Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 6.djvu/93

Rh creature of the empress, was perpetually instigated by her majesty to insist upon your death, she having born perpetual malice against you, on account of that infamous and illegal method you took to extinguish the fire in her apartment. In three days your friend the secretary will be directed to come to your house, and read before you the articles of impeachment; and then, to signify the great lenity and favour of his majesty and council, whereby you are only condemned to the loss of your eyes, which his majesty does not question you will gratefully and humbly submit to; and twenty of his majesty's surgeons will attend, in order to see the operation well performed, by discharging very sharp-pointed arrows into the balls of your eyes, as you lie on the ground.

I leave to your prudence what measures you will take; and, to avoid suspicion, I must immediately return, in as private a manner as I came.

His lordship did so, and I remained alone, under many doubts and perplexities of mind.

It was a custom introduced by this prince and his ministry, (very different, as I have been assured, from the practice of former times) that after the court had decreed any cruel execution, either to gratify the monarch's resentment, or the malice of a favourite, the emperor always made a speech to his whole council, expressing his great lenity and tenderness, as qualities known and confessed by all the world. This speech was immediately published throughout the kingdom; nor did any thing terrify the people so much, as those encomiums on his majesty's mercy: because it was observed, that the more these praises were enlarged and insisted on, the Rh