the unjustice of their Master's Cause would frequently take all opportunities of deserting so cruel and bloody a Master to adhere to such persons as with Justice prosecuted a generous War against that general Enemy of Mankind Of truth his Cruelties were such that those few of his Allies who had at first stuck to him abandon'd him having not the Heart to assist a Person that had so wholly given himself up to the ruine and destruction of Mankind Neither was he more successful in Leridan His Army there which though joyned with that of the Natives of that Kingdom which though very cruel against the Mahometans was so out-done in those barbarous Acts by the Persians that they began to fear the falling under their Tyranny They did not stick to declare this and to confess that they had rather continue to live under the Mahometan Yoke than to be made Slaves to the Persians and when they were told by the Persian Officers that those Mahometans with whom they prefer'd to live rather than under them were Hereticks they boldly answer'd that so was their Emperour and themselves also for having made War against the Grand Mufti and declaring him not infallible which Tenet said they none but Hereticks would hold Besides they highly murmur'd at the ill Success which they had in all their Undertakings at the loss of so many brave men before so mean a place as was Lynderodon now that they could not effect any thing with their Golden Batteries as they had formerly done in other places These Complaints of the Leridians to the Persians produced nothing but Grudges and Heart-burnings betwixt them which amongst the Officers on both sides after having reproach'd one another of want of Courage came to quarrels which ended in blows and Duels in which commonly the Persians came by the worse While that the common Souldiers did daily desert retiring in their Fastnesses and Retreats where they bid defiance to the Persians The Mahometans mean time kept themselves in strong Holds and with unspeakable Valour did oppose their Enemies daily expecting a very considerable Relief from Albiona and Clonstad Especially those of Lynderodon behaved themselves with such extraordinary Valour that they in divers Sallies did kill and take so many both Officers and Souldiers of their Enemies that they were forc'd to raise the Siege and to retire at such a considerable distance from that place with their Army that these brave Mahometans remain'd Masters of the Field ten miles round them The Winds proving contrary during a long time for the transportation of those Men and Ammunition which were ready to go as it is usual at that season of the year The Fleet appointed to carry them put divers times to Sea but as often were driven back again by Westerly Notherly and Northwest Winds In the Kingdom of Clonstad the principal Fortress was surrendred at discretion and all those that had taken up Arms for Amurat were beaten and dispers'd divers Packets of Letters Instructions and Commissions sent by Amurat from Leridan to those of his Party in Clonstad were discover'd the Persons seiz'd and imprison'd their Papers brought to the Grand Council of that Nation read and examined whereby all the Halists Designs and private Plots at that time in agitation in that Kingdom were laid open and detected upon which divers of all â—he three States of that Kingdom weâ—e apprehended and made close Prisoners and all the Hopes of Amurat and of his Party thereby quite dasht to pieces beyond all hopes of recovery Now were the Ottoman and Haldonian Fleets joyn'd at Sea which made Cha-abas Fleet to divide it self part of it was sent by him to annoy and destroy some of the Ottomans and Haldonians Plantations in the Indies and the rest was kept in their Harbours not daring to stir forth but watching for some opportunity of conveying some Recruits of Men Arms and Ammunitions into Leridan which was almost impossible for them to do the direct way because the Ottoman Fleet lay in the Chanel He likewise sent some Ships with Relief for Leridan whose Officers were to steer their Course quite another way to such an appointed distance where they were to open their Commissions and then they were order'd to steer round and to land in Leridan where they could most conveniently not to be molested by the Ottoman Fleet. But if that Cha-abas had such Designs on Leridan which Kingdom of truth he had bought very dear and for which he had already some years since made divers considerable Payments and which was yet to cost him much more Money and mens Lives before he could be absolute Master of it if ever he did get it Solyman and his Grand Council of the Divan were not wanting on their parts to supply the two Kingdoms of Clonstad and Leridan with all Necessaries to suppress all the Halists Plots and Machinations to disarm them seize them from amongst them that were the most forward in broaching of false Reports in dispersing of libellous and treasonable Papers and in sowing of Sedition and Rebellion amongst the Mobile Divers of them were seiz'd sitting in their dark Councils some in dispersing of false and forg'd Proclamations and Declarations under Amurat's Name and others in buying of Arms and making great