju&s;t re&s;entments, and your revenge, let me advi&s;e and intreat you to allow ju&s;tice its due al&s;o, and after you have treated me like a Criminal, &s;o long as you had no other rea&s;on but to believe me &s;o, you ought to receive again &s;ome good impre&s;&s;ions of me, in your heart and mind, when you are well inform'd of my Innocence, and of the Violence that I was forced to u&s;e upon my &s;elf, before I could &s;ubmit to become the In&s;trument by which you have receiv'd &s;o much trouble. For who dur&s;t per|&s;i&s;t long in the refu&s;al of the expre&s;s orders of the Emperor, e&s;pecially af|ter I had &s;o highly incens'd him at my refu&s;al to obey him, in a thing of &s;uch a nature, which I knew would &s;o highly offend you? Yes, Madam, <HI>Amurat</HI> being overcome with your
<PB N="185" REF="99">Beauty, had a de&s;ire to know whether you had not been defiled by <HI>Ibrahim,</HI> &s;o as to have been rendered unwor|thy of the Honour of his Embraces; he cho&s;e that way of Tryal, and he forc'd me to go about it. I have not yet given him an account of what I have done, and I wait to learn from you what I &s;hall an&s;wer, according to the Inclination you may have of becoming his Mi&s;tre&s;s or not. For my part, I know how to think of you, and how to value &s;o cha&s;t and &s;o virtuous a Woman, and if I dur&s;t give Coun&s;el again&s;t my Prince, I know what I would advi&s;e you to do. But, Madam, your own Cha&s;t thoughts are &s;ufficient to in&s;pire you with &s;uch an An&s;wer, as is fitting and &s;uitable to &s;o much goodne&s;s as you are Mi|&s;tre&s;s of. Leave me not long with|out an an&s;wer, that I may frame ac|cordingly my report to the Empe|ror. I doubt not, but after this Infor|mation, of the rea&s;ons of my ra&s;h pro|ceedings again&s;t you, you will take care
<PB N="186" REF="100">to clear me from being cen&s;ur'd by that Per&s;on that in&s;olently took the re&s;t of the work out of my hands, ju&s;t when I was going to de&s;i&s;t from a|ny further pro&s;ecution of that in which you had &s;o intirely &s;atisfi'd me, that you might have &s;een that my Commi&s;&s;ion ending there, I had no more to do, than beg your pardon for what I had done, &s;o much again&s;t my own incli|nations, and that profound re&s;pect which I have for &s;o Charming a per|&s;on.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>The&s;e Rea&s;ons how plau&s;ible they might appear to the <HI>Mufti</HI> and <HI>Zo|ra,</HI> did &s;o ill con&s;i&s;t with the me|thod he had taken, the Violence he had us'd, the pa&s;&s;ion, or rather rage, that he had expre&s;t, during the attempt, and his former lu&s;tful &s;ol|licitations, be&s;ides tho&s;e pa&s;&s;ionate Expre&s;&s;ions in the Letter, that <HI>Rox|ana</HI> did but admire at his Impu|dence, that employed <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Name and Commands, to ju&s;tifie
<PB N="187" REF="100">his Bea&s;tline&s;s; upon that &s;he tore the Letter in a thou&s;and pieces, and confirm'd her &s;elf in the Re&s;olution of never more giving him the lea&s;t opportunity imaginable of &s;peaking to her, and pre&s;ently taking Pen Ink, and Paper, &s;he writ to <HI>Ala|din,</HI> to mo&s;t humbly and earne&s;tly intreat him to come, and deliver her from that Mi&s;ery &s;he liv'd in, through the wicked <HI>Mufti</HI>'s means, and immediately di&s;patch'd a Me&s;|&s;enger with the Letter to her Fa|ther.</P>
<P>Having thus &s;ettled her mind again, &s;he call'd for &s;ome of her At|tendants to put her in Bed. <HI>Zora</HI> thought that a fit time to appear in, before <HI>Roxana,</HI> becau&s;e that &s;he thought &s;he would not take notice of any thing, before her other Ser|vants, and that &s;o &s;oon as &s;he were in Bed, &s;he would retire to her Chamber; &s;o that &s;he might &s;ee and gue&s;s by her looks, at the agi|tation of her Heart, and &s;o pro|ceed,
<PB N="188" REF="101">as &s;he &s;hould find occa&s;i|on. The Servants being come, <HI>Zora</HI> appear'd al&s;o with the Ve&s;t and Vail which had been found in the dark Corner. <HI>Look you, Madam,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>what has been found in the dark Pa&s;&s;age! Can you tell who laid them there,</HI> replyed Roxana? <HI>If you could do that you would plea&s;ure me for I am &s;ure that I am infinitely oblig'd to that Per&s;on, who ever he be, that took the pains to carry them &s;o far, and I wi&s;h he had them for his pains. They are worth acceptance, I a&s;&s;ure you, Madam,</HI> &s;aid Zora. <HI>If you think &s;o,</HI> replyed Roxana, <HI>do &s;o much for me, as to make a &s;trict enquiry all about the Hou&s;e, to find out the Per&s;on, and if you can di&s;co|ver him, pre&s;ent them from me to him, but if you cannot learn who it is, pray accept of them your &s;elf. Rexana</HI> &s;poke this with &s;omething of Chearfulne&s;s, which made <HI>Zora</HI> to believe that <HI>Roxana</HI> had accep|ted of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s Rea&s;ons as &s;uffi|cient.
<PB N="189" REF="101">That made her venture to ask her, whether &s;he de&s;ign'd an an&s;wer to the Letter &s;he had late|ly receiv'd, for which there was a Servant waited below. <HI>No,</HI> reply|ed Roxana, <HI>I leave it to the Per|&s;ons own di&s;cretion, that writ it, who is too well &s;upply'd with that, to want my advice, and not to act in it for the better, as he &s;hall think fit.</HI> Saying this &s;he went in Bed, and ordered that the Curtains &s;hould be clo&s;e &s;hut, and no noi&s;e made, becau&s;e &s;he would go &s;leep, which oblig'd all the Servants to retire, and <HI>Zo|ra</HI> with them.</P>
<P>All that <HI>Zora</HI> could do, to &s;a|tisfie her own Curio&s;ity, and to &s;erve her Brother, in the di&s;cove|ry of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Deliverer, was to no effect. No body in all the Hou&s;e could give her an account of him, only a &s;lave told her, that about &s;uch a time, he had &s;een a Man go out of the Hou&s;e ha&s;tily, whom he knew not. She fancied
<PB N="190" REF="102">it might be <HI>Cara,</HI> who after his u|&s;ual manner, coming to give her a Vi&s;it, and not finding her, was gone back again to his Lodgings. To be certain of this, &s;he pre&s;ently di&s;patch'd a Servant to him, to let him know that &s;he would &s;peak with him, and in ca&s;e he was not at home, to leave word that he &s;hould come to her, &s;o &s;oon as he was come in, or very early the next morning.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI>'s dubious an&s;wer, did work very much in <HI>Zora</HI>'s mind, and &s;he thought that it would do &s;o in her Brother's al&s;o, where|fore &s;he &s;ent word of it in writing to the <HI>Mufti,</HI> and inform'd him be|&s;ides, of all that &s;he could; this made the <HI>Mufti</HI> to come to <HI>Aladin</HI>'s hou&s;e that very night, to con&s;ult with his Si&s;ter, what was to be done, and upon that to take new Mea&s;ures, in the pur&s;uance of his fir&s;t de&s;igns, to which he was two much wedded, to ever leave them
<PB N="191" REF="102">unaccompli&s;hed. <HI>Zora</HI> acquainted him with all that &s;he knew, and he repeated to her all that he had done, and the re&s;ult was, that lea&s;t <HI>Roxana</HI> &s;hould by &s;ome means or other, break all their Mea&s;ures, the <HI>Mufti</HI> &s;hould make another attempt upon her, but with more Craft, and le&s;s of force. To this end it was concluded, that the <HI>Mufti</HI> &s;hould provide a good pro|portion of &s;ome choice prepara|tion of Opium, by which it &s;hould be quicken'd in its operation, and weaken'd in its ta&s;te, and that <HI>Zora</HI> &s;hould admini&s;ter it to <HI>Rox|ana,</HI> in that Di&s;h of Coffee, which &s;he u&s;ed to take every night go|ing to bed. The time to do this was appointed to be the following Night, and the hour, when all the re&s;t of the Family were retir'd. After this the <HI>Mufti</HI> return'd home, and <HI>Zora</HI> went to her Bed.</P>
<P><HI>Cara</HI> all this while had not wan|ted matter to bu&s;ie his thoughts
<PB N="192" REF="103">with, but above all, he had been wondring at the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s bold at|tempt, to which he doubted not but <HI>Zora</HI> did a&s;&s;i&s;t, and at the fair e&s;cape which he had made out of the Clo&s;et, without being di&s;co|ver'd, after he had had the good Fortune to prevent the Execution of &s;o great a piece of Villany, and the happine&s;s of &s;erving <HI>Roxana</HI> in &s;o high a mea&s;ure. He did not doubt but that <HI>Zora</HI> had as Viti|ous Inclinations as her Brother, but yet her Beauty prevail'd o|ver all, and when he repre&s;ented to him&s;elf, her amiable Per&s;on, no|thing would &s;erve his turn, but the enjoyment of that, at what rate &s;oever, upon which he was fully bent, though not at &s;o dear a rate, as to be tyed to her in Matrimony. He went to bed al&s;o in tho&s;e thoughts, and in a de|&s;ign to obey her Summons the next morning.</P>
<PB N="193" REF="103">
<P><HI>Cara</HI> in the Morning came to <HI>Aladin</HI>'s hou&s;e, where he was ex|amin'd by <HI>Zora,</HI> whether he had been the day before to vi&s;it her; for that &s;he having been bu&s;ied that day more than ordinary, in a&s;&s;i&s;ting <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Mother to put up tho&s;e things which <HI>Aladin</HI> had left behind him, and to &s;end them away, he might have been there, and not &s;ee her. <HI>Cara,</HI> to take from her all di&s;tru&s;t of his know|ing any thing of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s late attempt, did tell her, that earne&s;t bu|&s;ine&s;s having call'd him el&s;ewhere, he had been defective in that du|ty, for which he came to beg her pardon, and know what was her plea&s;ure with him. She told him that there was nothing more in it, than to know why he had been de|fective in performing the promi&s;e which he had made her of daily vi&s;iting her. <HI>I would add,</HI> conti|nu'd <HI>Zora, that peradventure, I thought it long &s;ince I had &s;een
<PB N="194" REF="104">you, but that I fear you would take advantage of it. Yes, Madam,</HI> re|plyed <HI>Cara, I would, and do &s;o; and I now mo&s;t earne&s;tly beg that you would be &s;o ju&s;t to your &s;elf and me, as immediately to appoint the happy moment in which I am to dye in your embraces; the time you had taken for it, is expired: and if you would not have me to dye for love pre&s;ently at your feet, my dear</HI> Zora, <HI>&s;peak that hap|py moment. You are in ha&s;te, it &s;eems,</HI> replyed <HI>Zora? Yes, Ma|dam,</HI> an&s;wered <HI>Cara; and I had already de&s;igned to wait on you, to demand the performance of your word, before I receiv'd your Com|mands; becau&s;e I know not whe|ther I &s;hall be oblig'd to at|tend your Brother, the</HI> Mufti, <HI>in his journey after the Court, which &s;ets forth to morrow. Well,</HI> re|plyed <HI>Zora, you &s;hall prevail; but remember your promi&s;e; at twelve this Night come into that Cham|ber
<PB N="195" REF="104">where</HI> Aladin <HI>u&s;ed &s;ometimes to lye, when here, by the door of the Gallery, which &s;hall be left o|pen, and there I &s;hall be ready to receive you; but be &s;ure, you let no body &s;ee you, and that you make no noi&s;e. I know the Chamber,</HI> re|plied <HI>Cara, and I &s;hall fly to your embraces as a mi&s;erable Slave would do to his unhop'd for Freedom.</HI> This bargain made, they con|firm'd it with ki&s;&s;es, and &s;o part|ed till the appointed time.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> having had a very re&s;t|le&s;s night, being affrighted with horrid Dreams, did re&s;olve not to lye any longer in her own Cham|ber, at lea&s;t for a while, till her mind were more quiet: where|fore, &s;o &s;oon as &s;he was up, &s;he order'd that all things &s;hould be remov'd from her Chamber, that &s;he &s;hould want, into that in which her Father us'd to &s;leep, as being more remote from noi&s;e, and that the &s;ight of tho&s;e places
<PB N="196" REF="105">in her own Room, in which &s;he had been &s;o highly offended, might not affect her Imaginati|on with &s;uch fancies as &s;he had had the la&s;t night. This remo|val being come to <HI>Zora</HI>'s ears, &s;he pre&s;ently &s;ent a Me&s;&s;enger to the <HI>Mufti,</HI> to inform him of it; and another to <HI>Cara,</HI> with a Let|ter, in which &s;he let him know that it having been <HI>Roxana</HI>'s plea|&s;ure to change Chambers with her for a night or two, becau&s;e &s;he &s;lept not well in her own; that &s;he &s;ent him that timely notice of it, that in lieu of her own Chamber, he &s;hould go further in|to <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Chamber, &s;till by the Gallery door, where he &s;hould find his <HI>Zora.</HI> But the time &s;eem|ing long to <HI>Cara</HI> till night, he was gone out on vi&s;its, to divert him&s;elf, and make the time le&s;s tedeous; &s;o that the Letter was left to be given him with a Servant of his, who forget|ing
<PB N="197" REF="105">to deliver it at his com|ing home: <HI>Cara</HI> was by that means left wholly ignorant of the change.</P>
<P>The Me&s;&s;enger who had been &s;ent to the <HI>Mufti</HI> had had better &s;ucce&s;s, he had deliver'd the Let|ter into the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s own hands, had waited for an an&s;wer, which he brought back to <HI>Zora,</HI> with the ingredient which &s;he was to mix in <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Coffee. All things did thus tend little by little to|wards their determination on the three Lovers accounts, who were all very impatient of the arrival of the happy moment in which they were to con&s;ummate their Joyes; but above all did the <HI>Muf|ti</HI> grow impatient, when he re|ceiv'd a Summons from the Coun|cil, to give his attendance there forthwith, to deliberate of the mea&s;ures that &s;hould be taken to keep the di&s;contented and murmu|ring People quiet, during the ab|&s;ence
<PB N="198" REF="106">of the Court: the Bu&s;ine&s;s being of very great concern, re|quired al&s;o a long and vigorous debate about the means that were be&s;t to be us'd: the Council on this bu&s;ine&s;s was divided, and e|very one, according as his own particular Intere&s;t guided him, gave his voice for this or that way, Our <HI>Mufti</HI> did all he could po&s;|&s;ible to bring things to a con|clu&s;ion, but could not prevail; he had divers times made offers to retire, (it growing towards the hour of his a&s;&s;ignation) but had been oblig'd as often to &s;it down again, by <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Command; at la&s;t, the Council having made an end of the bu&s;ine&s;s in hand, broke up, and our <HI>Mufti</HI> was let loo&s;e to his own de&s;ires; he made all the ha&s;te that he could po&s;&s;i|ble to his own Lodgings, to ac|commodate him&s;elf a little fit for the great Work he had in hand, but the hour appointed being al|ready
<PB N="199" REF="106">come, he made all the ha&s;te imaginable towards <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Hou&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>Cara</HI> had not fail'd to come at the critical minute to enjoy his dear <HI>Zora,</HI> who having before hand taken all her mea&s;ures with the <HI>Mufti,</HI> &s;o that he was not to &s;ee her any more that night, but go directly to find <HI>Roxana</HI> in <HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">|din</HI>'s Chamber, &s;he had retir'd her &s;elf in <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Chamber, in ex|pectation of her dear <HI>Cara</HI>'s com|ing. <HI>Cara</HI> having got into the Hou&s;e by the back door, which an&s;wered to the Gallery, he had pull'd it clo&s;e after him, and it be|ing a &s;pring-Lock, it had &s;hut of it &s;elf; he addre&s;s'd his &s;teps to|wards <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Chamber, as he had been directed, and coming to the door, which he found upon the Latch, he open'd it, went in, &s;hut it again, undre&s;s'd him|&s;elf, and went to bed to his Mi|&s;tre&s;s <HI>Zora,</HI> as he &s;uppos'd. He
<PB N="200" REF="107">began his Care&s;&s;es, and whi&s;per'd fine things in her Ear; but find|ing no return, neither in word, nor in actions, and perceiving that &s;he was &s;o fa&s;t a&s;leep, that all he &s;aid or did could not awake her, he con|cluded that <HI>Zora</HI> did ob&s;erve that &s;ilence, either to prevent him from making a noi&s;e, or that it was in point of mode&s;ty; wherefore he troubled him&s;elf no further, but fell about the bu&s;ine&s;s that he was come for: he was &s;trangely &s;ur|priz'd in &s;everal re&s;pects. He found not that complyance and complai|&s;ance which he with rea&s;on did ex|pect from <HI>Zora;</HI> on the contrary, he met with a kind of repul&s;e and oppo&s;ition, which though not very vigorous and &s;trong, was continu|al, and which came from the per|&s;on, as if it de&s;ign'd a more vigo|rous re&s;i&s;tance, had &s;he not been overcome by a profound &s;leep, which was accompanied with a louder voice than was requi&s;ite to
<PB N="201" REF="107">be heard at &s;uch a time, and which was &s;o forc'd and inarticulate, as tho&s;e per&s;ons that in their Dreams offer to &s;peak, but cannot; but that which &s;urpri&s;ed him above all, was to find that which he lea&s;t expected, namely, a Virgon: he left making reflections till another time, and as he had done the bu|&s;ine&s;s he was come about, and find|ing the per&s;on, whoe'er it was, to awaken more and more, &s;o that &s;he began to cry out, he ha&s;tned all he could to &s;lip on his cloaths, and to get away in all diligence, for fear of any &s;urprizal; but be|ing very de&s;irous to know with whom he had had to do, he had flipp'd a Ring off the Per&s;on's Fin|ger, which he took along with him; he pre&s;ently got to the door he had come in at, and getting in|to a Court-yard, through which he was to pa&s;s before he came to the Street, there he e&s;pied a Per|&s;on muffled up, who turn'd a&s;ide,
<PB N="202" REF="108">as having no de&s;ire to be known, he pa&s;&s;ed by, and went his way home, contented with his pre&s;ent good fortune, and wonderfully &s;urpris'd at his good &s;ucce&s;s.</P>
<P>The Per&s;on that <HI>Cara</HI> had &s;een in the Court was the <HI>Mufti,</HI> who having found the door &s;hut, had walk'd up and down there, in hopes it &s;hould be open'd to him. The de&s;ire he had of concealing him&s;elf, and the ha&s;te which <HI>Cara</HI> had made away, had hindred the <HI>Mufti</HI> from perceiving who it was; he went in, and being got into the Gallery, he found <HI>Zora</HI> very much di&s;order'd, who was running for help, who told him that <HI>Roxana</HI> was waken'd in a &s;trange di&s;|order, that through &s;ome dream, or the effects of what had bin gi|ven her; &s;he talk'd very loud of &s;trange things, and that certainly &s;he would make &s;ome &s;trange di&s;|covery, of what had pa&s;&s;ed betwixt them, if he found not &s;ome pre&s;ent
<PB N="203" REF="108">expedient to allay the Fury &s;he was in. <HI>What do&s;t thou mean,</HI> re|plyed the <HI>Mufti, I rather think that thou art mad, or thou would&s;t never have left me till now, dancing attendance in the Court. Why,</HI> re|plyed Zora, <HI>have you not been with her? No,</HI> replyed the <HI>Mufti, how could I, when the door (which you &s;aid &s;hould be open,) was &s;hut; but &s;ome body el&s;e, more happy than I, has gathered the Fruit, is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> of all my Labors. Yes,</HI> continued he, <HI>I had a glimps of him as he run by me, and I very much fan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y it was</HI> Cara. <HI>Has he been with you this Night. No,</HI> replyed Zora, <HI>I can a&s;|&s;ure you.</HI> While they were thus ex|amining one another, they heard a noi&s;e, which obliged the <HI>Mufti</HI> to retreat the &s;ame way he had come in. He was no &s;ooner got out, but that <HI>Zora</HI> returning back upon her &s;teps, perceiv'd <HI>Roxana</HI> coming towards her in the grea|te&s;t di&s;order imaginable; &s;he had
<PB N="204" REF="109">mi&s;plac'd all her Garments about her, and they were &s;o loo&s;e put on, that they were ready to drop off, her Hair were about her head, her Eyes look'd as a per&s;on's that is in drink, &s;he reel'd and &s;tagger'd much after the &s;ame manner, and her words came from her, much with the &s;ame di&s;&s;iculty, as per&s;ons in drink bring them forth, and but with little or no more Sen&s;e; in her hand &s;he had a naked Sci|miter, which at the &s;ight of Zora, &s;he lifted up, <HI>And have I found thee, thou Robber of my Honour,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>then there is for thee,</HI> with that &s;he di&s;charg'd as great a blow with the Scimiter upon <HI>Zora,</HI> as her weak|ne&s;s would permit her to give, which <HI>Zora</HI> prevented from light|ing upon her head, by receiving it upon her Arm, which was cut to the bone; <HI>Zora</HI> &s;taid not for another blow, but pre&s;ently run away, and lock'd her &s;elf up in her own Chamber, barricadoing the
<PB N="205" REF="109">door within &s;ide, with all that &s;he could find.</P>
<P>It being yet very Early, &s;o that &s;he found no body about the Hou&s;e, &s;he went rummaging on, &s;till cry|ing out, where is the Thief, where is the Ravi&s;her, where is that De|vil who has depriv'd me of my Jewel? I mu&s;t have it again, I mu&s;t find it, nay, I will have it, I'll to the Emperor, and make my moan to him, &s;ure he will redre&s;s me; all this &s;he &s;aid, going up and down and &s;triking with the Scimiter as &s;he went along; this noi&s;e awaken'd at la&s;t &s;ome of the Women, who wondring what was the matter, hearing <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Voice, &s;tepp'd out to &s;ee, but &s;o &s;oon as &s;he e&s;py|ed the fir&s;t, running at her as well as &s;he could, the Wo|man made her e&s;cape into <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Mother's Chamber, where having &s;hut her &s;elf in, &s;he told the Mo|ther what &s;he had &s;een.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana,</HI> with the ha&s;te &s;he had
<PB N="206" REF="110">made, running after the Woman, had fallen down, and could not get up again, which made &s;ome o|ther Women with the Mother, who had been awaken'd at the allarm, to venture upon her, and having taken by force the Scimiter from her, they took her up, de|fending them&s;elves as well as they could from her Teeth and Nails, and conveyd her to her Mother's Bed, being the neare&s;t at hand, where &s;he was forc'd to be held with meer &s;trength of Arms.</P>
<P>After the Mother had a little recollected her &s;elf, &s;he caus'd &s;ome body to go call <HI>Zora</HI> to her; the Me&s;&s;engers were knocking at the door till they were weary, with|out any an&s;wer, which made them look through the Key-hole, and by an imperfect dim light, it being yet early, having perceiv'd her fallen on the ground, and a great deal of Blood about her, they ha|&s;tily run back to the Mother, and
<PB N="207" REF="110">told her that <HI>Zora</HI> lay murthered on the Floor, in her own Cham|ber, and that the Door being look'd within &s;ide, there was no coming at her. The Mother did pre&s;ent|ly give order that the Door &s;hould be broke open, that to that pur|po&s;e &s;ome men &s;ervants &s;hould be call'd up, as al&s;o to be &s;ent for &s;ome Phy&s;itians in all ha&s;te; all was done accordingly, and <HI>Zora</HI> was found coming to her &s;elf again; for the lo&s;s of Blood, which had caus'd her fainting, in which &s;he had fall<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n on the Floor, being thereby &s;topt for the pre&s;ent, &s;he had come to life again; tho&s;e that were about her &s;topp'd the blood, and bound up the Wound as well as they could, till further help came. She was asked who had done her the mi&s;chief? and the que&s;tion being made by tho&s;e that were inferior to her, &s;he thought not fit to give them any account of it, but wav'd the Di&s;|cour&s;e.</P>
<PB N="208" REF="111">
<P><HI>Roxana,</HI> in the mean time, ha|ving among&s;t the re&s;t of her ex|travagant talk, mention'd the <HI>Muf|ti</HI>'s Name two or three times. The Mother having given &s;trict Charge &s;he &s;hould be held in her Bed, did go to <HI>Zora</HI>'s Chamber, to &s;ee her, and to ask her &s;ome que&s;tions. She asked of her, in the fir&s;t place, <HI>who had &s;o wounded her,</HI> to which <HI>Zora</HI> made an&s;wer, <HI>that having heard a great noi&s;e in the Womens apartment, &s;he had &s;tepped out of her Chamber to &s;ee what was the matter, and that as &s;he was returning, &s;he had met with</HI> Roxana, <HI>who calling her Robber and Thief, had given her that blow with a Scimiter that &s;he had in her hand, at which &s;he had run away, and locked her &s;elf in her Chamber, for fear &s;he &s;hould follow after her, to give her more.</HI> The Mother asked her, <HI>whether the Muf|ti her Brother, had been there that day,</HI> to which <HI>Zora</HI> made an&s;wer, <HI>No. Are you very &s;ure of that,</HI> &s;aid
<PB N="209" REF="111">the Mother, <HI>Yes, Madam,</HI> an&s;we|red Zora, <HI>and I am certain, that no body in all the Hou&s;e can &s;ay he has been &s;een by them this day. He may have been here, and you not know it,</HI> reply'd the Mother. <HI>No, Madam, an&s;wered</HI> Zora, <HI>I can, and will give you ample proof of what I &s;ay. And pray, Madam,</HI> continued &s;he, <HI>becau&s;e my Wound will not permit me to write, call but for &s;ome body that can, and I will &s;end the</HI> Mufti <HI>word, that he &s;hould give us an exact account of the places and Company he has been with all the Day, and all the night.</HI> A per&s;on being brought, <HI>Zora</HI> bid him only write, <HI>ju&s;ti|fie your &s;elf, and give good proofs where you have been of late.</HI> This was pre&s;ently &s;ent by <HI>Zora's</HI> &s;pecial order, to her Brother, who was found in his Bed. By this time the Surgeons being come, they took <HI>Zora</HI> in hand, and dre&s;|&s;ed her Wound.</P>
<PB N="210" REF="112">
<P>No &s;ooner did the <HI>Mufti</HI> read that note, but he pre&s;ently got up, though it was &s;o early, and he began his Certificate, which was, that having been at the Council till pa&s;t twelve of the Clock, he had from thence gone home, from whence he had not &s;ince &s;tirr'd out. This was &s;ign'd by all his Servants. Of truth there was but one, who knew of his going out, who was his Con&s;ident, the others be|lieving really that he had not been out that night. So &s;oon as it was convenient for him to &s;tir forth, he went to divers of the Coun&s;ellors, and obtain'd from them their hands to certifie, that he had been with them in the Council Chamber, till after twelve, telling them, to &s;atis|fie their Curio&s;ity, that a wager depended upon it; after that he went to all the other places where he had been all that day, and ob|tain'd from tho&s;e Per&s;ons in who&s;e Company he had been, to &s;ign to his Certificate, which he &s;ent back to <HI>Zora.</HI></P>
<PB N="211" REF="112">
<P>He thought this a very nece&s;&s;a|ry thing for him to do out of hand, becau&s;e the Court was moving that day, towards the Holy Wa|ters, that he might be &s;o far ju&s;tifi|ed to the World, that he &s;hould not in his ab&s;ence be accu&s;ed of a deed, which he verily believ'd was done, but knew not by whom, and had no hand in it, with hopes, that at his return, he might renew his Friend&s;hip with <HI>Roxana,</HI> who &s;till &s;tuck at his heart, though he believ'd her ravi&s;h'd. Thus he fitted him&s;elf for the Journey, and went with the Court. The Phy&s;iti|ans having admini&s;ter'd things to <HI>Roxana,</HI> in order to compo&s;e her Spirits, and to cau&s;e her to re&s;t. The Scimiter was examin'd, and no body could imagine how <HI>Roxana</HI> came by it, nor any body remem|ber that they had &s;een &s;uch a one in the Hou&s;e: But when <HI>Zora</HI> had view'd it a little more nearly, &s;he fancy'd that <HI>Cara</HI> did wear ju&s;t &s;uch a
<PB N="212" REF="113">one, which confirm'd her in the &s;u&s;picion &s;he had before, that <HI>Ca|ra</HI> had come, and taking one R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">om for another, had met with <HI>Roxana,</HI> while &s;he her &s;elf had been di&s;ap|pointed.</P>
<P>The Mother not knowing what to think of all this, nor what to make of it, began to wi&s;h her &s;elf in the Country with her Husband, or he with her at <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> to dive a little deeper than &s;he could in all the&s;e My&s;teries, and to unravel the Riddles.</P>
<P><HI>Cara,</HI> for his part, having got by his change, was well &s;atisfied, fancying that it was with <HI>Roxana</HI> that he had met in the dark, in lieu of <HI>Zora,</HI> of which he hoped to be one day fully &s;atisfyed, by the Ring which he had taken from off her Finger; nothing did trou|ble him in all this bu&s;ine&s;s, but the lo&s;s of his Scimiter, which he knew not whether he had dropt by the way, or left behind him,
<PB N="213" REF="113">through his extreme ha&s;te to get away un&s;een, which he had almo&s;t de&s;pair'd to do, by the great noi&s;e which <HI>Roxana</HI> began to make.</P>
<P>By this time of the day, the Emperour and the <HI>Sultana</HI> were rea|dy to go their Journey, accompa|nied with the principal Officers of the Court, not forgetting our <HI>Mufti</HI> among&s;t the re&s;t. Not but that he would fain have lingred behind for &s;ome few days, to have learn'd, of certain, who had been his Sub&s;ti|tute, of which he had but a bare di&s;tru&s;t, and to have had &s;ome ac|count of <HI>Roxana's</HI> condition. But the Emperour calling particularly for him, he was forc'd to go, and leave all to <HI>Zora</HI>'s care, which was to &s;end him word how things were; but he re&s;olv'd to take <HI>Cara</HI> along with him, to prevent him from a|ny further progre&s;s in his good for|tune with <HI>Roxana,</HI> under the pre|tence of having then more oppor|tunity to pre&s;ent him to <HI>Amu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at,</HI>
<PB N="214" REF="114">and to get him &s;ome employ.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana,</HI> who was all this while in her Mother's bed, had at la&s;t fallen a&s;leep, and by the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of tho&s;e Remedies which had been admini&s;tred to her, all that had pa&s;s'd, that had been done to her, or that &s;he had acted, did appear as a Vi&s;ion; and had &s;he not found in her &s;elf &s;o great a change, which of nece&s;&s;ity did per&s;wade her that there was but too much reality in the ca&s;e, all had pa&s;s'd with her for a Dream. She &s;till in&s;i&s;ting on the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s violence to her, <HI>Zora</HI> gave <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Mother that Certi|ficate which her Brother had &s;ent, and the Mother having read it, &s;he gave it to <HI>Roxana,</HI> who having ex|amin'd the Witne&s;&s;es names over and over, could not but be &s;atisfi'd in that re&s;pect, not doubting, but all tho&s;e hands were true: the <HI>Muf|ti,</HI> as wicked as he was, not daring to counterfeit &s;o many Privy Coun|cellors hands, which would of ne|ce&s;&s;ity
<PB N="215" REF="114">have ri&s;en up in judgment again&s;t him, and have declar'd him a per&s;on not fit to live.</P>
<P>Thus was <HI>Roxana</HI> &s;till in the dark, as to the knowledge of her Ravi&s;her; but though &s;he found that the <HI>Mufti</HI> was not the imme|diate Per&s;on, &s;he &s;u&s;pected that it was his, and his Si&s;ter's contrivance and de&s;ign, but that by &s;ome &s;trange accident &s;ome other per|&s;on had made u&s;e of an opportu|nity which Fortune had pre&s;ented to them. She enquir'd what was become of the Scimiter, with which &s;he had wounded <HI>Zora,</HI> and de&s;ir'd to &s;ee it: it was brought to her, and &s;he neither knew how &s;he had come by it, nor who&s;e it might be; &s;he only learn'd that no body in all the Family could remember to have &s;een &s;uch a one in all the Hou&s;e: and <HI>Zora</HI> did believe that &s;he came out of <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Chamber with it. <HI>Roxana</HI> laid up the Scimi|ter &s;afe, that when time &s;hould
<PB N="216" REF="115">&s;erve, &s;he might make what u&s;e &s;he could of it, in order to &s;ome di&s;covery. Pre&s;ently after, calling for water to wa&s;h her hands, &s;he mi&s;s'd the Ring off of her Finger; &s;he &s;aid nothing of that, but would go her &s;elf into <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Chamber, to &s;eek after it; being got thither, &s;he caus'd all that had come with her to retire; &s;he lock'd her &s;elf in, and left no corner un&s;earch'd, both for the Ring, and the Scimi|ter's Scabbard, but to no purpo&s;e; &s;he then con&s;idered how all things lay in that Chamber, the great di&s;order the bed-cloths were in; and prying a little further, &s;he perceiv'd &s;ome &s;igns of the vio|lence which had been us'd again&s;t her; whence &s;he concluded, that whoever it was that had been there, he had de&s;igndly taken her Ring away, but left the Sci|miter by accident, with ha&s;te to get away un&s;een. After this, &s;he concluded that &s;omething had been
<PB N="217" REF="115">given her, to ca&s;t her in a Sleep or Trance, that &s;he might not make that noi&s;e and re&s;i&s;tance which they might expect &s;he would have done; and who could do all this without <HI>Zora</HI>'s privacy? Then remembring that &s;he had complain'd to her of an odd ta&s;te in the la&s;t Coffee &s;he took at night, that confirm'd her &s;till more in the belief that all had been acted by <HI>Zora,</HI> with a de&s;ign to a&s;&s;i&s;t her Brother in the pur&s;uit of his fir&s;t De&s;ign, of getting from her by force, what he could not obtain by fair means, but that he being detain'd about &s;ome other Con|cerns, &s;ome other Per&s;on more for|tunately had met with what the <HI>Mufti</HI> had &s;o long &s;ought for, and had made u&s;e of the fair opportu|nity that pre&s;ented it &s;elf to him, not troubling him&s;elf who was the Per&s;on; and that as a great argument that &s;he conjectur'd right, it was ob&s;ervable, that no
<PB N="218" REF="116">body but her Mother and <HI>Zora</HI> did know of her lying in <HI>Aladia</HI>'s Chamber that night, where &s;he had never lain before.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> having made tho&s;e, and divers other reflections, &s;he re|turn'd to her Mother's Chamber, where &s;he declar'd all that had happen'd to her, and all the &s;ur|mi&s;als that &s;he had made upon the bu&s;ine&s;s; concluding, that &s;eeing of nece&s;&s;ity, <HI>Zora</HI> mu&s;t be the prin|cipal In&s;trument in all the bu&s;ine&s;s of her ruine, &s;he would never &s;ee her Face more, no more than her Brother, the wicked <HI>Mufti;</HI> and &s;he earne&s;tly begg'd of her Mother to advi&s;e <HI>Zora</HI> to retire from their Hou&s;e, becau&s;e &s;he had conceiv'd a prejudice again&s;t her, which would hinder her perfect recove|ry by the &s;ight of her. The Mo|ther did &s;peak to <HI>Zora</HI> about it, and <HI>Zora</HI> knowing her &s;elf guilty, and that <HI>Roxana</HI> was very like to revenge her &s;elf on her, in the ab|&s;ence
<PB N="219" REF="116">of her Brother, &s;he &s;tay'd not to be bid to go twice; and that very day, &s;he retir'd to the Hou&s;e of a Relation of hers, and <HI>Roxa|na</HI> liv'd with her Mother a more retir'd life than ever: all her di|ver&s;ion being in walking &s;ome|times in her Garden, &s;itting a while in the Summer-hou&s;e, and the re&s;t of her time &s;he &s;pent in Sighs and Tears, in her own Chamber and Clo&s;et.</P>
<P>The Court had not been gone a Month, but that a Rumor run a|bout every where, that the <HI>Sulta|na</HI> was with Child; and there were divers per&s;ons that did not &s;tick to affirm, and offer to lay wa|gers that it was of a young Prince. This made all the <HI>Ba&s;&s;a</HI>'s and other Grandees of the Port, and of the Empire, who were not of the Sect of <HI>Hali</HI> to look about them; they had very well inform'd them&s;elves of the Emperor and the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Phi&s;icians, that &s;he could not bring
<PB N="220" REF="117">forth a living Child, which made them conclude that the&s;e Rumors were &s;pread abroad but to feel the pul&s;e of the People, and to find how it would be re&s;ented by tho&s;e that were more particularly con|cern'd in the bu&s;ine&s;s.</P>
<P>Pre&s;ently a private Me&s;&s;enger was &s;ent to Prince <HI>Soliman,</HI> of that wicked practice again&s;t his right to the Succe&s;&s;ion of the Empire. He was of the blood of the <HI>Otto|mans,</HI> had married <HI>Zelinda,</HI> the Elde&s;t of the two Daughters which <HI>Amurat</HI> had had by a former <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> who was of the true anci|ent Religion of <HI>Mahomet,</HI> and who had had her Children educated the &s;ame way. The younge&s;t had been married to another Prince, of the &s;ame Religion al&s;o. The Prince return'd them thanks for the time|ly advice which they had given him; and he further de&s;ir'd them to continue their good will to|wards him, in giving him from
<PB N="221" REF="117">time to time, &s;uch intelligences and advices as might conduce to their own good as well as his, a&s;&s;uring them that he would &s;tand by them again&s;t all Attempts which &s;hould be made again&s;t their Religion, Laws, and Liberties.</P>
<P>This an&s;wer was &s;o agreeable to their Wi&s;hes, which they receiv'd from Prince <HI>Solyman,</HI> that it did not only revive their drooping Spirits, but &s;et them all to work them&s;elves, and, by Spyes upon <HI>Amurat,</HI> and the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Per&s;on, to find out all that they could of their de|&s;igns again&s;t the Empire, and they at la&s;t found that <HI>Cha-Abas</HI> the <HI>Per|&s;ian</HI> Emperor had &s;o poi&s;on'd the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s mind by divers rich Pre|&s;ents, great a&s;&s;urances of his Aid and <HI>Succor</HI> in the great Work of Reformation (as he call'd it,) and the continual Solicitations of his Pen&s;ioners, and Emi&s;&s;aries in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, that they no long|er doubted of their de&s;igned ruine,
<PB N="222" REF="118">and that they were &s;old with the Empire to <HI>Cha-Abas</HI>'s Ambition. They gain'd &s;ome of the Ladies of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, who&s;e places oblig'd them to be con&s;tant|ly near the <HI>Sultana</HI> in the <HI>Serag|lio,</HI> to ob&s;erve her exactly, and to give them from time to time, what reports they could, concerning her feigned pregnancy.</P>
<P>The Emperor and the <HI>Sultana,</HI> having fini&s;hed their Pilgrimage and Devotions, the Court return'd to <HI>Con&s;tantinople</HI> with great joy, the Emperor and <HI>Sultana</HI> declaring publickly that &s;he was with Child; for which, great joy was expre&s;&s;ed among&s;t all the Followers of the Sect of <HI>Haly,</HI> and our <HI>Mufti</HI> was none of the backwarde&s;t in pro|claiming the wonderful Miracle. But that did not hinder him from minding his own concerns, and learning the rea&s;ons of <HI>Zora's</HI> com|ing away from <HI>Aladin</HI>'s Family. She told him all that &s;he did know,
