I then stood up and told the assembly the whole of what we heard, how it first came to be discovered, and that the king himself had been an ear-witness of it, which the king confirming, the whole assembly rang with confusion, and revenge and indignation appeared in every face.
I then proposed, as we yet knew not what that secret commission was which Nicor was charged with, having enough against the rest, that Nicor might be brought forth; and upon refusal to answer, be put to the torture.
Nicor appearing before the assembly, I told him I was commanded by the king to ask him what commission he was charged with by Barbarsa, and to whom. I told him the safest way for his life, his honour, and his country, was to make a true confession at first, or I had authority to put him to the torture; for, as for slitting and banishment, as they were too slight to atone for this offence, he might rest satisfied his would be of another sort, if he hesitated at delivering the thing in its full truth.
My prelude terrifying him, he openly confessed that his last commission was to several towns, as from the king, and with his gripsack, to order their submission to Harlokin, the king not being in any condition to relieve them; and that as soon as they had submitted, Harlokin would be let into this city, which could not stand against him.
He also declared that it had been agreed, and the boundaries settled, how far Barbarsa, who was to be declared king and marry Yaccombourse, should govern, and how far Harlokin; that Barbarsa was to be styled King of the East, and Harlokin King of the West; and that either of them, on the other's dying childless, was to inherit the whole monarchy.
The king declaring this to be all true, and that by my procurement he heard it all mentioned but the last night between Barbarsa and Yaccombourse as they were solacing themselves in bed, the whole assembly ordered them to be brought out, carried with cords about their necks, and precipitated into Mount Alkoe.
I then begged they might be suffered to speak for themselves before execution; and acquainting them severally with the evidence, I first asked Barbarsa what he had to say against his sentence. He declared his ambition, and the easiness of his master's temper, had instigated him to attempt what had been charged upon him; having, as he thought, a fair opportunity of so doing.—I then asked Yaccombourse the same question; she answered me, her ambition had been her sole governor from a child, and I had done my worst in preventing the progress of that; and whatever else I could do was not worth her notice; "But to have reigned," says she, with some emotion, "was worth the lives of millions, and overbalanced everything!"
I pleaded hard for Nicor, as I perceived him to be only the favourite's favourite, and not in the scrape for his own views, more than what he might merit from his new master; and as he had declared the truth, and I believed I might make further use of him, I obtained that he might be only committed to me, and that I might have liberty of pardoning or slitting as I saw fit; and, as I expected, he afterwards proved very useful to me and my designs, and I pardoned him.
Before the assembly rose, a party of the natives of Mount Alkoe were ordered to convey Yaccombourse and Barbarsa to the mountain, slip their graundees, and drop them there; and thus ended the lives of these two aspiring persons.
When I came home, I called Nicor before me. "You know," says I, "Nicor, you are obliged to me for this moment of your life; but I don't remind you of it for any return I want to myself; but as you are sensible my endeavours are to serve this State, I offer you life and freedom upon condition you employ your utmost diligence to repair your past conduct, by a free declaration of everything in your power that may be for the benefit of the kingdom, as you know the springs by which all these bad movements have been set at work; and I desire your opinion how best to counteract the schemes formed, and redress the evils."