Provisions in order to a Rebellion These Arms were discover'd seiz'd on and secur'd and the Gaols were fill'd with those seditious Halists Thus by the Emperour's Vigilance and the Grand Council of the Ottoman Empires wise Counsels all their mischiefs were prevented and all things tended to a perfect Peace and Settlement of the whole Empire insomuch that those who sat at the Helm thought fit to give Cha-abas some diversion and to attack him by Sea while the rest of his Enemies were prosecuting of the War againk him by Land. To that purpose there were Designs laid of going with the greatest part of the united Fleets before that Haven where Cha-abas Fleet lay at Anchor and there as occasion should serve and as they should think most convenient either send a considerable number of Fire-ships in amongst them all at once and so burn and destroy them in their Harbour or else block them up in it so as that they might not be able to get out by sinking divers old Carcasses of Ships laden with stones at the mouth of the Harbour It was also deliberated That during that Diversion a considerable Army should be landed thereabouts to seize on the Forts Castles and other strong Holds that were the Guards of that Haven These things and divers others of the same Nature were debated and some concluded upon which shew'd that all things were in good posture in the Ottoman Empire since that they began from being wholly on the defensive to undertake their part of an offensive War with the rest of their Allies against Cha-abas that universal Enemy of Mankind and of the true ancient and Mahometan Religion Thus far did my Memoirs reach from whence I have taken that matter of which I have compos'd the first and second Part of the Court Secret. May the downfall ruine and total destruction of the Ante-Titus Vespasianus of our days afford me matter sufficient to make a third Part of the Court Secret or to make a compleat Piece of it self under the Title of The prodigious Birth and Life Tyrannical Government and miserable Fall of the Christian Turk Lewis the Fourteenth FINIS
in which he that had sworn to be their Protector and Defender was gone over to the greatest Enemy of all their Rights and had solicited him against his own People then they thought themselves absolutely freed from all Duties to him and from all further Passive Obedience which was so much enjoyn'd to them by the Doctrine of their Church who commanded them to fly from Persecution in their own Land by their own Prince into another after that he had deserted and abandoned them to their Destruction and joyn'd himself to the implacable Enemy of their Religion Established by the Laws of the Nation Then they thought that their staying at home for the Defence of their own Religion and to oppose the threatned Usurpation and Invasion of the Halists under Cha-abas conduct was the same thing as their flying from Persecution at home into another Country now that their Head their King their Protector had abandon'd them to the Fury of their most barbarous and bloody Enemies was the same thing as flying from Persecution had their Emperor staid to protect them They therefore joyntly Crowned Prince Soliman and the Princess Zelinda as the next Heirs to the Crown which had been forfeited to them by Amurat's abandoning of it and they took those usual Oaths which are tender'd to all the Emperour 's at their Coronation and the People acknowledg'd them to be their Lawful King and Queen and on that account swore to them the Oaths of Obedience Allegiance and Submission which were usual on such occasion all which was confirm'd by the Grand Council of the Empire receiv'd in all parts and proclaim'd throughout the whole Empire except by a small Party of Halists which had been kept together in Arms in Leridan by Clorinet after he had turn'd out from amongst them all those that profest the Mahometan Religion News by this time are come to Ispahan of the Persians Fleet safe arrival at Leridan where they had discharg'd their Men and Ammunition and where Amurat at his first Landing had obtain'd a considerable Advantage over his Enemies and had great hopes to subdue that Kingdom to transport those Forces afterwards into the Kingdom of Clonstade 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 Albona and so make himself once more Master of his Empire These Letters were shown to the Sultana who not finding the same Contents in Amurat's Letters to her nor in Clorinet's Letters to his Wife so clearly set down did fear giving too much Credit to them but what with the construing which was put on the Sultana's and Clorineta's Letters the Sultana was perswaded to believe all that was told her as most authentick which made her resolve to breathe a little and to give some release unto her continual Sorrow in appearing according to her Grandeur and Rank at the great Mask with all the Mirth and Jolity that her present Condition could afford her to yield Cha-abas was so strongly bent on this great Design that one would have thought he had no other business in hand He laid aside all other Concerns and did resolve happen what would to give all the Scope and Liberty imaginable to his Amours which made such a noise that