<PB N="223" REF="118">and all that had pa&s;&s;ed in his ab|&s;ence, but &s;he did not know how the Certificate which he had &s;ent, was taken, becau&s;e that &s;he had gone from thence that very day. She after that asked him news con|cerning <HI>Cara,</HI> he told her that he had for her &s;ake, <HI>got him the Com|mand of a Galley, and that he was gone to enter upon it, that after that he would return to</HI> Con&s;tantinople. With this &s;tory he plea&s;ed her for the pre&s;ent. Of truth he had procu|red him that Command, but it had been with a de&s;ign to keep him at Sea, far from <HI>Con&s;tantinople;</HI> and from attempting to get here|after, by fair means, from <HI>Roxana,</HI> what he believ'd meer Fortune had thrown into his Arms; for not|with&s;tanding all the&s;e Frowns of Fortune on his amorours de&s;igns, he doubted not but to &s;ucceed in time, and to obtain from <HI>Roxana</HI> now, what &s;he &s;o po&s;itively refus'd him before, being of Opinion that
<PB N="222" REF="119">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="223" REF="119">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="224" REF="120">&s;he would not think her &s;elf for the Future &s;o oblig'd, as &s;he was before her Rape, to pre&s;erve that which was not of &s;o much value, how highly &s;oever he did &s;till value it him&s;elf.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti</HI> did make &s;trict inqui|ries after <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Health, and di|vers offers to vi&s;it her, but all to no purpo&s;e; he addre&s;s'd him&s;elf to the Mother, who receiv'd him ve|ry Civilly, and did expre&s;s &s;o much &s;atisfaction in his Conver&s;ation, that he continu'd his Vi&s;its to her, not without hopes to make her in time an In&s;trument for his acce&s;s to his beloved <HI>Roxana.</HI> He was not long without &s;olliciting the Mother on that account, but &s;till &s;he wav'd the Di&s;cour&s;e, and put it off, not without being offended in her &s;elf, at the &s;light the <HI>Mufti</HI> made of her Company, in &s;o earne&s;tly pre&s;|&s;ing for her Daughter, while &s;he believed her &s;elf more &s;uitable in Age for his grave conver&s;ation,
<PB N="225" REF="120">than <HI>Roxana</HI> was. But the <HI>Mufti</HI> at la&s;t growing quite weary of the Mother's company, which made him to &s;lacken his Vi&s;its, &s;he was oblig'd to make him a Promi&s;e, that &s;he would &s;peak to <HI>Roxana</HI> a|bout him, to keep him &s;till to her. That made him to repeat his Vi&s;its more frequently again, but &s;till more to &s;olicite and pre&s;s the Mo|ther to obtain leave of her Daugh|ter, that he might &s;ee her, than for any diver&s;ion which he could plea&s;e him&s;elf with, in the Mothers Com|pany; however he appear'd as com|plai&s;ant towards her as he could force him&s;elf to repre&s;ent, and he did &s;o pre&s;s the Mother to the performance of her promi&s;e, that &s;he was at la&s;t forc'd to &s;peak to <HI>Roxana</HI> about it.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> did not only receive with all the coldne&s;s imaginable what &s;he &s;aid, but took upon her to reprimand her Mother for en|gaging her &s;elf in &s;o fowl a bu&s;ine&s;s,
<PB N="226" REF="121">declaring once for all, that if &s;he would not let her be quiet at <HI>Con|&s;tantinople,</HI> where &s;he remained meerly in complai&s;ance to her, and without any the lea&s;t inclination of her own, &s;he would immedi|ately write to her Father, to &s;end for her into the Country. This an&s;wer made the Mother mute for ever after in the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s concerns, and rather than to be mew'd up again as &s;he had formerly been, in the Country, (which &s;he fear'd would happen but too &s;oon,) &s;he re&s;olv'd to lo&s;e one Courtier, in the per&s;on of the <HI>Mufti,</HI> to pre&s;erve all the re&s;t that addre&s;s'd them&s;elves to her. She therefore told the <HI>Mufti;</HI> that &s;he had us'd all her endeavours to per&s;wade her Daughter, but all to no purpo&s;e, &s;he being &s;o wedded to her deep Melancholy of late, that &s;he abhor|red all manner of Conver&s;ation. This made our <HI>Mufti</HI> to withdraw him&s;elf in a &s;hort time after from
<PB N="227" REF="121">the Mother's Cover&s;ation al&s;o, though not to de&s;i&s;t from his a|morous pur&s;uit of <HI>Roxana.</HI></P>
<P>Great rejoycings were at Court for the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s pregnancy, <HI>Cha-Abas</HI> fail'd not to &s;end an Amba&s;|&s;ador to Congratulate the Emperor and <HI>Sultana</HI> about it. And at la&s;t the time came of the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s quick|ning, tho&s;e news redoubled the joys of the <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> in&s;omuch, that they no longer doubted of a Suc|ce&s;&s;or to the Empire, that &s;hould be of their Sect, and that con&s;e|quently would pre&s;erve that Reli|gion in the Empire. Mean time the true <HI>Mahometi&s;ts,</HI> who were all di&s;graciated, and laid a&s;ide from all Offices of Tru&s;t, and publick Employes, were very diligent in their enquiry into things, and they had a very great progre&s;s in the di&s;covery of <HI>Cha-Abas</HI>'s de&s;igns, but they thought it not time yet to &s;hew the lea&s;t &s;ign of their know|ledge; that did &s;o per&s;wade the <HI>Ha|li&s;ts,</HI>
<PB N="228" REF="122">that they were po&s;&s;e&s;t with a Spirit of &s;tupidity, and that they were wholly depriv'd of all Sen&s;e and fore&s;ight of their Mi&s;ery at hand, that they &s;et the le&s;s guard on their Actions, and acted &s;o vi&s;ibly their wicked De&s;igns, that they became obvious to the very Vulgar Eyes. But among&s;t all tho&s;e rejoycings, care was taken to di&s;tance from <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> all &s;uch Per&s;ons as were to be concern'd in prying more narrowly into the Birth of the Pretended Child, than were con&s;i&s;tent with the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> De&s;igns. Wherefore &s;ome were confin'd to their Country Hou&s;es; &s;ome few, who had yet &s;ome Governments of Provinces, were charg'd not to &s;tir from thence without &s;pecial or|ders from the Emperor; others were &s;ent in Emba&s;&s;y. <HI>Amurat</HI>'s younge&s;t Daughter was &s;ent by the forc'd Advice of her Phy&s;icians, to &s;ome Baths of warm Waters, at a great di&s;tance from <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI>
<PB N="229" REF="122">in order to recover that health, of which &s;he found no want. In fine, all but the <HI>Mufties</HI> of the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religon, were di&s;pers'd far enough from offering to prye into the grand Secrets of the Court. But tho&s;e <HI>Mufties</HI> were to be di&s;|pos'd of al&s;o: Our <HI>Mufti</HI> was em|ploy'd particularly in that work, he invented a <HI>Paper,</HI> which he caus'd <HI>Amurat</HI> to proclaim, was his plea|&s;ure, &s;hould be read in all the <HI>Mo&s;|qu&eacute;es</HI> in his Dominions, which was &s;o much again&s;t the formal Laws of the Empire, and of &s;uch dan|gerous Con&s;equences to the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, that the <HI>Muf|ties</HI> unanimou&s;ly declin'd the read|ing of them, in their re&s;pective <HI>Mo&s;qu&eacute;es,</HI> only &s;ome few that were Tempori&s;ers, did &s;acrifice to their Intere&s;t and Ambition, the true Dictates of their own Con&s;ciences.</P>
<P>This was &s;ufficient matter to bring tho&s;e refu&s;ing <HI>Mufties</HI> into Examination, they were examin'd
<PB N="230" REF="123">before <HI>Amurat,</HI> and notwith&s;tan|ding all that they did alledge of ju&s;t and hone&s;t, in vindication of their Innocence from the a&s;per&s;ion of Di&s;obedience, and Rebellion, with which they were charg'd, they were all &s;ent Pri&s;oners to the <HI>Tower</HI> of the <HI>Dardanelles.</HI></P>
<P>As this Confinement of the <HI>Muf|ties</HI> did highly rejoice the <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> which did all conclude from thence, a &s;udden fall of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Re|ligion, to the Elevation of theirs, &s;o it did rai&s;e &s;uch fears and appre|hen&s;ions in the true <HI>Mahometi&s;ts,</HI> that they began to provide with more vigour than ever, though un|derhand, again&s;t the Fatal &s;troke, which was ready to fall upon their Religion, Rights, and Lives. They &s;ent Me&s;&s;engers to Prince <HI>Solyman,</HI> to intreat him to be in a readine&s;s to defend his own Right, and the Laws of the Empire. He hearken'd to their advices, and made Prepa|rations underhand to a&s;&s;i&s;t tho&s;e
<PB N="231" REF="123">of his own Religion, and to free them from <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> &s;lavery. Thus were all Parties bu&s;ie in &s;upporting and promoting their own intere&s;t, by all means imaginable. The one pufft up with great hopes, and the other as much aba&s;ed with fears and apprehen&s;ions.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> was not without a very great increa&s;e of trouble on her part, notwith&s;tanding the general rejoi|cing of all tho&s;e of her own Sect. She had felt &s;ome motions in her Belly, which &s;he was not accu&s;tom'd to feel, which with &s;ome &s;ick fits, that had lately come upon her, had made her to give her Mother an account of the whole; her Mother did pre&s;ently Judge by what her Daughter had told her, and by &s;ome other Circum&s;tances and Signs, that <HI>Roxana</HI> had not only been ravi&s;h'd, but that &s;he had been got with Child al&s;o; She confirm'd her Daughter in tho&s;e Su&s;picions that &s;he had of it, and the knowledge
<PB N="232" REF="124">of that further mi&s;chief did whol|ly ca&s;t down <HI>Roxana,</HI> &s;o that from that time &s;he confin'd her &s;elf entirely to her Chamber, and would not admit but one from among&s;t all her Servants, in which &s;he mo&s;t confided, to approach near her, or to &s;ee her.</P>
<P>Our <HI>Mufti</HI> was not &s;atisfied with applauding him&s;elf, with his late invention, wherewith he had en|trapp'd his great Enemies, the <HI>Mufties</HI> of the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Re|ligion (as he deem'd them) but he would be prais'd for it likewi&s;e by all his Party, not &s;paring <HI>A|murat</HI> and the <HI>Sultana</HI> from ac|knowledging his Subtilty in the managing of that branch of the great work. To this purpo&s;e he went to pay his <HI>devoirs</HI> to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who he had not &s;een &s;ince that great Exploit: She fail'd not to magnifie his ingenuity, and to prai&s;e his indefatigable In|du&s;try in the propagation of the
<PB N="233" REF="124">Faith: after which falling on par|ticular di&s;cour&s;es, the <HI>Sultana</HI> ask'd him what was become of <HI>Roxana</HI> and her Mother? &s;aying that &s;he had not &s;een them, nor heard of them &s;ince her return, and that &s;he had expected a congratulatory vi&s;it from them for her great bel|ly. The <HI>Mufti</HI> glad that the <HI>Sul|tana</HI> had fallen on that Theam of her &s;elf, made an&s;wer, that he had heard by accident, that they were &s;till both in Town, but that his multiplicity of bu&s;ine&s;s had hindred him from making any fur|ther enquiry about them. The <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;aid that &s;he had a de&s;ire to &s;ee the Beauteous, and Ingenious <HI>Roxana</HI> again; and with that or|der'd that a Me&s;&s;enger &s;hould be im|mediately &s;ent from her, to the Mo|ther and Daughter, to command them to wait on her that very day.</P>
<P>The Me&s;&s;enger deliver'd the Me&s;&s;age to <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Mother, but did not come to the &s;peech of her;
<PB N="234" REF="125">and all that her Mother could &s;ay or do, after the Me&s;&s;enger was gone (to whom &s;he had &s;aid, they both would obey the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s ob|liging Commands) &s;he could not prevail with her to keep her Com|pany. <HI>What will the</HI> Sultana <HI>think,</HI> &s;aid the Mother? <HI>What &s;hall I &s;ay? What excu&s;e &s;hall I make?</HI> All that <HI>Roxana</HI> &s;aid, was, <HI>what you plea&s;e, u&s;e your own di&s;cretion, and act according to your own fan|cy.</HI> The Mother was forc'd to go to the Seraglio without <HI>Roxana,</HI> very much di&s;&s;atisfied, and very full of thoughts, what &s;he &s;hould tell the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and whether &s;he had be&s;t to di&s;cover to her what misfortunes had hapned to <HI>Rox|ana,</HI> or not: She left all to the conduct of Fortune, and re&s;olv'd to di&s;cover, or keep &s;ecret accord|ing as the <HI>Sultana</HI> would give her occa&s;ion to act. She was kind|ly receiv'd by the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who pre&s;ently ask'd after <HI>Roxana. Is
<PB N="235" REF="125">&s;he &s;ick,</HI> &s;aid the <HI>Sultana? Yes, Madam,</HI> reply'd the Mother; <HI>&s;he is not well, nor very &s;ick neither. What Riddle is this,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana? Pray unfold it.</HI> At this, the Mother, who had much to do to retain her Tears, and in who&s;e Face the <HI>Sultana</HI> had ob&s;erv'd great marks of Sorrow, could no longer contain her &s;elf: She gave her Eyes liberty to di&s;chage them&s;elves upon her Cheeks, which &s;o &s;en&s;i|bly mov'd the <HI>Sultana,</HI> that &s;he once again bid her to let her know what was the cau&s;e of &s;o great a Sorrow as &s;he expre&s;s'd? a&s;&s;uring her, that nothing &s;hould be wanting to give her comfort. <HI>My Griefs are of that nature, Ma|dam,</HI> reply'd the Mother, <HI>that they will not admit of any Redre&s;s. I mu&s;t re&s;t &s;atisfy'd in letting you know them, without any hopes of Comfort, neither from you, nor a|ny body el&s;e in the World, continu'd &s;he. But, Madam, &s;ince it is your
<PB N="236" REF="126">plea&s;ure to hear my &s;orowful Story, be pleas'd, at lea&s;t, to afford me your Pity.</HI> With that &s;he told the <HI>Sultana</HI> all that had happen'd to <HI>Roxana,</HI> &s;ince the Court's remo|val and return. <HI>This is very ill for poor</HI> Roxana, &s;aid the <HI>Sultana, the rather, becau&s;e that there is no means left to know her Ravi&s;her, who, though I do not believe to be de&s;ignedly &s;o, yet de&s;erv'd &s;ome pu|ni&s;hment, for u&s;ing &s;o ill the oppor|tunity which he had of &s;erving poor</HI> Roxana <HI>in a nobler way; at lea&s;t, if he were a per&s;on &s;utable to her rank, he &s;hould be compell'd to marry her, or I &s;hould lo&s;e my In|tere&s;t with</HI> Amurat. <HI>But though I cannot redre&s;s your Griefs accord|ing to my own de&s;ires, in &s;ome mea&s;ure I will alleviate them, and render them &s;omewhat more ea&s;ie for you both to bear. Does any body know of</HI> Roxana<HI>'s misfortune,</HI> added the <HI>Sultana? No, Madam, not any one, I can a&s;&s;ure you; for
<PB N="237" REF="126">&s;he has not &s;een the Face of any per&s;on &s;ince; nor could I &s;o much as prevail with her to wait upon you, Madam: I cannot deny, but that Zora,</HI> Mufti Rep&s;et<HI>'s Si&s;ter, may &s;u&s;pect &s;omething of the bu&s;i|ne&s;s, as having had a hand in it on the</HI> Mufti<HI>'s account, &s;o far as his de&s;ign went. That's nothing,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana: They are both of the Cabal, in which I now will joyn you and</HI> Roxana, <HI>as being per&s;ons that may be of great u&s;e to me in carrying on the great de&s;ign. But you mu&s;t be all &s;ecret, not a whi&s;per, or a betraying look, or all is lo&s;t. Madam, you may com|mand our Lives,</HI> reply'd the Mo|ther; <HI>we &s;hould go to our deaths without murmuring, if it were to &s;erve you. I believe you, and thank you,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana. Know now, that for the good of our Cau&s;e, and the Glory of the Sect of our great Prophet</HI> Haly, <HI>it has been thought fit by our Privy
<PB N="238" REF="127">Council, that I &s;hould feign to be with Child; and it has been &s;o gi|ven out already, to be about that very time in which</HI> Roxana <HI>was made &s;o in effect. There are &s;ome Women that have prov'd pregnant about that time al&s;o, who have Spies upon them, to ob&s;erve whether they will have a Boy at the time of their delivery, that I may be &s;upply'd with a Male Child, when my feigned time of deliverance is accompli&s;h'd: now if</HI> Roxana<HI>'s Child proves to be a Son, nothing would be more conformable to my de&s;ires, than to have it to pa&s;s for a Prince. Tell</HI> Roxana <HI>this from me, that &s;he &s;hould continue in her &s;olitary re|&s;ervedne&s;s &s;till on this account, and that when the bu&s;ine&s;s is over, I &s;hall take care to provide for her according to her quality and me|rits; mean time,</HI> continu'd &s;he, <HI>give her this from me, with an a&s;&s;urance of my &s;pecial favour:</HI> With that, &s;he gave her a rich
<PB N="239" REF="127">Jewel, and &s;o di&s;mi&s;s'd her.</P>
<P>The Mother being return'd home, told all the whole Story to <HI>Roxana,</HI> who being &s;till more and more afflicted at the publi&s;h|ing of her misfortune, did not rejoyce, as her Mother expected, at the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s confidence which &s;he repos'd in them, nor at her kind a&s;&s;urances of favour and pro|tection; on the contrary, &s;he plung'd her &s;elf deeper &s;till in Melancholy; &s;o that from that time &s;he continu'd in darkne&s;s, admitting of no more light into her Chamber, than what a &s;mall dim Taper did afford.</P>
<P>The Confinement of the <HI>Mufties</HI> in the Tower of the <HI>Dardanelles,</HI> had much di&s;turb'd the whole Par|ty of the true <HI>Mahometi&s;ts;</HI> they had murmur'd aloud, they had acted with more fire than u&s;ually, &s;o that it was known that they did expect &s;ome a&s;&s;i&s;tance from &s;ome place, but whence not yet
<PB N="240" REF="128">certainly known; and bu&s;ine&s;s not being ripe to come to a con|clu&s;ion, on the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> party, till the pretended Heir were come in|to the World, to &s;atisfie the mul|titude as well as others, and keep them under, till their ri&s;ing would be to no effect, a day was appoin|ted for bringing the impri&s;on'd <HI>Mufties</HI> to a publick Examination, to &s;atisfie the true <HI>Mahometi&s;ts,</HI> but it was &s;o deferr'd, that it &s;hould not be till after the <HI>Sultana</HI> had been deliver'd of her fictitious great Belly.</P>
<P>The time of her delivery at la&s;t grew near, according to that reck|ning which they had given out, but becau&s;e it did not exactly agree with the true reckoning which <HI>Roxana</HI> made, or that her Mother made for her, (for &s;he her &s;elf minded nothing) another Reckning was &s;et up, and given out, and that being near out al&s;o, the <HI>Sultana</HI> had ordered at what places &s;he
<PB N="241" REF="128">would Lye In, which were &s;ome|time in one place, &s;ometimes in a|nother; that no body &s;hould have any certain knowledge of it, but tho&s;e who were of the Secret.</P>
<P>It was not long after, that <HI>Roxa|na</HI>'s Mother &s;ent a Letter to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> to let her know that her Daughter was in her effectual La|bour; Orders were pre&s;ently &s;ent back in a Letter, <HI>that &s;he &s;hould be brought into the</HI> Seraglio, <HI>if it were po&s;&s;ible to be done with Secre&s;ie.</HI> But &s;he was &s;o far gone, that it could not be; and &s;he being deliver'd of a Son, the Child, according to the orders that had been given, was &s;ecretly convey'd to the <HI>Seraglio,</HI> into that Appartment which the <HI>Sultana</HI> had la&s;t made choice of, there kept by a good Fire in the next Cham|ber to that appointed for the <HI>Sul|tana</HI>'s Lying In, and notice pre|&s;ently brought to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> that every thing was in a readine&s;s. The <HI>Sultana</HI> did pre&s;ently get her &s;elf
<PB N="242" REF="129">carried to that Apartment by &s;ome of her Attendants, and put into her Bed, the Midwife and all the re&s;t of the Confederacy at hand. <HI>Amu|rat</HI> had notice given that the <HI>Sul|tana</HI> was in Labour, and he &s;ent to his late Brother's <HI>Sultana,</HI> and to divers others of the Sect of <HI>Hali,</HI> in&s;tantly to repair to that Appart|ment, to which the <HI>Sultana</HI> had been newly tran&s;ported, there pre|&s;ently was a con&s;iderable appearance at the appointed place, of &s;uch as were of the Sect of <HI>Hali,</HI> except two or three at the mo&s;t of old true <HI>Mahometi&s;ts,</HI> who being held in Di&s;cour&s;e by <HI>Amurat</HI> at the Beds feet, the Curtains being &s;hut clo&s;e round the Bed, &s;o that nothing was to be &s;een, and &s;carce heard, for the <HI>Sultana</HI> not being accu&s;tomed to tho&s;e &s;orts of Pageantry, &s;he could not bring her &s;elf to cry out with that vigour and &s;trength that acute Pains cau&s;e Women to do; but however the Child being con|veyed
<PB N="243" REF="129">into the Bed by a by door, which was at the inward &s;ide or Ruel of the Bed, (to which they had given &s;ome &s;mall thing to cau&s;e it to &s;leep, for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ar that it &s;hould cry out and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;cover all) A little while after <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">e Midwife pulls it out of the P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">lapped up in warm Cloths, pu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> it into her lap, and conveyed h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;elf and it into the next Room, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rough the &s;ame by-door, not de<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">aring what it was that &s;he had go<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, but pre|&s;ently after it was told to <HI>Amurat,</HI> who &s;poke it to the Company, re|joycing mightily at it. Thus was <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Child us'd to &s;u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">titute an Heir to the Empire, that might be brought up in the Sect of <HI>Hali,</HI> to the prejudice of <HI>Zelinda,</HI> who was the true and undoubted Heir apparent, only becau&s;e &s;he was of the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion.</P>
<P>The News of a new born Prince being &s;pread abroad, it afforded new Subject of great Joy, to all
<PB N="244" REF="130">tho&s;e of the Sect of <HI>Hali;</HI> among&s;t the re&s;t of their demon&s;trations of joy, there was a Fire-work, which was &s;o great, and &s;o curiou&s;ly contriv'd, that it &s;eem'd as if tho&s;e Fu&s;ees of which it was com|pos'd, were flying up, with a de|&s;ign to con&s;ume the Region of Fire, to bur&s;t in pieces the Thun|derbolts, to fire Lightning, and to allarm the very Stars. Pre&s;ently were &s;een Amba&s;&s;adours from all parts, among&s;t which, one from <HI>Cha-Abas</HI> was not the la&s;t to com|pliment the Emperour and <HI>Sultana</HI> on the birth of the young Prince.</P>
<P>But now that &s;o much of the great work was done; that which remained yet undone, was to be thought of. <HI>Roxana</HI> remain'd &s;till uncon&s;olable, in&s;omuch that &s;he never made any enquiry after her Child, whether it was dead or a|live; neither did &s;he take &s;uch care of her &s;elf as &s;he ought to do; but that was her Mother's
<PB N="245" REF="130">part, of which &s;he acquitted her &s;elf as &s;he ought to do. The Ca|binet Council thought fit to have <HI>Roxana</HI> convey'd out of the way, le&s;t that, having been made privy to the Plot, at &s;ome time or o|ther &s;he &s;hould in one of her me|lancholick fits di&s;cover the whole mi&s;tery: and the <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et</HI> was appointed to perform that pious piece of work. He undertook the bu&s;ine&s;s, but it was not till after he had attempted and try'd all the ways and means imagina|ble to reclaim <HI>Roxana</HI> out of her deep melancholy, and to bring her to give an ear to his addre&s;&s;es; but finding all to be labour in vain, he on the &s;udden converted all his former Love into Hatred; in&s;omuch that he did not only con|trive her Confinement in &s;ome place in <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> but he charg'd tho&s;e who were appointed to guard her, and convey her to the Galley that &s;hould tran&s;port her, with
<PB N="246" REF="131">Letters which contain'd, that <HI>that Per&s;on &s;hould be receiv'd,</HI> meaning <HI>Roxana, into the Order to which &s;he was directed; and that after &s;he had been brought by hard&s;hip to a &s;evere penance, &s;he &s;hould be &s;ent into another World by the means of &s;ome gentle Poi&s;on.</HI> And that the <HI>Mufti</HI> &s;hould not be want|ing in the lea&s;t in his revenge, he di|rected her to be privately con|vey'd into that Galley which was commanded by <HI>Cara;</HI> that he whom he believ'd to be <HI>Roxana</HI>'s innocent Ravi&s;her, &s;hould have a hand in her death. Thus <HI>Roxa|na</HI> was &s;ent away <HI>incognito,</HI> to her own ruine, under the pre|tence of change of Air, for her health &s;ake.</P>
<P>All this while <HI>Aladin</HI> had been kept in ignorance of all that had pa&s;s'd at his Hou&s;e in <HI>Con&s;tantino|ple,</HI> and as oft as he had &s;ent for leave of the Emperour to come up to <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> he &s;till had
<PB N="247" REF="131">been deny'd by our <HI>Mufti</HI>'s con|trivances: but &s;o &s;oon as <HI>Roxana</HI> was &s;ent away, he had liberty &s;ent him to come to <HI>Con&s;tanti|nople.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>Sultana</HI> having accidental|ly had &s;ome intelligence of our <HI>Mufti</HI>'s cruelty again&s;t poor <HI>Rox|ana,</HI> to whom &s;he had promis'd her protection, gave private notice to <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Mother, that there was a Letter &s;ent with her, which was to be deliver'd to the Captain of the Galley, which he was not to open, but to deliver it as it was to tho&s;e per&s;ons to whom he was to deliver <HI>Roxana;</HI> which Letter contain'd orders for <HI>Roxana</HI>'s death. And &s;he advis'd the Mother to &s;end immediately an expre&s;s after <HI>Roxana,</HI> to give her private notice thereof in writing. The Mother lo&s;t no time, and the Me&s;&s;enger came ju&s;t as <HI>Roxana</HI> was getting into the Galley. <HI>Cara</HI> having re|ceiv'd his order, and, by the reti|nue,
<PB N="248" REF="132">believing his Charge to be &s;ome per&s;on of quality, who de|&s;ir'd to remain conceal'd, he &s;hew'd her to the be&s;t Cabbin, without any further inquiry who this per|&s;on &s;hould be; and of truth, there was no body there that could inform him: for at <HI>Roxana</HI>'s de|parture from <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> all her own Servants had been di&s;charg'd, and new ones, which &s;he had ne|ver &s;een before, were appointed to wait on her that Journey.</P>
<P>Thus was poor, unfortunate <HI>Roxana</HI> doom'd to death, and &s;ent to it by him who had been the chief cau&s;e of her greate&s;t &s;orrow. But the Heavens, who permit &s;ometimes Wickedne&s;s to triumph over Innocence and Virtue for a while, will not re&s;t till they have brought the Wicked to Puni&s;h|ment, not permitting Goodne&s;s to be always oppre&s;s'd, as we &s;hall &s;ee in the continuation of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Story.</P>
<PB N="249" REF="132">
<P>The great rejoycing which the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> made for their young Heir to the Empire, did but the more incen&s;e tho&s;e of the true <HI>Mahome|tan</HI> Religion, who were highly di&s;turb'd already at the impri&s;on|ing of their <HI>Mufties,</HI> and they mur|mur'd openly at it, which caus'd that the <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> who had now no further occa&s;ion for their Con|finement, at lea&s;t for the pre&s;ent, did relea&s;e them, after a kind of Examination, which was more for Form, than any thing that could with Ju&s;tice be alledg'd again&s;t them. But more Severity than e|ver was us'd again&s;t all true <HI>Ma|hometi&s;ts;</HI> and the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> were &s;o full of the de&s;igns which they had of &s;uddenly de&s;troying them, that they could not forbear their open threatnings. Of truth, it was di&s;cover'd that there was an agree|ment made betwixt <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Coun|cil and <HI>Cha-Abas</HI> to de&s;troy all &s;uch as would not become <HI>Hali&s;ts;</HI>
<PB N="250" REF="133">and to that purpo&s;e, <HI>Cha-Abas</HI> was to &s;end a <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Army into the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, which was to a&s;|&s;i&s;t the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> in their wicked de|&s;igns, to totally root out the True, Ancient <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religi|on, to de&s;troy all the maintain|ers thereof with Fire and Sword, and to clear the whole Empire of that Religion</P>
<P>The Blow was ready to be gi|ven, when that all the Nobility of the Ancient and True Religion of <HI>Mahomet,</HI> made an a&s;&s;ociation among&s;t them&s;elves, to &s;tand and fall one by another, for the main|tenance of their Religion, and the pre&s;ervation of the fundamental Laws of the Empire. This they &s;igned, and &s;ent over to Prince <HI>Soliman,</HI> by a particular Me&s;&s;en|ger, with Letters to humbly in|treat him to defer no longer his coming to redeem them from Sla|very and Idolatry; that now the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Sword was ready to fall
<PB N="251" REF="133">upon their Heads, and that if he &s;tay'd any longer from giving them a&s;&s;i&s;tance, that in their ruine he would meet with an end to all his ju&s;t preten&s;ions to the Succe&s;&s;i|on of the Empire.</P>
<P><HI>Soliman,</HI> who had had &s;ure in|telligences from all hands of <HI>Cha-Abas</HI> de&s;igns, that knew that he would no &s;ooner have done with the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, but that he would be for dive&s;ting of him al|&s;o, of his Dominions, did pre&s;ent|ly march at the head of a great Army, into the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Territo|ries; where being come, and not finding the <HI>Ba&s;&s;a</HI>'s to joyn with him, as they had a&s;&s;ur'd him they would do, he was thinking of retiring again, knowing well, that how great &s;oever his Army was, it was very in&s;ufficient to oppo&s;e <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Forces, &s;o long as they remain'd united; but he was not long in that &s;u&s;pen&s;e, for &s;o &s;oon as the Nobles had conveniences,
<PB N="252" REF="134">they all came over with their men to him, who being &s;o &s;trong|ly reinforc'd, and <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Army &s;o weaken'd, or rather entirely rui|ned, he march'd &s;treight-way to|wards <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> without the lea&s;t con&s;iderable re&s;i&s;tance, all pla|ces yielding to him as he march'd.</P>
<P>This &s;udden and unexpected Change in the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> Affairs, did &s;o &s;urpri&s;e them, that every one of them began to &s;hift for them&s;elves, among&s;t which, the Prie&s;ts of eve|ry order of <HI>Hali</HI>'s Sect, were not the la&s;t. <HI>Amurat</HI> him&s;elf, &s;eeing what a prodigious Change had happen'd in all his Dominions, thought it nece&s;&s;ary to &s;end &s;e|cretly away, the <HI>Sultana</HI> with the Child, into <HI>Cha-Abas</HI>'s Dominions, and he him&s;elf, did not long after, follow them, re&s;olv'd to deprive him&s;elf of the Empire for the good of his Subjects, &s;eeing that the con|&s;titution of the Government did not &s;ute with his Religion.</P>
<PB N="253" REF="134">
<P>It is now time we &s;hould return to poor unfortunate <HI>Roxana.</HI> At her reception into the <HI>Galley,</HI> through her di&s;order in getting in, her Vail had fallen &s;o much a&s;ide, as to give <HI>Cara</HI> a &s;ufficient view, to let him know what a Beautiful Per&s;on he was intru&s;ted withal. But <HI>Roxana</HI> was &s;o alter'd from her former con|dition, by her ince&s;&s;ant grief that per&s;ons who had more and frequent|er opportunities of &s;eeing her, than <HI>Cara,</HI> would not have known her again; be&s;ides, he was far from im|magining, that &s;he, who had liv'd all along &s;o retiredly, &s;hould be for going into <HI>Per&s;ia.</HI> He had then as much &s;ight of her, as was &s;ufficient to &s;et his heart all on fire, and to create in him an extraordinary de|&s;ire of &s;eeing more openly that Beauty, and of inquiring who &s;he was.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI>'s thoughts were taken up another way, &s;he &s;itting alone in her <HI>Cabin,</HI> had time to run over
<PB N="254" REF="135">all her Misfortunes, and to de&s;cant upon every particular Circum&s;tance of them. But that which troubled her mo&s;t in that juncture, was the advice which her Mother had &s;ent her in Writing, concerning the Let|ter which had been delivered with her into the Captain's hand, in which was written the Sentence of her Death; but no Advice or Coun&s;el had been added to her Mo|ther's Care, how &s;he &s;hould avoid or get off that danger. <HI>Cara</HI>'s Love would not let him re&s;t, he took all occa&s;ions, and made u&s;e of all the opportunities that offered them|&s;elves, to &s;hew a more than u&s;ual Zeal and Diligence, to &s;erve her per&s;onally, thereby both to get a|nother fair &s;ight of her, and to in|gratiate him&s;elf into her good o|pinion; of truth, he was &s;o diligent in &s;erving her, beyond that moro&s;e way which mo&s;t of tho&s;e, who u&s;e the Seas, are inclin'd to, that <HI>Rox|ana</HI> could not but ob&s;erve it; and
<PB N="255" REF="135">tho&s;e a&s;&s;iduous Services being &s;e|conded with divers Pre&s;ents of Re|fre&s;hments, and offers of further Services, <HI>Roxana</HI> had no longer a|ny place to doubt, but that all was the Effects of her unfortunate beau|ty, as &s;he us'd to &s;tile it.</P>
<P>Upon this Opinion, &s;he began to build &s;ome hopes to attain to the knowledge of the Particulars con|tained in the fatal Letter, whereby &s;he hop'd that &s;he might find out &s;ome means to prevent that mi&s;|chief, which &s;he was going to. To this purpo&s;e, &s;he thought that her Beauty, though &s;o much alter'd of late, might much contribute e&s;pe|cially towards a per&s;on, who &s;he perceiv'd did endeavour by all means imaginable, to &s;ee her face wholly unvail'd, &s;he therefore was not long without giving him an opportunity of &s;o doing, but &s;o as if it were by meer accident. She pre|tended that the want of a free Air in the Cabin, did make her &s;ick,
<PB N="256" REF="136">and therefore de&s;ired <HI>Cara</HI> that he would give his Pri&s;oner leave, (as &s;he term'd her &s;elf) to take a little Air upon the Deck. That was a Reque&s;t &s;o &s;uitable to <HI>Cara</HI>'s de|&s;ires, that he made her this an&s;wer. <HI>My Pri&s;oner, Madam, &s;aid you? I know of no &s;uch thing; and if you were &s;o really, you have tho&s;e Charms about you that will &s;et you free, when|ever you de&s;ire them to act; be a&s;|&s;ur'd, Madam,</HI> continued he, <HI>that I am &s;o far from thinking you a Pri|&s;oner, much le&s;s of u&s;ing you like one, that I here offer you all my Services, in any thing that may tend to your &s;atisfaction and content; with that he took her by the hand, and led her upon the mo&s;t convenient place on the Deck.</HI> Where &s;he &s;ate un<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 chunk"> a large Umbrello, incompa&s;&s;ed round with her own Slaves and Ser|vants.</P>
<P>The Wind blowing a little fre&s;h, her Vail was di&s;ordered by it, &s;he took that opportunity of &s;hewing
<PB N="257" REF="136">her &s;elf, in pulling it quite off, as &s;he was about &s;etting of it in or|der again, as if by accident; which cau&s;ing her to blu&s;h, &s;he &s;aid to <HI>Cara,</HI> who &s;tood as if &s;truck with Thunder at the admiration of &s;o much beauty, <HI>The very Ele|ments are &s;et again&s;t me, they would not el&s;e have di&s;covered to you, Sir, that which may hereafter &s;lacken your Civilities towards a Per&s;on, that now you will have no longer any O|pinion that &s;he de&s;erves them. Cara</HI> &s;tood &s;till mute, gazing upon <HI>Rox|ana,</HI> though vail'd again, without the power to &s;tir or &s;peak one word. <HI>Roxana</HI> taking that for a good &s;ign, took the liberty to proceed thus. <HI>Ca&s;t your Eyes upon &s;ome other Object, which may blot out of your imagina|tion tho&s;e Lines which my deficiency may have traced there, that you may be no longer troubled at your &s;o free offers of Services, to a per&s;on &s;o little de&s;erving them; I'll relea&s;e you of them, Sir. Madam,</HI> replyed <HI>Cara,</HI>
<PB N="258" REF="137">who was a little come to him&s;elf again, <HI>I am &s;o &s;trangely &s;urpri&s;ed, at what chance joined to my good For|tune has &s;hewn me, that I know <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> whether I had better wi&s;h my &s;elf turn'd all into Eyes, to gaze on that Trea&s;ure of Beauty I have &s;een, or in|to one whole heart to offer at your Feet, as a Sacrifice, though mo&s;t un|worthy to &s;o much per<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ction. Roxana,</HI> finding the Air too cool, aro&s;e to retire, <HI>Cara</HI> accompanying her to her Cabbin. She &s;aid, <HI>I take, Sir, what you are pleas'd to &s;ay to me, as words of cour&s;e, which your mouth u&s;es to utter, while your heart may have no &s;hare at all in them. If ever I was guilty of any &s;uch thing, Ma|dam,</HI> an&s;wered Cara, <HI>be a&s;&s;ur'd that now what I &s;ay, is the pure and &s;in|cere Dictates of an heart, that would be too happy to expire in your Service, and that my mouth has no further to do with it, than in obedience to my Heart's commands. Take heed, Sir, that you &s;ay,</HI> replyed <HI>Roxana, you
<PB N="259" REF="137">know not to whom you make tho&s;e fair offers, and what great inducements I may have to take you at your word! You may wonder, and not without cau&s;e, at my forwardne&s;s, in the ac|ceptance of your Services,</HI> continued &s;he, <HI>but know, Sir, that tho&s;e circum|&s;tances that I at pre&s;ent lye under, may be of &s;uch a nature as may plead my excu&s;e, for a way of proceeding &s;o contrary to the Rules that the mo&s;t prudent and mode&s;t of our Sex do ob&s;erve. In a word, Sir, I find that I have not too much time left me, to imploy after &s;ome means, to pre&s;erve my life. Once more, Sir, I tell you that I am your Pri&s;oner, and that you have orders to lead me and to deliver me up to my Executioners. Who I, Madam,</HI> replyed Cara, &s;trangely &s;urpris'd, <HI>when did I re|ceive &s;uch Orders? and from whom? From</HI> Mufti Rep&s;et, replyed <HI>Roxa|na. It is he who has pronounc'd my Sentence, and that has tru&s;ted you with the care of &s;eeing it execu|ted.
