Part 11

About eight Months before I left _Paris_, that famous City, which is the Metropolis of the finest Kingdom in _Europe_, a Counsellor of the Parliament travelling in his Coach, in a By-Street, where there was but little Trade, spy'd a very pretty young Woman at a distance, who by extending her Arms, joining her Hands, and lifting up her Eyes sometimes to Heaven, and then calling them down to the Earth, gave Proofs that she was in some very great Agonies of Grief. The Noise of the Coach-Wheels and the Horses, made her stop all of a sudden, so that she immediately wiped her Face, and with a slow Pace walk'd on. The Counsellor, who soon overtook her, halted, and ask'd her very civilly, what was the Matter. I see, said he, you have been weeping plentifully, has any Disaster happen'd to your Family? Speak freely, you are happily fallen into good Hands; there are many People who would take an Advantage of the Confusion you are in, but from me you have nothing to fear. I am a frank honest Man, of some Reputation, and if I can be of Service to you in any thing, I will exert my self with all the Zeal I'm capable of. Tho' the Girl was no more than sixteen or seventeen Years old, she put on a serious Air at first, and held it out stifly for a long time, that she ail'd nothing, that she did not want his Protection, tho' however she was oblig'd to him for the Offer, and that all she desired of him was, that he would let her proceed. But at length, after many Intreaties, which were the real Effect of the Gentleman's compassionate Temper, the young Woman falling again into Tears, which she could refrain no longer, said to him, You are in the right, Sir, I am not my self, I am disorder'd in my Mind, I run up and down like one mad, and am within an Ace sometimes of making away with my self. I am the only Daughter of a Father who perfectly ador'd me. My Will was a Law to him, which he took a Pleasure in observing, whatever it was; so that I never ask'd him any thing but he immediately granted it. But about a Twelvemonth ago, when he was in the Prime of his Years, God call'd him to himself, at which time the Thoughts of our Separation gave him a thousand times more Uneasiness than the Prospect of Death. He was so loth to leave me, that he recommended me, in the most earnest manner, to the Care of his Wife, my Mother-in-law, who promis'd him whatever he desir'd, embrac'd me in his Presence, and swore by an Oath, accompany'd with a Torrent of Tears, that I should for ever have a Share in her tenderest Friendship. But alas! my poor Father had scarce clos'd his Eyes, when she began to tyrannize over me in such a manner, that there is scarce a Moment but she insults and threatens me; from Menaces she often proceeds to Blows; and this very Day, after having us'd me extremely ill, she turn'd me out of Doors. That's bad indeed, said the Counsellor; you have reason, without dispute, to complain; come into my Coach, if you please; I must make you Friends, if possible, or at least know what's the Cause of such a dangerous Quarrel. She express'd a Reluctance against taking him home with her; she was very fearful of being seen, and her Mother-in-law's Indignation made her tremble; but she was fain to comply at last. The Widow's House made a goodly Appearance, and was separated from the Street by a strong Wall, and a large Yard before the Door. The Counsellor having sent in to know whether the Gentlewoman was at leisure, was carry'd into a fine Hall, hung with Tapestry, to which Madam came in a Moment. He was surpris'd to find her a tall handsome Woman, about fifty Years of Age, with a sweet engaging Countenance, and the Porte of a Queen, rather than the Widow of a private Man. After mutual Compliments, he gave her an exact Account of what had pass'd betwixt him and her Daughter, shew'd her what would be the Consequence, and having begg'd her Pardon for the Liberty he took to intermeddle in an Affair which was properly Domestic, he intreated her very courteously to tell him the Reason of the Difference. The old Lady thank'd him for the kind Concern he shew'd for her Family, and did not spare to reproach her Daughter-in-law; but at length, in Complaisance to the Arbitrator, Miss was sent for in, restor'd to Madam's good Graces, and they made reciprocal Promises, the one to be very obedient for the future, the other to be more indulgent, and to shew all the tender Regard that a Mother is capable of to a Child of her own, which was very much to the Satisfaction of the Counsellor, who was glad at his Heart that he had been so successful a Mediator. Then the Daughter was order'd to withdraw, and Madam took that Opportunity to confess her vast Obligation to the Counsellor. She earnestly intreated him to bring her into the Acquaintance of his Lady, that she might have more Opportunities of being benefited by his wholesome Counsels: She hop'd he would vouchsafe to honour her with his Company at Dinner, the rather because the Cloth was already laid, and as she had invited some Friends, she was the better prepar'd to regale him with three or four good Dishes. This Compliment was utter'd with so good a Grace, that the Counsellor gave his Consent, order'd his Coachman to go home and tell his Family not to wait for him, and bid him return again with the Coach in two Hours. Mean time the Lady, with his Leave, retir'd to give Orders concerning the Dinner. As he was walking alone, expecting her Return, he accidentally struck his Elbow against the Hangings, and found a void Space, which excited his Curiosity to lift them up, when, to his great Astonishment, he saw the naked Corps of a Man all bloody, who seem'd to have been but lately murder'd, extended at full length upon a Bed of Straw contriv'd in the Wall. This horrid Spectacle, which threaten'd him with the like Fate, made him run precipitantly out of the Room, and when he was got into the middle of the Yard, some body saw him and call'd to him, intreating him to have a little Patience, adding, that the old Lady would be with him in a Trice, that every thing was ready to be serv'd up, _&c_. But all these fine Words could not stop him. He told them, as he ran out, that something was just come into his Head which would admit of no Delay, that he would be back again almost as soon as gone, and that fall to as soon as they pleas'd, there would be enough left for him. Just as he was got out of the Gate, who shou'd enter but four great cut-throat Villains, who were hir'd no doubt to reward him for his good Offices; but they came a little too late, so that the honest Man escap'd the Snare that was laid for him, and the old Bawd and the young Whore had the Mortification to find that they had acted their Parts in vain.

