reverence of my people were
changed to indifference and fear. Their sentiments towards me I soon had
reason to understand, when I issued a proclamation to the inhabitants.

The occasion was this: the empress, whom I left in pregnancy during my
last expedition, had in my absence been delivered of a son. This prince
I wished to have nominated as my successor. I therefore summoned a Diet,
and commanded the Quamitian nobles and the great men among the conquered
nations, to meet in the capital, at the crowning of the child. None
dared to disobey this proclamation, and the coronation passed off with
great magnificence; but I observed by the countenances of my subjects,
that their joy was dissembled. I became more confirmed in my mistrust,
when I learnt that a multitude of libels had been spread about. These
libels, by unknown authors, criticised me very severely, and asserted
that prince Timuso was insulted in the choice of my son. This enraged me
so much that I could not rest until that noble and excellent prince
should be removed from my path. I therefore suborned some persons to
accuse him of treason; and since rulers seldom want assistants, when
they would commit crimes, I was quickly enabled to prove that Timuso had
attempted my life. I had him sentenced to death by bribed judges, and
then threw him into prison, where he was privately murdered; for I
feared to excite a rebellion by a public execution. I had determined to
murder the younger prince likewise; but postponed it. His youth procured
for him the safety, which neither my justice nor humanity would have
granted him. Having once imbued my hands in innocent blood, my cruelty
and moroseness knew no bounds. I doomed to death several whole families,
whose loyalty I merely suspected. Not a day passed without bloodshed. I
defiled my soul with the blood of innocence, virtue and nobleness. All
these things hastened a rebellion, excited by the nobles, who had been
long disgusted with me.

I will here acknowledge, that I deserved all the misfortunes that
afterwards met me. It had certainly been more fit for a Christian king
to have taught his ignorant and heathen subjects to know the true God,
and to have given them an example in my own person of the sweet
charities of the true religion, than to have excelled, even themselves
in barbarity, sin and moral turpitude. It would have been an easy matter
for me to have reformed the whole subterranean world, for whatever I
commande