<PB N="260" REF="138">Riddles, all Riddles to me, Madam, I can a&s;&s;ure you,</HI> an&s;wered Cara, <HI>I have no further orders, than to receive you, and your Servants, with your Goods, on board my Ve&s;&s;el, to convey you all to</HI> Per&s;ia, <HI>there to deliver you into the hands of certain Religious Per&s;ons, which for their au&s;terity of Lives, and di&s;cipline of Religion, are the mo&s;t unfit Per&s;ons that could ever be pitch'd upon, to perform &s;o horrible an Act, as your bare mentioning of makes my very heart to tremble within me.</HI> Well, Sir, <HI>replyed Roxana,</HI> to convince you that I know more of the reach of your Commi&s;&s;ion, than you know your &s;elf, give me leave to tell you, that you have in your power, my Life and Death. Yes, Sir, I know that you have a Let|ter, in which is contain'd the De|cree of my Death, and that in the delivery or retention of that Let|ter, con&s;i&s;ts either my happine&s;s or mi&s;ery. I mu&s;t confe&s;s, Madam, that
<PB N="261" REF="138">I have a Letter, <HI>an&s;wer'd Cara,</HI> which I have order to deliver with you into &s;uch per&s;ons hands as I have mentioned, but what the Contents are, I am wholly ignorant of; only this intimation I have had from the <HI>Mufti</HI> you mention'd, that it con|tain'd the Emperor's particular or|ders, and that therefore I &s;hould be very ob&s;ervant in the delivery of it. Well, Sir, <HI>replyed Roxana,</HI> o|bey the Order, and deliver me up a Victim to the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s revenge, though you incur the Emperor's di&s;plea&s;ure, Who, I am certain, knows nothing of it. The <HI>Mufti</HI> will re|ward you one day, for the &s;ignal Service you will render him, in the de&s;truction of mi&s;erable <HI>Roxana.</HI> Say|ing this &s;he let fall a deluge of tears, at which <HI>Cara</HI> was &s;o wonderfully mov'd, as well as at the name of <HI>Roxana,</HI> that he had not the pow|er to &s;peak for a con&s;iderable time; but at la&s;t recollecting him&s;elf, <HI>Rox|ana!</HI> repeated he divers times, di|vine
<PB N="262" REF="139"><HI>Roxana!</HI> Oh Heav'ns! what turn of Fortune is this? I &s;erve the <HI>Mufti</HI> in &s;o foul a deed, (for it mu&s;t needs be true, &s;ince <HI>Roxana</HI> has &s;aid it) I &s;erve the <HI>Mufti?</HI> nay <HI>Amurat</HI> him|&s;elf, again&s;t <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Life? May all the Elements contrive my imme|diate ruine fir&s;t, and in&s;tantly bring it upon me. No, Divine <HI>Roxana, continu'd he, ca&s;ting him&s;elf at her feet,</HI> Rather than be acce&s;&s;ary in any thing that can cau&s;e the lea&s;t trouble to you; nay, rather than not return the Heavens thanks, for having thought me worthy of &s;o great an Honour, as to be in&s;trumen|tal in the pre&s;erving of that Char|ming Creature from all manner of Evil, let my Ve&s;&s;el &s;plit, and I be &s;wallowed up immediately into the deep, never to be &s;een more, &s;o <HI>Roxana</HI> be but &s;afe.</P>
<P>The&s;e pa&s;&s;ionate Expre&s;&s;ions, with her Name &s;o frequently repeated, made <HI>Roxana</HI> to believe that &s;he was known to <HI>Cara,</HI> though &s;he
<PB N="263" REF="139">could not remember that &s;he had ever &s;een him; it made her put a &s;top to her Tears, and lifting up her Eyes, to &s;ee whether &s;he could call to mind any remembrance of him. You &s;peak, Sir, as if you knew me, at lea&s;t my Name, <HI>&s;aid Roxana,</HI> and as if you were concern'd more than ordinarily at my mi&s;ery. Nay, you &s;eem to believe that the <HI>Mufti</HI> is my Enemy? Your Enemy, Madam, <HI>replyed Cara,</HI> the blacke&s;t of them, and more, that he is the only prime cau&s;e of all your troubles, though peradventure &s;ome per&s;on more hap|py, and at once more unhappy than he, by meer hazard, may have been thrown upon the pro&s;ecution of his Helli&s;h de&s;igns again&s;t &s;o ex|cellent a per&s;on as <HI>Roxana</HI> is, where he him&s;elf had fallen &s;hort of them. At the&s;e words, <HI>Cara</HI> chang'd Co|lour, look'd on the Floor, and &s;eem'd &s;o di&s;compos'd, that <HI>Roxana</HI> was &s;eis'd with &s;uch &s;trange Apprehen|&s;ions at it, as made her to de&s;ire to
<PB N="264" REF="140">be in private, under pretence of be|ing &s;uddenly taken ill. That was &s;o conformable to the condition that <HI>Cara</HI> was in on his part, that he went out of the Cabin, without &s;pea|king one word more, nor &s;o much as looking towards <HI>Roxana,</HI> who had turn'd likewi&s;e a&s;ide.</P>
<P><HI>Roxana</HI> being thus alone, began to reflect on what <HI>Cara</HI> had &s;aid: &s;he wondred that a Per&s;on &s;o whol|ly unknown to her, &s;hould have &s;o much knowledge of her mo&s;t &s;ecret Concerns, as he &s;eem'd to have, &s;he not doubting, but that he knew all, by what he had al|ready &s;aid; &s;he believ'd that he was not ignorant of her Rape, and fancied that peradventure he might know the Per&s;on that had done it. This made her to de&s;ire to know more, but &s;he had not the confi|dence to require it: She wi&s;h'd that <HI>Cara</HI> would of his own ac|cord fall accidentally on that Sub|ject again, yet &s;he dreaded to hear
<PB N="265" REF="140">any more. In fine, &s;he was in &s;uch a perplexity of thoughts, that they had almo&s;t driven from her all the apprehen&s;ions which &s;he &s;hould have had of her approaching dan|ger.</P>
<P><HI>Cara,</HI> on his part was not le&s;s &s;urpriz'd; he had under his care that beautiful Per&s;on, which meer Fortune had thrown into his Arms, at the &s;ame time that the <HI>Mufti</HI> had contriv'd things &s;o as to make her his own. He believ'd that the <HI>Muf|ti</HI> had mi&s;tru&s;ted that he was the Per&s;on who had di&s;appointed him, or taken his place; and he was per|&s;waded, that his procuring of him &s;uch an Employ as he had, was but to di&s;tance him from <HI>Roxana,</HI> that he might not have the opportunity of making his peace with her, when &s;he &s;hould know that he had enjoy'd her, when he had no thoughts of her, but was wholly bent on ano|ther. And finally, he believ'd, that in pure rage and revenge he had
<PB N="266" REF="141">done her &s;ome very ill office to|wards the Emperour, which had made him con&s;ent to her death. The&s;e, and divers other thoughts did agitate him mo&s;t violently: there wanted nothing more to confirm him in the belief of all tho&s;e things but her acknowledging of the Ring he had taken from that Per&s;on whom he had enjoyed, but he had not the confidence to give or &s;hew it to her: at la&s;t, he re&s;olv'd to &s;et down in writing what he would willingly have her to know, and to give it with the Ring wrapt up in it, to one of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Servants, to deliver it to <HI>Roxana:</HI> whereupon having taken Pen and Ink, he fram'd this following long Letter, that it might fully &s;upply all that he had to &s;ay, which he could never utter before <HI>Roxana</HI>'s pre&s;ence.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>It is with the greate&s;t re&s;pect, and humble&s;t &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion imaginable, divine <HI>Roxana,</HI> that venture upon this en|terprize,
<PB N="267" REF="141">of informing you of a &s;ecret, on which, as you will re&s;ent the know|ledge of it, depends either my eternal Mi&s;ery or Happine&s;s. And though I know my &s;elf to be wholly free from all ill de&s;igns or evil practices, in the whole bu&s;ine&s;s, yet I cannot but trem|ble when I think you may be ready to condemn me before you have read my Letter quite out. You may remember how long it is &s;ince you lo&s;t that Ring, which I &s;end you here inclo&s;ed, though I believe you do not know how. No, Madam, tho&s;e things which the wick|ed <HI>Mufti</HI> had per&s;waded his Si&s;ter <HI>Zora</HI> to give you, had too great a power over your Sen&s;es to permit you to make u&s;e of &s;o much di&s;cernment; and could you have done that, you had been likewi&s;e capable of re&s;i&s;ting tho&s;e gentle efforts which I made on your Per&s;on. Yes, Madam, I here conf<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s that I am the Per&s;on, who the Hea|vens thought more fit than the abo|minable <HI>Mufti,</HI> to gather tho&s;e Fruits which he had de&s;ign'd and contriv'd
<PB N="268" REF="142">for his own Tooth, with contrivances that were hatch'd in Hell. But, Ma|dam, I was innocent all this while; witne&s;s the &s;trange &s;urprizal I was in, to find that I had gather'd &s;uch Fruit as none had ever touch'd before, at that time, that all my thoughts were bent only on <HI>Zora,</HI> who that ve|ry night had made me an a&s;&s;ignation in that Chamber where I met with you, Madam, and from whom I was far from expecting &s;uch Virgin Fruit, who&s;e Life and Conver&s;ation I knew but too well. How &s;he came not to be in that Chamber, and how I came to light on you there, does &s;till remain a Riddle to me. I mu&s;t confe&s;s, that at the re&s;i&s;tance you would have made, and which you endeavour'd to make, as much as the narcotick effects of your Opium would permit, I found my mi&s;take; but who could then ab|&s;tain and retire? No Fle&s;h and Blood, Madam: I accepted of what For|tune had thus thrown into my arms; and becau&s;e I was ab&s;olutely ignorant
<PB N="269" REF="142">of the Per&s;on I had met with, I took from her Finger the Ring which I have &s;ent you. If any thing in all this adventure can be laid to my charge, which might render me guilty in the lea&s;t circum&s;tance imaginable towards you, I will doom my &s;elf immediately to death; nay, what is wor&s;e, I will deprive my &s;elf from the happine&s;s of ever &s;eeing you more, and yet live. But, Madam, if nothing but meer hazard and Fortune had the conduct of all that my&s;tery, let me not for what is none of my fault, &s;uffer the greate&s;t of evils, your Frowns and Anger. The Heavens, in re&s;cuing you from the embraces of &s;o wicked a per|&s;on as he, who had plotted the ruine of your Honour, did re&s;ign you into mine; and they thought me once be|fore worthy of being your Deliverer. The &s;ame Heaven, Madam, did after|wards take you from the <HI>Mufti,</HI> to give you to me; and they have given me a Heart that is capable-of all things that are Noble and Ju&s;t, and which
<PB N="270" REF="143">may be valu'd on the very account of a&s;piring to the Honour of plea&s;ing you. Though my Fortune is not great, my Extraction is Noble: deign therefore, beautiful <HI>Roxana,</HI> to look down a lit|tle upon a Per&s;on that the Fates de|&s;ign'd you from the beginning, that was produc'd for you, and that they have given you already: for who can look upon our unexpected, un&s;ought, and unthought of encounter, and not con|clude that it is the will of Heaven that we &s;hould be united? Is not this la&s;t act of your blacke&s;t Enemy, the greate&s;t argument imaginable, that when he de&s;ign'd mo&s;t your Ruine, I &s;hould be cho&s;en for the mo&s;t happy In&s;trument of your deliverance, by the Heavens, as I had been once before of your deliverance from his filthy embraces? How can you then doubt, but that I was certainly de&s;ign'd for you, as you have been for me. Re&s;i&s;t not then again&s;t what the Heavens have decreed, but accept of an heart, which is &s;o freely offer'd you.</P>
</LETTER>
<PB N="271" REF="143">
<P><HI>Cara</HI> found that he could dwell for ever on this Theam, therefore he was forc'd to break off his Letter, which he gave to one of <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Servants, who went immediately in|to the Cabin, and pre&s;ented it to her. <HI>Roxana</HI> asked from whom it was, and &s;he was told from <HI>Cara,</HI> which &s;et her all in a trembling, with the apprehen&s;ion of learning that which &s;he &s;o earne&s;tly de&s;ired to know: She open'd it, and read it, and after that remain'd for a con|&s;iderable time agitated with abun|dance of contrary thoughts on the whole My&s;tery of her deliverance, and afterwards of her ravi&s;hment, by the &s;ame per&s;on; and having &s;e|riou&s;ly weighed all Circum&s;tances, and convinc'd her &s;elf that <HI>Cara</HI> had not been in the lea&s;t to blame, ex|cept he had before-hand known who &s;he was, which he did not: She began to think, that of truth, the Heav'ns had de&s;ign'd <HI>Cara</HI> for her, and &s;he for him. Being further con|firm'd
<PB N="272" REF="144">therein, by that Providence which once appointed him to be her deliverer, and had delivered her into the hands of a per&s;on, that &s;o pa&s;&s;ionately lov'd her, when &s;he was de&s;ign'd to have been given by that very per&s;on to her Executioners. She therefore re&s;olv'd to comply to the Heav'ns Decrees, in receiving of <HI>Cara</HI>'s Service in the pre&s;ervation of her Life, which &s;hould pa&s;s as an Atonement for what he had done, and that &s;he would place on the account of Merit, for the future. But when all was done, &s;he had not the courage to &s;peak to <HI>Cara,</HI> &s;he therefore writ to him the&s;e fol|lowing Lines.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>I am convinc'd, that the Heavens have a great &s;hare, in the pre&s;erva|tion of my Life, in &s;o ordering of things, as to make me light into the hands of the &s;ame Per&s;on, that had acciden|tally pre&s;erv'd me from the mo&s;t loath|&s;ome Embraces of a Mon&s;ter, and that had a &s;econd time done the &s;ame,
<PB N="273" REF="144">though at the deare&s;t rate that I could purcha&s;e it. And I am but too well convinc'd, that I have met with my Ravi&s;her by the Ring I have receiv'd, and that he is the &s;ame Per&s;on that was before my Pre&s;erver. But I am &s;trangely di&s;appointed as to the re|venge, which I had always a&s;&s;ur'd my &s;elf to take on the Thief. I find the flowing bitterne&s;s of my Gall, to turn into a more calm and plea&s;ant Reli&s;h, and that I &s;hall be forc'd to acknow|ledge Heaven's Decree and Di&s;pen&s;a|tion in all the cour&s;e of my misfortunes. I therefore mu&s;t &s;ubmit to its plea&s;ure, and believe that I am oblig'd in gra|titude, as well as on other terms, to acknowledge you my deliverer al&s;o. I know not how to tell you all this, and much more that I have to &s;ay. If you would &s;ave the Blu&s;hes of a per&s;on who is not us'd to make &s;uch Confe&s;&s;ions, bring the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s Letter along with you to me, and let me take my Eyes from you, to employ them on reading what death was appointed for me,
<PB N="274" REF="145">while you &s;hall bu&s;y your thoughts in contri|ving what cour&s;e is be&s;t for my deliverance.</P>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>Cara</HI> having receiv'd this an&s;wer, was &s;o over-joyed at it, that he pre&s;ently run into <HI>Roxana</HI>'s Cabbin, with the Letter open in his hand, after he had read it; and ca&s;ting him&s;elf at <HI>Roxa|na</HI>'s Feet, Here, Madam, <HI>&s;aid he,</HI> take this, take me, take all, and di&s;po&s;e of me, of my Ve&s;&s;el, and all my Men as you &s;hall think &s;it; all is at your Command. <HI>Roxana</HI> was reading attentively the Let|ter all this while, after &s;he had done, rai&s;ing him up, You &s;ee <HI>Cara, &s;aid &s;he,</HI> by this Letter, that the Heavens have decreed I &s;hould be yours; they would not el&s;e thus render me oblig'd to you for my Life; and &s;ince they have &s;o order'd, that I mu&s;t receive it as a Pre&s;ent from you, I think I ought in gratitude to return it again into your hands, and at your di&s;po&s;al. <HI>Ma|dam,</HI> replyed <HI>Cara, my Life is bound up in yours, &s;o that I cannot live with|out you; receive mine therefore, with all its habilities and functions, as ab&s;olutely depending on yours; and accept of a Per|&s;on who &s;hall ever be your Slave and your Admirer. I mu&s;t do &s;o,</HI> replyed <HI>Roxana; it is decreed, and I mu&s;t &s;ubmit to the will of Heaven,</HI> continu'd &s;he, giving
<PB N="275" REF="145">him the Ring, <HI>receive this Pledge again, which I now freely give you, in confir|mation that I give my &s;elf to you al&s;o; and accept of this Weapon, which I pre&s;ent you, wherewith to defend me from all my Enemies,</HI> with that &s;he gave him that Scimiter which he had left in her Chamber at <HI>Con&s;tantinople.</HI> He pre&s;ently knew it a|gain, receiv'd it, and &s;aid, <HI>I hope, Ma|dam, that henceforth I &s;hall have no occa&s;ion of u&s;ing &s;uch Arms in your defence; I &s;hall free you from your trouble by ea&s;ier means. The wicked</HI> Mufti<HI>'s Party is now &s;o ruin'd, that the</HI> Ottoman <HI>Empire has &s;pu'd him out, with divers more of his wicked Sect. Wicked indeed,</HI> replyed <HI>Roxana, &s;o wicked, that I hate the very thoughts of that Sect, and would gladly embrace the True, Ancient,</HI> Mahometan <HI>Religion. You wanted nothing but that, Madam,</HI> replyed <HI>Cara, to ac|compli&s;h you as my heart could wi&s;h; and certainly it is the &s;ame kind Heavens who have pre&s;erv'd your Life, that now takes care of your Soul al&s;o, in in&s;piring you with &s;o good thoughts; oppo&s;e them not, but yield immediately to this Call from Heaven; re|tire from among&s;t a People that are pleas'd but with Deceits and Cruelties, and come among&s;t &s;uch as delight to &s;erve their God in Spirit and Truth. I will immediately give order to &s;teer back again to</HI> Turky, <HI>where
<PB N="276" REF="146">you &s;hall be in&s;tructed in the true Wor&s;hip of our great</HI> Ala. <HI>Di&s;po&s;e of me as you plea&s;e,</HI> reply'd <HI>Roxana; I am now yours by Gift, and &s;o &s;oon as I can get my Portion out of my Father's hands, I &s;hall be yours al&s;o by Marriage. Cara</HI> having ki&s;s'd <HI>Roxana</HI>'s hand, they con&s;ulted together of the ways they &s;hould take to di&s;cover to Prince <HI>Soliman,</HI> the grand Cheat which the Clergy of <HI>Haly</HI>'s Sect had put upon him, and the whole <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire. In &s;hort, they had a better Wind in return|ing, than they had going, which quickly brought them back to the Shore, from whence they came to <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> where the Prince was made &s;en&s;ible of the wrong which was intended to him by the <HI>Hali&s;ts.</HI> The whole Empire thought them&s;elves oblig'd to <HI>Soliman,</HI> in &s;o high a mea&s;ure, that in the great A&s;&s;embly of the <HI>Divan,</HI> he was pro|claim'd Emperour, and <HI>Zelinda</HI> Empre&s;s, that very day after &s;he came to <HI>Con&s;tan|tinople. Roxana</HI> had her Portion allotted to her, which was &s;ufficient to make <HI>Cara</HI> and her live happily together. She pre|&s;ently made open Profe&s;&s;ion of the True, Ancient, <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, and was married to <HI>Cara</HI> after that manner, and now live comfortably together, with all the Content and Satisfaction imaginable.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="146">
<P>THE Court Secret, A NOVEL.</P>
<P>PART II.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>R. Bentley</HI> and <HI>S. Mag|nes</HI> in <HI>Ru&s;&s;el &s;treet</HI> in <HI>Covent-Garden.</HI> 1689.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="author to the reader">
<PB REF="147">
<PB REF="147">
<HEAD>TO THE READER.</HEAD>
<P>NO &s;ooner had that Piece call'd, <HI>The Amours of Me&s;&s;alina,</HI> appear'd in Publick, but &s;ome mali|cious Per&s;ons gave out, that I was the Author of it, they having heard under-hand, that I was about &s;ome &s;uch thing; and though pre&s;ently after, there came forth another Piece on the &s;ame Subject in my Name, Entitled, <HI>The Court Se|cret,</HI> in which Crown'd Heads are treated with that Reverence and Re&s;pect which is due to them: They have &s;till continu'd to mi&s;repre&s;ent me to the World, adding, That the
<PB REF="148">&s;evere Rebukes which I had recei|ved for my rude Behaviour towards Sovereigns in the fir&s;t, had made me to compo&s;e the la&s;t in another &s;train, by way of Submi&s;&s;ion. Did tho&s;e Per&s;ons that thus a&s;per&s;e me but con&s;ider with what Re&s;pect I &s;peak of Per&s;ons that once have had Dominion over me, they would not find one grain of that ill Nature in all my Writings, with which the Amours of <HI>Me&s;&s;alina</HI> have been &s;ea&s;on'd by its Author, as if de|&s;ignedly writ as a Satyr again&s;t the late King and Queen, which has prov'd a Scandal to all moderate and mode&s;t Per&s;ons.</P>
<P>There are Men in the World that re&s;emble &s;ome Creatures, which the Naturali&s;ts report to be of &s;o venomous Natures, that &s;uck Poi|&s;on from tho&s;e very Plants that other Animals gather Odoriferous Bal|&s;ams and Honey, and that corrupt the very Air they take in; &s;o that
<PB REF="148">at the breathing of it forth again, it de&s;troys all that approaches near them. Their natural ill Di&s;po&s;itions and Inclinations have &s;uch &s;trong Tendences to Evil, that they con|vert all the Advantages which they might have receiv'd from Educa|tion, Learning, and good Exam|ples, into &s;candalous Conceptions and Expre&s;&s;ions, without re&s;pect to Dignities or Per&s;ons.</P>
<P>Certainly tho&s;e Per&s;ons mu&s;t needs be void of that Charity, which co|vers a multitude of Defects, that thus delight to impo&s;e the wor&s;t of Crimes on tho&s;e that have been their Lords and Sovereigns, unto whom all Honour and Re&s;pect is due, from tho&s;e who once were their Subjects, if it were but for the bare Relation they have to our pre&s;ent King and Queen, whom God long pre&s;erve.</P>
<P>It may be alledged (though di&s;|ingeniou&s;ly) That I my &s;elf am guil|ty of that which is blamed in others,
<PB REF="149">by &s;peaking too largely of another King, under the Name of <HI>Cha-abas</HI> the Emperor of <HI>Per&s;ia.</HI> But when all is done, that very Per&s;on intended, was never my King, and God for|bid he ever &s;hould be &s;o; and what do I &s;ay of him, nay, what can I &s;ay more of him, than what has al|ready been declar'd and proclaim'd, not by a few of his own incon&s;idera|ble Heretick Subjects (as he is plea|&s;ed to call tho&s;e that are Prote|&s;tants) but al&s;o by the Emperour of <HI>Germany,</HI> the Kings of <HI>England, Denmark, Sweden,</HI> the States of <HI>Holland,</HI> and all the Confederate Princes, all which has been con|firm'd by his mo&s;t Holy Father the Pope? Is he not publickly declar'd the common Enemy of Chri&s;tendom? Has he not with Ju&s;tice acquired the Mock-title of mo&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tian Turk,</HI> in lieu of that of mo&s;t <HI>Chri|&s;tian King?</HI> Has he not fomented the Di&s;orders in <HI>Hungary,</HI> and in|vited
<PB REF="149">the <HI>Turks</HI> to invade the Em|pire, promi&s;ing them to give &s;uch a diver&s;ion to the Emperour's Arms another way, that they &s;hould find a very ea&s;ie Conque&s;t of it? And has he not &s;hew'd us greater Ex|amples of Cruelties, than the very Infidels have done again&s;t poor Chri|&s;tians on the bare account of their Religion, in the barbarous Murthers of his own Subjects? Pillaging, burn|ing, and de&s;troying all places that the Ju&s;tice of his Enemies Arms force him to abandon, not &s;o much as &s;paring tho&s;e which are con&s;ecrated to that God which he adores (if he owns any at all) and all this after the Murther of Men and Children, and the Ravi&s;hing and Deflowering of the grave Matrons and Virgins? Nay, it rather may be ask'd, What has he not done of mo&s;t cruel, bar|barous, and inhumane? And when he was rather tired, than &s;atiated, not contented with all tho&s;e Acts of
<PB REF="150">Cruelty which he had committed both at home and abroad, in the profounde&s;t Security that a Peace could procure, while he him&s;elf took breath; Has he not us'd his utmo&s;t Endeavours to delude a too ea&s;ie Prince who he had charm'd with his Flatteries and deceitful Promi&s;es, and by the influence of his all-doing dazling Gold, to follow his &s;leps, till tru&s;ting too much on his plau&s;i|ble A&s;&s;urances, he has been depriv'd of the Love of his own People, of the Friend&s;hip of his Allies, and at la&s;t of his three Kingdoms al&s;o? And had we not by this time all of us been convinc'd of the &s;ad Effects of the <HI>French</HI> King's Advices and Coun&s;els, by a mo&s;t woful and lamen|table Experience, had not the im|mediate Hand of God interpos'd.</P>
<P>If then that King has rendred him&s;elf &s;o odious to all Chri&s;tians in becoming their profe&s;s'd and declar'd Enemy, through the Tyrannical Go|vernment
<PB REF="150">of his own People, and his perfidious &V;&s;urpations on his Neigh|bours, as to draw upon him&s;elf &s;uch har&s;h, though rightly de&s;erved Cha|racters, I may very well be excus'd, for what I have &s;aid of the &s;ame Per&s;on, in a Novel, where Hyper|bolies are allowed in their large&s;t extent: I having had no other de|&s;ign in the whole Bu&s;ine&s;s than to gratifie the Reader with joyning the Plea&s;ant to the &V;&s;eful, without the lea&s;t intention of railing, or &s;o much as making any &s;evere Reflexions, or bearing malice again&s;t any Per&s;on, even my profe&s;t Enemies, much le&s;s again&s;t &s;uch as are ab&s;olute Stran|gers to me.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="key">
<PB REF="151">
<PB REF="151">
<HEAD>A Key to both Parts of the <HI>Court Secret.</HI></HEAD>
<LIST>
<LABEL><HI>Selim</HI> the Fir&s;t,</LABEL>
<ITEM>King <HI>Charles</HI> I.</ITEM>
<LABEL><HI>Selim</HI> the Second,</LABEL>
<ITEM>King <HI>Charles</HI> II.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Amurat,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The Duke of <HI>York.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>O&s;mond,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The Duke of <HI>Gloce&s;ter.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Soliman,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The Prince of <HI>Orange.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>The <HI>Sultana,</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Queen <HI>Mary.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Zelinda,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The Prince&s;s of <HI>Orange.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Cha-abas,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The <HI>French</HI> King.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Clorinet,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Tyrconnel.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Chila&s;e,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The <HI>French</HI> King's Confe&s;&s;or.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Rep&s;et,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Peters</HI> the Je&s;uit.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Zora,</LABEL>
<ITEM>His Si&s;ter.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Clorineta,</LABEL>
<ITEM>The Lady <HI>Tyrconnel.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Monitenna,</LABEL>
<ITEM>Madam of <HI>Maintenon.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Emperor of <HI>Migrena,</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>Emp. of <HI>Germany.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Grand Vi&s;ir <HI>Rinola,</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>D. of <HI>Loraine.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The Ba&s;&s;as of</HEAD>
<LABEL>Swibrunckia,</LABEL>
<ITEM>D. of <HI>Brun&s;wick.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Abrania,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Bavaria.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Brugulnea,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Lunenburg.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Xoni&s;ea,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Saxony.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Grubdenbran,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Brandenburg.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Sehes,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>He&s;&s;e.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="152">
<LABEL>Stenrum,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Mun&s;ter.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>The <HI>Saraguere Kelwad,</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Waldeck.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>The <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Great Britain.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>The <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Empire,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>France.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Albiona,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>England.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Myrgena,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Germany.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Pe&s;ina,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Spain.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Haldon,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Holland.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Clon&s;tad,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Scotland.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Leridan,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Ireland.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Con&s;tantinople,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>London.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>I&s;pahan,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Paris.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Ri&s;auta,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Au&s;tria.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Blunid,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Dublin.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Lynderodon,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>Londonderry.</HI></ITEM>
<LABEL>Mahometans,</LABEL>
<ITEM>Prote&s;tants.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Mahometi&s;ts,</LABEL>
<ITEM>Je&s;uits.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Hali&s;ts,</LABEL>
<ITEM>Papi&s;ts.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Grand <HI>Mufti,</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM>The Pope.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Mufti,</LABEL>
<ITEM>Bi&s;hops or Prie&s;ts.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Heathens,</LABEL>
<ITEM>Turks.</ITEM>
<LABEL>The Grand Council of the <HI>Divan,</HI> or of the Empire.</LABEL>
<ITEM>The Parliament.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>As for <HI>Aladin, Roxana, Cara,</HI> and <HI>Moretto,</HI> the Reader may apply them as he thinks fit.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="152">
<HEAD>The Court Secret: A NOVEL.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">PART II.</HEAD>
<P>AMbition is a Pa&s;&s;ion &s;o ab|&s;olute and imperious, that when a Mind is once po&s;|&s;e&s;s'd with it, there is rarely any admittance for any o|ther at the &s;ame time: It &s;eizes the whole Man, and Love it &s;elf,
<PB N="2" REF="153">that ma&s;ters the Ma&s;ters of the World, can &s;carce get entrance in an heart prepo&s;&s;e&s;s'd with that Tyrant, that is continually fed with tho&s;e Court-Flatteries where|with Princes are u&s;ually enter|tain'd.</P>
<P>Yet there is no Rule &s;o general, that will not admit of &s;ome Ex|ception, and in the Per&s;on of <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> the now Emperor of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> may be &s;een that that un&s;ufferable Ambition, which caus'd him to aim at an Univer&s;al Monarchy, and that has arm'd all the World again&s;t him, threatning no le&s;s than the utter Subver&s;ion of his Empire, has at the &s;ame time receiv'd al&s;o into his Bo&s;om that little Deity, who blinds all tho&s;e Victims which he de&s;igns for Sacrifices; in&s;o|much that the Vulgar, who &s;el|dom dive into the Secrets of Prin|ces, have attributed wholly to his boundle&s;s Ambition, that in which
<PB N="3" REF="153">Love had as great a &s;hare, if not the advantage. I &s;hall leave it to the Reader's Judgment in the reading of this Second Part of the <HI>Court Secret;</HI> in which that Emperour's Private Amours are &s;et forth ac|cording to the Memories fallen in|to my hands.</P>
<P>When the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Emperour had been advis'd by his Politick Council, to make choice of a Wife for <HI>Amurat,</HI> that might e&s;pou&s;e the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Intere&s;t, be capable of governing him when he &s;hould come to the Government, which right or wrong was to happen, according to the mea&s;ures which they had taken, in the pro&s;pect they had that <HI>Amurat</HI> was a great Pro&s;elyte to that Sect. This pre|&s;ent <HI>Sultana</HI> was pitch'd upon as the mo&s;t proper and fit per&s;on that could be had for that purpo&s;e. She was therefore cho&s;en from a great
<PB N="4" REF="154">number that a&s;pired at that ho|nour, to become, in &s;ucce&s;s of time, the chiefe&s;t In&s;trument by which all the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> &s;hould work their De&s;igns in that Empire. Of truth, her Wit, Addre&s;s, Pre&s;ence of Mind, Courage, Boldne&s;s, and exqui&s;ite Beauty, which gave lu|&s;tre to all her other excellencies, did highly contribute in rendring her Mi&s;tre&s;s of <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Affecti|ons, and fitted her above all other per&s;ons in the World to carry on &s;o great a De&s;ign.</P>
<P>The <HI>Sultana</HI> had formerly liv'd in the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Court, where <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had had the opportunity of admiring her Charms; and doubt|le&s;s he had been &s;o ab&s;olutely ma|&s;ter'd by them, as never to have been brought to re&s;ign &s;uch a Trea|&s;ure of Beauties to another, when he had it at his di&s;po&s;al, had he not been diverted from it, by the choice&s;t Beauties of his Empire,
<PB N="5" REF="154">which were daily offer'd to him, and the Shame which was conti|nually &s;et before his eyes, of lo|&s;ing &s;o fair an opportunity of ren|dring him&s;elf Ma&s;ter of the <HI>Otto|man</HI> Empire, &s;o much coveted and aimed at by his Predece&s;&s;ors, the Glory of the Performance being by his Fortunate Stars, re&s;erv'd for his invincible Arms, which would illu&s;trate all his Conque&s;ts, e&s;ta|bli&s;h for ever the Religion of <HI>Haly</HI> throughout the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, and Crown him with eternal Glo|ry and Renown.</P>
<P>Tho&s;e and &s;uch like Arguments, for that time, caus'd his Ambition to triumph over his Love; he yielded to their Advices, and per|mitted him&s;elf to be led by Inte|re&s;t, to the prejudice of Love, who enraged at the A&s;&s;ront, deve&s;ted <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Heart from its Natural Severity, and infus'd it into the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Bo&s;ome, rendring it
<PB N="6" REF="155">thereby &s;o obdurate to all his Inter|ce&s;&s;ions, that all his Repentance and Submi&s;&s;ion &s;hould not be of force to make in it the lea&s;t im|pre&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>The violent Coun&s;els of the <HI>Mufty Rep&s;et,</HI> and other <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> having been the occa&s;ion of that prodigious and wonderful change in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, which had caus'd <HI>Amurat</HI> and the <HI>Sultana</HI> to retire into <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> from the Fury of an enraged Multitude, again&s;t who&s;e Torrent no Bank of Reli|gion, Allegiance, or Loyalty can hold, and that nothing but its own impetuou&s;ne&s;s can allay. They were oblig'd to run the &s;ame For|tune al&s;o; the <HI>Mufti,</HI> like the re&s;t of his Order, not much troubling his Head at the wonderful Altera|tions which he, with the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of others of his Fraternity, had wrought in <HI>Turky.</HI> Of truth it may be &s;aid of that Society, that
<PB N="7" REF="155">they were ever true to that de&s;ign they fir&s;t took in hand, to &s;tick to the Intere&s;t of the Hou&s;e of <HI>Ri|&s;auta.</HI> That made them, when they found, notwith&s;tanding all their efforts, that the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Em|perour &s;till grew more and more formidable, to the great preju|dice of the <HI>Pe&s;inians,</HI> they on the &s;udden feign'd them&s;elves weary of protecting the <HI>Pe&s;inians,</HI> made Overtures to wholly relinqui&s;h their Intere&s;t, and to come over to that of <HI>Per&s;ia;</HI> which was greedily embrac'd by its Empe|rour, who not di&s;tru&s;ting them, did wholly relie on their Coun|&s;els; they in the mean time, by that means and Stratagem, de&s;ign|ing the total Ruine of the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Empire, and the rai&s;ing of the Hou&s;e of <HI>Ri&s;auta</HI> above whatever it had yet been. This made them to put <HI>Cha-abas</HI> upon glutting his Ambition by all ba&s;e and violent
<PB N="8" REF="156">U&s;urpations, Breaches of Treaties Treacheries upon the Territories of tho&s;e Neighbouring Princes that were at Peace with him, which made the Grand <HI>Mufti</HI> him&s;elf to be affronted by him, by which doings he has now drawn upon him the hatred of all Princes, who have all joyn'd again&s;t him that will not hear of any Terms of Accommodation; who have oblig'd the <HI>Grand Mufti</HI> not to protect him, but to aban|don him to the ju&s;t Revenge of all tho&s;e Princes whom he has &s;o highly offended, and that even will not a&s;&s;i&s;t <HI>Amurat</HI> in the lea&s;t in the recovery of his lo&s;t Em|pire, becau&s;e it has happen'd through his following the evil Coun&s;els of the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Empe|rour, though he is &s;o great a Pre&s;elyte to the Religion of <HI>Haly,</HI> of which mo&s;t of tho&s;e Confede|rate Princes again&s;t <HI>Cha-abas</HI> are
<PB N="9" REF="156">Profe&s;&s;ors. Thus have the <HI>Maho|meti&s;ts,</HI> under pretence of Friend|&s;hip to <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> work'd tho&s;e Ends, and brought about tho&s;e purpo&s;es for the advantage of <HI>Pe&s;ina,</HI> which they could not compa&s;s by open force, and put the <HI>Pe&s;inians</HI> by their entring into the Confedera|cy, in a Capacity of not only re|covering &s;uddenly all that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> has at &s;everal times ba&s;ely &s;tol'n from them, but in &s;haring al&s;o in that &s;poil which is intended of the whole <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Empire. I hope the Reader will pardon this Digre&s;&s;i|on, on condition that I will not trouble him with any more. And now I return to my Subject again.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> having gone &s;o far in his De&s;ign again&s;t the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, as to cau&s;e <HI>Amurat</HI> to de&s;ert it, though his De&s;igns were fir&s;t quite different from what had happen'd, he de&s;ign'd farther to
<PB N="10" REF="157">make u&s;e of <HI>Amurat</HI>'s De&s;ertion of his Empire, to his particular advantage, which could not be done, without cau&s;ing <HI>Amurat</HI> to change the Re&s;olution which his good Nature had promp'd him to, of retiring from the World into &s;ome Religious Place, there to end his days in Devotions. To this purpo&s;e <HI>Cha-abas</HI> gave Orders, That all per&s;ons, from the high|e&s;t to the lowe&s;t, in his Domini|ons, &s;hould give the &s;ame re&s;pect to <HI>Amurat</HI> and to his <HI>Sultana,</HI> as they us'd to &s;hew to him&s;elf; He caus'd them to be bravely and magnificently entertain'd in all places they pa&s;s'd through, made his own Guards to attend them, and &s;ent his own Chariots to bring them to a magnificent Pa|lace which he had caus'd to be richly furni&s;h'd, and adorn'd with all nece&s;&s;ary things for their Re|ception, and went &s;ome part of
<PB N="11" REF="157">the way him&s;elf to receive them, with all the Demon&s;trations of Sorrow imaginable, and all the A&s;&s;urances of Friend&s;hip, Aid and A&s;&s;i&s;tance that could be expected; prote&s;ting, That notwith&s;tanding all tho&s;e formidable enemies which he had at that time on his hands, he would re-&s;eat <HI>Amurat</HI> on his Throne; and that he would beg for Peace on his bare Knees of his enemies, rather than not pur&s;ue the de&s;truction of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, which he was re&s;olv'd to accompli&s;h, happen what would, and to make <HI>Amurat</HI> a more glo|rious and ab&s;olute Prince in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire than ever any of his Predece&s;&s;ors had been.</P>
<P>Thus did that Vain Man, that Mon&s;ter of Pride, Cruelty, and Ambition, domineer and huff, when he knew not which way to turn him&s;elf, before the Confede|rate Princes, who were all re&s;olv'd
<PB N="12" REF="158">to pull down his Pride, and to take from him at once all tho&s;e places, and whole Provinces which by fraud and deceit he had at di|vers times encroached and &s;toln from them. He had fir&s;t tried all means imaginable, and had apply'd him&s;elf to the <HI>Grand Mufti,</HI> and to the Emperour of <HI>Myrgena,</HI> with promi&s;es to re&s;tore all that he had gained from them; but they told him, that they knew him too well to tru&s;t any longer to his Word, which he had never kept. So that finding that that would not do, he had propos'd to beg tho&s;e Princes Pardon which he had offended, and to make full re&s;titution of all that he had po&s;|&s;e&s;t him&s;elf of theirs, with an a&s;|&s;urance, that he would &s;ubmit to all that they &s;hould plea&s;e to im|po&s;e upon him, provided, they would but withdraw their Forces from falling upon him, till he had
<PB N="13" REF="158">accompli&s;h'd that great De&s;ign he had &s;o well begun, of totally rooting out the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion: But tho&s;e Confederate Princes knowing, that all that he &s;aid, was but to divert them from taking revenge of all his perfidi|ous dealings again&s;t them; and that at the very time that he &s;o earne&s;tly begg'd for a Peace, he was animating and fomenting the <HI>Heathens,</HI> to continuing a War a|gain&s;t the <HI>Mahometi&s;ts;</HI> they therefore gave no ear to any thing he &s;aid, but went on &s;till with their preparations of War again&s;t him, with all the vigour imaginable.</P>
<P>This made <HI>Cha-abas</HI> to look out for a place of Retreat in time, in ca&s;e he &s;hould be driven out of his own Empire; but he did it with that &s;ame Pride and O&s;tentation which u&s;ually accompanies all his Actions. He ca&s;t his eye on the
<PB N="14" REF="159">I&s;land <HI>Leridan,</HI> pertaining to <HI>A|murat,</HI> and which &s;till held out for him, all the Natives of that Kingdom being <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> and go|vern'd by <HI>Clorinet,</HI> who was a great <HI>Hali&s;t</HI> al&s;o, and who had been plac'd in that &s;tation by <HI>A|murat.</HI></P>
<P>After then that he had brought <HI>Amurat</HI> and his <HI>Sultana</HI> to that Palace which he had appointed for them, and &s;ettled an Allowance for their Maintenance &s;uitable to their Greatne&s;s, he began to con|&s;ider which way to begin, and in what proper Terms to propo&s;e to <HI>Amurat,</HI> &s;o that he might not find out his drift, the re<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ction of <HI>Clon&s;tad</HI> and of <HI>Albiona</HI> to him; but <HI>Amurat</HI> was not long without giving him him&s;elf a fair opportunity of declaring his Mind; for he being &s;till dejected and un|con&s;olable, for the lo&s;s of the Love of his Subjects, without which he