Verily, said the King, that was a Stratagem deep enough to have caught the wisest Man in the World; but what was the Consequence of it? Was no Search made after the Criminals, that they might be punish'd for an Example to such Ruffians? None at all, said I. People who are too busy upon such Occasions, generally come off very scurvily. The Gangs of those Villains are so numerous, that the least Disturbance you give any one of 'em, is sure to be doubly reveng'd sooner or later, by the rest of them, either by Day or by Night, upon you and yours, in one manner or another. And is this all that you get, said the King, by the Wars to which you are expos'd? I pity your Fate; for at this rate you are only a Prey to the Wicked, and wretched Victims to the Ambition and Self-Interest of your Sovereigns. The very Dogs have a better time on't in my Country, than Men have in yours. You reason upon your own Principles, said I, and we act according to ours: Every one thinks his own Opinion the best, and is offended with those that differ from him. 'Tis true, he reply'd, that Education has a great Ascendant over our Minds. Our Ancestors would have been content to be sacrificed rather than admit of the least Doubt of the Excellence of their Origin. The Sun had engender'd them, as they believ'd, and the Earth had brought them forth; but now, a Man would be sent to the Mines that should go about to maintain that Opinion. What we suck in with our Milk, we retain; the first Lessons of our Preceptors are the most prevalent, and take such deep Root, that the Winds of a contrary Opinion are not able to shake them.

