In order to the better Understanding of what I shall relate concerning this Monarchy, it will not be an useless Digression to say something of its Foundation, and gradual Increase to that Pitch of Glory to which it was raised by the King who proceeded Zeokinizul.
I am apt to believe, that when the divine Missionary offered up Paradise to Men, as the Reward of their Belief and Obedience, he drew his Idea from the Country of the Kofirans. The many Rivers which intermix their Streams, maintain a perpetual Verdure in the Meadows; the Soil produces all Sorts of Corn, useful Herbs and Fruits; and is so well cultivated, that there are no more Woods than are necessary for Fewel and other Uses. Its exquisite Wines, are little inferior to those of Ghinoer; if it has but few Gold or Silver Mines, the Defect is abundantly compensated by those of Iron, Copper, Tin, and the valuable Quarries of Porcelaine, which abound throughout almost all the Provinces of this delicious Kingdom. The Women are sprightly, witty, and chearful. The Men, brave, industrious, laborious and addicted to Learning. Its Situation is so very advantageous, that it is reckoned one of Nature's Master-pieces. Its steep and lofty Clefts towards the Sea, secure this charming Country from the Invasions of the King of the Island Alniob. Its Ports are numerous, but so
well fortified, as to be of the greatest Advantage to the Kofirans. Another Side of this Country has inaccessible Mountains, as a Fence against the King of Jerebi, and the Kam of Vosaïe. The River Nhir is its Barrier against the formidable Power of the Emperor of the Maregins. And, lastly, many Cities of almost impregnable Strength, seem to defy the Attacks of the Junes Provinces, and the Bapasis. Such is the Situation and Quality of the Kingdom of the Kofirans, being also blessed with a temperate Climate, and an healthful Air.
The People who are at present seated in this luxuriant Country, are not its original Possessors. The first Colony settled here after the Deluge, were so contented with the spontaneous Produce of its Fertility, that they forbore to cultivate and improve it. This Moderation which, since the Sin of Sultan Adam, has ceased to be a Virtue, so enervated their Courage, that they became slothful and timorous. The Manoris, tho' their own Country, wanted for nothing, envied the more fruitful Possessions of their Neighbours, and invaded them Sword in Hand. The Goilaus, who at that Time inhabited it, and whose Pleasures were heightened by Liberty, made some Efforts to preserve that valuable Blessing; but being not so vigorous as the Juncture required, they were unsuccessful, and the Consequence of their Inactivity was Slavery. After some Shews of Resistance, in which their Multitudes were easily defeated by an handful of Manoris, they underwent the Fate of several
other Nations, whom this fierce People had reduced.
However, by an Intercourse with the Manoris, they became sensible of their wretched and disgraceful Condition. After they had been conquer'd, they learned the Art of War from their Conquerors; who, also in a short Time, declined from the Love of Glory, and a martial Spirit, that they were no longer formidable but by their Numbers. They grew intoxicated with Luxury, and run into Extremes opposite to their original Ferosity, so as to become more despicable than those they had conquered.
It was at this Time, that the Nodais, the Guernonies, the Duesois, and the Sokans issuing from the North of Africa, over-run their finest Provinces. A Body of these Barbarians fell upon the Territories of the Goilaus, and having forced them to share this delightful Country, settled themselves there under the Name of Kranfs. These new Conquerors were for some Time molested by the Manoris, but as Luxury had brought their flourishing Empire to Decay, the Kranfs forced them to desist, and remained in quiet Possession of the Goilaus:
I shall omit the first rude Ages, when these Conquerors train'd up to the Licentiousness of War, were under no Regulation or Law, and whose Towns, like those of other Nations, were only a confused Assemblage of Huts. It is true, that there were Kings among them from their first Settlement, but the Men thus dignified, were in
Reality only Generals elected out of the Troops, and whose Prerogative was limited to Military Affairs. These Chiefs, whose Savageness was rather augmented by the Power with which they were invested, made no Scruple to dispatch a neighbouring Competitor with the Sword or Poison, and their History is full of unnatural Instances, of Brothers stabbing Brothers, Subjects poisoning their Sovereigns to usurp their dangerous Stations.
The Religion of Suesi, which the fifth of their Kings embraced, tho' its Maxims are far from countenancing Ambition and Murder, but entirely adapted to the Welfare of Society; yet have been so perverted by the Depravity of the Faquirs and the Imans, as to be alledged in Vindication of them, and have besides, set on Foot so many Cheats and Errors, that the holy Books, Bileb and Liegnelau in their Purity, as dictated by the divine Spirit to the Legislators, has been treated by them with Contempt, as mutilated and inconsistent. In Defence of their respective Notions, these People have engaged in furious Wars with each other, and out of a Zeal for Religion, have assassinated several of their Kings. The Times seem now more tranquil, and without any Apprehension of such shocking Crimes. Their Faith is very different from what it was, and the lower Sort of People, who alone adhere to the Tenets of Suesi, are entirely recovered from that stupid Obedience formerly paid to the Pepa, who, having made the World believe,