<PB N="15" REF="159">had no pro&s;pect of ever recover|ing his Right again, did &s;till pur|&s;ue the De&s;ign which he had ta|ken, of leaving the World, and of retiring into &s;ome Religious Hou&s;e, where to end his days in peace and quietne&s;s, and menti|on'd his De&s;ign to <HI>Cha-abas.</HI> There needed no more to &s;et the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Emperour on, this was matter &s;ufficient for him to work upon: He repre&s;ented to <HI>Amurat,</HI> that that would tarni&s;h the Glory of all his former Actions; it would give occa&s;ion to the World to cen|&s;ure him, and to future Ages to entertain a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> very ill Opinion of him&punc; He added, That he him&s;elf was &s;o highly concern'd in the whole Bu&s;ine&s;s, that it would greatly tarni&s;h that Glory which the Ju&s;tice of his Cau&s;e, and the good &s;ucce&s;s of his Arms had ac|quired him, if he did not re-e&s;ta|bli&s;h <HI>Amurat</HI> on his Throne, and
<PB N="16" REF="160">totally root out of all his Domi|nions the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, as he had already done out of his own Empire, and would do out of the whole World, before he would be quiet: That a War which was founded on Religion, and the extirpation of Here&s;ies, as his was, was not to be left undone, being of quite another Nature than tho&s;e Wars which are made on the account of &s;ecuring ones Right, enlarging of ones Dominions, increa&s;ing of ones Glory, and the like; That who|&s;oever once &s;et his his Hand to that Plough, wherein Religion was concern'd, was not to look back, but to go forwards, over all the Hazards and Difficulties imagina|ble, being confident, that the more perillous, the more glorious the Achievement of the thing would be; that he was ready to a&s;&s;i&s;t him with Men, Arms, Am|munition
<PB N="17" REF="160">and Money, with Ve&s;|&s;els to tran&s;port them over into <HI>Leridan,</HI> where he thought it the mo&s;t convenient to begin, by the total &s;uppre&s;&s;ion of all his <HI>Maho|metan</HI> Subjects, through the aid and a&s;&s;i&s;tance of tho&s;e Forces which were all <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> under the Conduct of his Lieutenant <HI>Clorinet.</HI> In fine, he &s;aid &s;o much to <HI>Amurat,</HI> and did &s;o &s;ubtly di&s;|gui&s;e his De&s;igns to him, under the Veil of Religion, that though he did not ab&s;olutely yield to his Rea&s;ons, yet he had nothing to &s;ay for him&s;elf, but that he would con&s;ider of it, and give <HI>Cha-abas</HI> an An&s;wer in a day or two.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> finding that <HI>Amurat</HI> began to &s;hake in the handle, thought of making u&s;e of that o|ther means which had &s;ucceeded &s;o well before, which was, in put|ting the <HI>Sultana</HI> on following clo&s;e by Night tho&s;e Le&s;&s;ons which he
<PB N="18" REF="161">and the <HI>Mufties</HI> of his Party did continually buz in <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Ears all the Day long; which made <HI>Amurat</HI> to believe him&s;elf in a wor&s;e condition than ever; and of truth, meerly to rid him&s;elf of that continual trouble that he &s;aw him&s;elf expo&s;ed unto, by tho&s;e perpetual Tongue-Batteries, di&s;|charg'd again&s;t his Con&s;tancy and Re&s;olutions, he yielded to their Efforts, and began to capitulate with <HI>Cha-abas</HI> about the Bu&s;ine&s;s. <HI>Cha-abas</HI> told him, that he had no other end in it, than the re-e&s;ta|bli&s;hing of him on his Throne a|gain, and, all under one, to extir|pate Here&s;ie: But that becau&s;e <HI>A|murat</HI> had been &s;o un&s;ucce&s;sful in his former De&s;igns, for want of good Coun&s;ellors and Officers, to perform and execute tho&s;e Re&s;olu|tions that the Councils had taken, he did think it not only conve|nient, but very nece&s;&s;ary to give
<PB N="19" REF="161">him &s;uch a Coun&s;ellor as they might both tru&s;t in for Fidelity and Conduct; that to avoid all occa&s;ion of Murmurs among&s;t his Subjects, who would all expect Relief from the Monies which he &s;hould tran&s;port with him, there &s;hould go along with him a <HI>Per|&s;ian</HI> Trea&s;urer, that &s;hould have the whole and &s;ole di&s;po&s;al of his Trea&s;ure; and that neither of his Subjects, either <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> or <HI>Ma|hometans,</HI> that were Officers, &s;hould envy one another, (for tho&s;e la&s;t were to be a little while longer con&s;ider'd) he would &s;end al&s;o &s;ome <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Officers to be put in all &s;trong places to command the Army, and to govern the Military Affairs, as occa&s;ions &s;hould &s;erve: So that <HI>Amurat</HI> &s;hould have nothing to do, but to countenance the whole proceed|ing, as being made in his Name, and on his Account, till the Bu&s;i|ne&s;s
<PB N="20" REF="162">was ended; and that then he &s;hould take upon him again the whole management of Affairs, and Rule as Emperour there, and recover, through <HI>Cha-abas</HI> continued a&s;&s;i&s;tance, the re&s;t of his lo&s;t Empire.</P>
<P>All the&s;e &s;ugar'd Bates did <HI>A|murat</HI> &s;wallow down, with the greate&s;t &s;ecurity that could be, not &s;o much as once doubting in the lea&s;t, but that all that <HI>Cha|abas</HI> &s;aid, was real and &s;incere: He therefore re&s;olv'd once again to launch him&s;elf into the World, and through <HI>Cha-abas</HI> kind a&s;&s;i|&s;tance, go and recover his lo&s;t Empire. <HI>Amurat</HI> having taken this Re&s;olution, and having pa&s;t his Word to <HI>Cha-abas</HI> of being wholly and ab&s;olutely govern'd by him, to &s;ee whether that would alter the ill &s;ucce&s;s which he had had hitherto in all his Undertakings. There was pub|lick
<PB N="21" REF="162">Rejoycings at it; <HI>Amurat</HI> had Liberty to breathe again, and was no longer tormented with the continual Alarms which he re|ceiv'd Day and Night from tho&s;e whom <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had appointed to torment him. But there happen'd another Ob&s;tacle, which was to be remov'd, as a great Impedi|ment to <HI>Cha-abas</HI> other De&s;igns: So far he had con&s;ulted but his own Pride and Ambition; but Love claim'd a &s;hare in his Bo|&s;ome al&s;o, and the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Charms had already made &s;o deep an impre&s;&s;ion in his heart, that it was impo&s;&s;ible for him to yield to tho&s;e earne&s;t Intrea|ties and Prayers which &s;he made, that &s;he might attend on <HI>Amu|rat</HI> in that Expedition; He re|pre&s;ented to her the Sea&s;on of the Year, the Incon&s;tancy of the Elements that &s;he would expo&s;e her &s;elf to, the Uncertainty of
<PB N="22" REF="163">the Succe&s;s, the Inconveniencies of lying long at Sea, of Land|ing among&s;t Enemies, of going from a pure to an unwhole&s;ome corrupt Air, where di&s;ea&s;ed men might make it &s;till more dange|rous. In fine, he him&s;elf, and tho&s;e whom he &s;et on the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> to di&s;&s;wade her from going, acted &s;o well their Parts, that not only the <HI>Sultana,</HI> but <HI>Amurat</HI> him|&s;elf, (who had already given his Con&s;ent for the <HI>Sultana</HI> to ac|company him,) did re&s;olve, that &s;he &s;hould re&s;t behind, at lea&s;t, till it were convenient for her to come over: Mean time, all Di&s;patches were made for the &s;ud|den putting in execution what had been de&s;ign'd and agreed on betwixt the Two Emperours; in&s;omuch, that in a &s;hort time <HI>Amurat</HI> was told, that the Fleet, and all the things nece&s;&s;ary for his Expedition, were in a readi|ne&s;s,
<PB N="23" REF="163">and ready to &s;et Sail, on|ly they wanted his Per&s;on, with|out which nothing could be done. Thus was <HI>Amurat</HI> &s;ent away from his <HI>Sultana,</HI> to countenance <HI>Cha|abas</HI> De&s;igns on <HI>Leridan,</HI> and to give more Liberty to his amo|rous Intrigues. For no &s;ooner was <HI>Amurat</HI> gone, but that <HI>Cha|abas</HI> laid clo&s;e Siege unto the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Vertues, and follow'd it &s;o clo&s;e, that he prevented the De&s;ign which &s;he had taken, and which doubtle&s;s &s;he had execu|ted, of confining her &s;elf into &s;ome Society of Religious Wo|men, during <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Ab&s;ence, had not <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Love been very diligent in breaking her mea&s;ures. He had not yet made any De|claration of Love to her, and all tho&s;e Services and Demon&s;trati|ons of Re&s;pect which he &s;hew'd her, pa&s;s'd but for the effects of his Courte&s;ie and Civility, to a
<PB N="24" REF="164">Prince&s;s in affliction: He had had &s;ome thoughts of declaring his Pa&s;&s;ion, but he thought it was not to be done in a mean and ordinary method, but in &s;uch a manner as &s;hould corre&s;pond with his Glory, the Greatne&s;s of the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and the Exce&s;s of his Pa&s;&s;ion. He daily did afford her new Diverti&s;ements, and find|ing that there &s;till reign'd over the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Brow, a certain me|lancholick Air, which though it added no &s;mall Lu&s;tre unto the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Maje&s;tick Gravity, yet did not &s;o well an&s;wer his a|morous De&s;igns towards her; he re&s;olv'd upon communicating of his De&s;igns unto <HI>Clorineta,</HI> Wife to <HI>Clorinet,</HI> who had accompani|ed the <HI>Sultana</HI> from <HI>Turky</HI> into <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> and all along been Privy to all the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Contrivances, Plots and Intrigues, and in whom the <HI>Sultana</HI> put all her Confidence and Tru&s;t.</P>
<PB N="25" REF="164">
<P>We have had no occa&s;ion in the Fir&s;t Part of the <HI>Court Secret</HI> to mention this Per&s;on, but having divers opportunities to bring her upon the Stage in this Second Part, it is fitting that I &s;hould give you a &s;hort De&s;cription of her: She was very hand&s;ome yet, though &s;ome few years had of late left &s;ome Traces behind them, which &s;poke the Relicks of a very exqui&s;ite Beauty; and her gay Humour, free Air, and Natural Amorous Di&s;po&s;ition, did &s;till per&s;wade her, and not without Cau&s;e, that &s;he had Beau|ty enough left to captivate the Heart even of the proude&s;t Mo|narch of the World; and &s;he had divers times tacitely within her &s;elf, wi&s;h'd that tho&s;e Addre&s;&s;es at large which <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had made to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> had been de&s;ign'd to her, who had certainly given them more favourable Receptions
<PB N="26" REF="165">and Returns, than he might ever expect from the more vertuou&s;ly &s;trait-laced <HI>Sultana,</HI> not without hopes that &s;he might thereby gra|tifie tho&s;e Two Pa&s;&s;ions of Love and Gain, which had &s;till &s;o great an A&s;cendant over her, and which made her de&s;ign within her &s;elf to make a Prize of <HI>Cha-abas;</HI> in which &s;he was already confident &s;he &s;hould not be oppos'd by the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who as &s;he found her in|clin'd, e&s;pecially at that time, would rather encourage and a&s;&s;i&s;t her in her De&s;ign, than thwart it, in hopes that it would in part di|vert tho&s;e Addre&s;&s;es which <HI>Cha|abas</HI> might di&s;turb her quiet with, and which &s;he could not tell how hand&s;omly to avoid, con&s;idering the Obligations which both &s;he and <HI>Amurat</HI> &s;eem to have unto him.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> then watching for an opportunity of entertaining <HI>Clo|rineta</HI>
<PB N="27" REF="165">on that Subject, did one day find her all alone, walking in a private cover'd Walk in the Garden, where &s;he had given an a&s;&s;ignation unto the <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et,</HI> who was one of her Favourites. <HI>Cha-abas</HI> came up to her, and &s;alu|ting her; <HI>Madam,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>I may thank my good Fortune for giving me this fair opportunity of decla|ring to you &s;omething of neare&s;t concern to me, and on which depends my Happine&s;s or Mi&s;ery.</HI> This On|&s;et did &s;o tickle <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Heart, expecting nothing le&s;s than a de|claration of Love from that Em|perour, after &s;o fair a beginning, that &s;he could not forbear a&s;&s;uring him, that whatever he &s;hould &s;ay unto her, would be &s;o great an Honour, as &s;he would lo&s;e a Thou|&s;and Lives to merit it, and that it would be all her &s;tudy how &s;he &s;hould an&s;wer &s;o great a Monarch's De&s;ires, wih all the Humility and
<PB N="28" REF="166">Re&s;pect imaginable; and at the &s;ame time &s;he wi&s;h'd with all her Heart, within her &s;elf, that her <HI>Mufti</HI> &s;hould forget the A&s;&s;igna|tion, or mi&s;take the Time or Place, that his coming might not interrupt <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Di&s;cour&s;es, nor create in him the lea&s;t Jealou&s;ie and Su&s;picion. <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> on his part, de&s;iring not to be interrup|ted neither, and for fear of be|ing &s;een by the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who us'd to walk &s;ometimes there, &s;aid, <HI>Madam, if you will honour me &s;o far as to accompany me to y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nder Pavillion, where I may more freely and more at lei&s;ure disburthen my Mind into your Bo&s;ome, you will infinitely oblige me. Any thing, Sir,</HI> reply'd <HI>Clorineta, that you &s;hall plea&s;e to command me, I &s;hall take as a great honour to perform.</HI> With that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> taking of her by the Hand, lead her towards the Pavillion, which was at the
<PB N="29" REF="166">end of the Walk, making Signs to tho&s;e that had follow'd him into the Garden, and that in re|&s;pect had &s;topp'd at &s;ome di&s;tance from <HI>Clorineta,</HI> that he wanted not their Company.</P>
<P>After <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had &s;eated <HI>Clori|neta</HI> and him&s;elf, fetching a great Sigh from the bottom of his Heart, he thus began, <HI>This fore|runner of my Di&s;cour&s;e, Madam, does but too much inform you of the Nature of it, without any further clearing of the bu&s;ine&s;s, and letting of you know, that it is Love, that All-powerful Deity, who makes me &s;igh in his Chains: Yet, Madam, it were in vain for me to deny or go about to conceal a Pa&s;&s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n, which how clo&s;e &s;oever I &s;hould re&s;olve to carry it, would in de&s;pight of all my Circum&s;pections manife&s;t it &s;elf: I love, Madam, and</HI>&mdash;There <HI>Cha-abas</HI> making a pau&s;e, as if he was afraid to di&s;cover any more
<PB N="30" REF="167">of his Pa&s;&s;ion, it gave opportuni|ty to <HI>Clorineta</HI> to &s;ay, <HI>You can command, Sir, as well as love; and doubtle&s;s that your Power is as ab&s;olute in that as it is in all other things that depend on your Will and Plea&s;ure: What is there in your Court, in your whole Em|pire, over which you have not that Power and Authority to command? And who would not think them|&s;elves the mo&s;t happie&s;t per&s;ons, in obeying, e&s;pecially in things of this Nature? You &s;ay right, Madam,</HI> reply'd <HI>Cha-abas, I can command in my Dominions my own Subjects; but be&s;ides, that Love mu&s;t always be free, and without force: Per|adventure that the Per&s;on who makes me &s;igh, is not my Subject, but one that I mu&s;t &s;erve with the greate&s;t Submi&s;&s;ion and Re&s;pect that I can po&s;&s;ibly pay to her Great|ne&s;s and Illu&s;trious Per&s;on.</HI></P>
<PB N="31" REF="167">
<P>Notwith&s;tanding that the&s;e Two la&s;t Words had been &s;uf|ficient to have enlightned a le&s;s di&s;cerning per&s;on than was <HI>Clori|neta,</HI> yet &s;he was &s;o puff'd up with her good Fortune, and &s;o prepo&s;|&s;e&s;s'd with the Opinion, that all that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> &s;aid, was meant to her, that &s;he went confidently on, taking all to her &s;elf, and framing An&s;wers &s;uitable to her imaginati|on, which &s;he return'd to <HI>Cha-abas</HI> with &s;uch amorous Glances, &s;uch pathetick Expre&s;&s;ions, and &s;uch pa&s;&s;ionate Zeal, that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> could not but take notice of it, and believing it to be as it was, and finding her worthy &s;ome con|&s;ideration, he let her remain in her mi&s;take, and re&s;olv'd to take hold of an opportunity which offer'd it &s;elf &s;o fairly: therefore he thus continued, <HI>Yes, Madam, You have &s;o many Charms, and they &s;o pow|erful, that &s;hould you be my Sub|ject,
<PB N="32" REF="168">they were capable of rendring me your Slave. Clorineta</HI> was go|ing to an&s;wer, when that &s;he per|ceiv'd her <HI>Mufti</HI> coming with a round pace towards the Pavilli|on: The very thoughts of his ap|proach, and di&s;covering any In|trigue betwixt them, did &s;o con|found her, that &s;he knew not what to &s;ay; and to avoid all Su&s;picions, &s;he remov'd her Seat &s;omething more behind the Door, to conceal her &s;elf from <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s View, pretending that the Air did blow &s;omething too cold upon her, and &s;he put the Door a little clo&s;er than it was before. But that did but &s;erve to di&s;cover the more vi&s;ibly the &s;et A&s;&s;ignation which had been betwixt them; for <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> who had had an Eye of her at a di&s;tance, which caus'd him to redouble his pace, made a &s;top at the foot of &s;ome &s;teps that led up to the Pavillion, &s;ay|ing
<PB N="33" REF="168">aloud, <HI>I have &s;een you, Ma|dam, and notwith&s;tanding the De|&s;ign you had to put the Dye upon me Love, who would not let &s;o great a Votary as I am to him, lo&s;e &s;uch an A&s;&s;ignation, lent me his Eyes to &s;ee you at that di&s;tance, and his Wings to fly to your</HI>&mdash;Saying this as he was getting up, pu&s;hing the Door wide open, and percei|ving <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> he made a full &s;top both to his Words and Motion. It were hard to declare which of the&s;e Three Lovers was the mo&s;t &s;urpriz'd. The <HI>Mufti</HI> retiring, begging pardon for his Mi&s;take, and bold Intru&s;ion, went down Stairs again as fa&s;t as he had got up, and &s;neaking through little by-Allies, he retir'd to his Lodg|ings, with all the ha&s;te and con|fu&s;ion imaginable. This made <HI>Clorineta</HI> to pluck up her Spirits, and tell <HI>Cha abas,</HI> That the <HI>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">fti</HI> meeting of Two Per&s;ons there
<PB N="34" REF="169">which he little expected, had cer|tainly &s;trangely confounded him, and that doubtle&s;s it would make him lo&s;e the A&s;&s;ignation which he had mention'd, of all which he had &s;o well inform'd them, except the Name of the Per&s;on. <HI>Cha|abas</HI> all the while look'd earne&s;tly on <HI>Clorineta,</HI> as de&s;irous to have been further inform'd by her Looks or Ge&s;tures, which &s;he perceiving, for fear of &s;aying or doing any thing that &s;hould betray her to her new Lover, &s;he did ri&s;e, making &s;ome offer to go out, &s;aying, that peradventure they might have an|other view of the <HI>Mufti,</HI> which would inform them further. <HI>Cha|abas,</HI> who was as de&s;irous as &s;he, to know certainly who was the Per&s;on whom the <HI>Mufti</HI> had not nam'd, and which he had &s;ome Jealou&s;ies was her &s;elf, by the great di&s;order that his coming had put her in; be&s;ides, the &s;u&s;|picion
<PB N="35" REF="169">he had entertain'd at her &s;hifting of her Seat &s;o &s;oon as &s;he had perceiv'd him, under pretence of getting more out of the Cold Air, con&s;ented to her de&s;ires, and taking her by the Hand, led her out, begging of her a further op|portunity of di&s;covering his Pa&s;|&s;ion; which &s;he, with all the mo|de&s;ty &s;he was Mi&s;tre&s;s of, endea|voured to evade; and they meet|ing with Company, with which that Walk us'd to be fill'd at that time of the day, they parted with|out any further appointment or Rendezvous than what Fortune &s;hould pre&s;ent to them, as it had done before. <HI>Cha-abas</HI> mixt him|&s;elf with a Company of Ladies, among&s;t which was one named <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who had render'd great pieces of Services to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> during his late Di&s;temper, and to whom he had prote&s;ted a World of Acknowledgments and
<PB N="36" REF="170">of Love: She look'd on <HI>Clorineta</HI> with a World of Di&s;dain, Rage and Spight, as on a per&s;on that intended to deprive her of that Love which her mo&s;t a&s;&s;iduous Cares, and indefatigable Labours, had obtain'd from <HI>Cha-abas:</HI> And though &s;he could not lay claim to any Beauty, and that &s;he was but the Relicks of a mean Per&s;on of Birth and E&s;tate, though of a cele|brated Wit, of which &s;he al&s;o had a great &s;hare, &s;he thought that her Services might &s;tand her in place of all tho&s;e other things, as being more material and effectual: Wherefore from that moment, &s;he declar'd her &s;elf, in her own Mind, a mortal Enemy unto <HI>Clo|rineta,</HI> and did her afterwards all the ill Offices that &s;he could po&s;|&s;ible, as we &s;hall have occa&s;ion to declare.</P>
<P>As for <HI>Clorineta,</HI> &s;he had a Me&s;|&s;age deliver'd to her from the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI>
<PB N="37" REF="170">which made her to retire. Though her Beauty had (while pre&s;ent) &s;u&s;pended <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Pa&s;|&s;ion towards the <HI>Sultana</HI> for that time, he had no &s;ooner retired from her Company, but that the <HI>Sultana</HI> pre&s;ented her &s;elf, to his Imagination, with all tho&s;e Per|fections, and that Maje&s;tick Grace which always accompany her. He &s;oon forgot, that he had told <HI>Clorineta,</HI> &s;he was the Per&s;on he ador'd; and as if nothing of that had ever been, the next time that he met with <HI>Clorineta,</HI> which was in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s pre&s;ence, he took no more notice of her than if he had never &s;een her before, and wholly addre&s;s'd him&s;elf to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> to whom he &s;aid a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">un|dance of very fine things, but at &s;uch a di&s;tance, that they might have been &s;har'd among&s;t the re&s;t of the Company; and this Vi&s;it which he had made to the <HI>Sulta|na,</HI>
<PB N="38" REF="171">with a de&s;ign of giving her &s;ome more particular Marks of his Pa&s;&s;ion than he had ever done yet, termin'd only in inviting her to a great Ballet and Mask|ing, which he had de&s;ign'd, for to give her &s;ome diver&s;ion; though his de&s;ign was to give her then, in as &s;plendid a manner as he could po&s;&s;ible, a Declaration of Love in Writing. She a long time pleaded her melancholly Humour, which render'd her more fit for the Conver&s;ation of Religious Women, than to parti|cipate of the Plea&s;ures of &s;o &s;plen|did a Court, e&s;pecially in the ab|&s;ence of <HI>Amurat,</HI> who, for ought &s;he knew, might be expo&s;ed to e|minent dangers, while &s;he &s;hould be revelling here; but tho&s;e her &s;ugge&s;tions having been over-rul'd by divers Di&s;cour&s;es, back'd with a&s;&s;urances, that before all things could be fitted for &s;o magnifi|cent
<PB N="39" REF="171">an Entertainment as he in|tended, there would certain news come of <HI>Amurat</HI>'s great &s;ucce&s;s in <HI>Leridan;</HI> &s;he at la&s;t on tho&s;e Con|ditions yielded to lend her pre&s;ence to &s;o Noble an A&s;&s;embly, where all the Chief Lords and Ladies of the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Court were generally invited.</P>
<P>Every body from that time be|gan to make Preparatives to ap|pear as &s;plendid as they could at the Grand Ball, which was call'd <HI>The Ball of the Royal Love;</HI> and to get &s;uch Di&s;gui&s;es that would keep them from the knowledge of all Per&s;ons, but tho&s;e unto whom they would be known. As for <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> he &s;par'd neither Co&s;t nor Charges to render it the mo&s;t magnificent and &s;plendid that ever was. Of truth, it was &s;o like the Ambition of the Giver, that I cannot but find a &s;heet or two of Paper more than ordinary, to &s;et
<PB N="40" REF="172">down the De&s;cription of it in my Novel, not doubting but that the Reader will not grudge the time that he &s;hall employ in the read|ing of it: But fir&s;t we will give time for the preparation of all the nece&s;&s;ary things for this great Mask, and in the mean time give me leave to entertain you with &s;ome Tran&s;actions in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, relating to the Hi&s;torical part of my Novel.</P>
<P>Upon <HI>Amurat</HI>'s de&s;erting of his Subjects, and abandoning them to the Fury of all their Enemies, which in the Opinion of many of his Subjects, acquitted them of their Oaths of Allegiance to him; for as they &s;aid, There were mu|tual Oaths pa&s;s'd betwixt <HI>Amu|rat</HI> and his People at his acce&s;&s;ion to the Crown; He on his part did promi&s;e to govern them according to the E&s;tabli&s;hed Laws of the Land, and to maintain the <HI>Maho|metan</HI>
<PB N="41" REF="172">Religion, and all the Laws that had from time to time been made for its pre&s;ervation, again&s;t all the A&s;&s;aults and Con&s;piracies of its &s;worn Enemies the <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> and to protect and defend his People from all Forreign U&s;urpation and Inva&s;ion; and his People on their part had promis'd to obey him, as their King and Governour, and to pay unto him the &s;ame Allegiance and Obedience, which they had done to his Predece&s;&s;ors, on the a&s;&s;urance that he would faithfully and inviolably keep and ob&s;erve his Coronation Oath. I &s;ay, that many of his Loyal Subjects did believe, and thought in their Con|&s;ciences, that the Emperour's Breach of his Oaths had di&s;penc'd them from tho&s;e which they had taken to him of their Allegiance. Yet there remain'd &s;ome among&s;t them, who &s;till were of Opini|on, That though <HI>Amurat</HI> had
<PB N="42" REF="173">broke his Coronation-Oath, that did not free them from tho&s;e Oaths of Allegiance to him which they had taken, &s;aying, That his doing ill, or commit|ting an Errour, was no warrant for them to do the &s;ame. But when it came to that pa&s;s, that the Emperour de&s;erted them and his Kingdoms, and thereby re|nounc'd to the protecting and de|fending of them: Nay, That on the contrary, he joyn'd with the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> again&s;t his own People, and applied him&s;elf to the great|e&s;t declared Enemy of the <HI>Otto|man</HI> Empire, and of the <HI>Mahome|tan</HI> Religion, which he had de|clar'd over and over, he would root out of the World; then, I &s;ay, that help'd to take off all tho&s;e Scruples which had been left on their tender Con&s;ciences, and found, that what at fir&s;t was but &s;trife, who &s;hould have the
<PB N="43" REF="173">upper hand, of the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> or <HI>Ma|hometans,</HI> in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, was now turn'd into a War of Re|ligion, in which the true ancient <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, the Laws of the Land, the Liberty of the Sub|ject were concern'd. In fine, where all lay at &s;take, and in which he that had &s;worn to be their Protector and Defender, was gone over to the greate&s;t Enemy of all their Rights, and had &s;olicited him again&s;t his own People; then they thought them|&s;elves ab&s;olutely freed from all Duties to him, and from all fur|ther Pa&s;&s;ive Obedience, which was &s;o much enjoyn'd to them by the Doctrine of their Church, who commanded them to fly from Per&s;ecution in their own Land by their own Prince, into another, after that he had de|&s;erted and abandoned them to their De&s;truction, and joyn'd him|&s;elf
<PB N="44" REF="174">to the implacable Enemy of their Religion, E&s;tabli&s;hed by the Laws of the Nation. Then they thought that their &s;taying at home for the Defence of their own Religion, and to oppo&s;e the threatned U&s;urpation and Inva&s;i|on of the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> under <HI>Cha-abas</HI> conduct, was the &s;ame thing as their flying from Per&s;ecution at home into another Country, now that their Head, their King, their Pro|tector had abandon'd them to the Fury of their mo&s;t barbarous and bloody Enemies; was the &s;ame thing as flying from Per&s;ecution. had their Emperor &s;taid to protect them.</P>
<P>They therefore joyntly Crown|ed Prince <HI>Soliman</HI> and the Prince&s;s <HI>Zelinda,</HI> as the next Heirs to the Crown, which had been forfeited to them by <HI>Amurat</HI>'s abandoning of it; and they took tho&s;e u&s;ual Oaths which are tender'd to all the
<PB N="45" REF="174">Emperour's at their Coronation; and the People acknowledg'd them to be their Lawful King and Queen, and on that account &s;wore to them the Oaths of O|bedience, Allegiance and Submi&s;|&s;ion, which were u&s;ual on &s;uch occa&s;ion; all which was confirm'd by the Grand Council of the Em|pire, receiv'd in all parts, and pro|claim'd throughout the whole Em|pire, except by a &s;mall Party of <HI>Hali&s;ts,</HI> which had been kept to|gether in Arms in <HI>Leridan</HI> by <HI>Clo|rinet,</HI> after he had turn'd out from among&s;t them all tho&s;e that profe&s;t the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Reli|gion.</P>
<P>News by this time are come to <HI>I&s;pahan</HI> of the <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> Fleet &s;afe arrival at <HI>Leridan,</HI> where they had di&s;charg'd their Men and Am|munition, and where <HI>Amurat</HI> at his fir&s;t Landing, had obtain'd a con&s;iderable Advantage over his
<PB N="46" REF="175">Enemies, and had great hopes to &s;ubdue that Kingdom, to tran&s;|port tho&s;e Forces afterwards into the Kingdom of <HI>Clon&s;tade,</HI> where there was a great Party ready to receive him; from whence, after that was recover'd, he would march with his Conquering Army into <HI>Albona,</HI> and &s;o make him&s;elf once more Ma&s;ter of his Empire. The&s;e Letters were &s;hown to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who not finding the &s;ame Contents in <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Letters to her, nor in <HI>Clorinet</HI>'s Letters to his Wife, &s;o clearly &s;et down, did fear giving too much Credit to them; but what with the con|&s;truing which was put on the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s and <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Letters, the <HI>Sultana</HI> was per&s;waded to be|lieve all that was told her, as mo&s;t authentick, which made her re|&s;olve to breathe a little, and to give &s;ome relea&s;e unto her con|tinual Sorrow, in appearing accor|ding
<PB N="47" REF="175">to her Grandeur and Rank at the great Mask, with all the Mirth and Jolity that her pre&s;ent Condition could afford her to yield.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> was &s;o &s;trongly bent on this great De&s;ign, that one would have thought he had no o|ther bu&s;ine&s;s in hand; He laid a|&s;ide all other Concerns, and did re&s;olve, happen what would, to give all the Scope and Liberty imaginable to his Amours, which made &s;uch a noi&s;e, that &s;ome of the more Sober &s;ort of his Court did not think convenient to ap|pear at that great Fe&s;tival, at a time when the Ble&s;&s;ing of Heaven was to have been implor'd upon their Arms again&s;t &s;o many for|midable Enemies that did encom|pa&s;s them round: Of truth there was not le&s;s than 157000 Men arm'd again&s;t <HI>Per&s;ia:</HI> There was of the <HI>Myrgenians</HI> 7000, of the
<PB N="48" REF="176"><HI>Abravians</HI> 10000. of the <HI>Wasbians</HI> 5000 under the Conduct of the mo&s;t Valiant <HI>Ba&s;&s;a</HI> of <HI>Abravia.</HI> The <HI>Ba&s;&s;a</HI> of <HI>Reinola</HI> had the Com|mand of 20000. <HI>Myrgenians</HI> and <HI>Cranfonians,</HI> 10000. <HI>Xoni&s;eans,</HI> 8000. <HI>Swibrunckians</HI> and <HI>Brugul|neans,</HI> and 8000 <HI>Sehe&s;eans:</HI> The <HI>Ba&s;&s;a</HI> of <HI>Grubdenbran</HI> commanded of <HI>Grubdenbranians</HI> 26000. and of <HI>Stennumians</HI> 6000: The <HI>Aga Kalkwad</HI> led 50000. <HI>Halldonians,</HI> and there was 7000. <HI>Pe&s;inians,</HI> be|&s;ides the formidable Navies which threatned him by Sea. All the&s;e, I &s;ay, could not abate any thing of his Ambition, e&s;pecially now that it was boy'd up, and carried on the Wings of Love. At la&s;t, his particular <HI>Mufti,</HI> unto whom only he imparted the Secrets of his Heart, was pitch'd upon to repre&s;ent to him the un&s;ea&s;ona|blene&s;s of the thing, and the great inconveniences that would
<PB N="49" REF="176">attend it. But he &s;everely rebu|ked him for his unask'd for ad|vice, and de&s;ired him not to trou|ble him with his Coun&s;els, till he &s;ent for him.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti,</HI> who&s;e Name was <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> was but newly return'd home, not much concern'd how he had &s;ucceeded in his Admoni|tion to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> when <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> came to give him a Vi&s;it. They were both of the wicked Order of the <HI>Mahometi&s;ts:</HI> They had held perpetual Corre&s;pondence by Let|ters with one another; all the time that the De&s;truction of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion in <HI>Albiona</HI> had been hatching, they were very fa|miliar together, and no Secret was hid from one another but in their Amours; there they were Two, as unanimous &s;oever they were in all other Bu&s;ine&s;&s;es. <HI>Rep|&s;et</HI>'s De&s;ign in that Vi&s;it was to learn, whether <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had &s;aid
<PB N="50" REF="177">any thing to <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> concerning the mi&s;take which he had lately made in the Garden: He had made his Peace well enough with <HI>Clorineta,</HI> but he would gladly have known how the Emperour had re&s;ented it, and what his thoughts might be on that ac|count. <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> told him, That he had not &s;poken but once &s;ince to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> who was &s;o atten|tive to his great Entertainment, that then he had rebuk'd him for offering to give him &s;ome Advice about it, which he had been de&s;ired to do by &s;ome of the principal Lords of the Court: <HI>But let him go on,</HI> continued he, <HI>we &s;hall have the &s;atisfaction of being partakers of it. Yes,</HI> &s;aid Rep&s;et, <HI>though not in &s;o high a mea&s;ure as he de&s;igns for him&s;elf: Of truth it mu&s;t be confe&s;&s;ed,</HI> con|tinued he, <HI>the New Object of his Love, which puts him on all this,
<PB N="51" REF="177">has &s;uch powerful charms, that no Fle&s;h and Blood were able to re&s;i&s;t. You &s;peak &s;o feelingly of the Effects of tho&s;e charms,</HI> reply'd Chila&s;e, <HI>that I cannot but fancy you are more than ordinary intere&s;ted in it. No Brother,</HI> reply'd Rep&s;et, <HI>the great number of cares that I had continually upon me, and the Na|ture of them, did keep me off of any &s;uch De&s;igns, though certainly &s;he is the fine&s;t Per&s;on in the World, the mo&s;t courteous and affable to the meane&s;t of her Subjects; and it is a thou&s;and pities that &s;he has an Husband who is not capable, through his infirmities, to perform towards her tho&s;e Matrimonial Devoirs which &s;he ought in rea&s;on to expect, and which</HI> 100000 <HI>Per&s;ons would think them&s;elves mo&s;t happy to &s;upply her with. What pity then is it,</HI> &s;aid Chila&s;e, <HI>that &s;he &s;hould now be courted by another Prince as in&s;uffi|cient to perform to any purpo&s;e
<PB N="52" REF="178">tho&s;e amorous Offices, which in rea|&s;on &s;he might expect, were &s;he in the lea&s;t flexible to his applicati|ons? But, in my Opinion, &s;he has not the Air, carries not that Gay|ety of Humour, that Briskne&s;s, which u&s;ually &s;peaks a Per&s;on amo|rous. No more do many other Wo|men,</HI> an&s;wer'd Rep&s;et, <HI>who never|thele&s;s are all Love: I tell you, that any per&s;on that would manage that bu&s;ine&s;s di&s;creetly, might ob|tain from her more than you think, if they did but ob&s;erve to nick her re&s;erv'd Humour, and to make no noi&s;e of it; and were I in your place, I know what I would do. Rep&s;et</HI>'s De&s;ign in engaging <HI>Chi|la&s;e</HI> in an Amour with the <HI>Sulta|na,</HI> was to divert him from look+ing in, and having any thoughts towards <HI>Clorineta</HI> who had &s;po|ken, he thought, too much to <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s advantage, and had ex|pre&s;s'd to him a great de&s;ire to be
<PB N="53" REF="178">more particularly acquainted with him; be&s;ides, he had once found <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> in a very clo&s;e Di&s;cour&s;e with <HI>Clorineta;</HI> all which did not plea&s;e him very well: wherefore he endeavour'd to create in him &s;ome De&s;ires towards the <HI>Sultana,</HI> that might make a Diver&s;ion; &s;o that he might not hereafter thwart him in his Amours to <HI>Clorineta. Chila&s;e</HI> &s;wallow'd the Bate, and though he &s;eem'd not to take much notice of what <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> &s;poke concerning the <HI>Sultana,</HI> he re|&s;olv'd within him&s;elf, from that moment, to pu&s;h his Fortune, and try what he could do in gaining the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s good Will by &s;ome &s;ignal Pieces of Services, though to the prejudice of his Ma&s;ter <HI>Cha-abas</HI> De&s;igns.</P>
<P>From the&s;e Particular Di&s;cour|&s;es they fell to Generals, concern|ing the Grand Mask, where they could not forbear mentioning the
<PB N="54" REF="179">great Opportunities it gave to Court&s;hip, addre&s;s'd indifferently to any per&s;on, under tho&s;e Di&s;|gui&s;es, and by con&s;ent to particu|lar Men and Women, who be|fore-hand had agreed on ways of knowing one another: That there the meane&s;t Per&s;on in the World, for a little Money and Co&s;t, might be admitted to hazard his Fortune with the be&s;t in the Land, if he had but Wit, Confidence and Addre&s;s; <HI>For Example,</HI> &s;aid Chila&s;e, <HI>If you or I &s;hould have a fancy to try what tho&s;e Masking Meetings termine to, how ea&s;ie would it be for us to &s;o di&s;gui&s;e our &s;elves, as to enjoy all the plea&s;ure and &s;a|tisfaction of the whole Entertain|ment, and not be di&s;cover'd? You &s;ay true,</HI> an&s;wer'd Rep&s;et; <HI>but I am &s;o far from any &s;uch thought, that I de&s;ign that day to take the Air out of Town, and lye all night at a Friends Hou&s;e, to whom I
<PB N="55" REF="179">have long owed a Vi&s;it. And I,</HI> &s;aid Chila&s;e, <HI>de&s;ign to take Phy &s;ick that day; for of late I have &s;ound my &s;elf indi&s;pos'd, and that Day and Night I &s;hall not need to fear the trouble of impertinent Vi&s;its.</HI> With the&s;e and &s;uch like Di&s;cour&s;es they ended the Day: <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> took his leave, and went to vi&s;it his <HI>Clorineta;</HI> and <HI>Chi|la&s;e</HI> fell mu&s;ing on tho&s;e Fancies which <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had put in his Head: The more he thought on it, the more it rais'd his thoughts, the more bold it made him, and the more de&s;irous to attempt the thing: He thought that this Masking Bout was &s;uch a fair opportunity to try his Fortune in, that he was not to let it &s;lip, le&s;t he &s;hould never meet with &s;uch an|other. The <HI>Sultana</HI> repre&s;ented her &s;elf to his Imagination, all Charming; and the very thoughts of enjoying &s;o great a Prince&s;s, &s;o
<PB N="56" REF="180">lovely a Per&s;on, did almo&s;t ravi&s;h him beyond his Sen&s;es. <HI>I will pu&s;h on my Fortune,</HI> &s;aid he to him|&s;elf, <HI>and try what I may hope or fear for the future, by the &s;ucce&s;s of my fir&s;t Attempt, in which my Di&s;gui&s;e will &s;ecure me from all Dangers: And what if there were never &s;o many Dangers, who would regard them? Who would not pa&s;s over the greate&s;t Difficul|ties imaginable, to attain to &s;o much Happine&s;s? Well, I am re|&s;olv'd, and I will early in the Morn|ing begin to prepare for &s;o glorious an Enterpri&s;e.</HI> With this Re&s;olution he went to his Bed, though not to &s;leep.</P>
<P>Among&s;t tho&s;e Per&s;ons which the <HI>Sultana</HI> admitted to her Pri|vacy, of the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Ladies, was <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who was mo&s;t pa&s;&s;io|nately in Love with <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> and who&s;e Jealous Humour had occa&s;ion'd her to &s;eek for a parti|cular
<PB N="57" REF="180">Friend&s;hip with the <HI>Sulta|na</HI> and with <HI>Clorineta,</HI> that &s;he might the better pry into their Actions, and break all their mea|&s;ures with <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> who &s;he knew had a Love for them both: She di&s;gui&s;ed the Love which &s;he had for <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> under the No|tion of her Duty in the Care &s;he had taken, and &s;till took of him in his Di&s;temper, and of a Princi|ple of Gratitude towards him for &s;o mony Favours and great Ad|vantages which &s;he had receiv'd: And &s;he did endeavour by all manner of means, &s;o to oblige them both, that they were forc'd to receive her into their particular Favour, even in Gratitude. That &s;ight which &s;he had had of the Emperour with <HI>Clorineta,</HI> &s;tuck by her; and &s;he apprehended more danger that way, than from the <HI>Sultana,</HI> whom &s;he per|ceiv'd had not yet any inclinati|ons
<PB N="58" REF="181">for <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> while the o|ther did nothing el&s;e all day long, but extol him to the very Skyes, and expre&s;s'd the great de&s;ires &s;he had of carrying on that fir&s;t Interview which &s;he had had with him, into a perfect A|morous Intrigue. Mean time, <HI>Monitenna</HI> plaid &s;o well the part of an un<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oncern'd per&s;on, &s;till extolling his Liberality and Gal|lantry, that <HI>Clorineta,</HI> who was of a very free and open Di&s;po&s;i|tion, made her her Confident in her amorous De&s;igns. <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> &s;till follow'd clo&s;e his Game with <HI>Clo|rineta,</HI> and being de&s;irous to par|take of the Mask and Ball, he propos'd it to her, and they both agreed in what Di&s;gui&s;es they &s;hould be, not to be known but by them Two only; at lea&s;t, <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> was not to be known; but as to <HI>Clorineta,</HI> &s;he was to be known by the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who was to know
