gainst the law of nations, made him a prisoner. I will
relate the whole adventure to you, continued he; on which the others
assuring him they should think themselves obliged to him, he went on.

When he first entered into the service of Augustus, he became
passionately in love with madam d' Ensilden, a young lady, whose beauty,
birth, and fortune rendered her worthy the affections of a man of more
honour than he had testified in his public capacity: her friends at
least thought so; and chancellor Flemming making his addresses to her at
the same time, had the advantage in every thing but in her heart: there
Patkul triumphed in spight of all objections: and tho' king Augustus
vouchsafed himself to sollicite in behalf of his favourite, her
constancy remained unshaken as a rock; which so incensed a monarch
haughty and imperious in his nature, before humbled by our glorious
Charles, that he made use of his authority, and forbid her to think of
marrying any other: to which she resolutely answered, that she knew no
right princes had to interfere with the marriages of private persons;
but since his majesty commanded it, she would endeavour to obey and live
single. This not satisfying the king, he hated Patkul from that moment;
and the rivals soon after meeting in madam d' Ensilden's apartment, some
hot words arose between them, which being by Flemming reported to his
master, he sent, in the moment of his passion, to require Patkul to
resign his office of general: he did so, but with a murmur that was far
from abating the royal resentments; and he had then ordered him into
confinement, but that private intelligence being given him, he made his
escape before the officers, commissioned for that purpose, reached his
house. He then went to the czar, who knowing him an experienced general,
of which at that time he stood greatly in need, gladly received him; and
it was there he first merited the hate of all good men, by countenancing
and abetting those ambitious projects his new master was then forming
against the king of Sweden: but see the fate of treason, he persuaded
him to enter into an alliance with, Poland and Saxony against Sweden,
which laid the foundation of this unjust war, and for which Augustus has
so dearly paid; and being sent Ambassador, in order to negotiate these
affairs, again renewed those of his love. Augustus, now obliged to the
czar for the preservation of his dominions, durst not openly espouse
chancellor Flemmi