some of the more Sober sort of his Court did not think convenient to appear at that great Festival at a time when the Blessing of Heaven was to have been implor'd upon their Arms against so many formidable Enemies that did encompass them round Of truth there was not less than 157000 Men arm'd against Persia There was of the Myrgenians 7000 of the Abravians 10000. of the Wasbians 5000 under the Conduct of the most Valiant Bassa of Abravia The Bassa of Reinola had the Command of 20000. Myrgenians and Cranfonians 10000. Xoniseans 8000. Swibrunckians and Brugulneans and 8000 Seheseans The Bassa of Grubdenbran commanded of Grubdenbranians 26000. and of Stennumians 6000 The Aga Kalkwad led 50000. Halldonians and there was 7000. Pesinians besides the formidable Navies which threatned him by Sea. All these I say could not abate any thing of his Ambition especially now that it was boy'd up and carried on the Wings of Love. At last his particular Mufti unto whom only he imparted the Secrets of his Heart was pitch'd upon to represent to him the unseasonableness of the thing and the great inconveniences that would attend it But he severely rebuked him for his unask'd for advice and desired him not to trouble him with his Counsels till he sent for him The Mufti whose Name was Chilase was but newly return'd home not much concern'd how he had succeeded in his Admonition to Cha-abas when Repset came to give him a Visit They were both of the wicked Order of the Mahometists They had held perpetual Correspondence by Letters with one another all the time that the Destruction of the Mahometan Religion in Albiona had been hatching they were very familiar together and no Secret was hid from one another but in their Amours there they were Two as unanimous soever they were in all other Businesses Repset's Design in that Visit was to learn whether Cha-abas had said any thing to Chilase concerning the mistake which he had lately made in the Garden He had made his Peace well enough with Clorineta but he would gladly have known how the Emperour had resented it and what his thoughts might be on that account Chilase told him That he had not spoken but once since to Cha-abas who was so attentive to his great Entertainment that then he had rebuk'd him for offering to give him some Advice about it which he had been desired to do by some of the principal Lords of the Court But let him go on continued he we shall have the satisfaction of being partakers of it Yes said Repset though not in so high a measure as he designs for himself Of truth it must be confessed continued he the New Object of his Love which puts him on all this has such powerful charms that no Flesh and Blood were able to resist You speak so feelingly of the Effects of those charms reply'd Chilase that I cannot but fancy you are more than ordinary interested in it No Brother reply'd Repset the great number of cares that I had continually upon me and the Nature of them did keep me off of any such Designs though certainly she is the finest Person in the World the most courteous and affable to the meanest of her Subjects and it is a thousand pities that she has an Husband who is not capable through his infirmities to perform towards her those Matrimonial Devoirs which she ought in reason to expect and which 100000 Persons would think themselves most happy to supply her with What pity then is it said Chilase that she should now be courted by another Prince as insufficient to perform to any purpose those amorous Offices which in reason she might expect were she in the
stuck stedfast unto Amurat's Interest the Persians declaring That they could not joyn in Council with any but the Halists This was follow'd presently with turning out of their Governments and Places of Trust all the Albanians and Leridonians of what perswasion soever and to fill up their places with such Persian Officers as Cha-abas had sent over to that purpose and tho' Amurat did intercede in the behalf of some who had rendred signal â—pieces of Service as their Fathers had done before both to his Father Brother and to Himself all was over-rul'd by Cha-abas absolute Command and the necessity of Affairs requiring it to be so All this one would have thought had been sufficient to have open'd Amurat's Eyes but he suffer'd befides all that a world of indignities and was so infatuated with the Persians flattering Tongues that he was not backward as he had Orders to do to represent on all occasions in publick the great Love and Care that Cha-abas had for him and what he had done and what he would daily do to restore him to his Throne and to establish the Halist's Religion throughout all his Dominions at which while the Persians laught in theiâ— sleeves Amurat's poor dejected Subjects could not but wonder and with their sighs tears and groans pity their Emperour's blindness and bemoan their own miserable and desperate condition I mean amongst them that had not hearts or opportunities to take up Arms in their own defence against so visible an Usurpation of the Persian Prince who was bringing them into the same slavery as his own Subjects were But others that had Courage enough to expect a good success from their Arms and the