<PB N="59" REF="181">her al&s;o, de&s;igning al&s;o to make her &s;elf known to the Empe|rour by &s;ome private Mark. The Cau&s;e of her ea&s;ie yielding to <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s De&s;ires, was becau&s;e &s;he knew him to be violent; and that if &s;he &s;hould offer to oppo&s;e him in that which &s;he believ'd was put on by &s;ome Jea|lou&s;ie which he had entertain'd of <HI>Cha-abas</HI> ever &s;ince he had found them together, though &s;he had endeavour'd by all means imagi|nable to let him know there was nothing le&s;s than Love in the Ca&s;e, and that it was a meer acci|dental Rencounter, and that all the Di&s;cour&s;e they had was on the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Beauty, with which <HI>Cha-abas</HI> &s;eem'd to be exceeding|ly captivated: She fear'd that it might carry him to do &s;ome extra|vagant thing, which might re|dound to her prejudice; but with|all, &s;he re&s;olv'd to put the Change
<PB N="60" REF="182">upon him, and to dre&s;s one of her Women in tho&s;e Di&s;gui&s;es which &s;he had de&s;ign'd for her &s;elf, and put on others, which &s;hould not be known but by the <HI>Sultana</HI> and <HI>Mo|nitenna.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Chila&s;e</HI> in the mean time had by the Vertue of Gold (a thing with which the <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> u&s;e to work Miracles), got the know|ledge of the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Di&s;gui&s;e; &s;o that he was in all Points ready for the Mask. <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who had from <HI>Cha-abas</HI> him&s;elf, how he was to appear, and who had inform'd him in what Dre&s;s the <HI>Sultana</HI> was to be, as al&s;o of the fir&s;t Dre&s;s which <HI>Clorineta</HI> had pitch'd upon, had no more to do, but to fit her &s;elf with all the means imaginable to do all the Mi&s;chief &s;he could po&s;&s;ible, and to create a Confu&s;ion among&s;t the&s;e Lovers.</P>
<PB N="61" REF="182">
<P>At la&s;t the Day came in who&s;e following Night the Ball was to begin: There never was a more &s;plendid appearance; There was nothing to be &s;een but <HI>Ti&s;&s;u</HI>'s, Cloaths of Gold and Silver, Em|broideries with Pearls and preci|ous Stones, and whole Rocks of Diamonds, which, with the light of a Thou&s;and White Wax Ta|pers, plac'd in Silver and Chry|&s;tal Candle&s;ticks and Sconces, did produce a light more piercing than that of the Sun in its full <HI>Meridian,</HI> contracted within the limits of a mo&s;t &s;pacious Hall.</P>
<P>The Maskers being all enter'd, and after &s;ome Dances having ta|ken their Seats at the upper end of the Hall, there were heard in the Air mo&s;t admirable Con&s;orts of Mu&s;ick, of Voices, of Flutes, and of other In&s;truments, an&s;wer|ing one another, and &s;ometimes all together, &s;inging all in the
<PB N="62" REF="183">prai&s;e of Love. During the&s;e Harmonies, which charm'd not le&s;s the Ears than the Maskers did the Eyes. There appear'd towards the middle of the Hall, like a Flock of flying Hearts, of all &s;orts and Sizes, fluttering in the Air, to which pre&s;ently came flying a little <HI>Cupid</HI> with his Bow and Arrows, &s;hooting at the whole Flock &s;till as he flew, with little Silver Shafts. At la&s;t he &s;hot the bigge&s;t of all the Hearts that were in the whole Flock, which tumb|ling down on the Floor, tran&s;pier|ced with the Shaft, and bleeding, the little <HI>Cupid</HI> made after it with all the Wing he had, and lighting on the Ground, &s;eiz'd on the Heart, with which he began to play Childi&s;h Tricks. At la&s;t he looks round on all the Ladies, as if de&s;igning to be&s;tow it on one of them; He walks round, and not knowing to whom to deli|ver
<PB N="63" REF="183">it, he falls a crying, lays him|&s;elf down by the Heart, pu&s;hes it from him, kicks it, &s;till lying; and plays a Thou&s;and little Api&s;h Tricks with it, pouting, and &s;eem|ing very &s;ullen. As he was toy|ing thus, comes, as from out of the Hangings, which repre&s;ented whole Figures to the Life, a <HI>Ve|nus</HI> and the Three Graces. They come up to <HI>Cupid,</HI> who perceiving them, takes the Heart, and huggs it in his Arms, as afraid they &s;hould take it from him: <HI>Venus</HI> begs it of him, he kicks at her; &s;he offers to take it, he defends it; the Graces a&s;&s;i&s;t <HI>Venus</HI> in the get|ting of it from him; he &s;crambles with them, kicks one, pinches another, &s;cratches a Third, &s;pits at the Fourth; and finding that they were too many for him, he on the &s;udden having &s;ecur'd the Heart betwixt his Thighs, catches up his Bow, and pulls out an Ar|row
<PB N="64" REF="184">to &s;hoot; at which they all run away and left him; he laught at them, laid him&s;elf down again, and began to fool as before; pre|&s;ently after comes out as from ano|ther part of the Hanging, <HI>Old Time</HI> with his Wings and his Scythe, leading in one Hand <HI>Fortune</HI> with a Vail over her Eyes, a Sail in her Hand, a Wheel on her Head, and in the Name of it a Golden Ball, and in the other Hand <HI>Fame,</HI> with her Two Trumpets, her Gown all over be&s;trew'd with Ears and Eyes. They come up to <HI>Cupid,</HI> he &s;eems pleas'd with them, but &s;till &s;ecures the Heart; He plays with the Feathers of <HI>Times</HI> Wings, gives <HI>Fortune</HI> a blow, then hides him&s;elf behind <HI>Time</HI> and <HI>Fame;</HI> while &s;he gropes after him, he gets one of <HI>Fame</HI>'s Trumpets, and blows in it: They let him play &s;o with them, till he gets into a good Humour, which <HI>Time</HI> per|ceiving,
<PB N="65" REF="184">he leads him by the Hand towards the Ladies: <HI>Cupid</HI> &s;eems ba&s;hful at fir&s;t; at la&s;t takes a round, and after divers offers to &s;everal Ladies, he lays it in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s lap, and pre&s;ently flies a|way, <HI>Time, Fortune</HI> and <HI>Fame</HI> be|ing gone before.</P>
<P>This Heart was no &s;ooner laid in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s lap, but that &s;he was &s;urpriz'd to &s;ee it open, fall in pieces, and di&s;cover it &s;elf to be within &s;ide a whole Clu&s;ter of Diamonds and Pearls, in the mid&s;t of which was a Paper neat|ly folded, which &s;he had a great mind to open, and to &s;ee what it contain'd; but &s;he was unwilling to gratifie her De&s;ires at that time, becau&s;e that all the re&s;t of the Maskers had their Eyes fixed up|on her: However, her Curio&s;ity was &s;o great, that &s;he could not forbear turning up one Corner of it, in which having read the Word
<PB N="66" REF="185"><HI>Love,</HI> &s;he &s;ecretly convey'd it in|to her Pocket, together with the Heart, and took no further notice. By this time a large Table fill'd with all manner of Delicacies, &s;prung up as out of the Floor, with Seats round it; and out of the Hangings round, came out divers Servants with Bottles of all &s;orts of Liquors, and Gla&s;&s;es, which were &s;upply'd by others, which appear'd but half in and half out of the &s;aid Hangings, &s;till &s;hifting of Gla&s;&s;es after they had once been us'd. The Maskers did all ri&s;e, went and &s;eated them&s;elves round the Table, and took of what they lik'd be&s;t, with which &s;ome &s;tor'd their Pockets, others their Handkerchiefs, which they carri|ed after on the Stools on which they were &s;eated before; after which the Table and Chairs di&s;|appeared again. The Con&s;orts ceas'd, and the Four and Twenty
<PB N="67" REF="185">Violins &s;truck up &s;ome Tunes, to invite the Maskers to dance; af|ter they had danced &s;o long as it was thought convenient, there appear'd other Maskers, no body knowing how they came in, who danc'd divers Sarabrands, and other Antick Dances, very plea&s;ant and diverting. Which ended, and the Dancers retired, then did all the Maskers promi&s;cuou&s;ly mix toge|ther, and every one apply'd him|&s;elf as his Fancy led him.</P>
<P>It was then that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> took the opportunity of addre&s;&s;ing him|&s;elf to the <HI>Sultana;</HI> and under his Di&s;gui&s;es did take a greater liberty than he dur&s;t have done at another time, of mentioning his Love to her; each moment &s;eeming very tedious unto <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> who was watching at a di&s;tance for the time that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> would give the <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;ome re&s;pite, that he might tell her what he had to &s;ay. <HI>Clo|rineta</HI>
<PB N="68" REF="186">was not le&s;s impatient on the other hand, and thought it long before the <HI>Sultana</HI> di&s;mi&s;s'd the Emperour, as &s;he had promi|&s;ed her to do, that &s;he might have the opportunity of entertaining him in her turn. Mean time <HI>Rep|&s;et</HI> was plying his time tooth and nail in his Court&s;hip to <HI>Clorine|ta</HI>'s Woman, thinking her to be the Mi&s;tre&s;s, with no other De|&s;ign than to hinder a Commerce betwixt <HI>Cha-abas</HI> and <HI>Clorineta.</HI> While all the Maskers were thus bu&s;ie in entertaining one another, and &s;ometimes &s;hifting from one another, either for the &s;ake of meer change, or to meet with &s;ome particular Per&s;on that they had a mind to entertain, to find out &s;ome other that an&s;wer'd more home to their Propo&s;itions, or to take breath when they had &s;poken all they had to &s;ay. The jealous <HI>Monitenna</HI> was ob&s;erving all the
<PB N="69" REF="186">pa&s;&s;ages betwixt tho&s;e Per&s;ons with which &s;he was concern'd, &s;he &s;aw how that &s;o &s;oon as the <HI>Sultana</HI> had &s;hifted from <HI>Cha-abas, Clori|neta</HI> had &s;upply'd her room, in pa&s;&s;ing opportunely by ju&s;t in the nick, which had made the Empe|rour to detain her, and try her Wit. It troubled her not a little to &s;ee that her long detaining of <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> had made him once or twice offer at a Change, which in Civility is always left to the Wo|mans choice, and how &s;till &s;he had ingag'd him a-new, and held him fa&s;t by the hand, that he might not go from her, till &s;he had emptied her mind; &s;he per|ceiv'd how that the <HI>Mufti Chila&s;e</HI> had done the &s;ame with the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> and how hot he was upon his De&s;ign. At la&s;t &s;he had the &s;atisfaction to &s;ee <HI>Clorineta</HI> let go <HI>Cha-abas</HI> hand; but that &s;atisfa|ction was da&s;h'd again, by a pri|vate
<PB N="70" REF="187">Whi&s;per which &s;he &s;aw <HI>Cha-abas</HI> give her, and how that he then took the opportunity of ki&s;|&s;ing her neck. Tho&s;e were &s;o many points of Daggers in poor <HI>Monitenna</HI>'s Heart, which ha&s;ten'd her the more to put in execution that Revenge which &s;he had de|&s;ign'd.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> being thus di&s;ingag'd of <HI>Monitenna</HI>'s long Conver&s;ation, &s;ought after none but the <HI>Sultana,</HI> to whom he thought he had gi|ven &s;ufficient time to recollect, and fit her &s;elf for a &s;econd Charge; but perceiving a Per&s;on very ear|ne&s;t with her, he was &s;o di&s;creet, as to entertain him&s;elf with the next Lady he met near her, till he &s;hould find the place empty, which our amorous <HI>Mufti Chila&s;e</HI> did &s;till po&s;&s;e&s;s. <HI>Monitenna</HI> being ready to play her Game, &s;tep'd a|&s;ide to <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> and whi&s;per'd him in the Ear, that he was mi&s;taken,
<PB N="71" REF="187">and that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had been enter|taining <HI>Clorineta</HI> all that while, who he had but ju&s;t now quitted, and that if he would follow her, &s;he would bring him to her. <HI>Rep|&s;et,</HI> who had two or three times been &s;urpri&s;ed at the Di&s;cour&s;es of the Woman which he enter|tain'd, and at her unwillingne&s;s to &s;peak, but when oblig'd to give an An&s;wer, though &s;he would &s;ometimes &s;peak pretty pertinent|ly, as knowing her Lady's Intri|gues with <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> did believe the Intelligence which had been given him to be real, and &s;o follow'd <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who brought him to <HI>Clorineta.</HI> Where he fell a fuming and fretting again&s;t her, for ha|ving put the Change upon him, which &s;he excus'd as well as &s;he could, telling him moreover, that that was not a time to clear doubts in, and that &s;he would give him full &s;atisfaction after the Ball;
<PB N="72" REF="188">mean time &s;he was in a peck of troubles to get to the A&s;&s;ignation which <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had given her pre&s;ently after the Ball, &s;he thought that he would not let his Eye go off of her, and that if &s;he &s;hould offer to &s;peak to <HI>Cha-abas</HI> to put off the A&s;&s;ignation to another time, for &s;ome important Rea&s;ons, that would but exa&s;perate <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> the more, &s;o that &s;he did not know what to do, but was wi&s;h|ing for &s;ome &s;udden di&s;order, or accident which might give her the opportunity of &s;tealing away; when that <HI>Monitenna</HI> having de|liver'd a Note to the Emperour, which intimated, that his two late Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es were both enter|tain'd at that very moment by two <HI>Mufti's,</HI> who&s;e Names &s;he conceal'd, and at the &s;ame time having given the two <HI>Mufti's</HI> Notes, which gave them notice, that they were di&s;cover'd, and
<PB N="73" REF="188">that a Friend of theirs had provi|ded them a Coach, to make their e&s;cape, to which they &s;hould be guided. Both the <HI>Mufties</HI> &s;till un|known to one another, broke off abruptly their Court&s;hip, and with all the ha&s;te they could po&s;|&s;ibly, made towards the door of the Hall, they were met there with two Per&s;ons whom <HI>Moni|tenna</HI> had po&s;ted on purpo&s;e, who told them, taking them a&s;ide into a little Room, that they had Or|ders to let no body go by with|out they fir&s;t depo&s;ited their Di&s;|gui&s;e, that there being &s;ome Jew|els lo&s;t in the Company, it was &s;u&s;pected that &s;ome Rogues or other had taken this opportunity of pilfering &s;omething in &s;o great an A&s;&s;embly. The two <HI>Mufties,</HI> half dead at the&s;e News, offer'd to be &s;earch'd, and would have given all the money they had about them, &s;o they would but
<PB N="74" REF="189">let them go in their Di&s;gui&s;es, prote&s;ting of their innocence; to which the two men an&s;wer'd ac|cording to their Qew, that they believ'd them far from the Theft by their free offering to be &s;earcht, but becau&s;e that it was the Empe|rour's particular Order, and that it would be as much as their lives were worth to tran&s;gre&s;s it, they plainly told them, that they could not an&s;wer their de&s;ires: Thus were the two <HI>Mufties</HI> forc'd to unca&s;e, fearing a wor&s;e di&s;a&s;ter, &s;hould they &s;tay any longer. But how great was their &s;urprize, when they knew one another, how they &s;tar'd, how their Countenances chang'd, and with what confu&s;ion they were &s;eiz'd, there was no time to lo&s;e, they de&s;ired to be conducted to the Coach, which was accordingly done. They both got into the Hackney Coach in the dark, the Coachman asked where
<PB N="75" REF="189">they would go; they made An|&s;wer, towards their Lodgings, and told him where they were, they being not far from one another. When they were got out of the crowd and confu&s;ion of Coaches and Lights that were waiting a|bout that part of the Court; The one &s;aid to the other, <HI>Is this your Phy&s;ick that you would take? And is this your Country-journey?</HI> re|ply'd the other. <HI>Well,</HI> &s;aid Rep|&s;et, <HI>I have &s;ome Rea&s;ons for what I have done. And I al&s;o,</HI> reply'd Chi|la&s;e; <HI>wherefore it will be be&s;t for us to wave any further Di&s;cour&s;e for the pre&s;ent; we are near our Lodg|ings,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>let us go to re&s;t, and to morrow, if you plea&s;e, about twelve, we will confer Notes, in my Chamber, and endeavour to find out how we have been betray'd, and what</HI> Cha-abas <HI>thoughts are of us.</HI> With that they took leave of one another, and retired each to
<PB N="76" REF="190">their Appartment. Where we will leave them, to return to our Mas|kers.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas,</HI> upon the Information, going to give Orders for the pri|vate &s;ecuring of the two <HI>Mufties</HI> without noi&s;e, pa&s;s'd by <HI>Clorineta,</HI> who taking him by the Hand, be|ing over-joy'd that <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> was gone, &s;aid, that the hour of the A&s;&s;ignation drew near; <HI>I will but &s;tep to give &s;ome Orders,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>and I am yours.</HI> With that he went from her, &s;he was pre&s;ently &s;upply'd with &s;ome other, as well as was the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who not knowing of the Di&s;covery which had been made, was wondring at her Gal|lant's &s;udden departure, after &s;o many prote&s;tations of Love, which he had made her, tho' he would never let her know who he was, notwith&s;tanding that &s;he had pre&s;s'd him much to it; &s;he had made him very fair returns to
<PB N="77" REF="190">all his prote&s;tations, and had gi|ven him an A&s;&s;ignation the next Evening in a certain Walk of the Garden, where he had a&s;&s;ur'd her he would not fail to be, tho' &s;he de&s;ign'd to put the Change upon him, in &s;ending <HI>Clorineta</HI> in her room, and &s;he did long till the hour came, that &s;he might learn the &s;ucce&s;s of the Cheat. <HI>Cha-abas</HI> being return'd, and the Company growing weary, the Ball broke up, the &s;ooner too, that he might meet his Mi&s;tre&s;s at the Rendez|vous. <HI>Clorineta</HI> pre&s;ently &s;lipp'd out of the way, for fear the <HI>Sul|tana</HI> &s;hould take her home with her, and &s;o di&s;appoint the Empe|rour; the earne&s;t ha&s;te which <HI>Clorineta</HI> made, and the appre|hen&s;ions which &s;he di&s;cover'd at her going off, for fear the <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;hould &s;ee her, gave farther &s;u&s;pi|cions to <HI>Monitenna,</HI> that it was an A&s;&s;ignation betwixt the Empe|rour
<PB N="78" REF="191">and <HI>Clorineta.</HI> She therefore follow'd her clo&s;e, and bid one of tho&s;e Per&s;ons, which &s;he had em|ploy'd before about the <HI>Mufties,</HI> to dodge that Per&s;on, and to bring her word in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Coach where &s;he was gone; &s;he pre&s;ent|ly return'd to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who knew her, that ask'd her what was become of <HI>Cloreneta,</HI> &s;he told her that &s;he knew not. <HI>'Tis no matter, now I have you to keep me company home,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana, it may be &s;he will be at home before us. How &s;hall we get home un|known? I wi&s;h we had a Hackney Coach,</HI> continu'd the <HI>Sultana. Your own will do as well, Madam,</HI> reply'd Monitenna; <HI>for no body will ima|gine that you would make u&s;e of it your &s;elf.</HI> With the like Di&s;cour|&s;es, they got to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Coach, which they caus'd to drive a little out of the Crowd; by this time the Per&s;on that <HI>Monitenna</HI> had &s;ent,
<PB N="79" REF="191">was return'd, who having told her that <HI>Clorineta</HI> was in &s;uch a certain place walking all alone, the <HI>Sultana</HI> propos'd going there to take her up, wondring what &s;he &s;hould do in &s;uch a retired place by her &s;elf. They had much to do to di&s;ingage them&s;elves from the confu&s;ion and concour&s;e of people; they were &s;o long about it, that when they were come to the place of <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Rendez-vous with <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> they found them both together. This was accord|ing to <HI>Monitenna</HI>'s Heart's de&s;ire: She made no que&s;tion, but that that Object would create &s;trange Jealou&s;ies in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Mind, if &s;he had but one grain of Love; and of truth &s;he could not forbear giving &s;ome touches of her re|&s;entments both to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> and to <HI>Clorineta.</HI> She told him, that he had not deceiv'd her in her expectations; That &s;he had &s;et no
<PB N="80" REF="192">greater value on his Prote&s;tations than &s;he now did &s;ee them to a|mount unto, and that &s;he look'd on all that he had &s;aid as Words &s;poken in the Air.</P>
<P>She &s;poke to <HI>Cha-abas</HI> all the while, as if they knew not one another, and &s;erv'd <HI>Clorineta</HI> in the &s;ame manner. But after all, &s;he left <HI>Cha-abas</HI> and <HI>Clorineta</HI> to|gether, and retir'd with <HI>Moniten|na</HI> to her Coach, which was in the Street, not permitting either of them to &s;tir one &s;tep after her, which was no &s;mall Affliction to <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who by that &s;aw her &s;elf fru&s;trate of the De&s;ign which &s;he had of di&s;appointing them. They &s;taid not long after; They reflected a little on the Di&s;covery, and how they had been &s;urpriz'd: They fram'd &s;ome &s;pecious pre|tences, as that it was to de&s;ire <HI>Clorineta</HI> to &s;olicite the <HI>Sultana</HI> in <HI>Cha-abas</HI> behalf, and to inform
<PB N="81" REF="192">him, how his Declaration of Love had been receiv'd and re&s;ented; all which he had not had time to do, by rea&s;on of the &s;udden break|ing up of the Ball. Of truth it had la&s;ted longer, but that the Company perceiving the Empe|rour, who was very well known, to go out &s;o ha&s;tily, they thought that it was in order to retire, which gave the occa&s;ion of break|ing up &s;ome time &s;ooner than o|therwi&s;e might have been expect|ed. After this they parted, that by <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s &s;udden return home after the <HI>Sultana,</HI> it might take off all occa&s;ion of &s;u&s;picion; and <HI>Cha-abas</HI> retir'd, to give a full &s;wing unto his Amorous Thoughts.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> was very well pleas'd at <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s coming Home &s;o &s;oon after them, and gather'd from it, that no Action had pa&s;t be|tween the Emperour and her Ri|val; and when that <HI>Clorineta</HI> a&s;|&s;ur'd
<PB N="82" REF="193">the <HI>Sultana,</HI> whom &s;he ral|lied on the A&s;&s;ignation, that there was no other De&s;ign in it, but for <HI>Cha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">abas</HI> to gain her to be his So|licitor in his Amours towards the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and to be inform'd by her how his Declaration of Love had been receiv'd by her, &s;he found her &s;elf quite at ea&s;e on that &s;ide. The <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;aid to <HI>Clorineta,</HI> That &s;he had perceiv'd a Paper which was conceal'd in that Heart which had been given her by the little <HI>Cupid,</HI> but that &s;he had not had the Curio&s;ity yet to &s;ee what it contain'd; with that, taking out of her Pocket both the Heart and the folded Pa|per, after they had admired the Richne&s;s and neat Contrivance of the Heart, the <HI>Sultana</HI> gave the Paper to <HI>Clorineta</HI> to read. That Freene&s;s did abundantly &s;peak the great Con&s;idence which the <HI>Sulta|na</HI> repos'd in <HI>Clorineta,</HI> and in <HI>Mo|nitenna</HI>
<PB N="83" REF="193">al&s;o; for in &s;uch Ca&s;es but few Women will admit of Com|munication; but &s;uch was the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Love to <HI>Clorineta,</HI> and indifferency for all men but <HI>Amu|rat,</HI> that &s;he &s;et no Value upon any thing el&s;e. This is what was writ in that Paper:</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>IF my Abilities did an&s;wer but in &s;ome mea&s;ure the Ambition of my Will and De&s;ires, Divine Prince&s;s, I &s;hould e're now have laid the whole World at your Feet; Not that I could be &s;o vain as to imagine it worth your con&s;iderati|on; for many Worlds would not &s;uf|fice to make a Pre&s;ent proportionable to your Grandeur; but as that which could approach next to my Heart, the neare&s;t to your Merits, though &s;till at a va&s;t di&s;tance. Yet divers Worlds are wrapt up in the a&s;piring De&s;ires of that Heart which I humbly pre&s;ent you, with
<PB N="84" REF="194">all that it has already perform'd, and what it &s;hall be capable of at|chieving hereafter, to render it, mo&s;t charming Prince&s;s, the more acceptable. Let this Emblem of it repre&s;ent its firmne&s;s and con&s;tan|cy in the Re&s;olution of being eter|nally yours, as well as its Riches and Purity in Love. Yes, Madam, it is &s;o full of that Divine Flame, which your charms have kindled, that being not of &s;o yielding a Na|ture as to melt, it has bur&s;t in &s;un|der, permit that Balm which per|petually flows from your lips, to pre|vent the &s;ame effect in the Original, and give leave to that breath with which you perfume the <HI>Arabian</HI> Spi|ces, and give Life to all things, to refre&s;h its Ardors, yield a favour|able Reception, adorable <HI>Sultana,</HI> to an Heart repleni&s;h'd with the mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ionate De&s;ires imaginable of &s;erving you, and entertain as yours, that which is all Love for you, and
<PB N="85" REF="194">that can never find re&s;t nor &s;atisfa|ction till it has even out-run your very de&s;ires in its performance, which no Mortal can do with &s;uch a zealous Love as your Slave,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Cha-abas.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</LETTER>
<P>So &s;oon as <HI>Clorineta</HI> had read this, the <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;aid, <HI>This is &s;o like the Humour of him that writ it, that any per&s;on might ea&s;ily have gue&s;s'd at the Author, tho his Name had not been to it; and really all that he has &s;aid to me, was very much of the &s;ame Nature: How he has had information to find me out from among&s;t &s;o great a crowd I know not, tho I would gladly be &s;atisfied in it: It was ill done, and &s;o much again&s;t my intentions, that I am troubled for having confided in per&s;ons that have betray'd me. Mo|nitenna</HI> made great prote&s;tations of her Innocency, and <HI>Clorineta</HI>
<PB N="86" REF="195">made an&s;wer, <HI>Who &s;hould betray you but your &s;elf, Madam? Who, I betray my &s;elf,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sul|tana? after I had taken &s;uch cau|tions mea&s;ures, after I had had o|ther Apparels made in private that very Day, when you your &s;elf knew nothing of my De&s;igns but &s;ome few hours before. You are making out what I was &s;aying, Madam, That nothing but your &s;elf could di&s;cover you to the Em|peror: For how is it po&s;&s;ible to con|ceal that Greatne&s;s, that Maje&s;tick Air, and that agreeablene&s;s with which you adorn all your Actions, and attract the Eyes as well as the Hearts of all companies. It can no more be hid than the Sun's Beams in its full lu&s;tre. You need to have been &s;een but once to be known again, and di&s;tingui&s;h'd from all the re&s;t of the World, Madam, tho you had &s;hrowded you &s;elf under all the Di&s;|gui&s;es that Art could produce. A|way
<PB N="87" REF="195">with tho&s;e gro&s;s Flatteries,</HI> an|&s;wer'd the <HI>Sultana, you know I hate them;</HI> Monitenna, <HI>I dare &s;ay, is not of your Opinion, and does rather believe that &s;ome of my Servants, or &s;ome of the Dre&s;&s;ers has been won by Gold to betray me. Madam,</HI> reply'd <HI>Monitenna, tho' I cannot de|ny but that which</HI> Clorineta <HI>has &s;aid is true, to which I could add a great deal more, and &s;ufficient to have made a Di&s;covery of your Per|&s;on again&s;t your Will and Intenti|ons, yet I verily believe that you have been betray'd, and that I could detect the Per&s;on through which the Di&s;covery has been made. Pray oblige me &s;o much,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana, that I may puni&s;h them accordingly; for I will never endure &s;uch near my Per&s;on. To take all &s;u&s;picions from off my &s;elf, Madam, I am the more earne&s;t to tell you, that Ye&s;terday Morning I perceiv'd one of tho&s;e Gentlemen
<PB N="88" REF="196">which</HI> Cha-abas <HI>u&s;es to employ in &s;ecret Me&s;&s;ages and Intrigues, very earne&s;t in Di&s;cour&s;e with one of the</HI> Tailor<HI>'s Servants, in the pa&s;&s;age that leads to the place appointed for their Workroom, where I did &s;ee him give the Fellow Money for &s;omething which he had convey'd in|to his hand. The Gentleman had certainly known me, but that the Pa&s;&s;age being &s;omething dark, and I turning my Face towards the Wall as I pa&s;s'd by, I took from him the opportunity of &s;o doing. If this be examined into, Madam,</HI> continued &s;he, <HI>you will find that, or &s;omething wor&s;e at the bottom; for tho&s;e Per|&s;ons are never employ'd by</HI> Cha-abas <HI>but on &s;ome Amorous Intrigue, and every day in change of Habits. I am &s;atisfy'd,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana, and believe it to be &s;o; and &s;ince it is none of my own Servants that has been prevail'd with, I'le trouble my &s;elf no further about it; all
<PB N="89" REF="196">my Care &s;hall be wholly to avoid all opportunities of giving</HI> Cha-abas <HI>any conveniency of di&s;turbing the quiet of my Mind, either in his own Per|&s;on, or by the Mediation of any of his Mercuries; For the I cannot be &s;o rude as not to receive with a great deal of Re&s;pect, his Addre&s;&s;es, yet I &s;hall not afford them &s;uch Re|turns as he may expect; for be&s;ides, that I never had any inclinations towards the carrying on of Amorous Intrigues; the pre&s;ent condition of our Affairs will not permit me to yield all the complai&s;ance that I might otherwi&s;e have afforded in meer Diver&s;ion; and &s;ince I find that</HI> Cha-abas <HI>looks two ways at once, and that at the &s;ame time he makes his Addre&s;&s;es to you,</HI> Clori|neta, <HI>I a&s;&s;ure you, that you &s;hall find me the mo&s;t obliging Rival that ever was, and that I will forward your good Fortune as much as I can po&s;&s;ible; only I will take the opportu|nity
<PB N="90" REF="197">of his Addre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> both, to make &s;ome Dive<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> and to create &s;ome little Mirth <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ong&s;t our &s;elves.</HI> By this time the <HI>Sultana</HI> being quite undre&s;s'd, &s;he went to her Bed, and pre&s;ently after <HI>Clorineta</HI> and <HI>Monitenna</HI> did the like.</P>
<P><HI>Clorineta</HI> was no &s;ooner retir'd, but that &s;he gave a full Scope to all her Thoughts; She reflected on all that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had told her, on the A&s;&s;ignation he had given her, and on that which he had made her promi&s;e to give him; all which clearly &s;hew'd, that he perfectly knew her, and on that great Conde&s;cention which the <HI>Sultana</HI> had promis'd to her Amours; from all which &s;he pro|mis'd to her &s;elf a World of Sati&s;|faction and Content, which made her wi&s;h a Thou&s;and times, that &s;he had not been enter'd &s;o far into a Commerce of Gallantry with the <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et,</HI> as there was already
<GAP DESC="missing" EXTENT="2 pages">
<PB N="93" REF="197">bout it, and to &s;ift the bu&s;ine&s;s to the bottom, and find out the My&s;tery through <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Maids a&s;&s;i&s;tance. As for his clearing him|&s;elf towards his Companion <HI>Chi|la&s;e,</HI> having found him as deep in as he was him&s;elf, he troubled not much him&s;elf about that, and he did rather tend to di&s;clo&s;e his A|mours and Intrigues to <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> than to make a Secret of them, if he found him in a Communica|tive humour.</P>
<P><HI>Chila&s;e</HI> was much more con|cern'd, his thoughts were at once agitated with divers things, a|mong&s;t which, <HI>Cha-abas</HI> know|ledge of his having been at the Masking, did not the lea&s;t trou|ble him, e&s;pecially if he had al&s;o been inform'd of his Addre&s;&s;es to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> he wi&s;h'd a thou&s;and times he had but &s;ome knowledge of the Per&s;on that had di&s;cover'd him, that he might take his mea|&s;ures
<PB N="94" REF="198">accordingly; as to the re&s;t, he was &s;o pleas'd with the cour|teous An&s;wers which he had re|ceiv'd from the <HI>Sultana</HI> to all his Court&s;hip, that he was impatient to proceed, and to give her that further account of his Per&s;on, which he had promis'd her to do, according to her own de&s;ires. As to <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s knowledge of his ha|ving been at the Mask, he was much of the &s;ame opinion with his Fellow <HI>Mufti,</HI> with a re&s;olution of informing him&s;elf better the next day, and of clearing all doubts and &s;u&s;picions, he endeavour'd to &s;leep; but his Fancy was too much elevated with the thoughts of his &s;ucce&s;s in his Addre&s;&s;es to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> to let him take any re&s;t.</P>
<P>While we leave all our Lovers contriving which way is be&s;t to bring about their De&s;igns, and of compa&s;&s;ing of their ends, it will
<PB N="95" REF="198">not be ami&s;s to give the Reader a further account of the proceedings of Affairs in the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire. <HI>Amurat</HI> had had the good Fortune to mi&s;s the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Fleet, which lay wait for him, and to land that Ammunition and Men he had both of <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> and <HI>Ottomans,</HI> which had gone into <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> and offer'd their Service to him, among&s;t which but very few, or none at all of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion. <HI>Amurat</HI> found &s;oon after his Land|ing, that he was no longer Em|perour over <HI>Leridan,</HI> for pre&s;ently the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Council began to give him Directions in what&s;oever he was to do, in&s;omuch that he found he had not &s;o much Power left him, as the meane&s;t Officer in the Army, tho' nothing was yet act|ed but under his Name and by his &s;uppo&s;ed Orders. The fir&s;t thing, was to turn out of the Council all tho&s;e of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion,
<PB N="96" REF="199">which had till then &s;at in that Council, and had &s;tuck &s;tedfa&s;t unto <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Intere&s;t; the <HI>Per|&s;ians</HI> declaring, That they could not joyn in Council with any but the <HI>Hali&s;ts.</HI> This was follow'd pre&s;ently with turning out of their Governments and Places of Tru&s;t all the <HI>Albanians</HI> and <HI>Leridonians,</HI> of what per&s;wa&s;ion &s;oever, and to fill up their places with &s;uch <HI>Per|&s;ian</HI> Officers, as <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had &s;ent over to that purpo&s;e; and tho' <HI>Amurat</HI> did intercede in the behalf of &s;ome, who had rendred &s;ignal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pieces of Service, as their Fathers had done before, both to his Father, Brother, and to Him|&s;elf, all was over-rul'd by <HI>Cha-abas</HI> ab&s;olute Command, and the nece&s;&s;ity of Affairs requiring it to be &s;o: All this one would have thought had been &s;ufficient to have open'd <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Eyes; but he &s;uffer'd befides all that a world of
<PB N="97" REF="199">indignities, and was &s;o infatua|ted with the <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> flattering Tongues, that he was not back|ward (as he had Orders to do) to repre&s;ent on all occa&s;ions in publick the great Love and Care that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had for him, and what he had done, and what he would daily do to re&s;tore him to his Throne, and to e&s;tabli&s;h the <HI>Hali&s;t</HI>'s Religion throughout all his Dominions; at which, while the <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> laught in thei<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;leeves, <HI>Amurat</HI>'s poor dejected Subjects could not but wonder, and with their &s;ighs, tears, and groans, pity their Emperour's blindne&s;s, and bemoan their own mi&s;erable and de&s;perate condition, I mean among&s;t them that had not hearts or opportunities to take up Arms, in their own defence, again&s;t &s;o vi|&s;ible an U&s;urpation of the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Prince, who was bringing them into the &s;ame &s;lavery, as his own
<PB N="98" REF="200">Subjects were. But others that had Courage enough to expect a good &s;ucce&s;s from their Arms, and the Ju&s;tice of their Cau&s;e, being clearly convinc'd, that the War they were going to make through their oppo&s;ition of the <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> was directly again&s;t the de&s;igns of <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> in which their late Em|perour had no Concern at all. They took up Arms, gather'd to|gether, made them&s;elves Ma&s;ters of &s;ome &s;trong Holds, which they fortified, got in Provi&s;ions again&s;t a Siege, and declar'd one and all, that they would &s;tand by one a|nother, to the la&s;t drop of their blood.</P>
<P>The little or no re&s;i&s;tance which <HI>Amurat</HI> had found at his Landing, and &s;ome time after, did &s;o rai&s;e the Hearts of all the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> in all his Dominions, that the Fortre&s;s of <HI>Blunid</HI> in the Kingdom of <HI>Clon&s;tade,</HI> who&s;e Governour had required
<PB N="99" REF="200">time to deliver it up, did ut|terly refu&s;e to perform his promi&s;e; on the contrary, being in hopes of &s;ome Relief, he fortify'd him|&s;elf in it, and bid defiance unto the Senate of that Kingdom, de|claring, That he would never part with it, but to <HI>Amurat,</HI> who had plac'd him in there, and for whom he would pre&s;erve it to the la&s;t extremity; and divers <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> did arm them&s;elves &s;ecretly, and did a&s;&s;ociate together in &s;mall Troops, in hopes of being reinforc'd by <HI>Amurat</HI> from <HI>Leridan,</HI> &s;o &s;oon as he &s;hould have reduc'd that King|dom, which they expected he would do in a very &s;hort time. News were al&s;o &s;ent over into <HI>Albania,</HI> that <HI>Amurat,</HI> with &s;ome of his Friends <HI>Hali&s;t,</HI> and a nu|merous Army of <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> was landed in <HI>Leridan,</HI> had &s;ubdued his Enemies, recover'd that King|dom, bani&s;h'd from thence all <HI>Ma|hometans,</HI>
<PB N="100" REF="201">and was going with all expedition to do the like in the Kingdom of <HI>Clon&s;tad,</HI> from whence he would march to them with a Triumphant Army, and re&s;tore all his Friends the <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> to their E&s;tates and Employs, de&s;troy wholly the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, bani&s;h all its Abettors, and e&s;ta|bli&s;h there the Religion of <HI>Hali:</HI> they went &s;o far as to prefix a time for <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Return, and in all their Di&s;cour&s;es, their Acti|ons, and in their very Looks, they expre&s;s'd as much confidence and a&s;&s;urance as could be imagin'd, that all this would infallibly come to pa&s;s.</P>
<P>Mean time the Grand Senate of the Empire was continually in Con&s;ultation how to &s;ecure the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, the Laws of the Land, the Liberty of the Sub|ject, and the whole Empire from the <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> U&s;urpation, and all
<PB N="101" REF="201">the Con&s;piracies of the <HI>Hali&s;ts;</HI> they order'd, among&s;t other things, that all <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> &s;hould depart at ten miles di&s;tance from the Metro|polis of the Empire, but they were &s;o puff'd up with the expe|ctations of their &s;udden delive|rance, that they minded it not, and but very few, and them of the mo&s;t timid among&s;t them, did ob&s;erve tho&s;e Orders. On the other hand, the Confederate Prin|ces, again&s;t <HI>Cha-abas</HI> un&s;ufferable Pride and Ambition, did daily gain Victories again&s;t his Forces, who were forc'd to retreat, and aban|don all that they had taken a|gain&s;t their former Treaties and Engagements, but it was not with|out u&s;ing all the Violences and Cruelties imaginable, there was nothing to be &s;een but Fires, Ruines, De&s;olations, Rapes, Thefts, and Murders in all places that they quitted, not &s;o much as &s;pa|ring
<PB N="102" REF="202">of Mo&s;quees, nor the Palaces of Princes, and other publick Buildings, which among&s;t all Na|tions were ever pre&s;erv'd between the mo&s;t implacable and invete|rate Enemies.</P>
<P>Moreover, <HI>Cha-abas</HI> call'd the Heathens to come and make di|ver&s;ions with their Arms in the Territories of the Confederate Princes, a&s;&s;uring them, that they might do what they pleas'd again&s;t them, whil&s;t he would buy off their other Enemies, and with his whole Power keep them in play to|wards his Frontiers. Thus did that great Pretender of the Extirpation of Here&s;ies, and of the &s;etting up of <HI>Hali</HI>'s Religion, cau&s;e the &s;worn Enemies of the true <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion, to de&s;troy with Fire and Sword tho&s;e who profe&s;t his own Religion, which plainly &s;hew'd, that Religion was only a Pre|tence he made u&s;e of, to u&s;urp the
<PB N="103" REF="202">Rights of others, and to render him&s;elf ab&s;olute Monarch over all that part of the World; a thing which he had long &s;ince de&s;ign'd, and divers times attempted, and for which now all tho&s;e Confederate Princes of his own Religion, and others of the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Religion had unanimou&s;ly agreed to call him to an account, not doubting but that the Great <HI>Ala,</HI> who knew all his Treacheries, and perfidious Dealings, and U&s;urpations would ble&s;s their Arms and Undertakings, in &s;o ju&s;t a Cau&s;e, again&s;t that common Enemy.</P>
<P>Things were in this po&s;ture, when that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> having per|mitted Love for a time to triumph over his in&s;atiated Ambition, was laying clo&s;e Siege unto the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Cha&s;tity. He dre&s;s'd him&s;elf with all the advantages that he could po&s;&s;ible, to plea&s;e her Eye; he fram'd the mo&s;t pathetick Speeches
<PB N="104" REF="203">that he could invent, to charm her Ears; he made her the riche&s;t Pre&s;ents that he could po&s;&s;ible do, to plea&s;e her Prid&egrave; and Ambition, and he expre&s;s'd as great Pa&s;&s;ions and tran&s;ports of Love, to gain &s;ome returns of the &s;ame Nature from her. He &s;ent one of tho&s;e Mercuries, which I have men|tion'd, to know of the <HI>Sultana,</HI> when he &s;hould have the Honour to wait on her, and receive her Commands, and at the &s;ame time privately to convey into <HI>Clori|neta</HI>'s Hands a little Note, in which he expre&s;s'd the continua|tion, or rather increa&s;e of his Pa&s;|&s;ion, and put her in mind of the A&s;&s;ignation which &s;he had pro|mis'd to make him. This Me&s;&s;en|ger was receiv'd by the <HI>Sultana</HI> with that courteous and affable di&s;po&s;ition with which &s;he charm'd all Per&s;ons that approach'd her Pre&s;ence, and bid him tell the Em|perour,
