that of this most noble assembly, if I were armed with a weaker
defence than my own loyalty and integrity, and the prosperous success of
my endeavours.

"It is well known that the death of the Empress Nena happened in a most
miraculous juncture; and that, if she had lived two months longer, your
illustrious family would have been deprived of your right, and we should
have seen an usurper upon your throne, who would have wholly changed the
constitution of this empire, both civil and sacred; and although that
empress died in a most opportune season, yet the peaceable entrance of
your Majesty's father was effected by a continual series of miracles.
The truth of this appears by that unnatural rebellion which the Yortes
raised, without the least provocation, in the first year of the late
emperor's reign, which may be sufficient to convince your Majesty, that
every soul of that denomination was, is, and will be for ever, a
favourer of the Pretender, a mortal enemy to your illustrious family,
and an introducer of new gods into the empire. Upon this foundation was
built the whole conduct of our affairs; and, since a great majority of
the kingdom was at that time reckoned to favour the Yortes faction, who,
in the regular course of elections, must certainly be chosen members of
the senate then to be convoked; it was necessary, by the force of money,
to influence elections in such a manner, that your Majesty's father
might have a sufficient number to weigh down the scale on his side, and
thereby carry on those measures which could only secure him and his
family in the possession of the empire. To support this original plan I
came into the service: But the members of the senate, knowing themselves
every day more necessary, upon the choosing of a new senate, I found the
charges to increase; and that, after they were chosen, they insisted
upon an increase of their pensions; because they well knew that the work
could not be carried on without them: And I was more general in my
donatives, because I thought it was more for the honour of the crown,
that every vote should pass without a division; and that, when a debate
was proposed, it should immediately be quashed, by putting the question.

"Sir, The date of the present senate is expired, and your Imperial
Majesty is now to convoke a new one; which, I confess, will be somewhat
more expensive than the last, because the Yortes, from your favourable
reception, have begun to reassume a spir