of his Kingdom. This old Wretch, whose predominate Passion was Avarice, loaded the People with Taxes. And as a War would not allow him to embezzle at will the public Treasures, he never would enter into one unless utterly impossible to be avoided. And then, with so much Niggardliness, and so little Conduct, that he became the Scorn both of the Generals and the Officers of State. Happy if he could have saved those vast Sums, or have expended them in a manner suitable to the Honour of the Prince, and the unbounded Zeal of his Subjects. But they were all in a short Time squandered away, among Foreigners, who made him their constant Dupe. Indeed, the best Schemes miscarried thro' his Sordidness, and yet with all these Faults, he maintain'd his Ascendency over the Prince, so that no Courtier dared utter any Complaint against him.
Zeokinizul, whose whole Life was devoted to his Consort and his Hunting, of both which he was equally fond, had only the Title and Pomp of a King, for the Mollak Jeflur had engrossed all the Authority, by which Means he aggrandized his Family, promoted and enriched his Creatures, and supplied the enormous Profusion of his Mistress the Princess of Ginarkan, Spouse to a Prince of the Blood of Vosaïe.
His selfish Love of Peace, could not, however, hinder his being involved in an unavoidable War.
Sicidem, grand Kam of Katenos, among the Provinces of the Neitilanes, dying without
Issue, the Emperor of the Maregins laid Claim to his Succession. This Prince was already too powerful for the King of the Kofirans not to oppose this Addition to his Greatness. And thus this ecclesiastical Statesman Jeflur, was brought under a Necessity of employing his Master's Troops, in order to deprive him of so rich an Inheritance. About this Time also, the Throne of Goplone, of which his Father-in-Law had been dispossess'd, became vacant, and Zeokinizul's Honour required, that he should lay hold of this Opportunity to restore him. After a fruitless Trial of all the peaceable Ways of Bribery and Negotiation to compass his End, the Mollak was at last oblig'd to order the Kofiran Troops to march. The first Body marched towards the Nhir, to oppose the Emperor of the Maregins, the second towards the Kingdom of Goplone, to impose upon them their former Sovereign, and the third hastened into the Provinces of the Neitilanes, to make sure of the Dominions of Sicidem.
As this War was carried on only in Zeokinizul's Name, and he did not personally act in it, I shall omit its various Events, in Order to come the sooner to what immediately relates to this young King. After the loss of two Battles, and a strong City taken by the Kofirans, the Emperor of the Maregins was very glad to accept of a Peace, upon such Conditions as were alone detrimental to his Allies. As a Satisfaction to Zeokinizul's Father-in-law for his Kingdom, which he relinquish'd to another, he was allowed to retain
the Title of King, and was made actual Sovereign of the Province of Reinarol, which after his Death, was by the Treaty to be annexed to the Kingdom of the Kofirans, and the Kam in exchange for this Cession, was invested with the Dominions of Sicidem. Tho' this was an advantageous Peace to the Conquerors, yet it was very short of what they might reasonably have expected, or at least, if Zeokinizul was so moderate as to be contented with such small Matters, it behov'd his Minister to insist upon more important and honourable Terms. However, the Glory of his Arms, was the continual Topic to him; and this Prince by hearing of the Exploits of his Soldiers so frequently extoll'd, began to give Signs of a martial Disposition. His Genius now display'd itself, and instead of reigning ingloriously only by a Minister, he shewed, that he would be in all Respects the King. His Courtiers, who had always with Reluctance paid Obedience to the Order of the haughty Mollak, applauded this generous Resolution, while the crafty Jeflur had the Mortification to see, that his Ministry was going to be overturned, by the very Thing which he fancied would have prolonged it.
As this was a fatal Blow, so was he not wanting in his Endeavours to ward it off. Accordingly he set all his Springs at Work, nor minded the Guilt of any Measure if it had a promising Aspect. I question if an Instance of such an hellish Contrivance, and so detestable a Scandal, can be found in any History. A Man to whom a whole Kingdom
had committed its only Hope, a Man who had been chosen to rectify and refine the Morals of its King, endeavours by all Means to corrupt them; and, as a Return for the vast Favours received from him, he draws him in to forfeit his Innocence, the Love of his Consort, and the Esteem of his Subjects.
Zeokinizul, as has been said, was passionately fond of the Queen his Spouse, which guarded him against those Irregularities which stain'd the Memory of the preceding Kings of the Kofirans. Yet these People being of a volatile and fickle Humour, could not think, that a settled Love afforded any Pleasure, and were continually wishing that their Sovereign would commence an Intrigue with some Court Beauty. This unbecoming Wish was pretended to proceed from a Regard for the Welfare and Glory of the Nation. What, says they, shall our King always be tutor'd by Mollaks? What signifies this Peace, which is only owing to the Weakness and Pusillanimity of this set of Men, for we are oppressed with Taxes as much as if we were engaged in a War with all the Powers of Africa? Why does not our King shew some Spirit, and give into an Intrigue? An ambitious Mistress would break these scandalous Fetters, and when he is once his own Master, instead of this enervating Idleness, he would soon find such Work for our Forces, as would enhance our Reputation, and enlarge his Dominions.