<PB N="105" REF="203">that no Laws were to be pre&s;crib'd him in his own Empire, where it was but too much ho|nour for every one to obey e&s;pecially, by a poor dejected Prince&s;s, who had refug'd her &s;elf under the Wings of his generous Protection, but that &s;he &s;hould be better di&s;po&s;ed and more fitted to receive &s;o great an honour, with that re&s;pect which &s;he ought to &s;hew to &s;o great and glorious a Mo|narch, about the Evening, if he plea|&s;ed to do her &s;o great an honour, and &s;o di&s;mi&s;s'd the Me&s;&s;enger with Civility; who having fini&s;h'd his bu&s;ine&s;s in publick with the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> made a Complement to <HI>Clo|rineta,</HI> who had been pre&s;ent at the delivery of his Me&s;&s;age to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and who had remain'd behind, when the <HI>Sultana</HI> had re|tired, to know whether <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had retain'd any thoughts of her. The Mercury &s;oon found an op|portunity
<PB N="106" REF="204">of &s;ecretly conveying the amorous Note into <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s hand, who greedily receiving it, told him, that &s;he would take the fir&s;t opportunity that &s;he could po&s;&s;ible to read privately the Contents, and that according as it required, &s;he would &s;end an An&s;wer by an expre&s;s Me&s;&s;enger. With that the Me&s;&s;enger went his ways, as having fini&s;hed the bu&s;ine&s;s he was came about, and returned to give <HI>Cha-abas</HI> an ac|count of his Emba&s;&s;y.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> with a Rival's look, than who&s;e Eyes none are more piercing, had ob&s;erv'd the deli|very of the Note, the earne&s;tne&s;s with which <HI>Clorineta</HI> had &s;eis'd it, and the care with which &s;he had conveyed it into her Bo|&s;om, all this increas'd her rage and whetted her revenge; &s;he did not abandon her Rival one moment all that Day, endear'd
<PB N="107" REF="204">her &s;elf as much as &s;he could po&s;&s;i|ble to her, and &s;eeing her in a pen&s;ive humour, ask'd her what &s;he ailed, and whether &s;he could a&s;&s;i&s;t her in any thing, and do her &s;ervice? Yes, an&s;wer'd <HI>Clo|rineta,</HI> and my dear <HI>Monitenna,</HI> you may &s;ave my Life, or let me loo&s;e it, I am in &s;uch a condition that I want the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of &s;uch a friend as you are to help me out of it by your good Coun&s;els and Directions. Let us get in &s;ome private place, my Dear, added &s;he, while the <HI>Sultana</HI> is retir'd, according to her daily cu&s;tom obout this time, and there I'll lay open my Heart to thee, in hopes that thou wilt be my faithful Friend and Coun&s;ellor; with that taking <HI>Monitenna</HI> by the hand, &s;he led her into her own Appartment.</P>
<P>When they were got privately together, here &s;aid <HI>Clorineta,</HI> gi|ving the Note to <HI>Monitenna,</HI> read
<PB N="108" REF="205">what the Emperor has writ to me, with that <HI>Monitenna</HI> opening the Paper, read in it as follows,</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P><HI>I</HI> Hope that envious Demon of my happine&s;s, which guided the <HI>Sultana</HI> to di&s;turb our A&s;&s;ignation, will not be &s;o malicious as to give us new cau&s;e of Complaint. I &s;hall pay the <HI>Sultana</HI> a vi&s;it this Even|ing, if you can prefix a time for that happy moment, and convey to me your de&s;igns in Writing, I &s;hall be as obedient und diligent in the performance of your Commands, as I am impatient of all delays, defer no longer, giving me &s;ome new A&s;&s;u|rances of your conde&s;cention unto the mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ionate de&s;ires of him who dies for love of you.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>What do you think of this? &s;aid <HI>Clorineta,</HI> &s;o &s;oon as <HI>Monitenna</HI> had made an end of reading, I think, <HI>Madam,</HI> that there are no In&s;tructions to be given you upon this, he has &s;poken &s;o plain. 'Tis
<PB N="109" REF="205">true, reply'd <HI>Clorineta,</HI> but yet there is &s;omething that infinitely di&s;turbs my mind. What can di|&s;turb the mind of a Per&s;on who &s;ees her &s;elf belov'd pa&s;&s;ionately, belov'd by the greate&s;t Monarch in the World, reply'd <HI>Monitena;</HI> tho&s;e who he abandons, who he Sacrifices to you, may have cau&s;e to complain, but for you, upon whom his love flows beyond bounds or mea&s;ures&mdash;Then <HI>Clo|rineta</HI> interrupted her &s;aying; From thence flows my mi&s;ery al&s;o, for on the one hand, I mu&s;t wrong the be&s;t Prince&s;s in the World, to whom he al&s;o makes his Court at the &s;ame time; if I keep the knowledge of it from her, and if I let her know it, I &s;hall incurr her hatred, and his di|&s;plea&s;ure in betraying him to her But be&s;ides all this, I mu&s;t confe&s;s to you that I have gone &s;o far in a commerce of Gallantry with the <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et,</HI> that knowing
<PB N="110" REF="206">how apthe is to be tran&s;ported with Pa&s;&s;ion, &s;hould he come to the knowledge of my entertain|ing of any new love, though that of a Prince, he would be apt to break forth into &s;ome extrava|gancy or other, though he &s;hould involve him&s;elf in my ruine. This is my ca&s;e dear <HI>Monitenna,</HI> continued &s;he, and you &s;ee how much I &s;tand in need of your Advice in &s;uch an intricate bu&s;ine&s;s. I am not capable of giving you Coun&s;el in this, I can a&s;&s;ure, re|ply'd <HI>Monitenna,</HI> and where I in your ca&s;e my &s;elf, I &s;hould &s;tand as much in need of Advice as you do at pre&s;ent, which if I could not get, I would then follow my own In|clinations, and obey my own de|&s;ires. The love of an Emperor is a great inducement to what I &s;ay. You &s;peak very true, reply'd <HI>Clorineta,</HI> and I do verily believe, that &s;hould I di&s;cover <HI>Cha-abas</HI>'s love to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> &s;he would
<PB N="111" REF="206">not be &s;o much concern'd at it, con&s;idering how little &s;he regards his to her &s;elf, farther than allow|ing him that re&s;pect due to Crown|ned Heads. Well, my Will is good, I could venture on in giving the Emperour an A&s;&s;ignation, if I could tell where conveniently, and that I could conceal it from the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s knowledge; <HI>Where do you think would be the mo&s;t convenient place,</HI> continu'd &s;he? <HI>None like one of the Pavillions in the Garden,</HI> an|&s;wer'd <HI>Monitenna, after every body is retir'd; there you may have all the freedom imaginable of enter|taining one another. You &s;ay right,</HI> reply'd <HI>Clarineta; but &s;hould</HI> Rep|&s;et <HI>at that time come to my Cham|ber, all hours being alike to him, and he not find me there, nor at the</HI> Sultana<HI>'s, what noi&s;e and di|&s;turbance would he not make in his Jealou&s;ie? I know not,</HI> an&s;wer'd Monitenna, <HI>except you &s;hould pre|tend
<PB N="112" REF="207">you were gone ill to Bed, and had given out, that you would not be di&s;turbed by any Per&s;on what&s;o|ever. I believe that might do,</HI> re|ply'd Clorineta, <HI>if you would be &s;o kind as to give him his An&s;wer, I &s;hould do a great deal more for you,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>than that comes to; Then will I go write the A&s;&s;ignation for this Night,</HI> &s;aid Clorineta, <HI>and give it to</HI> Cha-abas <HI>when he comes by and by to vi&s;it the</HI> Sultana, <HI>and then I will di&s;po&s;e my &s;elf to go meet him at the place and time appointed, which, I believe, will be mo&s;t proper betwixt eleven and twelve, for the</HI> Sultana <HI>retires not till eleven, be&s;ides the</HI> Mufti <HI>&s;eldome comes to me after eleven: I &s;hall rely upon you,</HI> continu'd &s;he, <HI>to manage the</HI> Mufti, <HI>in ca&s;e he &s;hould drop in at &s;uch an un&s;ea&s;ona|ble time. Fear me not,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>as to my part with the</HI> Mufti. With that <HI>Clorineta</HI> &s;etled
<PB N="113" REF="207">her &s;elf to writing the Note, and <HI>Monitenna</HI> went out, leaving her very bu&s;ie about it.</P>
<P><HI>I Make no que&s;tion but it will be thought ill of</HI> Monitenna<HI>'s play|ing double with</HI> Clorineta, <HI>but tho&s;e Cen&s;urers little know what liberty is taken of that Nature, among&s;t Ri|vals in Love, if that we daily &s;ee, that in Ambition, which is a pa&s;|&s;ion le&s;s blind than that of Love, notwith&s;tanding how Friends, Rela|tions, Brothers and Si&s;ters, Fathers and Children, nay even Wives and Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es, are &s;acrific'd to the gree|dine&s;s of that devouring Pa&s;&s;ion; How much more cruelty may be ex|pected from a Rival in Love? Yet in all that</HI> Monitenna <HI>acts, there is no mixture of cruelty, there is barely the &s;atisfaction of Revenge on an imperious Rival, who is &s;o im|prudent as to lay her &s;elf open to a Per&s;on, of whom common Fame &s;poke &s;ome Intelligence with the Emperour,
<PB N="114" REF="208">which could not have &s;cap'd</HI> Clori|neta<HI>'s Ears; be&s;ides, &s;he did but break her mea&s;ures, as to the en|joying part, and made her &s;elf &s;port with rai&s;ing of Jealou&s;ie in the</HI> Mufti Rep&s;et<HI>'s bo&s;om towards her Rival, of truth it was too much Vanity in</HI> Clorineta <HI>to think her Beauty ca|pable to exclude all other Preten|ders from their &s;hare in</HI> Cha-abas <HI>Affections. She might have con&s;i|der'd, that</HI> Monitenna<HI>'s a&s;&s;iduous Services and Cares to</HI> Cha-abas, <HI>during his late Di&s;temper, might claim as great a &s;hare in his Affe|ctions, as her own Beauty could do; and &s;he ought not to have believ'd all that a Rival may &s;ay again&s;t her &s;elf in &s;uch a ca&s;e, but rather have di&s;tru&s;ted that there lay &s;ome Train hid under that de&s;ign to blow her up with, when opportunity &s;hould &s;erve; wherefore &s;he was but ju&s;tly puni&s;ht for her imprudence, and want of cir|cum&s;pection.</HI></P>
<PB N="115" REF="208">
<P>Now I come to the two <HI>Mufties, Rep&s;et</HI> had been at <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Apart|ment, where after divers Di&s;cour&s;es, they were &s;o well agreed together, that they had made a re&s;olution to go hand in hand with their A|mours, with a&s;&s;urances of a&s;&s;i&s;ting one another; as to <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> his Court was already made, he wanted but a Promi&s;e from his Rival not to in|trench upon his Prerogative at any time, now, or hereafter, in ca&s;e he &s;hould come &s;hort of his De&s;igns with the <HI>Sultana,</HI> which had been &s;olemnly &s;worn to him, but with what re&s;olution to be kept by him, I know not; for it is a Maxim, That all Rivals are to be adjudg'd Here|ticks in Love, and no body is bound to keep their Faith to Hereticks, according to the ble&s;&s;ed Doctrine of the Order of the Mahometi&s;ts. <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> was &s;atisfied with his <HI>Clori|neta,</HI> and <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> had writ a Letter to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> to intreat of her the
<PB N="116" REF="209">favour which &s;he had promi&s;s'd at the making of an A&s;&s;ignation, which Letter <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had engag'd <HI>Clorineta</HI> &s;hould deliver to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> without knowing from whence it came. Upon the&s;e a&s;|&s;urances of Friend&s;hip one to ano|ther, they had parted, but could never find out, nor &s;o much as come near &s;u&s;pecting of the true Per&s;on that had given them no|tice of their being di&s;cover'd, and hearing no more of it, they re&s;ted very well contented, not que&s;tio|ning but that they &s;hould have heard more of it e're then, if there had been any further de&s;ign in it, than giving them a fal&s;e Alarm. The Emperour, 'tis true, had made &s;ome reflexions on the Confidence of the two <HI>Mufties</HI> his Rivals, which at fir&s;t had put him upon a further &s;earch into the bu&s;ine&s;s, to have known their Names; but not knowing to whom to addre&s;s
<PB N="117" REF="209">him&s;elf for further intelligence, and on the other hand, being re&s;t|le&s;s in his new Amours, this la&s;t had put out of his mind all thoughts of the fir&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> thought &s;he had In|telligence &s;ufficient from her Rival, to give her the opportunity to &s;erve her a Trick, and all under one to &s;erve her own turn; &s;he writ a Letter in a &s;trange Cha|racter to <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> which &s;he caus'd to be convey'd to him by a &s;trange Hand, in which &s;he gave him no|tice, that if he would prevent <HI>Clo|rineta</HI> from going to an A&s;&s;igna|tion that Night at eleven of the Clock, which &s;he had given to a Rival of his, he would do well to come to her about ten of the Clock that Evening, and not to &s;tir from her till the Hour was over, that he &s;hould be convinc'd of the reality of the bu&s;ine&s;s by the unea&s;ine&s;s and re&s;tle&s;ne&s;s that he &s;hould find her in, and that if
<PB N="118" REF="210">he let her know that he had had &s;ome Intelligence of her De&s;igns, it would di&s;enable the Informer from ever more doing him &s;uch another piece of Service. The <HI>Mufti</HI> did receive the Note, and promis'd to him&s;elf to be with his Mi&s;tre&s;s early enough to &s;poil her Sport for that time, and to ob|&s;erve her exactly.</P>
<P>At la&s;t the Hour was come, in which <HI>Cha-abas</HI> was to make his Vi&s;it to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> he was dre&s;|&s;ed to the greate&s;t advantage ima|ginable, and had prepar'd him&s;elf to &s;peak his mind throughly to her, and to learn from her mouth what he might expect of return: He enters the <HI>Sultana's</HI> Chamber, &s;he who was re&s;olv'd to give him a po&s;itive An&s;wer, goes to meet him; <HI>Madam,</HI> &s;ays Cha-abas, <HI>pre|&s;uming upon that Goodne&s;s which I believe to be in you in as great a Splendour, as all the re&s;t of your
<PB N="119" REF="210">Perfections, I come to lay my life at your feet, expecting from your breath my Sentence to live or die.</HI> With that he put one knee on the &s;loor. <HI>Sir,</HI> &s;aid &s;he to him again, making an offer to rai&s;e him, <HI>If your life or death were at my di&s;po&s;al, you might be &s;ure to be ab&s;olute Ma&s;ter of both, for I &s;hould in&s;tantly re&s;ign unto you that Power &s;o ju&s;tly due to you alone under the Heavens. Live, Great Sir,</HI> con|tinu'd &s;he, <HI>live to reflect on the unworthine&s;s of that Per&s;on, in who&s;e power you would depo&s;ite &s;o great a Trea&s;ure. 'Las! what is life, Ma|dam,</HI> an&s;wer'd Cha-abas, <HI>if it is not ble&s;s'd with your allowance; and who can &s;ee you, and not de&s;ire above life, above all, to have a &s;hare in your Affections? No, Madam, it is far better to die than to live, and not have &s;ome hopes of being one day ble&s;s'd with your Love: The Hea|vens that have made you &s;o admi|rable,
<PB N="120" REF="211">&s;o charming, &s;o much to be belov'd by all that &s;ee you with di&s;|cernment, cannot have made you &s;o cruel, as to take no better advan|tage of all your Perfections, than to &s;trike Admiration and Love in peo|ple, and then to let them peri&s;h in their Love, without the lea&s;t grain of pity or commi&s;eration, for tho&s;e &s;uffer|ings which your Beauty does occa&s;ion. The &s;ame Heavens, Great Sir,</HI> an|&s;wer'd the <HI>Sultana, have de&s;ign'd me from the very beginning for</HI> Amu|rat, <HI>I have given him all that he had Right to claim of me, and I have left nothing at my own di&s;po&s;al, in the o|pinion that I had no body el&s;e to plea&s;e or gratifie but him. You &s;ee, Sir, that by that gift I am no more my own, and that if you require any thing from me beyond that Re&s;pect and Honour which I ought to have for the greate&s;t Prince of the World, it is to</HI> Amurat, <HI>and not to me, that you ought to addre&s;s your &s;elf: I
<PB N="121" REF="211">now do but keep for him, and wear about me for his u&s;e, whatever I once could call my own. Yet, Madam,</HI> an|&s;wer'd the Emperor, <HI>&s;ome pity may be allow'd unto the mi&s;erable, and</HI> Amurat <HI>be no Lo&s;er by it; you may command my Empire, I will imme|diately beg on my bare knees a Peace from my Enemies, and bend in&s;tant|ly all my Forces again&s;t his Enemies, if you but con&s;ent to it, nay I will head them my &s;elf, and lead them on through the thicke&s;t of your Rebels, if my Services may be but receiv'd. I will not only receive your Servi|ces,</HI> an&s;wer'd the <HI>Sultana, but your Commands al&s;o, if I can be &s;o happy as to oblige you in either, Sir, with|out too great a force on my inclina|tions; and here I declare, Sir, that next to</HI> Amurat, <HI>you may claim the greate&s;t &s;hare in my E&s;teem and Re|&s;pects. That is no more yet,</HI> reply'd the Emperour, <HI>than what you would mo|de&s;tly allow to any per&s;on that would
<PB N="122" REF="212">but in the lea&s;t mea&s;ure de&s;erve it, and beg it of you, but not one grain of Love, Madam. Yes, Sir,</HI> reply'd the <HI>Sultana, I love, nay I adore your Vir|tues, and among&s;t them that Noble Zeal, which has made you not to &s;pare your own Subjects, but &s;acri|fic'd them to your ju&s;t re&s;entments, in their di&s;obedience of your Commands, to abandon their Heretical Religion to cleave to yours: But as to Love, be&s;ides, Sir, that my natural incli|nations and di&s;po&s;ition lead me quite another way, whether through infir|mity of body, or prepo&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of mind by other more powerful motives, I find at this pre&s;ent, that it will ve|ry ill an&s;wer the condition that both</HI> Amurat <HI>and I am in, and the &s;ad circum&s;tances that we groan under, which are Cau&s;es that &s;hould pro|duce care, &s;orrow, and fretfulne&s;s, rather than Love and a gay Hu|mour. In a word, Sir, your Per&s;on is mo&s;t acceptable, your Wit, Cou|rage,
<PB N="123" REF="212">Courte&s;ie, Obligingne&s;s, and all other Ornaments are without ex|ception, and worthy to be admir'd by all the World. They may, nay they do &s;tir up an admiration and high e&s;teem for you in all per&s;ons, that are capable to judge of your Excellencies; but you mu&s;t excu&s;e me, if they cannot incite Love in a Bo&s;om that is not capable of any. The more mi&s;erable Wretch I am, Madam, and peradventure it is that I am come too late,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>after &s;ome more happy Rival; and</HI>&mdash; he was going on, when the <HI>Sul|tana</HI> thus interrupted him; <HI>Sir, whenever you &s;ee, or are by any cir|cum&s;tance imaginable, convinc'd of my yielding to another what I be|lieve no Monarch in the World would better merit than your &s;elf, except the</HI> Ottoman <HI>Emperour; do not then only tax me with all the Evils that could taint a virtuous Soul, but loath and dete&s;t me as
<PB N="124" REF="213">the wor&s;t of my Sex; but till then let me humbly beg of you to harbour a better opinion of me, and to be|lieve, that I have for you all the re&s;pect, honour, and e&s;teem that can be produc'd in a generous and grate|ful Spirit, by all the Endearments, and all the rare Qualities and Vir|tues that can be imagin'd. Well, Madam, I will not in&s;i&s;t any longer,</HI> reply'd he, <HI>on a bu&s;ine&s;s that is not plea&s;ing to your Ears, at this pre|&s;ent e&s;pecially, but will live in hopes, that by my mo&s;t a&s;&s;iduous Services, my indefatigable diligence and my matchle&s;s Love, I &s;hall in time produce in you that Love which you will not own to have, which I &s;o pa&s;&s;ionately de&s;ire to find in your Bo&s;om, and without which I &s;hall ever remain the mo&s;t mi&s;erable Prince in the World.</HI> He had much to do to get time to end the&s;e words, by rea&s;on of Company, which he &s;aw at di&s;tance coming
<PB N="125" REF="213">to vi&s;it the <HI>Sultana,</HI> which pre|vented her al&s;o from giving him any other An&s;wer, than, <HI>Well, Sir, agreed, let us leave all to time.</HI> With that the <HI>Sultana</HI> aro&s;e, and receiv'd the Company, which pro|duc'd an agreeable Diver&s;ion, in which <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had a part, tho' not long; for his repul&s;e by the <HI>Sultana</HI> did but whet him the more in his application to <HI>Clori|neta,</HI> to whom he gave the op|portunity to convey her thoughts in writing to him, and &s;tay'd not long after, that he might not give the lea&s;t &s;u&s;picion that could be to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and to gratifie his amorous Curio&s;ity and de&s;ires, which rendred him very impati|ent to learn the &s;ucce&s;s of his A|mours with that Mi&s;tre&s;s, he re|tired then, and read in that Note what follows.</P>
<PB N="126" REF="214">
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>IT is no &s;mall Tryal, Great Sir, that you put upon my Spirits, to try how well they could bear all the happine&s;s they are capable of at once, and yet keep within their bounds; yes certainly, Sir, the Ho|nour you do me in your la&s;t Com|mands, has &s;o much exa&s;perated my mind, that I wanted &s;omething to allay its happine&s;s, which I have found, in the very thoughts, of what mi&s;ery I &s;hould be plunged in, by &s;uch another di&s;appointment unto the longing de&s;ires of one that is &s;o whol|ly yours, as is <HI>Clorineta;</HI> you will find that Per&s;on betwixt eleven and twelve in the &s;ame Pavillion, in which &s;he fir&s;t had the Honour to learn, that &s;o great a Monarch was pleas'd to look down on &s;omean a Per&s;on, who waits for that happy moment with all the Love and im|patience imaginable.</P>
</LETTER>
<PB N="127" REF="214">
<P>There needed no more to &s;et <HI>Cha-abas</HI> heart all on fire, he thought the time very long till the hour was come, and did all he could to divert him&s;elf till then.</P>
<P>The Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> having recei|ved the Information, which <HI>Mo|nitenna</HI> had given him, tho' he knew not from whom, did think it of that concern, as was not to be neglected; wherefore before the hour of ten he came to <HI>Clori|neta</HI>'s Lodgings, where he found her and her Woman exceeding bu|&s;ie in &s;etting of her forth with all the advantage that Art could lend to kind Nature's gifts; but in what a &s;urpri&s;e was &s;he when &s;he perceiv'd him come into her Cham|ber? She had given Order, that he &s;hould be told &s;he was not well, and retired to re&s;t, with a de&s;ire not to be di&s;turb'd; but a Per&s;on, like the <HI>Mufti,</HI> who had made bold to intrude, formerly on the
<PB N="128" REF="215"><HI>Sultana</HI>'s retiredne&s;s, was not to be put by on his Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es's ac|count. He therefore giving no ear to what was told him, being &s;purr'd on with &s;ome &s;parks of Jea|lou&s;ie, which the Information had &s;tirr'd up in him, he entred, and found <HI>Clorineta</HI> as bu&s;ie as a Bride on her Wedding day, who, you may imagine, was &s;trangely di&s;|con&s;oled at the Apparition. <HI>Is this the &s;ick I<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">dy,</HI> &s;aid the Mufti, <HI>looking earne&s;tly on</HI> Clorineta; <HI>Yes,</HI> an&s;wer'd &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, <HI>and had you &s;tay'd but two minutes longer, you had found <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Bed, from which I have been diverted but &s;ome few moments to try the&s;e things which the Taylor and Tire-woman have brought me, that they may mend the faults out of hand. I am &s;orry, Madam, to learn that you are ill, tho' I hope not with much danger, and I am much of your mind, that the Bed may contribute much to your reco|very;
<PB N="129" REF="215">to which purpo&s;e I will retire for &s;ome time in the next room, to give you the liberty of going to your Bed, where, Madam, I will come and read by you to divert you, as I u&s;e to do.</HI> For you mu&s;t know, that one of the pretences for the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s coming at any hour into <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Chamber, which pa&s;s'd currant with all her Servants, but one particular Favourite, who was privy to their amorous Intrigue, was his pretend|ing to bring her the News and In|telligences from <HI>Leridan,</HI> where her Husband was <HI>Ba&s;&s;a,</HI> to read them to her, and to con&s;ult with her a|bout tho&s;e concerns, and &s;ometimes al&s;o to read new Pieces that were curious and witty. <HI>Clorineta</HI> hear|ing his De&s;ign, was almo&s;t di&s;tra|cted at his re&s;olution, and &s;aid, <HI>That truly her head did &s;o ake, that reading would but the more di&s;com|po&s;e her, and that &s;he de&s;ired no|thing but &s;ilence and darkne&s;s. How,
<PB N="130" REF="216">Madam, does your head ake &s;o vio|lently? then there is more danger than I apprehended. Pray, Madam, let me feel your Pul&s;e, you know that I have &s;ome skill in Phy&s;ick,</HI> and continu'd he, holding of her Arm, <HI>I find indeed &s;o great a di&s;turbance, and &s;uch an agitation of Spirits, that my care of your Welfare will not permit me to go from you, till you have had &s;ome two or three hours &s;leep, after which I &s;hall be able to judge, whether Nature will be &s;o kind as to overcome the di&s;tem|per without the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of cooling Julips or Bleeding, or whether we mu&s;t flie to Remedies for aid. Go, Madam,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>ha&s;ten to your re&s;t, I find you want it much, and I will not detain you any longer from it. Clorineta</HI> believing that he was now going his way, was overjoy'd within her &s;elf at the good &s;ucce&s;s of her feigned illne&s;s, when her fla&s;h of Joy was im|mediately
<PB N="131" REF="216">extinct, by the ad|dition which the <HI>Mufti</HI> made of his going into the next room, where he would wait till &s;he was in Bed, would once again feel her Pul&s;e, after that he would &s;tay in the next room for her awaking, that he might not di&s;turb her with any noi&s;e, and then he would &s;ee what alteration her repo&s;e had made in her, and whether for better or for wor&s;e. With that he retired without &s;peaking a word more, nor hearing her, and &s;at him&s;elf down in the Anticham|ber.</P>
<P>He was no &s;ooner gone out of one door, but that &s;he caus'd it to be made fa&s;t within &s;ide, and &s;he &s;ent to de&s;ire <HI>Monitenna</HI> to come to her by another door, unto whom &s;he told all her Grievances, and ask'd her what &s;he &s;hould do; <HI>I know not now,</HI> reply'd Moniten|na, <HI>but you &s;hould have given order
<PB N="132" REF="217">&s;ooner of having no body admitted to you, and you &s;hould have kept your &s;elf lock'd up in your own Cham|ber; and he would have &s;tay'd,</HI> re|ply'd Clorineta, <HI>and waited all night, as you &s;ee he will now, before he had retired without &s;eeing me; Then there &s;hould he have waited,</HI> &s;aid Monitenna, <HI>while you might have convey'd your &s;elf to the Ren|dezvous another way. But what is to be done now?</HI> reply'd Clorineta, <HI>I am ruin'd, undone for ever, I am the mi&s;erable&s;t Wretch in Nature, I will dre&s;s my &s;elf and be gone, and leave him waiting where he is, till he is weary. Con&s;ider, Madam, the inconveniencies that will attend that, you know his ha&s;ty Temper, that he will &s;ee you in Bed, and then wait till you have &s;lept, his impatience will never let him re&s;t an hour without coming to &s;ee whe|ther you repo&s;e, and feel your Pul&s;e, of he is denied entrance, that will
<PB N="133" REF="217">but rai&s;e his Jealou&s;ie, which will make him ten thou&s;and times more re&s;tle&s;s, and unea&s;ie, and what he may not do when his pa&s;&s;ions are up, you may imagine. Heavens, what &s;hall I do then?</HI> reply'd Clorine|ta, <HI>I &s;hall die, I &s;hall peri&s;h, I &s;hall not live till morning, a&s;&s;i&s;t me with your coun&s;el, or I &s;hall run di&s;tracted. All that I can tell you,</HI> &s;aid Mo|nitenna, <HI>is, that you mu&s;t re&s;t &s;a|tisfied. What, and leave the Em|perour waiting in vain,</HI> reply'd <HI>Clo|rineta</HI> in a pa&s;&s;ion, <HI>that mu&s;t not be, I had rather hazard all, and endure all that the</HI> Mufti<HI>'s rage can &s;ugge&s;t him to do, than fail of meeting</HI> Cha-abas <HI>at the time and hour: You do not con&s;ider,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>that there wants not above half an hour, and that it is impo&s;&s;ible you &s;hould be dre&s;s'd by that time, and get thither, by the</HI> Mufti<HI>'s amu&s;ing you &s;o long. I'le run &s;tark naked rather than fail
<PB N="134" REF="218">him,</HI> reply'd pa&s;&s;ionately <HI>Clorineta. Do what you plea&s;e,</HI> &s;aid Monitenna, <HI>but&mdash;but what, good now,</HI> reply'd ha&s;tily <HI>Clorineta? I &s;ay, that if I was in your ca&s;e,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>I would re&s;olve to &s;end &s;ome per&s;on to him, with &s;ome great excu&s;e, which &s;hould expre&s;s the &s;orrow that you are in for the di&s;appointment: Well, I think I mu&s;t do &s;o, and if you would take that trouble upon you, for I have no body el&s;e that I dur&s;t confide in, you will infinitely oblige me, he will not know you in the dark, tell him that&mdash;tell him what you plea&s;e; your mind being le&s;s troubled than mine is at pre&s;ent, you may better frame an excu&s;e than I can my &s;elf. Pray lo&s;e no time, remember the Nature of the Bu&s;i|ne&s;s, and act accordingly in it, I will go to Bed, which in the per|plexity and di&s;turbance of mind I am in, is the fitte&s;t place for me, &s;ince I cannot go where I would, you
<PB N="135" REF="218">may &s;afely &s;ay, it was a &s;udden Fit of Sickne&s;s &s;urpriz'd me; and I believe that it will be &s;o in earne&s;t by morning. I will not de|tain you any longer; I will retire.</HI> With that &s;he prepar'd her &s;elf for Bed.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> was ravi&s;h'd to &s;ee her Plots &s;ucceed &s;o well; &s;he knowing before hand to what &s;he &s;hould bring that bu&s;ine&s;s, had dre&s;s'd her &s;elf to all the advantage &s;he could po&s;&s;ible, and wanted but &s;ome little addition to her Head, to fit her to per&s;onate <HI>Clorineta,</HI> with the Emperour, as &s;he had projected to do. She made all the ha&s;te i|maginable to fit her &s;elf to the pur|po&s;e &s;he was going about, and &s;et forth for the Adventure: She came into the Garden by the help of the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Key, which <HI>Clorineta</HI> had &s;ecur'd before hand for her purpo&s;e, and addre&s;s'd her &s;teps to the Pa|villion, where &s;he was not long
<PB N="136" REF="219">before <HI>Cha-abas</HI> came. He pre|&s;ently run to her, and flung him|&s;elf about her Neck with the great|e&s;t tran&s;port imaginable. <HI>And is Fortune &s;o kind at la&s;t,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>as to bring me into the Arms of that Per&s;on that I &s;o much prize above the World? Monitenna,</HI> who all this while had not had time to &s;peak, reply'd, <HI>You mi&s;take the Per&s;on, Sir, I believe, and forget who you were to meet. Not in the lea&s;t, dear Ma|dam,</HI> reply'd Cha-abas, <HI>I know that the</HI> Sultana <HI>is at this time retir'd to divert her &s;elf with her &s;ullen Humour, and that I have now the happine&s;s to po&s;&s;e&s;s that towards which my Heart has the greate&s;t ten|dency, there being more of Gallantry and Re&s;pect in its application to the</HI> Sultana, <HI>than Love, which I bring intirely to the mo&s;t charming</HI> Clori|neta. <HI>Still you may mi&s;take, Sir,</HI> &s;aid <HI>Monitenna, for I find you &s;pake not tho&s;e things which you intend to
<PB N="137" REF="219">me; and I fear very much that your Heart and your Tongue go not toge|ther. Think, Sir, better before you &s;peak, and go not on &s;o fa&s;t to ruin a poor credulous creature that has but too much tru&s;ted in your fair Words: I am not the fir&s;t, it may be, that has been too credulous, and I believe would wi&s;h them&s;elves now in my place. But few, Madam, can pretend to that Happine&s;s, I a&s;&s;ure you,</HI> reply'd he, <HI>and none to &s;uch a &s;hare in my Love as my dear</HI> Clori|neta. <HI>Yes, you will except</HI> Moni|tenna, <HI>doubtle&s;s,</HI> reply'd Moniten|na. Monitenna, reply'd the Em|perour, in a &s;cornful Tone! <HI>Alas, poor creature, &s;he has de&s;erv'd much, I mu&s;t confe&s;s, by her a&s;&s;iduous care in my late illne&s;s, and I have, and will &s;till more reward her for her dili|gence, which I mu&s;t confe&s;s was ex|traordinary; but&mdash;But &s;he loves you, I dare &s;ay,</HI> reply'd <HI>Monitenna</HI> ha&s;tily; <HI>and it was that Love of
<PB N="138" REF="220">hers which made her do for you what you might not expect from any other Per&s;on that had not been mov'd by Love: And doubtle&s;s you have given her &s;ome hopes of Return in the &s;ame Nature, or&mdash;</HI> There <HI>Cha-abas</HI> in|terrupted her in his turn, &s;aying, <HI>I might encourage her, 'tis likely, with &s;ome &s;uch hopes, to continue her in the &s;ame Humour of a&s;&s;i&s;ting me as &s;he had done: But what is that to Love? Nay, what is that to you, to me, to our pre&s;ent concerns, dear Madam? Let us lo&s;e no longer time in things that &s;o little concern our pre&s;ent bu&s;ine&s;s; let us enjoy our &s;elves while we may&mdash;</HI>Saying of this he began to be a little more bu&s;ie with his Hands than he had been; but finding that there was no Reply, nor &s;o much as the lea&s;t re&s;i&s;tance made, that the Lady was fallen forwards on him, her Arms ex|tended downwards, and without Motion, it made him de&s;i&s;t from
<PB N="139" REF="220">the Labour of his Hands, to look after her: He lifted her up, which motion bringing poor <HI>Monitenna</HI> to her &s;elf again from the Swoon that his Cruel Expre&s;&s;ions had put her in: <HI>Oh! cruel Prince,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, giving a great &s;igh, <HI>and mo&s;t un|fortunate</HI> Monitenna! With that &s;he return'd into a fainting Fit a|gain, which gave time to <HI>Cha-abas</HI> to con&s;ider more exactly who it was, by the aid of the Moon, which had ri&s;en &s;ince their meet|ing, than he had done before in the dark. He &s;aw plainly his mi&s;take, and was doubtle&s;s troubled at what he had done; but he was no le&s;s &s;truck with wonder at <HI>Monitenna</HI>'s &s;upplying of <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Room: He did all he could to bring her to life again; He laid her down on the Seats that were in the place, and run to the Fountain that was not far, and brought from thence Wa|ter in his Hat, which he flung in
<PB N="140" REF="221">her Face: At la&s;t he did &s;o much, that the poor afflicted <HI>Monitenna</HI> came to her &s;elf again, and fetch|ing a deep &s;igh, and looking &s;ted|fa&s;tly on the Emperour, <HI>Oh! do not, Sir,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>take &s;o much pains on a Per&s;on that is &s;o unworthy of it; Re&s;erve tho&s;e Labours for more hap|py Per&s;ons: And &s;ince that the mi|&s;erable</HI> Monitenna <HI>has no hopes left of obtaining the Effects of tho&s;e vain Promi&s;es in which &s;he &s;o unfortunate|ly put too much confidence: Be not &s;o doubly cruel, as fir&s;t to kill her, and then not to let her die. My dear</HI> Monitenna, reply'd Cha-abas, <HI>be|lieve that I have a &s;hare of Love for you al&s;o, and let me intreat you to attibute my Failings to that Li|berty that we Men have given our &s;elves of courting all New Faces: Sometimes it may be, when we lo&s;e by the change, and are invited to it meerly by Novelty: You know, dear</HI> Monitenna, <HI>that we are Nature's
<PB N="141" REF="221">Children, and that we love to follow the &s;teps of that dear Mother, who her &s;elf is delighted with Variety: I love thee, I prote&s;t I do, and &s;hall give thee further Demon&s;trations of it whene're thou plea&s;e&s;t. We are both mi&s;taken,</HI> continued he, <HI>it is true, I did not think to find thee here; I confe&s;s that I had appointed to meet the Lady</HI> Clorineta, <HI>but how &s;he has fail'd, and you come in her Room, is a wonder to me. You are mi&s;taken in her, Sir,</HI> an&s;wer'd <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who was a little come to her &s;elf, <HI>&s;he has other A&s;&s;ignati|ons, other Amours to manage be&s;ides yours; &s;he loves Variety as well as you &s;ay you do, Sir,</HI> continued &s;he; <HI>and it was the entertaining of ano|ther Lover, which &s;he prefers to you, that made her de&s;ire me to &s;upply her place, and to tell you, that &s;ome &s;udden Di&s;temper has been the cau&s;e of her di&s;appointing you. And does &s;he prefer any man to me?</HI> reply'd
<PB N="142" REF="222">the Emperour in an huffing tone, <HI>Is &s;he &s;o weak as to forget who I am? and can &s;he plea&s;e her &s;elf in any others company better than in mine? Then let her go, I will no longer think her worthy of my thoughts, I will leave her to a&s;&s;oci|ate with Per&s;ons more &s;uitable to the lowne&s;s of her mind; &s;he does not merit the Love of a Monarch, that can prefer a meaner Per&s;on to his Favours. But as for that Per&s;on who &s;he prefers to me, I will bani&s;h him out of my Empire; none &s;hall find protection in it, that &s;hall have dar'd to lift up his thoughts where there might be but the lea&s;t &s;u&s;picion imaginable that I de&s;ign'd: Let me but know that in&s;olent Varlet, and I &s;hall &s;oon break his mea&s;ures. Great Prince,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>know that the Per&s;on is not worth your Anger, no more than &s;he for prefer|ing a mean pitiful</HI> Mufti <HI>before the greate&s;t Monarch in the World: Let
<PB N="143" REF="222">them alone for the pre&s;ent, Sir, and I engage to you, that in &s;ome few days I &s;hall not only bring you to &s;urpri&s;e</HI> Clorineta <HI>and her Lover to|gether, but al&s;o &s;hew you another Scene at the &s;ame time and place, betwixt another</HI> Mufti <HI>and the</HI> Sul|tana, <HI>how re&s;erv'd &s;oever &s;he car|ries it towards you. How! ano|ther</HI> Mufti, reply'd Cha-abas, as &s;urpri&s;ed, <HI>has the Devils &s;et loo&s;e all the</HI> Mufties <HI>in the World to op|po&s;e and thwart me in my Amours. Mu&s;t &s;o great and mighty a Prince as I am, be baffled in his Enterpri|&s;es by &s;o mean a thing as a</HI> Mufti? <HI>I &s;hall make &s;uch Examples of them as &s;hall for ever deter all &s;uch Black Coats from ca&s;ting but an Eye on any Object that I deign to favour with my liking: And as to you, my dear</HI> Monitenna, <HI>here is my Hand, that for the future I &s;hall have you in greater E&s;teem than ever, and you &s;hall be &s;en&s;ible henceforth both of
<PB N="144" REF="223">my Bounty and Love: Build upon it, as on a &s;ure Foundation that &s;hall ne|ver fail you. Monitenna</HI> remain|ing &s;till very much di&s;order'd by her late di&s;turbance, return'd hum|ble Thanks to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> and a&s;|&s;ur'd him, That &s;he would endea|vour by all means imaginable to de&s;erve in part his Favours, though &s;he could never pretend to merit &s;o much Honour: She told him moreover, That &s;he fear'd her late Di&s;orders might bring &s;ome Fits upon her, which &s;he would en|deavour to intercept, if &s;he could come to &s;ome Remedies which &s;he had in her Clo&s;et again&s;t &s;uch Di|&s;tempers. Upon this <HI>Cha-abas</HI> ta|king of her by the Hand, gave her a Ki&s;s, as a Pledge of what he had promis'd her, and &s;aying, That &s;eeing &s;he &s;till continu'd ill, he would not detain her any longer from her Re&s;t, and would put off to another time giving of her
<PB N="145" REF="223">more ample Proofs of his Love. With that he led her to the Garden Door which an&s;wer'd to her A|partment, where, for fear of be|ing di&s;covered, he parted with her.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> was not a little pleas'd with her &s;elf for having &s;o much di&s;gu&s;ted the Emperour of his Two New Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es, and in|gratiated her &s;elf into his Favour again: She re&s;olv'd to manage it, and to gain him wholly to her; wherefore &s;he pur&s;u'd her De&s;ign, in rendering the <HI>Sultana</HI> and <HI>Clori|neta</HI> as &s;u&s;pected to the Emperour as could be, not making any &s;cru|ple at all to undermine tho&s;e Per|&s;ons who had in&s;inuated them&s;elves into <HI>Cha-abas</HI>'s Affections, to her prejudice, and who, as &s;he thought, had encroached on her Preroga|tives, which &s;he laid claim to by Precedency. She enquir'd at her return after <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Health; it
<PB N="146" REF="224">was told her, That &s;he had conti|nu'd in Bed ever &s;ince, without Sleep; that the <HI>Mufti</HI> had fre|quently vi&s;ited her, and was &s;till attending in the Withdrawing-Room; and that &s;he had frequent|ly ask'd after her, and order'd, that &s;he &s;hould be brought to her &s;o &s;oon as &s;he return'd; that made <HI>Monitenna</HI> to ha&s;ten to <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s Chamber, where going to her Bed-&s;ide, &s;he gave her &s;uch an account of her Tran&s;action with <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> as &s;he thought fit, to put her nei|ther in extraordinary Hopes or De|&s;pair: She could not &s;tay long with her; for the <HI>Mufti,</HI> who had been a whole half hour without &s;eeing her, could hold out no long|er, and was demanding admi&s;&s;i|on; So that as <HI>Monitenna</HI> was go|ing out at one Door, for fear of creating more Jealou&s;ies in his Head, the <HI>Mufti</HI> came in by the other. <HI>Well, Madam,</HI> &s;aid he to
<PB N="147" REF="224">Clorineta, <HI>how do you find your &s;elf now,</HI> taking her by the Arm? <HI>Truly the wor&s;e for you,</HI> replyed &s;he; <HI>for you will not let me &s;leep, but are continually di&s;turbing me when I fall into &s;lumbers, which &s;trangely di&s;compo&s;es me. Well, Madam, I hope that you will be &s;o ju&s;t, as to attribute it to my care of your health, and my Zeal in your Service: And &s;ince I find, that there is no increa&s;e of Fever, now that it is towards day, I will leave you wholly to your re&s;t, which I &s;hall pray may be &s;weet and com|fortable to you. I &s;hall vi&s;it you again when I think you have &s;uffi|ciently repos'd, with hopes to find you quite recover'd: mean time, I am your humble Servant.</HI> With that he took his leave of <HI>Clori|neta,</HI> and went his way, not doubting but that he had broke the A&s;&s;ignation for that time; and he &s;et him&s;elf on thinking how he
<PB N="148" REF="225">&s;hould &s;ecure her wholly to him|&s;elf for the future.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas,</HI> for his part, was &s;trangely alter'd in his Mind, &s;ince the Information which <HI>Mo|nitenna</HI> had given him of <HI>Clori|neta</HI>'s Plurality of Lovers: She did not concern him &s;o much, peradventure, not thinking her any longer worthy of his E&s;teem, after the prefering of a <HI>Mufti</HI> to him: But more particularly was he troubled at the In&s;olency of that <HI>Mufti,</HI> that dur&s;t a&s;pire to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Favour, who he could not beat out of his Head, but 'twas <HI>Rep&s;et;</HI> and not well knowing who the other <HI>Mufti</HI> could be, he was &s;till apt to fall into the Opinion, that it was the &s;ame Per&s;on who made Love to both his Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es, at the &s;ame time. This he imprinted &s;o well in his Imagination, that nothing could beat it out, no, not his re|flecting