But as to your Ancestors, said I, were they all so ignorant of the Nature of Things, that not one of them doubted of the Reality of this pretended miraculous Birth? For, in short, nothing can be more obvious than the impossibility of the Union of the Sun with the Earth, and that those two inanimate Creatures, being destitute of Understanding and Thought, are incapable of the Effects which are so absurdly ascrib'd to them. Indeed, said the King, there were some of a contrary Opinion, but no body durst declare it, because if they had, the Populace were so prepossess'd in favour of this idle Notion, that they would have been ready to have cut 'em in pieces. Besides, the Kings, every now and then, made use of a very extraordinary Stratagem to put them out of the World, which contributed not a little to fortify the others in their Opinion. They had contriv'd a subterraneous Passage from the Palace to the Temple, under this Footstool, where there was a great deep Well, and when any Person was accus'd of having said any thing tending to invalidate the Mystery of the Birth of the first Man, which was accounted no less than Blasphemy, he was oblig'd to appear before the Court, where the Governors never fail'd to condemn him to the Mines: But the King, in order to be reputed a merciful Prince, immediately revok'd the Sentence, on pretence that it had not been pass'd in due Form, and according to the Rules of Equity, and order'd the Assembly to repair to the Senate at Midnight, with all that had a mind to be Spectators, nor did he fail to be upon his Throne at the Time appointed. Then one of his Sons, Brothers, or nearest Kindred, brought the Criminal before him, with his Hands ty'd behind his Back, and made him sit upon the Footstool just now mentioned: And the King, with his Eyes fix'd on the Ground, pronounc'd four Verses with a loud Voice, in which, after applauding the Justice of his Mother Earth, he call'd on her instantly to swallow up either of the two that was most guilty in the Sight of Heaven.

At that same time, a Person that lay conceal'd under the Stage, unbolted a Trap-Door made on purpose in the Footstool, and the poor Victim sunk down all at once into the deep Well underneath, which was done so suddenly and dexterously, that the Door was shut again as soon as open'd, so that it was hardly to be perceiv'd. Nevertheless, in order to play their Game sure, they took care that the Place should not be very much illuminated; besides, as the Footstool was plac'd high, the Governors and others present, who were sitting or kneeling, could not well see what pass'd above, where, one of those concern'd in the Secret, pretending as if he saw the Earth open, made a great Noise, started back, and cry'd out as loud as if he was really afraid of being swallow'd up alive with the guilty Person.

But how were those Impostures discover'd, said I? The King's Priests, reply'd _Bustrol_, seeing their Master banish'd, and the Face of Affairs quite chang'd, propos'd, on condition that they might not be punish'd, to discover every pernicious Thing they knew, for they were not only privy to the Secret, but engag'd by an Oath to assist in those cruel Executions. The subterraneous Passage is still in being, and when you please I'll shew it to you. As to the Well, it is quite fill'd up, and the Trap-Door was chang'd with the rest, and made a Part of the Cieling.

Another Imposture which was carry'd on several Centuries, is this. When there happen'd to be any great Debates betwixt the Sovereign and his Subjects, which threaten'd his Family with some fatal Revolution, a Person who could be trusted with the Secret, us'd to steal up into the Dome, between the Cupola and the Cieling, where, when the Council was assembled, he bawl'd out as loud as he could, thro' a Hole made for the Purpose, which answer'd the Centre of the Copper Sun in the middle of the Edifice, _My Son is righteous, and you are wicked_. This Voice, which rattled over their Heads like Thunder, was extremely surprising to the Assembly, and never fail'd of the desired Effect. Some of them perhaps might have a Suspicion, but the Generality were ready to swear that those Words were utter'd by the Sun himself; and perhaps they would not have suffer'd any Man that had but seem'd to entertain the least Suspicion, to have gone unpunish'd.

CHAP. X.

_Containing the Ceremonies at the Births and Burials in this Country, the manner of administring Justice, and many other Remarkables._

Our Discourse was interrupted by a Domestic who came in puffing and blowing, to tell the King that _Mela_ was brought to Bed of a Male Child. He had been marry'd but two Years to his first Wife, so that he was Twenty-seven Years of Age, which I mention, because it must be noted, that the King cannot marry but at Twenty-five, nor other Men till they are Thirty, whereas the Females are marrigeable at Twenty. Since that time he had marry'd two more. He had two Daughters by the first Wife, and one by the Second. She that had now brought him a Son, and whose Father was Marshal of one of the neighbouring Cantons, was the Third, and as she is the lawful Queen, we will distinguish her from the rest by the Title of Empress, according to the Law of the Country, which properly gives this Title to none but that Wife of the Sovereign who brings him a Successor to the Crown. We congratulated the King on the Birth of this young Prince, and gave him to understand that we heartily wish'd he might reign happily after him. He seem'd to be pleas'd at our Compliment, and in order to convince us of it the more, order'd us to follow him, that we might be Witnesses of the Ceremony which Custom oblig'd him to observe for giving a Name to the Infant.