Justice of their Cause being clearly convinc'd that the War they were going to make through their opposition of the Persians was directly against the designs of Cha-abas in which their late Emperour had no Concern at all They took up Arms gather'd together made themselves Masters of some strong Holds which they fortified got in Provisions against a Siege and declar'd one and all that they would stand by one another to the last drop of their blood The little or no resistance which Amurat had found at his Landing and some time after did so raise the Hearts of all the Halists in all his Dominions that the Fortress of Blunid in the Kingdom of Clonstade whose Governour had required time to deliver it up did utterly refuse to perform his promise on the contrary being in hopes of some Relief he fortify'd himself in it and bid defiance unto the Senate of that Kingdom declaring That he would never part with it but to Amurat who had plac'd him in there and for whom he would preserve it to the last extremity and divers Halists did arm themselves secretly and did associate together in small Troops in hopes of being reinforc'd by Amurat from Leridan so soon as he should have reduc'd that Kingdom which they expected he would do in a very short time News were also sent over into Albania that Amurat with some of his Friends Halist and a numerous Army of Persians was landed in Leridan had subdued his Enemies recover'd that Kingdom banish'd from thence all Mahometans and was going with all expedition to do the like in the Kingdom of Clonstad from whence he would march to them with a Triumphant Army and restore all his Friends the Halists to their Estates and Employs destroy wholly the Mahometan Religion banish all its Abettors and establish there the Religion of Hali they went so far as to prefix a time for Amurat's Return and in all their Discourses their Actions and in their very Looks they express'd as much confidence and assurance as could be imagin'd that all this would infallibly come to pass Mean time the Grand Senate of the Empire was continually in Consultation how to secure the Mahometan Religion the Laws of the Land the Liberty of the Subject and the whole Empire from the Persians Usurpation and all the Conspiracies of the Halists they order'd amongst other things that all Halists should depart at ten miles distance from the Metropolis of the Empire but they were so puff'd up with the expectations of their sudden deliverance that they minded it not and but very few and them of the most timid amongst them did observe those Orders On the other hand the Confederate Princes against Cha-abas unsufferable Pride and Ambition did daily gain Victories against his Forces who were forc'd to retreat and abandon all that they had taken against their former Treaties and Engagements but it was not without using all the Violences and Cruelties imaginable there was nothing to be seen but Fires Ruines Desolations Rapes Thefts and Murders in all places that they quitted not so much as sparing of Mosquees nor the Palaces of Princes and other publick Buildings which amongst all Nations were ever preserv'd between the most implacable and inveterate Enemies Moreover Cha-abas call'd the Heathens to come and make diversions with their Arms in the Territories of the Confederate Princes assuring them that they might do what they pleas'd against them whilst he would buy off their other Enemies and with his whole Power keep them in play towards his Frontiers Thus did that great Pretender of the Extirpation of Heresies and of the setting up of Hali's Religion cause the sworn Enemies of the true Mahometan Religion to destroy with Fire and Sword those who profest his own Religion which plainly shew'd that Religion was only a Pretence he made use of to usurp the Rights of others and to render himself absolute Monarch over all that part of the World a thing which he had long since design'd and divers times attempted and for which now all those Confederate Princes of his own Religion and others of the Mahometan Religion had unanimously agreed to call him to an account not doubting but that the Great Ala who knew all his Treacheries and perfidious Dealings and Usurpations would bless their Arms and Undertakings in so just a Cause against that common Enemy Things were in this posture when that Cha-abas having permitted Love for a time to triumph over his insatiated Ambition was laying close Siege unto the Sultana's Chastity He dress'd himself with all the advantages that he could possible to please her Eye he fram'd the most pathetick Speeches that he could invent to charm her Ears he made her the richest Presents that he could possible do to please her Pridè and Ambition and he express'd as great Passions and transports of Love to gain some returns of the same Nature from her He sent one of those Mercuries which I have mention'd to know of the Sultana when he should have the Honour to wait on her and receive her Commands and at the same time privately to convey into Clorineta's Hands a little Note in which he express'd the continuation or rather increase of his Passion and put her in mind of the Assignation which she had promis'd to make him This Messenger