<PB N="149" REF="225">on what <HI>Monitenna</HI> had told him, of bringing him to &s;urprize both his Rivals at once: He thought that &s;he meant, that he &s;hould &s;ee <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> courting of both his Mi&s;tre&s;&s;es pre&s;ently after one another; or that he had not well under&s;tood her: But &s;till his Mind was entirely bent on the belief, that <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> was the only op|po&s;ition which he found in his Amours, which made him take the Re&s;olution to watch him clo&s;e, to examine all his Actions, every &s;tep that he made, and what Com|pany he kept all the day long, by &s;uch tru&s;ty Per&s;ons as &s;hould give him full Information of all that he de&s;ired to know; and in that Re&s;olution to &s;et &s;ome Per&s;ons about it that very day, he went to re&s;t.</P>
<P>Mufti <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> having by this time taken all his mea&s;ures and precautions in his further Addre&s;|&s;es
<PB N="150" REF="226">to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> had writ a Let|ter, in which he did give her a further account of his Per&s;on: He got a tru&s;ty Me&s;&s;enger to con|vey it to <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s Hands, who had promis'd him to give it to <HI>Clorine|ta,</HI> who &s;hould pre&s;ent it to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> not knowing from whom it came: So that <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> carried it along with him when he return'd that &s;ame day to give a Vi&s;it to <HI>Clorineta,</HI> which was towards E|vening. After he had entertain'd her a while, he took his leave of her, to go about a Bu&s;ine&s;s of high Concern, intreating her to deliver that Letter which he gave her in|to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s own Hand, with|out any enquiry after the Au|thor; which &s;he having promis'd to do, he went his way, and &s;he not long after waited on the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> unto whom having deliver'd that Letter, without a Name, the <HI>Sultana</HI> had the Curio&s;ity to read in it as follows:</P>
<PB N="151" REF="226">
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>THat va&s;t di&s;proportion that is betwixt your Greatne&s;s and my &V;nworthine&s;s, Great Prin|ce&s;s, would leave me nothing to &s;ay for my &s;elf, had I not been a&s;&s;ur'd from your own mouth, at the Mask|ing, That my mo&s;t humble Addre&s;|&s;es, &s;hould not be wholly rejected: But not daring to approach too near the &s;plendor of your Soveraignty, without being &s;hrouded under the favourable Veil of your Permi&s;&s;ion, for fear of burning the Wings of my Ambition, and ca&s;ting my &s;elf into eternal mi&s;ery, I have pre&s;um'd, not without trembling, to addre&s;s my &s;elf to your affable Goodne&s;s, mo&s;t Adorable Prince&s;s, by the media|tion of the&s;e Lines, to humbly re|pre&s;ent to your commi&s;eration, to what an height of Love and Ambi|tion my Heart is ri&s;en, through your &s;ingular Bounty and Permi&s;&s;ion; that Heart and Mind, Madam, &s;o
<PB N="152" REF="227">di&s;proportionable to the meanne&s;s of my Birth, when compar'd to your Il|lu&s;trious Self. Give me leave to be|lieve, Madam, that &s;uch an a&s;pi|ring mind, mu&s;t be other than of the common &s;tamp; and it creates in me &s;ome thoughts, that through &s;ome mi&s;take in Nature, my mind was de|&s;ign'd for &s;ome body of a more No|ble Blood than that which contains it now; or that my mother, re&s;ol|ving to have a child an&s;werable to her Ambition, might be endowed with &s;o much Beauty, and other En|gagements, as to invite &s;ome Per&s;on of a Noble Birth, to &s;atisfie there|in her Towring De&s;ires. How dur&s;t I el&s;e, mo&s;t Illu&s;trious <HI>Sultana,</HI> rai&s;e my thoughts to that height, in which the Heavens and Nature have plac'd you above the re&s;t of the World? Deign, mo&s;t charming Empre&s;s, to entertain &s;ome favourable thoughts, as I endeavour to in&s;inuate into your mind, of an Heart &s;o much ravi&s;h'd
<PB N="153" REF="227">with the con&s;ideration of your match|le&s;s Perfections, and permit your Slave to appear in your Pre&s;ence, with all the Submi&s;&s;ion and Re&s;pect that he is capable to expre&s;s; and be a&s;&s;ur'd, Madam, that there is no Attempt nor Enterprize &s;o diffi|cult, that I would not undertake at your command, with confidence, that the merit of the cau&s;e of my acting, and the vigour of all my Faculties in &s;o glorious a cau&s;e, would be &s;uffici|ent to carry me through all difficulties in which I were led on by your com|mands. When I con&s;ider, high and mighty Prince&s;s, the boldne&s;s of my Attempt, that Heart that dares all to render him&s;elf worthy of your E|&s;teem, trembles, and di&s;&s;olves in my Brea&s;t: Encourage it, Great Prin|ce&s;s, to go and throw it &s;elf at your Feet by your commands, which by the &s;ame Hand that has pre&s;ented you this, may be convey'd unto the meane&s;t of your Adorers, but the
<PB N="154" REF="228">greate&s;t Admirer of your Perfecti|ons, and the mo&s;t Pa&s;&s;ionate of all your Lovers.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>The <HI>Sultana</HI> was no le&s;s &s;urpris'd at the Pre&s;umption of the Per&s;on, whom &s;he was inform'd was of low Birth, as &s;he was at the Od|ne&s;s of the Style and Expre&s;&s;ions: She gue&s;s'd, that it could not come but from that Per&s;on who had &s;o earne&s;tly &s;olicited her at the Masking, for an Interview, which was quite out of her Mind, as having never de&s;ign'd any fur|ther Conver&s;ation or Corre&s;pon|dency with any one, beyond the Limits of that Night. She re|&s;olv'd to &s;ee how far this In&s;olence would go; wherefore &s;he de&s;ired <HI>Clorineta</HI> to a&s;&s;i&s;t her in it, in wri|ting Two Words to that Per&s;on, in which &s;he &s;hould give him notice of a Time and Place for an Inter|view, where &s;he her &s;elf &s;hould per|&s;onate
<PB N="155" REF="228">the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and under her Name meet him, and make &s;port with him: Which <HI>Clorineta</HI> ha|ving undertaken to do, &s;he re|tired to write, that it might be ready again&s;t <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et</HI>'s next Vi&s;it.</P>
<P>Here let us leave our Lovers once again, to return to the Hi|&s;torical part of our Novel. <HI>A|murat</HI> was not long before he found, that tho&s;e Forces which he had brought over with him, nor tho&s;e which he had found in <HI>Leridan,</HI> would an&s;wer his De|&s;igns: It was &s;ignified to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> who order'd &s;ome Recruits to be &s;ent over, with a Con|voy, who had the good For|tune not to meet with the <HI>Ot|toman</HI> Fleet, but after they were got into an Harbour, and had di&s;charg'd their Lading. They were no &s;ooner e&s;py'd, but
<PB N="156" REF="229">that they made towards them with all the Sails they had, as well as the Wind would permit them, and &s;ome few of their Ve&s;&s;els fell upon the <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> the re&s;t of their Fleet not being able to come up, or at lea&s;t pretending &s;o; for it was &s;hrewdly &s;u&s;pected, that &s;ome <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Gold had in|fected &s;ome of the Officers, and had &s;o infatuated them, as to make them forget to add Bullets to that Powder which they &s;hot again&s;t the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Fleet. How|ever, tho&s;e few of the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Fleet which engag'd, did &s;o well behave them&s;elves, that the <HI>Per|&s;ians,</HI> though Six or Eight to One, had nothing to boa&s;t of but Blows. They retired on their own Coa&s;ts, and into their own Harbours: The Seas were extreamly pe&s;ter'd with <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Privateers, which would do mi&s;chief to &s;ome pri|vate Merchant Men; and on
<PB N="157" REF="229">both &s;ides there were daily &s;ome Ve&s;&s;els taken. But that was not to la&s;t; the Conjuncti|on of the Two Fleets of <HI>Hal|don</HI> and of the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, which was to be very &s;uddenly, would &s;oon put an end to all tho&s;e little Pickroons, &s;trike Ter|ror to all its Enemies, and even make the Ocean to groan under their pre&s;&s;ure.</P>
<P>That Re-enforcement being thus arriv'd at <HI>Leridan, Amurat</HI> having joyn'd it to the re&s;t of his Forces, he attempted to re|duce a &s;trong place in that King|dom, call'd <HI>Lynderodon,</HI> in which a very con&s;iderable Number of the poor per&s;ecuted <HI>Mohometans</HI> were refuged with &s;tore of Pro|vi&s;ion, and a firm Re&s;olution to defend them&s;elves in it to the la&s;t Man.</P>
<PB N="158" REF="230">
<P>That oblig'd <HI>Amurat</HI> to &s;end from <HI>Blunid,</HI> the Metropolis of the Kingdom of <HI>Leridan,</HI> &s;ome Forces to be&s;iege <HI>Lynderodon.</HI> The Be&s;ieged made a brave re&s;i&s;tance, and in many Sallies got a great deal of Booty, &s;o that they found them&s;elves provided with &s;uffici|ency of all things to endure a long Siege, not doubting but that before they were forc'd to yield to their Enemies, they &s;hould re|ceive &s;ome con&s;iderable Succour from <HI>Albiona:</HI> In the mean time the <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> that had come over with <HI>Amurat</HI> to that Expedition, began to play their Golden En|gines, which had never fail'd them yet, and with which all their Treacherous Conque&s;ts have been bought; for it was never known yet, that they ever got a pitcht Battel fairly fought, e&s;pecially a|gain&s;t the <HI>Turks.</HI> But their Gol|den Battery having made &s;o much
<PB N="159" REF="230">noi&s;e, that it had come to the knowledge of the Be&s;ieged, they &s;eiz'd on their Governour, and impri&s;on'd him, in order to Exa|mination, and of making a woful Example of Him for his Treache|ry, but he made a &s;hift to e&s;cape that puni&s;hment which he had de&s;erv'd. They made Choice of a new Governour, to whom by his de&s;ires they a&s;&s;ociated another, by which that City was &s;ecur'd, and bravely defended from the Rage and Fury of all tho&s;e <HI>Per|&s;ians, Hali&s;ts,</HI> and tho&s;e of the Country; who had &s;worn not to &s;pare Women nor Children, if they &s;hould take it by force; which had been the &s;ame ca&s;e, tho' it had yielded upon Compo&s;ition; for all tho&s;e other poor people that in other places had yielded them|&s;elves up upon Compo&s;ition and Promi&s;es confirm'd by Oaths, that they &s;hould not be mole&s;ted, were
<PB N="160" REF="231">all de&s;troy'd <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> and put to the Sword in cold blood, by the in|&s;tigations of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> bloody Prie&s;ts of the Sect of <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly;</HI> who would not permit any of their Religion to give Quarter to any of the true <HI>Mahometans,</HI> declaring&punc; That who|ever did keep his Faith to any Hereticks, as they call the true <HI>Mahometans,</HI> were wor&s;e than Dogs, and &s;hould be eternally damn'd without Redemption.</P>
<P>Thus went things in <HI>Leridan,</HI> while that divers &s;mall Parties did ri&s;e in <HI>Clon&s;tad</HI> through the in&s;tigation of &s;ome <HI>Hali&s;ts</HI> that &s;till did hold for <HI>Amurat,</HI> and who had receiv'd private Letters from him, that he would &s;udden|ly come over to their aid and a&s;&s;i&s;tance, with a formidable Ar|my of <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> and <HI>Leridanians,</HI> &s;o &s;oon as he had &s;ubdu'd tho&s;e Rebels, that had retired and for|tified them&s;elves in <HI>Lynderodon.</HI>
<PB N="161" REF="231">But tho&s;e Parties were daily bea|ten and di&s;pers'd, there was no|thing but the Ca&s;tle of the Me|tropolis of that Kingdom which held out &s;till for <HI>Amurat,</HI> which caus'd the Senate of that King|dom to declare the <HI>Ba&s;&s;a</HI> that held it, and all his Adherents Traitors; for as to the <HI>Mountaneers,</HI> they had been routed, di&s;per&s;ed, and driven to take Sanctuary in their own wild part of that Kingdom, whence they had fir&s;t de&s;cended. <HI>Albiona</HI> all this while being &s;ecure within it &s;elf, notwith&s;tanding all the Intrigues and Plots of the <HI>Ha|li&s;ts,</HI> which &s;till remain'd in <HI>Con|&s;tantinople,</HI> notwith&s;tanding all the Orders that had i&s;&s;ued out for them to retire at ten miles di&s;tance from that great City, which was obey'd but by a very &s;mall number of them, it did daily &s;end Forces to the Frontiers of <HI>Clon&s;tad,</HI> and to other places to be ready to embark for
<PB N="162" REF="232"><HI>Leridan,</HI> with the fir&s;t opportu|nity, to go and a&s;&s;i&s;t there their di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Brethren, and joyn with tho&s;e brave men that &s;o &s;toutly oppos'd and with&s;tood all the Forces that <HI>Amurat</HI> and <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had in that Kingdom.</P>
<P>The <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et,</HI> after his u|&s;ual manner, came to render his Mi&s;tre&s;s a Vi&s;it, as much to &s;ati&s;|fie his Jealou&s;ie, as to enquire af|ter her Health, &s;he gave him the An&s;wer to <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Letter, and did not enquire after the Per&s;on; after he had been a while with her, he left her to carry that An|&s;wer to his Friend <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> in which he doubted not but he &s;hould highly oblige him: He found him, deliver'd him the Letter, and read in it what follows.</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>THE obligation which I have of keeping my word, with that re&s;pect you &s;hew in your &s;ubmi&s;&s;ive
<PB N="163" REF="232">Letter, has invited me to let you know, that to morrow in the Eve|ning about ten of the clock I &s;hall be at the <HI>Grotto,</HI> at the further end of the great Walk. Make the be&s;t u&s;e you can of this information.</P>
</LETTER>
<P><HI>I am the mo&s;t happy man in the World,</HI> cry'd he aloud as &s;oon as he had read the Letter, <HI>I am made for ever, I &s;hall run beyond my &s;elf for Joy; Oh, for &s;ome allay to tho&s;e Joys, that otherwi&s;e will tran&s;port me beyond Recovery. See, my dear Friend,</HI> continu'd he, giving the Note to <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> to read, <HI>behold my Happine&s;s.</HI> With that he walk'd ha&s;tily up and down the Room, &s;et him&s;elf down, ha&s;tily ri&s;ing up again, then he would jump, and make &s;uch loud Exclamations of Joy, that it very much imita|ted a man that was tran&s;ported with an unruly Pa&s;&s;ion. <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> having read the Paper, <HI>What
<PB N="164" REF="233">think you,</HI> &s;aid <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> to him? <HI>That I gue&s;s right,</HI> an&s;wer'd he again, <HI>and that you are half Seas over already in this Intrigue, all the difficulty in it, that I can per|ceive, is to get to the Rendezvous without being perceiv'd; for you mu&s;t be as tender of her Honour as of your Life. Let me &s;ee this Note once again,</HI> continu'd he, looking on the Paper, <HI>this is not the</HI> Sul|tana<HI>'s hand, which I know very well, and this Writing I am acquainted with al&s;o, though I cannot call it to mind pre&s;ently.</HI> This made <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> to hearken a little, and to &s;tand &s;till; which being perceiv'd by <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> and that it an&s;wer'd his Expectation: <HI>I would advi&s;e you,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>to be very circum|&s;pect in this bu&s;ine&s;s, and to weigh every circum&s;tance of it before you embark in it too far, con&s;ider before you leap, and endeavour to avoid all &s;urpri&s;es. What if this &s;hould
<PB N="165" REF="233">be to bring you into an Ambu&s;cade, where in lieu of meeting with a</HI> Sultana, <HI>you &s;hould feel the weight of &s;ome thing el&s;e on your &s;houlders, or a wor&s;e Entertain<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">; great Per&s;ons think they may <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hing.</HI> This Advice did <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> allay <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Tran&s;port, he <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to think; <HI>Why,</HI> &s;aid he to <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">p&s;et, do you think that there may be <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n|ger in it? I know not</HI> reply'd Rep|&s;et, <HI>it is as things may happen, Women have humours, and mo&s;t commonly they are guided by that which predominates, e&s;pecially a|mong&s;t &s;uch per&s;ons as are, or at lea&s;t think them&s;elves not liable to give any account of their Actions in &s;uch ca&s;es; to gratifie their Pa&s;&s;ions, a mans life is no more than that of a Fly, they need but &s;ay the word, and it is done. Why all this is true,</HI> reply'd <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> who&s;e Cou|rage <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had &s;trangely allay'd by the&s;e learned Cautions, he began
<PB N="166" REF="234">to ask him his Advice in that Ca&s;e; <HI>I know not what to advi&s;e you,</HI> reply'd Rep&s;et, <HI>this bu&s;ine&s;s is like all others, the greater the danger, the greater the Honour: But how|ever, if I was in your place, I would not go in a Clergie-dre&s;s, I would try my Fortune like a Cour|tier, or like a Souldier, that in ca&s;e any di&s;a&s;ter &s;hould happen, I might not be oblig'd to &s;candalize the Church. Be&s;ides, at the fir&s;t interview to appear in your own Habit, might breed contempt, tho' after &s;ome time, and that you were both agreed upon the matter, then you might plainly di&s;cover your &s;elf. All the&s;e Rea&s;ons are very weighty,</HI> reply'd the other Mufti, <HI>and I in|cline very much to follow them, for which I give you many thanks, and I will in&s;tantly go about to procure &s;uch a Dre&s;s, as &s;hall make me an ab&s;olute Cavaleer, Hat and Fea|thers, Sword and Wigg &s;hall not
<PB N="167" REF="234">be wanting: I mu&s;t think of &s;ome pretences to borrow all the&s;e things, and fit me from head to foot again&s;t the happy hour. I'le leave you,</HI> reply'd Rep&s;et, <HI>to your bu&s;ine&s;s, and wi&s;h you good &s;ucce&s;s in it.</HI> With that they parted.</P>
<P><HI>Rep&s;et</HI> was agitated betwixt two trouble&s;om Pa&s;&s;ions, Envy and Jealou&s;ie, which made him take the re&s;olution to &s;poil <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Sport; &s;ometimes he was raging mad with Envy, to think that after all he had done towards the <HI>Sultana,</HI> to get to that pa&s;s, which <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> had &s;o ea&s;ily attain|ed to, all to no effect, which hap|py &s;ucce&s;s in another he could not brook; another time, he fancy|ing the Writing to be <HI>Clorineta</HI>'s, that &s;tirr'd up Jealou&s;ie in him, believing that the <HI>Sultana</HI> de&s;pi|&s;ing the Addre&s;s, <HI>Clorineta</HI> had been glad to take the opportunity of her refu&s;e, to per&s;onate her,
<PB N="168" REF="235">and to enjoy that which the other &s;lighted; eitherwi&s;e did put him upon mi&s;chief, which he was re|&s;olv'd to act with a witne&s;s. To that purpo&s;e, when it drew near the hour of the A&s;&s;ignation, he under-hand enquired, whether the <HI>Sultana</HI> did de&s;ign to &s;tir out that Evening? And he had Intelligence that &s;he was indi&s;pos'd, and had been all the day, and de&s;ign'd to go to her Bed; that information, cur'd him of his Envy; but then it increas'd his Jealou&s;ie, not doubt|ing now but that <HI>Clorineta</HI> had a mind to know whether all <HI>Muf|ties</HI> were alike, the rather too, be|cau&s;e he had been inform'd, that <HI>Clorineta</HI> had declar'd &s;he would go forth that Evening. He made no more noi&s;e about it, but went immediately to the Gardiner, and for a little money, got from him the Keys of tho&s;e Cocks which made all the Water-works play
<PB N="169" REF="235">that were in and about the <HI>Grotto,</HI> and prepared to get privately a|bout the place of the Appoint|ment a little before the hour.</P>
<P>All things being thus got ready on all &s;ides, <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> came fir&s;t to the <HI>Grotto,</HI> where he hid him&s;elf, as well as he could, under one of the Seats that was neare&s;t to the Cock. That Night prov'd very dark, which contributed much to his concealment; this was about half an hour before the prefixt time. Some time after <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> came in|to the Garden by a Key, which he had got of the Gardiner for money; and he was not long there, till he was follow'd by <HI>Clo|rinetta,</HI> who had got in by the &s;ame Key which <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had made u&s;e of, and left the door open af|ter her, which was the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s. <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> was as an accompli&s;h'd Spark in all appearance, as could be: He had a white Beaver Hat
<PB N="170" REF="236">on, a curious long, flaxen, curl'd Wigg, Embroider'd Clothes Point Linen, and all things el&s;e &s;utable. In this Equipage he ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ches to|wards the <HI>Grotto.</HI> tho' any Dre&s;s might very well have &s;erv'd the turn in the dark. There was no body that frequented the Garden that could lo&s;e their way to the <HI>Grotto,</HI> all the Walks in it leading to it, which was in the middle of the furthe&s;t Square of the Garden; but he went on very &s;lowly, his Heart failing him, and prophe&s;y|ing &s;ome ill at hand, nay, the ne|ver failing Progno&s;tick among&s;t the Super&s;titious happening al&s;o, (bleeding at the No&s;e) he was upon the very point of giving over his De&s;ign, and of making an honourable Retreat. This la&s;t accident, though he had bled but &s;ome few drops, did put a &s;top to his proceedings for &s;ome &s;hort time to clean him&s;elf. Mean time,
<PB N="171" REF="236">two Per&s;ons were come to the <HI>Grotto,</HI> and had &s;eated them&s;elves pre&s;ently after <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had con|ceal'd him&s;elf. The one &s;aid to the other, <HI>My heart akes for fear of &s;ome &s;urpri&s;e, Oh! Love, to what hazards and dangers do&s;t thou lead thy Votaries. Fear nothing,</HI> an|&s;wer'd the other, <HI>we are &s;afe e|nough, but we mu&s;t lo&s;e no time, for nothing but that can cau&s;e us any mi&s;chief: Remember your Vows and Promi&s;es,</HI> &s;aid the fir&s;t again; <HI>To a tittle,</HI> reply'd the la&s;t. After this from wor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s they were going to action, when that our envious, malicious <HI>Mufti</HI> (Jealou&s;ie it could not be) &s;lipt out of his lurking hole, turn'd the Cocks, and &s;et all the whole <HI>Grotto</HI> on water. From above, from below, from all &s;ides, there were a thou&s;and Springs, which put the two poor Lovers in &s;uch a pickle, that it quite extingui&s;h'd every &s;park of
<PB N="172" REF="237">their amorous Fire, at lea&s;t for that time. They got out of the <HI>Grotto</HI> half drown'd, and blinded, every one &s;hifting for them&s;elves, as al&s;o did <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> who was ju&s;t entring the <HI>Grotto</HI> when the Squibs of Water began to play, &s;o that he had his &s;hare of the re|fre&s;hment al&s;o. <HI>Clorinetta</HI> was a|bout the middle of the Walk, when &s;he heard the noi&s;e of the Water-works, and perceiv'd as well as &s;he could in the dark, &s;ome Per|&s;ons running, among&s;t which one came up to her; <HI>Oh, are you there?</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>I am glad I have found you, we are &s;urpris'd, let us get into the Lodge as fa&s;t as we can by the &s;ame door we came out, if they have not &s;hut it, from whence we will get into the &s;treet, thence to my Lodgings, where we will &s;hift us.</HI> With that he pull'd <HI>Clorineta</HI> hard by the hand, with another that was wringing wet, and as
<PB N="173" REF="237">cold as a Gho&s;t. <HI>Clorinetta,</HI> who had been frighted at this, did not know what to do, while &s;he was thinking whether &s;he had be&s;t to cry out, keep &s;ilent, di&s;cover her &s;elf, or run from this Per&s;on that pull'd her along by force, but which was qualified &s;ometimes with a <HI>Come, Madam, there is no danger for us but in this place, and we are &s;afe, if but once out of it.</HI> She was forc'd to yield to the Per|&s;on's &s;trength, and to follow; he led her to the Gardiner's Lodge, where finding the door open, they got into the &s;treet, where pre|&s;ently after, a Footman coming by with a Light, <HI>Clorinetta</HI> did perceive that he belong'd to her; &s;he bid him to &s;tay, calling him by his Name, then looking on the Per&s;on who held her by the hand, and that left a Train of Droppings where-e're he went. <HI>Sir,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>you may by this time,
<PB N="174" REF="238">I &s;uppo&s;e, have found your mi&s;take, I perceive you want clean Linnen, I'le leave you to go &s;hift your &s;elf.</HI> With that &s;he turn'd to her Ser|vant, and bid him to light her to her Apartment, which was not far. When &s;he was got to the door, &s;he was &s;trangely &s;urpris'd to &s;ee a brave Spark, with a young Lady in his hand, both in the &s;ame Condition with the other &s;he had &s;o lately left. <HI>Madam,</HI> &s;aid the Gentleman, <HI>by a misfor|tune this Gentlewoman and I have been put in this condition, and if You would be &s;o obliging as to direct us to the</HI> Sultana<HI>'s Apartment, You would infinitely oblige us.</HI> This was <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> who having met with that Per&s;on, whom the other Gen|tleman, who had taken <HI>Clorinetta,</HI> had lo&s;t, and taking her for the <HI>Sultana,</HI> he was leading of her home, thinking to pa&s;s her for one belonging to the <HI>Sultana.</HI> This
<PB N="175" REF="238">new Spectacle did &s;trangely &s;ur|pri&s;e <HI>Clorineta,</HI> who could not forbear rallying of them, (at which &s;he was very expert) <HI>I cannot but wonder where I was, and under what &s;helter, when &s;o much Rain fell, and be &s;o dry: Certainly,</HI> con|tinu'd &s;he, <HI>it was a &s;udden Stor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, which has not &s;o much as wet the Pavement hereabouts; But if you belong both to the</HI> Sultana, conti|nued &s;he, <HI>your neare&s;t way will be through this place, this Fellow &s;hall conduct you thither.</HI> With that &s;he bid her Servant to go with them &s;o &s;oon as the Lights were come that had been call'd for. By this time the wa&s;h'd Gentlewoman finding that the di&s;tru&s;t which &s;he had had all along, that &s;he had not the right Per&s;on by the hand, was on good grounds, was contriving how to get off, her Hoods, which the violence of the Water had forc'd over her Face,
<PB N="176" REF="239">where they did &s;tick very fa&s;t, and kept her conceal'd; &s;aid that it was a mi&s;take of the Gentle|man's, that &s;he had no acquain|tance at the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s, and &s;he begg'd leave to retire, and did not de&s;ire to be known. With that &s;he di&s;ingag'd her &s;elf from <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> and de&s;iring to be excus'd, having made a Curt&s;y, &s;he went her way as fa&s;t and as well as &s;he could, not knowing her &s;elf where to go, nor how to di&s;po&s;e of her &s;elf. <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> being left alone, <HI>Clorinetta</HI> offer'd the &s;ame Civility to him; but he, for fear of being di&s;co|ver'd, would not accept of it, but &s;he would force it upon him, and the Lights being come, &s;he com|manded her Man not to leave the Gentleman, till he was got to his Lodgings, and &s;o &s;he retir'd to think on the &s;trange Adventures of that Night. <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> being a|lone with the Footman, gave him
<PB N="177" REF="239">a piece of Money, de&s;iring him to lead him to the next Inn, where he would take up for that night, he being very cold and wet, and his Lodgings too far off; which the Fellow readily perform'd, and went and told <HI>Clorinetta</HI> where he had left him, for &s;he long'd to know who that Per&s;on was; wherefore &s;he charg'd the Man to return to the Inn, and watch there all the re&s;t of the night till mor|ning, when he &s;hould be reliev'd, and if that Per&s;on did go out to dodge him to his Lodgings, &s;he gave him &s;omething to drink while he watch'd, and &s;ent him immediately away.</P>
<P>The Wet Lady had not gone far, but that &s;he fell into <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s Hands, who did avoid, as well as he could, all per&s;ons, for fear of being di&s;cover'd, he being in the <HI>Querpo</HI> Dre&s;s of his Order. He had lo&s;t his way, and had been
<PB N="178" REF="240">forc'd to get out through the Gardner's Hou&s;e; and perceiving a Petticoat, he offered her his Ser|vice. She, who was for making all the ha&s;te &s;he could po&s;&s;ible to the Gardners, who&s;e Daughter &s;he was, would hardly give him an an&s;wer, and &s;he pur&s;uing her way, he took her by the hand and would follow her: He had done better to have &s;aved him&s;elf that labour, for they were both met by the per&s;on who had brought fir&s;t that Woman into the <HI>Grotto,</HI> &s;he told him that &s;he could not be rid of that Per&s;on, who was very trouble&s;ome to her; at that, the Man, who was already vex'd at all the misfortune that had hap|pen'd to his Mi&s;tre&s;s, took the pains to lay a lu&s;ty Cudgel he had in his hand on <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s &s;houlders, who run away as fa&s;t as he could, crying out Murder with a full mouth: That noi&s;e a|wak'd
<PB N="179" REF="240">&s;ome per&s;ons in the Gardi|ner's Hou&s;e, who all this while had lain in a profound &s;leep, lit|tle thinking, no more than their Ma&s;ter and Mi&s;tre&s;s did, what had happen'd during their &s;leep. The two Lovers hearing the bu|&s;tle that the Servants made in the Hou&s;e, thought it was time to retire, and that made her yield to his importunities of going a|long with him, upon condition that he would marry her the next morning. Upon which Terms they agreed, and went their way, where he would lead her. The Gardiner's people having found nothing ami&s;s in the Hou&s;e, and having reported &s;o to the Ma&s;ter, who had begun to move, all was quiet again, and every body went to make an end of their Work in their Beds. Thus ended the odd Adventures of that cro&s;s and ill condition'd Night, which had ne|ver
<PB N="180" REF="241">been cut out for Lovers: We will leave all our Lovers to go to their Beds, not to &s;leep, I dare &s;ay, but to reflect on the &s;trange Ren|conters that that Night had pro|duc'd, and return to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> who all this while had been way|laying of the <HI>Mufti Rep&s;et.</HI> He had been inform'd, that he was frequently &s;een to go up the &s;tairs which went to a pa&s;&s;age in which was a back-door out of the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber, &s;o that the&s;e were the back-&s;tairs to her Lodg|ings for Servants to pa&s;s by. Of truth the <HI>Mufti</HI> did often go up and down tho&s;e &s;tairs, becau&s;e he had no other way to go to his Lodgings, which were one pair of &s;tairs higher, and backwards, whereas the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber was forwards. This Intelligence had &s;o exa&s;perated <HI>Cha-abas</HI> anger again&s;t this wicked <HI>Mufti,</HI> which &s;o di&s;turb'd an Emperour's quiet,
<PB N="181" REF="241">that he re&s;olv'd upon watching him&s;elf, and &s;urpri&s;e him going into the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber, where he would give him that Correcti|on him&s;elf, which he de&s;erv'd. To this purpo&s;e, having di&s;guis'd him|&s;elf under a long black Cloak, in which he muffled him&s;elf all over, he waited one night in a little by|room, at the foot of the &s;tairs, <HI>incognito,</HI> till his Spies &s;hould bring him word of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s getting up the &s;tairs; but the late drub|bing which <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had receiv'd, having caus'd him to keep his Bed, at lea&s;t his Chamber, for two or three days; for &s;o long time was <HI>Cha-abas</HI> di&s;appointed al&s;o of his &s;weet Revenge. But that time be|ing over, one night as he was on the Watch, News were brought him that the <HI>Mufti</HI> was ju&s;t gone up &s;tairs, as he really was, <HI>Cha-abas</HI> muffles him&s;elf up, and up &s;tairs he trudges after him, and as he
<PB N="182" REF="242">was earne&s;tly looking after him as he was getting up, he perceiv'd his own &s;hadow again&s;t the Wall, caus'd by the Light that was plac'd above the &s;tairs head; he took not time to examine, but being pre|po&s;&s;e&s;t with having the <HI>Mufti</HI> in Cha&s;e, he takes it to be him, he fiercely runs after it, &s;till as he moves, that went on before him towards the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s back-door, till by <HI>Cha-abas</HI> coming nearer, it &s;eem'd to go in, lo&s;ing it &s;elf in the darkne&s;s which was betwixt the inmo&s;t and the outward door; at the &s;ight of which the Emperour making his la&s;t Efforts to reach him, &s;tretching out his Arms to gra&s;p him, he unfortunately &s;truck his Foot again&s;t a little Thre&s;hold, which made him come down with all his &s;trength again&s;t the inward Wian&s;cote door, which with his force he made to flie open, and having at his &s;tumble lo&s;t his Hat
<PB N="183" REF="242">and Peruque, and got hold with both his Hands of the Cloak in which he was muffled; <HI>Have I got you,</HI> cryed he aloud, not con|&s;idering in what a po&s;ture he was, nor where he was, <HI>You &s;hall not &s;cape me, now Prie&s;t,</HI> continued he.</P>
<P>The great noi&s;e which he had made with his Fall again&s;t the door and on the floor, had &s;ur|pris'd the <HI>Sultana,</HI> who being lain on her Bed, did ri&s;e, and enqui|red what was the matter of tho&s;e Women that waited in the Cham|ber, who &s;tood all gazing on, not &s;tirring a foot, in as great an a|mazement as did the <HI>Sultana,</HI> not knowing all this while who this Per&s;on &s;hould be, that &s;o rudely dur&s;t thus di&s;turb the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s re&s;t. Mean time, <HI>Cha-abas</HI> having recollected him&s;elf, and with all his fumbling under his Cloak, finding that he had lo&s;t his prey,
<PB N="184" REF="243">and in what a &s;trange po&s;ture he was before the <HI>Sultana</HI> who &s;tood &s;till looking on, and admiring what that Per&s;on &s;hould be; he laps him&s;elf up in his long Cloak over Head and Ears, gets up, and without &s;peaking one word, got out of the Chamber down &s;tairs, and retires to bemoan his misfor|tune.</P>
<P>All this while, the noi&s;e that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had made with his ha&s;ty getting up &s;tairs after the <HI>Mufti,</HI> had caus'd <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> to &s;top when he was got to the &s;econd pair of &s;tairs, which were a little beyond the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber-door, whence he had been looking all that while on the Scene which was acting below, and having over|heard the word <HI>Prie&s;t,</HI> which in the Emperour's pa&s;&s;ion he had &s;poke very loud; he &s;eeing that Per&s;on gone, and that the Hat and Peruque, which had been thrown
<PB N="185" REF="243">from out of the Chamber into the pa&s;&s;age, had been taken up by one who&s;e Office it was to wait there, he gave him a little Money to let him have them, pretending he knew to whom they belong'd; and he retir'd with them to his Chamber to examine them more at lei&s;ure, and to endeavour to find out who was the Owner of them.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> being got in private, after he had &s;pent &s;ome time in mu&s;ing, he &s;ent for <HI>Monitenna</HI> to come and &s;peak with him; He told her, That ever &s;ince &s;he had imform'd him of his being Rival'd by <HI>Mufties,</HI> he had had an Eye on <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s actions; That he had caus'd him to be ob&s;erv'd, and that News being brought him of his frequent going up and down tho&s;e back-&s;tairs, which led to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber, and &s;o went on, telling her the di&s;a&s;ter that
<PB N="186" REF="244">had befallen him, concluding, that the <HI>Sultana</HI> had conceal'd him in her own Chamber, and &s;av'd him from that puni&s;hment which he de&s;ign'd him. To which &s;he an|&s;wer'd, <HI>That &s;he was at that very time, and had been for above an hour before in the</HI> Sultana's <HI>Cham|ber, where I a&s;&s;ure you, Sir, that the Mufti</HI> Rep&s;et <HI>was not all that while,</HI> continu'd &s;he, <HI>and we were all &s;o &s;urpris'd with the noi&s;e and &s;uddenne&s;s of the bu&s;ine&s;s, that all our thoughts were bent in knowing what was the matter, and who that Per&s;on &s;hould be, that had made that di&s;turbance. Was I not known then,</HI> &s;aid the Emperour? <HI>Not that I know,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>but &s;ome of us going to the door, and exquiring of &s;ome Per&s;on that wait|ed there, what had been the mat|ter?</HI> He made An&s;wer, <HI>That he knew not, more than that the Mufti</HI> Rep&s;et <HI>having gone up &s;tairs to his
<PB N="187" REF="244">Lodgings, as he us'd to do, &s;ome body muffled up in a long black Cloak, had pre&s;ently after come up &s;tairs, whether in pur&s;uit of him they know not, but that this la&s;t Per&s;on, who he did not know, having per|ceiv'd his own &s;hadow again&s;t the Wall, had fiercely run and catch'd after it, &s;till following it till it were lo&s;t in the dark betwixt the two doors, that that Per&s;on had there fallen, and when he had got up again, and gone his way, he had left his Hat and Peruque behind him, which having been thrown out of the Chamber after him, the Per|&s;on &s;aid he did take them up, but that the Mufti</HI> Rep&s;et, <HI>who from the other pair of &s;tairs, having &s;een all that had pa&s;s'd, did give him &s;ome money for them, pretending that he knew the Per&s;on to whom they did belong; that therefore he had let him have them: And are my things in the</HI> Mufti<HI>'s hands
<PB N="188" REF="245">then,</HI> reply'd Cha-abas, <HI>that trou|bles me more than all the re&s;t, &s;ee|ing that I have not been known? My dear</HI> Monitenna, continu'd he, <HI>a&s;&s;i&s;t me in this bu&s;ine&s;s, the Hea|vens, I &s;ee, have decreed that I &s;hould be perpetually oblig'd to thee, and I will certainly acknowledge it, if I get but once off of this bu&s;ine&s;s without being known; and that I have reveng'd my &s;elf of the&s;e two</HI> Mufties, <HI>I think thou did&s;t name, as thou ha&s;t promis'd me I &s;hould. Be patient till then, Sir,</HI> an&s;wer'd &s;he, <HI>and &s;poil not all by too much precipitation; I have promis'd it you, be patient then, and rely on my word, which I will make good with the fir&s;t opportunity. But you mu&s;t be &s;ure,</HI> &s;aid Cha-abas, <HI>to get my Hat and Peruque out of</HI> Rep&s;et<HI>'s hands, with all the expedition you can po&s;&s;ible; for I fear very much, that by his &s;hewing them up and down, they might at la&s;t be known
<PB N="189" REF="245">to be mine by &s;ome body or other.</HI> She a&s;&s;ur'd him that &s;he would get them into her po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion that very night: After which they had other Di&s;cour&s;es mixt with &s;ome amo|rous Expre&s;&s;ions, which la&s;ted till <HI>Monitenna</HI> thought it was time for her to retire, and &s;ee after the getting of tho&s;e things from <HI>Rep|&s;et.</HI></P>
<P>She left the Emperour then, and retiring to her own Chamber, &s;he &s;ent thence one of the <HI>Sultana's</HI> Servants in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Name, to demand from <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> that Hat and Peruque which he had in his Hands, to which the <HI>Mufti</HI> made an&s;wer, That he had already &s;ent them by the fir&s;t Me&s;&s;enger that the <HI>Sultana</HI> had &s;ent for them. The Per&s;on return'd to <HI>Monitenna</HI> with that An&s;wer, which made her immediately to run to the <HI>Sultana's</HI> Apartment, to learn more of the bu&s;ine&s;s. There &s;he found
<PB N="190" REF="246"><HI>Clorinetta,</HI> who was giving an ac|count of her la&s;t night Adventure to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> and how &s;he had found out that the Per&s;on, who was to be at the A&s;&s;ignation, was Mufti <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> how he had been &s;erv'd by &s;he knew not who, but that the Gardener, who had lo&s;t his Daughter that Night, did con|fe&s;s that he had lent the Key of the Water-works to the Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> that very Night, only to make Sport, as he pretended, but that he believ'd he had an Hand in conveying his Daughter away, and that if &s;he was not &s;uddenly re&s;tor'd to him, he would com|plain of him to the King. <HI>Never were per&s;ons, Madam, in &s;uch a pickle,</HI> continu'd &s;he, <HI>as was the Mufti</HI> Chila&s;e, <HI>the Gardener's Daughter and her Gallant; by good Fortune, the Mufti</HI> Rep&s;et <HI>had be|&s;tow'd his Favours on them before I came to the Rendezvous; I heard
<PB N="191" REF="246">the noi&s;e of the Water-works at a di&s;tance, which made me li&s;ten, which prevented me of having my &s;hare. How in&s;olent the&s;e</HI> Mufties <HI>are grown?</HI> &s;aid the <HI>Sultana. You had no Di&s;cour&s;e with</HI> Chila&s;e <HI>then?</HI> continu'd &s;he, <HI>None at all, Madam. I a&s;&s;ure you I lo&s;t the Happine&s;s of being courted by him,</HI> reply'd Clo|rinetta: <HI>Well, 'tis no matter, the Sport we have lo&s;t of that we have had another way. But how come you to know that this is the Emperour's Hat and Peruque?</HI> continu'd &s;he. <HI>Madam,</HI> reply'd Clorinetta, <HI>a cer|tain Per&s;on who knew that the Em|perour was gone up the&s;e &s;tairs in a Di&s;gui&s;e, and &s;eeing him come down &s;ome time after without them, made &s;ome enquiry after them of the Per|&s;on that waits in the pa&s;&s;age, who denying that he had them, the other told him that they belong'd to the Emperour, to terrifie him, I &s;up|po&s;e, and to get them from him;
<PB N="192" REF="247">which made him confe&s;s, that Mufti</HI> Rep&s;et <HI>had them. A Servant of mine pa&s;&s;ing by heard this, and pre|&s;ently came to tell it me as a great Secret.</HI> The <HI>Mufti</HI> made no &s;cru|ple of delivering them to the Per|&s;on; I &s;ent to him, &s;aid the <HI>Sul|tana:</HI> it was an&s;wer'd, <HI>No,</HI> by &s;ome of her Servnats.</P>
<P>Thus did <HI>Monitenna</HI> learn, that it was known it was the Empe|rour who had given them that Larrum, and left tho&s;e &s;igns of it behind him, but not one of them could gue&s;s at the right Cau&s;e, which had made him do that, till having recollected what the Fel|low that waited had &s;een, and what they them&s;elves had &s;een and heard: out of all they pickt out, that it was &s;ome Jealou&s;ie that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had of the Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s going to &s;ee the <HI>Sultana</HI> that back-way, which had put the Emperour him&s;elf on the De|&s;ign