He went out, accompany'd by two of his Brothers, his Cook, whose Employment is very considerable, and his Steward. The Empress expected him in a magnificent Bed, as well for the Sculpture, as other Ornaments with which it was enrich'd. As soon as she saw him, she sat upright, and Care was taken to cover her Shoulders with a Mantle of red Goats Hair, fring'd and embroider'd, and lin'd with Ermin as white as Snow. After she had desired the King to permit her to kiss his Hand, she express'd her Joy that God had granted her a Son, because it gave her the Honour of being Empress of so great a Kingdom. Then a Chaplain stepp'd forwards, who, according to his Orders, thank'd God in the Name of the King, Queen, and all the People, for the Favour he had now granted them; and I can truly say, that his Eloquence, added to the Submission and Zeal with which he acquitted himself, pierc'd my very Soul. He expatiated at large upon the Nothingness of Man, upon the infinite Greatness of the Monarch of the World, upon the Care which his Providence continually takes of his Creatures, notwithstanding their Disproportion, and the immense Distance which separates Beings so different. He shew'd wherein that Care consisted, and there he took occasion to treat of the Virtues necessarily requisite for a good King, and how God had given them one who in every respect deserv'd the sincere Affections of his People. Then he talk'd concerning the young Prince; whom he had now granted them, of the Obligations they ow'd him for so many Benefits, and concluded with a Million of Thanks: So that this Act of Devotion continu'd at least an Hour. Afterwards the Infant was presented to the King, who call'd him _Baïol_, i.e. _Benign_. Then they serv'd up preserv'd Fruits, and Sweetmeats confected with Honey, which is certainly better than the best Sugar in _America_. Besides this, we drank most excellent Metheglin, and other Liquors not a whit inferior to ours, Wine only excepted, of which they have not a Drop, there being not so much as a Vine thro' the whole Country, The Ceremony of the Empress's Coronation was put off till after her Lying-in, which was over at the end of eighteen Days, but as, like the former, is consisted only of Thanksgiving, 'tis needless for me to repeat it. Mean time, this is not only observ'd in the King's Palace, but in all the Cantons of the Kingdom, the Moment they receive the News.

As to the Method of spreading their News, this is the Place, if I am not mistaken, where I ought to observe, that every Day from Twelve at Noon to One o' Clock, each Village sends two Men into every Road of the neighbouring Cantons, on which Pillars are set up at equal distance, within the Sound of a Speaking-Trumpet from one to the other. If therefore any thing happens extraordinary at Court, that is capable of being express'd in a few Words, as for Instance, the Death, Marriage, or Sickness of the King, the Birth of a Prince, _&c._ those who are sent from Court publish it to their Neighbours, and they to others, so that from the one to the other it flies with such Speed, that in less than a Hour 'tis known all over the Kingdom. When there is no News they only say, _All is well_. In like manner, when the Cantons have any thing to make known to the Court, their Trumpeters make use of the very same Methods. If there are any Packets or Letters to carry, there are Messengers for the Purpose, who set out with them from Court at Five of the Clock in the Morning, to the neighbouring Villages, from whence others set out at Six, and carry what they have to others that start at Seven, and so of the rest. As for great Burdens they make use of Boats, which go backwards and forwards very regularly, and without Expence to any one, because the Children or Domestics of every Family are employ'd in navigating them by turns.

Soon after the Empress was brought to Bed; the States or Deputies of the Governors repair'd to Court to exercise Justice, and to put all things in order. This Assembly continues Twenty-two Days, and abundance of Business was dispatch'd in it, in most of which I may say without Vanity, I had indirectly some Share. As these Gentlemen met only in a Morning, and devoted their Afternoons partly to Pleasure, and partly to the Consideration of the Points which were to come before them next Session, the King could not help coming as usual to spend some Moments in the Evening with us, not so much to see our Works as to converse with us freely concerning the Business that was to come upon the Tapis next Day, as to which, he never fail'd to ask us what would be done in such a Case in _Europe_.