miral)
hath been your mortal enemy almost ever since your arrival: his original
reasons I know not; but his hatred is increased since your great success
against Blefuscu, by which his glory, as admiral, is much obscured. This
lord, in conjunction with Flimnap the high treasurer, whose enmity
against you is notorious, Limtoc the general, Lalcon the chamberlain,
and Balmuff the grand justiciary, have prepared articles of impeachment
against you, for treason, and other capital crimes.

This preface made me so impatient, being conscious of my own merits and
innocence, that I was going to interrupt; when he entreated me to be
silent, and thus proceeded.

[Illustration: "HE DESIRED I WOULD HEAR HIM WITH PATIENCE." P. 80.]

Out of gratitude for the favors you have done for me, I procured
information of the whole proceedings, and a copy of the articles;
wherein I venture my head for your service.

ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST QUINBUS FLESTRIN, THE MAN-MOUNTAIN.

ARTICLE I.

Whereas, by a statute made in the reign of his Imperial Majesty
Calin Deffar Plune, it is enacted, That whoever shall lay hands
upon the empress, or upon any of the royal children, shall be
liable to the pains and penalties of high treason. Notwithstanding,
the said Quinbus Flestrin, in open breach of the said law, under
color of extinguishing the fire kindled in the apartment of his
Majesty's most dear imperial consort, did maliciously, and
traitorously, pull her by the arms, and lift her high in the air in
both his hands, against the statute in that case provided, &c.,
against the duty, &c.

ARTICLE II.

That the said Quinbus Flestrin, having brought the imperial fleet
of Blefuscu into the royal port, and being afterwards commanded by
his imperial majesty to seize all the other ships of the said
empire of Blefuscu, and reduce that empire to a province, to be
governed by a viceroy from hence, and to destroy and put to death,
not only all the Big-endian exiles, but likewise all the people of
that empire who would not immediately forsake the Big-endian
heresy. He, the said Flestrin, like a false traitor against his
most auspicious, serene, imperial majesty, did petition to be
excused from the said service, upon pretence of unwillingness to
force the consciences or destroy the liberties and lives of an
innocent people.

ARTICLE