<PB N="193" REF="247">of &s;urpri&s;ing him in the Fact. <HI>Monitenna</HI> had enough, &s;he flipt from the Company without being &s;u&s;pected, and &s;ent word to the Emperour of all that had happen|ed in a Letter, which put him into &s;uch a rage again&s;t every body, that none could have a free acce&s;s to him but <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who was become his right Hand. He &s;ent for her, &s;he came to him, and brought a long with her tho&s;e things which he had left behind him; and upon his asking her Advice, what he had be&s;t to do, &s;he advis'd him to trouble him&s;elf no further about it, that what was pa&s;s'd could not be mended, and that the more he &s;hould &s;tir in it, the more noi&s;e it would make, and oblige people to pry the nearer into the bu&s;ine&s;s. <HI>What,</HI> &s;aid he to <HI>Monitenna, and mu&s;t tho&s;e two wicked audacious</HI> Mufties <HI>re&s;t unpuni&s;h'd, at lea&s;t let me know
<PB N="194" REF="248">the other Name al&s;o. Great Sir,</HI> an&s;wer'd Monitenna, <HI>if you will but put &s;o much confidence in me, as to rely wholly on my care and con|duct in the puni&s;hing both of</HI> Rep&s;et <HI>and</HI> Chila&s;e, <HI>tho&s;e two in&s;olent</HI> Muf|ties, <HI>you &s;hall have the &s;atisfaction of &s;eeing it with your own Eyes, to your full &s;atisfaction. I will not re|ly on thee for that only, my dear Monitenna,</HI> reply'd Cha-abas, <HI>but in any thing el&s;e that thou &s;hould&s;t advi&s;e me, nay I will lay my life into thy hands. Then, Sir, I pro|mi&s;e you,</HI> reply'd Monitenna, <HI>that within the &s;pace of two days I will give you full &s;atisfaction, as to your Revenge. That's all I de&s;ire at pre&s;ent,</HI> reply'd he, <HI>I am pretty well weaned of tho&s;e de&s;ires which I had towards the Lady</HI> Clorinetta, <HI>and the lowne&s;s of her mind, in her thoughts towards a</HI> Mufti, <HI>when &s;he was courted by an Emperour, has made me to turn all that good Will
<PB N="195" REF="248">and E&s;teem which I had for her, into a perfect Love to thee, of which I &s;hall daily make you &s;en&s;ible. As to the</HI> Sultana, <HI>I mu&s;t confe&s;s that &s;he has &s;tirr'd up in my Heart a very great e&s;teem for her; but if thou &s;hewe&s;t me that &s;he prefers &s;o mean a Per&s;on to me, I &s;hall no longer have any other regard for her, than what I owe and ought to pay to a</HI> Sultana <HI>under my Prote|ctiou.</HI> Divers other Di&s;cour&s;es pa&s;s'd betwixt <HI>Cha-abas</HI> and <HI>Mo|nitenna,</HI> which were mixed with amorous Expre&s;&s;ions; after which <HI>Monitenna</HI> retired, leaving the Em|perour in a much more quiet tem|per of Mind than &s;he had found him.</P>
<P><HI>Chila&s;e</HI> by this time had wip'd off all &s;orrow; he had gone &s;o far in the Di&s;covery of the late night Adventures, as to learn that the Gardener had his Daughter &s;toln from him that night, that though
<PB N="196" REF="249">he had receiv'd his &s;hare of the refre&s;hment which the Water-works had afforded, he believ'd that it was not intended for him, by rea&s;on that he was but ju&s;t &s;tep'd into the <HI>Grotto,</HI> and that he had &s;een and heard &s;ome Per|&s;ons run out of it, and pa&s;s by him. He did not know but that the <HI>Sultana</HI> might be going towards that place, and prevented by the noi&s;e of the Waters and of tho&s;e Per&s;ons that run away, and &s;o have retired to her Apartment a|gain; a &s;ign of it was, that when he thought that he had met with the <HI>Sultana,</HI> he had led her out of the Garden by her own door, which was found open, how|ever he had lo&s;t the way after|wards, in which he was the more confirm'd by meeting with the Lady <HI>Clorineta</HI> at that time, which he believ'd the <HI>Sultana</HI> might take along with her &s;o far as into the
<PB N="197" REF="249">Garden, where peradventure &s;he was to have &s;tay'd till her return; thus did he run on in con&s;truing all the accidents to his own advan|tage, and according as his Heart de&s;ired they &s;hould be. As for <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> he was left in the dark &s;till, &s;till tormented betwixt Jea|lou&s;ie and Envy, in which he did all he could to clear and inform him&s;elf further; to which pur|po&s;e he daily vi&s;ited <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> who had, as far as he knew him&s;elf, told him what had happened that Night, at which <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> would ad|mire, but own nothing of that part which he had in it. <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> was &s;o prepo&s;&s;e&s;t and &s;o po&s;itive, that the <HI>Sultana</HI> had been in the Garden, that <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s Envy was the more kindled at it, which made him take the re&s;olution to have a finger in the Pye, though it were by &s;urpri&s;e.</P>
<PB N="198" REF="250">
<P>One day as he was going into <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Lodgings, which were on the other &s;ide of the Garden, op|po&s;ite to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Apartment, which made the way a great Com|pa&s;s about, a Per&s;on came to him, and ask'd him, if he was the Mufti <HI>Chila&s;e; What would you have with him?</HI> reply'd Rep&s;et, <HI>only deliver this Note; Sir,</HI> &s;aid he, giving him the Note, <HI>and my bu&s;ine&s;s is at an end:</HI> So the Per|&s;on pre&s;ently return'd the &s;ame way that he came. <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> took the Note, ob&s;erv'd the privacy with which the Me&s;&s;enger had deliver'd it, and upon this fancied that it was &s;ome &s;ecret bu&s;ine&s;s, which giving him the Curio&s;ity to pry into it, he return'd back to his own Lodgings without &s;ee|ing <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> where having &s;hut him&s;elf in, he open'd the Paper, and found in it the&s;e Lines.</P>
<PB N="199" REF="250">
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>You are in the right to believe, that a mark of your being &s;ome|thing more than you &s;eem to be, may be gather'd from the boldne&s;s of your Attempt, which has highly confirm'd me in the good Opinion I had already entertain'd of you, and in which you had &s;ucceeded, had not tho&s;e accidents, which happened that Night, made me retire, when I had already gone &s;ome &s;teps in the Garden, in order to meet you. It is not the fir&s;t time that an Heart worthy a Prince&s;s's E&s;teem, has been found to re&s;ide in a meaner Brea&s;t, than that which &s;hould of Right contain it. You cannot give me a greater confirmation of the good thoughts I entertain in your behalf, and of the greatne&s;s of your Love, than in rendring your &s;elf at my Apartment this night about twelve, where you &s;hall be receiv'd by a Per&s;on that &s;hall conduct you to me. Your Per&s;on is perfectly
<PB N="200" REF="251">known to me, by what means, I &s;hall inform you my &s;elf. Let it &s;uf|fice you, that I intend this Honour to <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> though not in my own hand.</P>
</LETTER>
<P>In what a Surpri&s;e was <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> at what he had &s;een! <HI>What &s;hall I do in this ca&s;e?</HI> &s;aid he to him|&s;elf; <HI>this I find was intended by the</HI> Sultana <HI>unto</HI> Chila&s;e; <HI>however For|tune has been &s;o kind as to let it fall into my hands, and with Ju&s;tice too: I have de&s;erv'd more from that unkind</HI> Sultana <HI>than ever he could, have rendred her more and greater Services than ever he is like to do, and my Love and Courage is as great as his. Seeing then that it has once pleas'd Fortune to be fa|vourable to me, I will not di&s;oblige her in refu&s;ing her Kindne&s;s, I will per&s;onate that happy</HI> Mufti, <HI>and pu&s;h on my Fortune as far as it will go in this Intrigue, and what know I but that it may guide me into the</HI>
<PB N="201" REF="251">Sultana<HI>'s Arms. Oh, that I were there,</HI> continu'd he with a deep &s;igh, <HI>well I will in&s;tantly to</HI> Chi|la&s;e, <HI>and feel his Pul&s;e, but not a word will I tell of the A&s;&s;ignation.</HI> Thus he &s;et forward again to|wards <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Lodgings. No &s;oo|ner had <HI>R p&s;et</HI> gone towards his Lodgings with the Note, but that the &s;ame Per&s;on who had given it him, and who had watch'd his going, run pre&s;ently to <HI>Chila&s;e</HI>'s Lodgings again, enquired after him, and gave him another Note, and pre&s;ently went his way. <HI>Chi|la&s;e</HI> retired, read in it the &s;ame words which were in the other, which <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had been invited to intercept, only with this ad|dition at the bottom:</P>
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>If you let the Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> know or give him the lea&s;t occa&s;ion imaginable of &s;u&s;|pecting any Commerce between us, particularly this nights A&s;&s;ignation, you are lo&s;t for ever in my thoughts.</P>
</LETTER>
<PB N="202" REF="252">
<P><HI>Chila&s;e</HI> had much to do to keep him&s;elf within his own bounds at the reading of this Note; he read it over and over, and ki&s;s'd it as often: <HI>Go,</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>yes, through all the dangers that all Mankind and all the Devils in Hell could lay in my way, I would &s;tep over them thus and thus, mo&s;t charming Prince&s;s, to come to your Summons.</HI> Thus was he expre&s;&s;ing his Courage and his Love when <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> came into his Chamber without knocking, which had almo&s;t &s;urpris'd <HI>Chi|la&s;e</HI> pa&s;t reprieve. So &s;oon as he &s;aw <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> he &s;lided the Note into his Pocket, and perceiving that he had &s;een &s;ome of his Actions, and heard &s;ome of his Words; <HI>I was ju&s;t repeating &s;ome words out of a Tragedy which affects me much,</HI> &s;aid he. <HI>Well, what News,</HI> continu'd he, <HI>from beyond Sea? I have nothing new,</HI> reply'd Rep&s;et, <HI>that is plea|&s;ing; the</HI> Sultana, <HI>I believe, has
<PB N="203" REF="252">none neither to her mind, &s;he looks &s;o &s;owre and melancholick: I believe that a Nunnery would be the be&s;t place for her to retire in with her &s;ad and melancholick thoughts, with which &s;he di&s;obliges all the World but you. But me,</HI> reply'd Chila&s;e, <HI>I had, 'tis true, a glimp&s;e of &s;ome hopes by an A&s;&s;ignation; but what did it come to? and what hopes have I had &s;ince? who have not heard one word more from her &s;ince that time. Tho&s;e great Per&s;ons will take their own time,</HI> reply'd Rep|&s;et, <HI>and plea&s;e their own humours; what you have not had yet, no doubt, you may expect; in &s;hort, next time her inclinations move her, you &s;hall hear from her. Not if &s;he has oc|ca&s;ion of &s;orrow,</HI> reply'd <HI>Chila&s;e; That ebbs and flows, as Women plea&s;e,</HI> an&s;wer'd <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> after they have given a moments &s;pace to tho&s;e trouble&s;om thoughts, <HI>they &s;oon bani&s;h them from their Hearts,
<PB N="204" REF="253">they empty them&s;elves of all that can but in the lea&s;t check their De|&s;ires, and are all Love and Plea|&s;ure within, with what&s;oever forma|lity and &s;owrene&s;s they di&s;gui&s;e them|&s;elves without. Wait with patience and be happy in your great Enter|pri&s;e, while I mu&s;t re&s;t contented with my meaner Fortune. Your For|tune,</HI> reply'd Chila&s;e, <HI>is certain, and you certainly happy in the po&s;&s;e&s;|&s;ion, while I live only upon hopes and de&s;ires.</HI> The two <HI>Mufties</HI> were enter'd into tho&s;e &s;erious Reflexi|ons, far from either of their thoughts and de&s;igns, when that Word was brought in, that a Per|&s;on of Quality was come, who demanded to &s;peak with Mufti <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> which made the Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> to retire.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> had engag'd in this her De&s;ign again&s;t the <HI>Mufties,</HI> a Per&s;on who was highly oblig'd to her, for having obtain'd for him a
<PB N="205" REF="253">Favour from the Emperour; he was to bring along with him a Friend or two more to a&s;&s;i&s;t him; &s;he had inform'd them in every Circum&s;tance; &s;he had engag'd the two <HI>Mufties</HI> by the two Notes which &s;he had &s;ent, not doubting but that <HI>Rep&s;et</HI>'s Jealou&s;ie would oblige him to watch <HI>Monitenna,</HI> or his Envy and Malice towards <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> mixt with Love towards the <HI>Sultana,</HI> would make him en|deavour to prevent his Rival's Happine&s;s, in interpo&s;ing be|tween, either of which would &s;erve her turn, though &s;he wi&s;h'd he might take the la&s;t Cour&s;e. In fine, &s;he had fitted all things to her purpo&s;e, and all this with the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s approbation, and to <HI>Clo|rineta</HI>'s knowledge, &s;o far only as it concern'd <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> but not a word of <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> had &s;he mention'd; &s;he had po&s;ted her Friends in a lit|tle Room, next to that in which
<PB N="206" REF="254">&s;he de&s;ign'd to bring the two <HI>Mufties,</HI> as in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Cham|ber, all was to be tran&s;acted in the dark, as if by the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Orders &s;he had advertis'd <HI>Cha-abas</HI> of the time, that he &s;hould appear, and what he &s;hould &s;ay, and &s;he her &s;elf was to be their Conductor; &s;he had no more to do but to wait the hour, which was near at hand.</P>
<P>To give a better Colour to the bu&s;ine&s;s, and take off all Su&s;picion on the <HI>Muftie</HI>'s &s;ides, the <HI>Sultana</HI> had quitted her own Chamber to <HI>Monitenna</HI>'s di&s;po&s;al for that night, and was retired to her Clo&s;et with <HI>Clorinetta,</HI> to pa&s;s the time at Cards till the Sport was ready; and <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had been di&s;pos'd of in the neare&s;t Pavillion in the Garden to the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Cham|ber.</P>
<P>The hour being come, News were brought to <HI>Monitenna,</HI> that
<PB N="207" REF="254">the Mufti <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> did appear. There was no body &s;tirring in the whole Apartment, and an ob&s;curity reign'd all over it, but in &s;uch places as <HI>Monitenna</HI> had thought fit to enlighten with &s;ome &s;mall Candles, with the help of one of them which &s;tood at a low Win|dow, was the <HI>Mufti</HI> di&s;cern'd. <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who was in a Dre&s;s which did &s;ufficiently di&s;gui&s;e her for a Woman belonging to the <HI>Sultana,</HI> came, and taking him by the Hand, <HI>I &s;ee you are pun|ctual,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>and rather a little before your time; Follow me,</HI> con|tinu'd &s;he, <HI>and I'le lead you where you may be undre&s;&s;ing your &s;elf while I go to the</HI> Sultana, <HI>to learn when I &s;hall bring you to her.</HI> With that &s;he led him into a little Room, where there was a Light, in which &s;he lock'd him up, and went to be ready to receive the other <HI>Mufti,</HI> who&s;e Love would not let
<PB N="208" REF="255">him &s;tay one moment beyond his time; &s;he acco&s;ted him with Words much of the &s;ame Nature, and led him into another conve|nient Room, where &s;he bid him undre&s;s him&s;elf, and prepare for to go along with her to the <HI>Sul|tana,</HI> &s;o &s;oon as &s;he &s;hould receive the Orders from her &s;o to do, a|bout which &s;he was now going; &s;he &s;hut him in al&s;o, and went to call that Woman who had infor|med her of the <HI>Mufti</HI>'s coming; &s;he bid her to follow her, and to take that Per&s;on by the Hand, which &s;he would give her in the dark, and to lead him very &s;lowly into the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber and to her Bed-&s;ide, where &s;he &s;hould leave him and retire, locking the door after her; and that when &s;he was come to the Bed-&s;ide, &s;he &s;hould pull the Curtain a little open. Ha|ving thus plac'd that Woman, &s;he went into the Chamber, where
<PB N="209" REF="255">&s;he put out the Candle, telling the <HI>Mufti,</HI> there would be no occa&s;ion for one, and taking him by the Hand, &s;he led him in his Morning-Gown to the pa&s;&s;age where the Woman was in the dark, and put him into her Hand, &s;o run before through the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber, took the other <HI>Mufti</HI> by the Hand, and led him ha&s;tily to the other &s;ide of the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Bed, where ha|ving heard the &s;ign of the Curtain being drawn, &s;he left him: With what eagerne&s;s did tho&s;e two <HI>Muf|ties</HI> pull off their Gowns to &s;tep into the Embraces of a langui&s;hing <HI>Sultana!</HI> How were their Souls agitated with the very thoughts of the Enjoyments they were go|ing to &s;urfeit with! How many different violent Pa&s;&s;ions did at once &s;eize on their Spirits! Love, Fear, Re&s;pect, and Ambition were all &s;truggling at once, which &s;hould have the Ma&s;tery over
<PB N="210" REF="256">their Spirit; and the Contention was &s;o equally great, that it was the Cau&s;e, neither of tho&s;e Pa&s;&s;i|ons had the power to quite exa&s;|perate their Spirits, and tran&s;port them beyond their natural bounds.</P>
<P>They &s;tept into the Bed at the &s;ame time, with all the gentlene&s;s and re&s;ervedne&s;s imaginable, and with trembling Hands, and aking Hearts, &s;tretcht forth their Arms to feel out for the prey, they met one anothers Hand, and at the very fir&s;t touch pull'd them back, as if each had met with a Viper, not without a &s;trange &s;ur|pri&s;al, and both lay quiet a while after, which endeavouring to in|form them&s;elves better with their Legs, they approach'd them to|wards the middle of the Bed, with as little &s;atisfaction as they had receiv'd from their Hands, but with much more apprehen&s;ions: At la&s;t the bolde&s;t of the two had
<PB N="211" REF="256">&s;o much Courage as to lay his Hand on the others Face and Head, which having fully infor|med him, that it was a man he had felt, and that having embold|ned the other to do the &s;ame, as much by way of prevention or defence, as to &s;atisfie any further his Curio&s;ity, they at la&s;t through fear of danger, did &s;eize one ano|ther &s;o hard, that the &s;mart caus'd them each to offend his Enemy as much as he could, in order to &s;e|cure them&s;elves: the&s;e &s;ei&s;ing at la&s;t came to blows; and they were accompanied by words, and in the bu&s;tle and confu&s;ion of the Combat, holding &s;till one another very fa&s;t with one Hand, while they laid on with the other, they at la&s;t both came down on the floor together. This being heard by <HI>Monitenna,</HI> &s;he pre&s;ently run to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> and brought him in|to the Chamber, u&s;hering him
<PB N="212" REF="257">with two Flambaus in her Hands, at the &s;ight of which our ob&s;tinate Combatants would not yield. <HI>Cha-abas</HI> &s;eeing them thus all bloo|dy, their &s;hirts half torn off of their Backs, and the few Hairs they had &s;trow'd over them; <HI>How now, Gentlemen,</HI> &s;aid he to them, <HI>what do you do here in the</HI> Sultana<HI>'s Chamber at this time of the night, and in this po&s;ture?</HI> They hearing the Emperour's Voice, turn'd all their late animo&s;ity into &s;hame and confu&s;ion, each of them en|deavouring to recover their Night-Gowns, and to hide them&s;elves. <HI>I'le &s;end &s;ome body to you to cool your Courage,</HI> &s;aid Cha-abas, <HI>and when they have done their bu&s;ine&s;s; I'le give you another Vi&s;it, mean time prepare your &s;elves for the Mortification which is intended you.</HI> With that he went out of the Chamber, laughing heartily at them. <HI>Monitenna,</HI> who had left
<PB N="213" REF="257">one of the Lights in the Cham|ber, follow'd the Emperour, and lock'd the door upon them; and when &s;he had convey'd <HI>Cha|abas,</HI> where he might &s;ee and hear the &s;econd Scene, and not be &s;een, &s;he went and brought the <HI>Sultana</HI> and <HI>Clorineta</HI> into the Chamber, that they might have a &s;hare of the M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rth, which the Confu&s;ion of tho&s;e two Lechers did produce, they all the while hanging down their Heads, and hiding their Fa|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s, as if they thought to conceal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> knowledge of who they were. The <HI>Sultana</HI> began fir&s;t to &s;peak; <HI>Why, how now,</HI> &s;aid &s;he, <HI>my Gallant &s;plit in two? or has he brought a Friend with him to let him &s;ee his Happi|ne&s;s, or to partake of his Felicity? He mu&s;t by all means take &s;hare with him in his good Fortune.</HI> With that &s;he fell a laughting at them, but was not &s;econded in it by <HI>Clorineta,</HI> as &s;he had been at their
<PB N="214" REF="258">fir&s;t coming in. She perceiving two, though they had &s;o well muffled them&s;elves up in their Gowns, that their Faces were not to be known, had &s;ome certain apprehen&s;ions, that &s;he might be too far concern'd in the conclu|&s;ion of the bu&s;ine&s;s to afford any &s;hare of her Mirth to it, more than &s;he had done already. <HI>I hope,</HI> con|tinu'd the <HI>Sultana, that the Em|perour will reward his grave Con|fe&s;&s;or for &s;o noble an Attempt on the Per&s;on of a Prince&s;s that had &s;hel|ter'd her &s;elf under his generous and Royal Protection; and will not let his Companion, whoever he is, lo&s;e his &s;hare of the Recompence: May I not know who it is,</HI> conti|nued &s;he, <HI>rai&s;ing her voice, I mu&s;t know to whom I am &s;o much oblig'd for their Vi&s;it, Who can inform me?</HI> This &s;he &s;aid looking on <HI>Moni|tenna. None better than them&s;elves, Madam, if they plea&s;e but to &s;peak,</HI>
<PB N="215" REF="258">an&s;wer'd Monitenna. <HI>Yes, Madam, I will &s;peak,</HI> &s;aid then <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> in a Tone that &s;poke nothing but Rage, Fury, and De&s;pair, <HI>I am that un|fortunate</HI> Rep&s;et, &s;aid he, <HI>who had the Heart-breaking to receive a Note of this A&s;&s;ignation, which was intended for that Per&s;on, and tho' I found that it was not your Hand that had writ it, yet believing it to be a pur&s;uance of that Intrigue, of which</HI> Chila&s;e <HI>had made me his Confident; out of Envy to his good Fortune, and with a de&s;ign to di&s;appoint him, I came thither, under the a&s;&s;urance of that Note, which had been deliver'd to me, which in the reading I found to be directed to him; and now let him an&s;wer for him&s;elf.</HI></P>
<P>You may imagine, or rather it cannot be imagin'd, into what a Con&s;ternation this put poor <HI>Clo|rinetta,</HI> not many days before &s;he had wi&s;h'd <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> far enough from
<PB N="216" REF="259">di&s;turbing her new Amours with the Emperour; but &s;o &s;oon as &s;he had lo&s;t all hopes of any further Conver&s;ation through his &s;ilence after tho&s;e unluckly Di&s;appoint|ments which had happen'd to their A&s;&s;ignations, &s;he had recall'd her Love to <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> and was of opi|nion, that playing at a &s;mall Game, was much better than be|ing quite out of Play, though it were but for the &s;ake of the Com|pany. She therefore could not conceal &s;o well her re&s;entments, but that notice was taken of them both by the <HI>Sultana</HI> and <HI>Moniten|na,</HI> which oblig'd the <HI>Sultana</HI> to retire &s;ooner than &s;he intended, who was followed by <HI>Clorinetta</HI> and <HI>Monitenna.</HI></P>
<P>No &s;ooner had the <HI>Sultana</HI> &s;et a &s;tep towards her retiring, but that tho&s;e Per&s;ons who had been appointed by <HI>Monitenna</HI> to play their parts, came into the Room,
<PB N="217" REF="259">they had been waiting &s;ome time for the <HI>Sultana's</HI> retreat, they came up to the two <HI>Mufties,</HI> and taking fa&s;t hold of them in a kind of rough way, told them that by Order from the Emperour, they came to remove their &s;tation into another place; they led them in|to another Room, where the door being &s;hut upon them, they had lei&s;ure to con&s;ider that there were two or three men more who look'd like Surgeons, with Inci|&s;ion-Knives, Razors, Sci&s;&s;ers, Pla|&s;ters, Rowlers, and &s;uch like things on a Table before them; then ca&s;ting their looks towards the Chimney, they &s;aw Searing-Irons in the fire. The&s;e things of them|&s;elves &s;poke terrour enough to the Criminals, and doubtle&s;s they were apprehen&s;ive that they de|&s;ign'd a puni&s;hment proportiona|ble and &s;uitable to their Crimes, in which they were pre&s;ently
<PB N="218" REF="260">confirm'd, when one of the Sur|geons ask'd tho&s;e Per&s;ons that had brought them in, <HI>Whether tho&s;e were the two Per&s;ons that were to be made Eunuchs? Yes,</HI> reply'd the two other; <HI>Then a&s;&s;i&s;t us to bind them,</HI> &s;aid the Surgeons, <HI>that we may obey the Emperour's Orders, who has declar'd, that he would have us &s;erv'd &s;o, if we obey not his Commands to a tittle.</HI> With that, all tho&s;e that were in the Room, came about the two poor <HI>Mufties,</HI> as with a de&s;ign to bind them. When they both &s;et them|&s;elves to oppo&s;e with all their violence the &s;everity of that De|cree, pleading both, That they had been trepan'd; That it was a de&s;igned Plot to put a &s;ignal Affront upon the whole Clergy in their particular Per&s;ons, and that they were to be put into Ec|cle&s;ia&s;tical Hands to be puni&s;h'd, if guilty, but that they knew not
<PB N="219" REF="260">any fault that they were guil|ty of. Thus did the terrour of the puni&s;hment reconcile in a mo|ment two Per&s;ons who but a mi|nute before were declar'd Ene|mies: They were an&s;wer'd, That their very being at &s;uch an un&s;ea|&s;onable hour in that Undre&s;s in the <HI>Sultana</HI>'s Chamber, could not but &s;peak them guilty; and upon that, the Surgeons came up nearer to them, as with Cords in their Hands, with a de&s;ign to bind them. When <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> who was the mo&s;t valiant of the two, and neare&s;t the fire, &s;toopt on the &s;ud|den, and taking up two of the red-hot Irons out of the fire, he gave one to <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>Here, take this in your defence, and let us die bravely, and &s;ell our lives as dear as we can, rather than en|dure tamely that horrid Torment that the&s;e cruel Hang-men would inflict upon us. Let them not unman
<PB N="220" REF="261">us, but let us die like men.</HI></P>
<P>This &s;udden and de&s;perate Re|&s;olution in <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> which had been embrac'd al&s;o by <HI>Chila&s;e,</HI> who had been rendred couragious by Ex|ample, &s;et the others on retreat|ing &s;ome &s;teps, and enter into a Con&s;ultation, the re&s;ult of which was, That the two Delinquents &s;hould de&s;ire that one of them &s;hould be &s;ent to the Emperour, to humbly remon&s;trate to Him of the one hand, that they were both alur'd into this <HI>Praemunire;</HI> to which they con&s;ented, &s;aying, <HI>That the one had but obey'd the</HI> Sultana<HI>'s Command, and the other but de&s;ign'd to break his mea&s;ures; That this force us'd again&s;t two Per&s;ons of &s;uch eminent Ranks a|mong&s;t the Clergie, was a too great intrenching on their Prerogatives; And on the other, that rather than yield to &s;o &s;evere a puni&s;hment, they would die, though they &s;hould be
<PB N="221" REF="261">forc'd to kill them&s;elves, if they could not overcome their Enemies, unto whom they would &s;ell their lives as dear as they could.</HI> The&s;e In&s;tructions being deliver'd to Per&s;ons that had no further Or|ders, than to affright them to the la&s;t extremity, were &s;ufficient to &s;et them going to the Emperour. Mean time there was a Ce&s;&s;ation of Arms, and a further Parley betwixt the two Parties, in which abundance of things were &s;aid on both &s;ides; yet all this while nei|ther Party knew one another per|&s;onally, nor &s;o much as the Names of any Per&s;ons, and the two <HI>Muf|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ies</HI> were &s;o alter'd in their Coun|tenances with the apprehen&s;ions of the eminent danger they were <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n, be&s;ides their odd kind of Dre&s;|&s;es, that per&s;ons who had been familiarly acquainted with them, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ad &s;carce known them.</P>
<PB N="222" REF="262">
<P>The Me&s;&s;enger that was &s;ent to <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> return'd with an Olive-branch in his mouth, and &s;miling, &s;aid, <HI>Well, Gentlemen, whoe're you are? for we know you not; wherefore you may be certain, that we have done nothing without Orders from the Emperour. I am to declare to you the Emperour's la&s;t Will and Re&s;o|lution in this pre&s;ent Bu&s;ine&s;s: Know then, That through the Inter|ce&s;&s;ion of &s;ome Ladies, which are to be namele&s;s, &s;omething more than your Lives is granted to their hum|ble Reque&s;ts, on Conditions, that from henceforth neither of you ever attempt more to go to Balls and Ma&s;queradings; That neither of you pre&s;ume to court or &s;olicite any La|dies of what degree &s;oever, nor be &s;o vain as to take their Sports with &s;uch inferiour Per&s;ons for Realities and &s;erious A&s;&s;ignations; And that neither of you &s;hall ever dare to lift up your eyes, much le&s;s your thoughts
<PB N="223" REF="262">in any place where the Emperour looks but with a re&s;pectful Counte|nance. What &s;ay you, Gentlemen? Will you &s;tand to this Agreement, and &s;olemnly promi&s;e to perform eve|ry tittle thereof upon your words? Chila&s;e</HI> did pre&s;ently give his con|&s;ent and a&s;&s;urance, that he would be a true Ob&s;erver of the Articles; but as to <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> he made &s;ome de|mur in the matter: He &s;aid, <HI>That he would promi&s;e to go no further than he was entred already in any Com|merce with the female Sex, and that he would never look after, nor a&s;pire at any more Corre&s;pondency with any Woman what&s;oever, than what he had done already; but that as to what was already pa&s;t, he could not recal it back again.</HI> With &s;uch Equivocations and mental Re|&s;ervations he re&s;olv'd to cleave &s;till to his <HI>Clorinetta;</HI> but what he &s;aid was taken for &s;atisfactory, the Surgeons, at lea&s;t tho&s;e Per|&s;ons
<PB N="224" REF="263">that were di&s;guis'd, pack'd up their Tools, and required of the two <HI>Mufties</HI> their fiery Wea|pons, which having put up al&s;o, they went their ways. The <HI>Muf|ties</HI> Cloaths were afterwards brought to them by the &s;ame Wo|man, whom <HI>Monitenna</HI> had em|ploy'd before, they dre&s;s'd them|&s;elves, bundled up their Night-Gowns, and convey'd them under their long Robes, and were after that convey'd into the &s;treet, where the door being &s;hut after them, they took each of them that cour&s;e which they liked be&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Monitenna</HI> gave a full Relation to the <HI>Sultana</HI> of the whole Bu&s;i|ne&s;s before <HI>Clorinetta,</HI> who was forc'd to joyn in their Mirth, with &s;ome few forc'd Smiles, but long'd extreamly to &s;ee <HI>Rep&s;et,</HI> or at lea&s;t to hear from him. As to the two <HI>Mufties,</HI> the frights they had been put in, had brought them
<PB N="225" REF="263">both into mo&s;t violent Feavers, in which the Mighty French <HI>Pa|naceas</HI> for all Di&s;ea&s;es, Cly&s;ters, Julips, and Bleedings were not wanting, and if that cure them not, they are as &s;urely doom'd to Death, as any of our Ru&s;ticks are when no amendments appears af|ter the advantageous u&s;e of a Pep|per-Po&s;&s;et. <HI>Chila&s;e</HI> was the fir&s;t which was reckon'd out of danger, yet he had a lingring Feaver on him for a long time. But <HI>Rep&s;et</HI> being of a more fiery di&s;po&s;ition, the fuel of his Feaver la&s;ted longer before it had &s;pent it &s;elf, in&s;omuch that he was almo&s;t brought to the la&s;t ga&s;p: Yet at la&s;t through a &s;ight which he had got of <HI>Clori|netta,</HI> who had &s;olicited the <HI>Sul|tana</HI> to &s;end her to him with an <HI>How do you?</HI> He began to reco|ver little by little, but remain'd &s;o long weak, and &s;o oppre&s;s'd with Melancholy, that he &s;tirr'd
<PB N="226" REF="264">not out of his Chamber in two months time.</P>
<P><HI>Cha-abas</HI> was infinitely pleas'd with <HI>Monitenna,</HI> for having given him &s;o Comical a diver&s;ion and revenge, in which there had been &s;o much terrour, and &s;o little hurt, and the Reputation of both the <HI>Mufties</HI> &s;ecur'd by the con|cealment of their Names and Per|&s;ons under Di&s;gui&s;es. <HI>Monitenna,</HI> mean time, did triumph within her &s;elf, for having at once &s;o bravely reveng'd her &s;elf of all her Enemies, and ingratiated her &s;elf &s;o far into <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Favour again, as not to be remov'd from thence in ha&s;te by any new Pre|tender.</P>
<P>Things were in that amorous and diverting po&s;ture in the <HI>Per|&s;ian</HI> Court, when News came from divers parts of <HI>Cha-abas</HI> ill Succe&s;s again&s;t tho&s;e Confederate Princes that were re&s;olv'd to re|cover
<PB N="227" REF="264">their Rights, which <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had ba&s;ely taken, and with the &s;ame inju&s;tice with-held from them. But if he was beaten, and forc'd to &s;urrender tho&s;e places that he had formerly &s;urpris'd, he would be &s;ure to level them fir&s;t, to blow up all publick Edifices, to &s;et fire on every place, not &s;paring the very Churches, and even to dig up the very Founda|tions of the City-walls. This was done always in cold blood, after they had &s;atiated them&s;elves with Ravi&s;hments and horrid Murders. All this under pretence to leave the Country &s;o de&s;olate, as that their Enemies &s;hould not be able to &s;ub&s;i&s;t in it; though it was well known, that it was but with a de&s;ign to animate and encou|rage his men, who being con|vinc'd of the unju&s;tice of their Ma|&s;ter's Cau&s;e, would frequently take all opportunities of de&s;erting
<PB N="228" REF="265">&s;o cruel and bloody a Ma&s;ter, to adhere to &s;uch per&s;ons as with Ju|&s;tice pro&s;ecuted a generous War again&s;t that general Enemy of Mankind. Of truth his Cruelties were &s;uch, that tho&s;e few of his Allies, who had at fir&s;t &s;tuck to him, abandon'd him, having not the Heart to a&s;&s;i&s;t a Per&s;on that had &s;o wholly given him&s;elf up to the ruine and de&s;truction of Man|kind.</P>
<P>Neither was he more &s;ucce&s;sful in <HI>Leridan.</HI> His Army there, which though joyned with that of the Natives of that Kingdom, which though very cruel again&s;t the <HI>Mahometans,</HI> was &s;o out-done in tho&s;e barbarous Acts by the <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> that they began to fear the falling under their Tyranny. They did not &s;tick to declare this, and to confe&s;s that they had ra|ther continue to live under the <HI>Mahometan</HI> Yoke, than to be made
<PB N="229" REF="265">Slaves to the <HI>Per&s;ians;</HI> and when they were told by the <HI>Per&s;ian</HI> Officers, that tho&s;e <HI>Mahometans,</HI> with whom they prefer'd to live rather than under them, were Hereticks, they boldly an&s;wer'd, that &s;o was their Emperour and them&s;elves al&s;o, for having made War again&s;t the Grand <HI>Mufti,</HI> and declaring him not infallible, which Tenet, &s;aid they, none but He|reticks would hold: Be&s;ides, they highly murmur'd at the ill Suc|ce&s;s which they had in all their Undertakings, at the lo&s;s of &s;o many brave men before &s;o mean a place as was <HI>Lynderodon;</HI> now that they could not effect any thing with their Golden Batteries, as they had formerly done in other places. The&s;e Complaints of the <HI>Leridians</HI> to the <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> produ|ced nothing but Grudges and Heart-burnings betwixt them, which among&s;t the Officers on both
<PB N="230" REF="266">&s;ides, after having reproach'd one another of want of Courage, came to quarrels, which ended in blows and Duels, in which commonly the <HI>Per&s;ians</HI> came by the wor&s;e. While that the common Souldiers did daily de&s;ert, retiring in their Fa&s;tne&s;&s;es and Retreats, where they bid defiance to the <HI>Per&s;ians.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>Mahometans</HI> mean time, kept them&s;elves in &s;trong Holds, and with un&s;peakable Valour did oppo&s;e their Enemies, daily ex|pecting a very con&s;iderable Re|lief from <HI>Albiona</HI> and <HI>Clon&s;tad.</HI> E&s;pecially tho&s;e of <HI>Lynderodon,</HI> be|haved them&s;elves with &s;uch ex|traordinary Valour, that they, in divers Sallies, did kill and take &s;o many, both Officers and Souldiers of their Enemies, that they were forc'd to rai&s;e the Siege, and to retire at &s;uch a con&s;iderable di|&s;tance from that place with their Army, that the&s;e brave <HI>Mahome|tans</HI>
<PB N="231" REF="266">remain'd Ma&s;ters of the Field ten miles round them.</P>
<P>The Winds proving contrary, during a long time, for the tran&s;|portation of tho&s;e Men and Am|munition which were ready to go, as it is u&s;ual at that &s;ea&s;on of the year. The Fleet appointed to carry them, put divers times to Sea, but as often were driven back again by We&s;terly, Nother|ly, and Northwe&s;t Winds.</P>
<P>In the Kingdom of <HI>Clon&s;tad,</HI> the principal Fortre&s;s was &s;urrendred at di&s;cretion, and all tho&s;e that had taken up Arms for <HI>Amurat,</HI> were beaten and di&s;pers'd, divers Packets of Letters, In&s;tructions and Commi&s;&s;ions &s;ent by <HI>Amurat</HI> from <HI>Leridan,</HI> to tho&s;e of his Party in <HI>Clon&s;tad,</HI> were di&s;cover'd, the Per&s;ons &s;eiz'd and impri&s;on'd, their Papers brought to the Grand Council of that Nation, read and examined, whereby all the <HI>Ha|li&s;ts</HI>
<PB N="232" REF="267">De&s;igns and private Plots at that time in agitation in that King|dom, were laid open and detect|ed; upon which divers, of all <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he three States of that Kingdom, we<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e apprehended, and made clo&s;e Pri|&s;oners, and all the Hopes of <HI>Amu|rat</HI> and of his Party thereby quite da&s;ht to pieces, beyond all hopes of recovery.</P>
<P>Now were the <HI>Ottoman</HI> and <HI>Haldonian</HI> Fleets joyn'd at Sea, which made <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Fleet to di|vide it &s;elf; part of it was &s;ent by him to annoy and de&s;troy &s;ome of the <HI>Ottomans</HI> and <HI>Haldonians</HI> Plantations in the <HI>Indies,</HI> and the re&s;t was kept in their Harbours, not daring to &s;tir forth, but watch|ing for &s;ome opportunity of con|veying &s;ome Recruits of Men, Arms, and Ammunitions into <HI>Leridan,</HI> which was almo&s;t im|po&s;&s;ible for them to do the direct way, becau&s;e the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Fleet
<PB N="233" REF="267">lay in the Chanel. He likewi&s;e &s;ent &s;ome Ships with Relief for <HI>Leridan,</HI> who&s;e Officers were to &s;teer their Cour&s;e quite another way, to &s;uch an appointed di|&s;tance, where they were to open their Commi&s;&s;ions, and then they were order'd to &s;teer round, and to land in <HI>Leridan,</HI> where they could mo&s;t conveniently, not to be mole&s;ted by the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Fleet.</P>
<P>But if that <HI>Cha-abas</HI> had &s;uch De&s;igns on <HI>Leridan,</HI> which King|dom of truth he had bought very dear, and for which he had alrea|dy, &s;ome years &s;ince, made divers con&s;iderable Payments, and which was yet to co&s;t him much more Money and mens Lives, before he could be ab&s;olute Ma&s;ter of it, if ever he did get it. <HI>Solyman</HI> and his Grand Council of the <HI>Divan</HI> were not wanting on their parts to &s;upply the two Kingdoms of <HI>Clon&s;tad</HI> and <HI>Leridan</HI> with all Ne|ce&s;&s;aries,
<PB N="234" REF="268">to &s;uppre&s;s all the <HI>Ha|li&s;ts</HI> Plots and Machinations, to di&s;arm them, &s;eize them from among&s;t them that were the mo&s;t forward in broaching of fal&s;e Re|ports, in di&s;per&s;ing of libellous and trea&s;onable Papers, and in &s;owing of Sedition and Rebellion among&s;t the Mobile. Divers of them were &s;eiz'd, &s;itting in their dark Councils, &s;ome in di&s;per&s;ing of fal&s;e and forg'd Proclamations and Declarations, under <HI>Amurat</HI>'s Name, and others in buying of Arms, and making great Provi|&s;ions, in order to a Rebellion. The&s;e Arms were di&s;cover'd, &s;eiz'd on, and &s;ecur'd, and the Gaols were fill'd with tho&s;e &s;editious <HI>Hali&s;ts.</HI> Thus by the Emperour's Vigilance, and the Grand Council of the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empires wi&s;e Coun|&s;els, all their mi&s;chiefs were pre|vented, and all things tended to a perfect Peace and Settlement of
<PB N="235" REF="268">the whole Empire; in&s;omuch that tho&s;e who &s;at at the Helm, thought fit to give <HI>Cha-abas</HI> &s;ome diver&s;ion, and to attack him by Sea, while the re&s;t of his Ene|mies were pro&s;ecuting of the War againk him by Land.</P>
<P>To that purpo&s;e there were De|&s;igns laid of going with the great|e&s;t part of the united Fleets before that Haven where <HI>Cha-abas</HI> Fleet lay at Anchor, and there, as oc|ca&s;ion &s;hould &s;erve, and as they &s;hould think mo&s;t convenient, ei|ther &s;end a con&s;iderable number of Fire-&s;hips in among&s;t them all at once, and &s;o burn and de&s;troy them in their Harbour, or el&s;e block them up in it, &s;o as that they might not be able to get out, by &s;inking divers old Carca&s;&s;es of Ships laden with &s;tones at the mouth of the Harbour.</P>
<P>It was al&s;o deliberated, That during that Diver&s;ion a con&s;ide|rable
<PB N="236" REF="269">Army &s;hould be landed thereabouts, to &s;eize on the Forts, Ca&s;tles, and other &s;trong Holds that were the Guards of that Ha|ven. The&s;e things and divers others of the &s;ame Nature, were debated, and &s;ome concluded up|on, which &s;hew'd that all things were in good po&s;ture in the <HI>Otto|man</HI> Empire, &s;ince that they be|gan from being wholly on the defen&s;ive to undertake their part of an offen&s;ive War with the re&s;t of their Allies again&s;t <HI>Cha-abas,</HI> that univer&s;al Enemy of Mankind, and of the true, ancient, and <HI>Ma|hometan</HI> Religion.</P>
<P>Thus far did my Memoirs reach, from whence I have taken that matter, of which I have com|pos'd the fir&s;t and &s;econd Part of the <HI>Court Secret.</HI> May the down|fall, ruine, and total de&s;truction of the <HI>Ante-Titus Ve&s;pa&s;ianus</HI> of
<PB N="237" REF="269">our days, afford me matter &s;uffi|cient to make a third Part of the <HI>Court Secret,</HI> or to make a com|pleat Piece of it &s;elf under the Ti|tle of, <HI>The prodigious Birth and Life, Tyrannical Government, and mi&s;erable Fall of the Chri&s;tian Turk,</HI> Lewis <HI>the Fourteenth.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</GROUP>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
