mmons to Anthony's desire of Mariamne, whom
therefore before his departure, he gave into the custody
of his uncle Joseph, with private orders to
put her to death, if any such violence was offered
to himself. This Joseph was much delighted
with Mariamne's conversation, and endeavoured
with all his art and rhetoric to set out the excess
of Herod's passion for her; but when he still
found her cold and incredulous, he inconsiderately
told her, as a certain instance of her lord's affection,
the private orders he had left behind him, which
plainly shewed, according to Joseph's interpretation,
that he could neither live nor die without
her. This barbarous instance of a wild unreasonable
passion quite put out for a time those little
remains of affection, she still had for her lord:
Her thoughts were so wholly taken up with the
cruelty of his orders, that she could not consider
the kindness which produced them; and therefore
represented him in her imagination, rather
under the frightful idea of a murderer, than a
lover.

'Herod was at length acquitted, and dismiss'd
by Mark Anthony, when his soul was all in flames
for his Mariamne; but before their meeting he was
not a little alarmed at the report he had heard
of his uncle's conversation and familiarity with
her in his absence. This therefore was the first
discourse he entertained her with, in which she
found it no easy matter to quiet his suspicions.
But at last he appeared so well satisfied of her
innocence; that from reproaches, and wranglings,
he fell to tears and embraces. Both of them
wept very tenderly at their reconciliation and
Herod pour'd out his whole soul to her in the
warmest protestations of love and constancy; when,
amidst all his sighs and languishings, she asked
him, whether the private orders he left with his
uncle Joseph were an instance of such an enflamed
affection? The jealous king was immediately
roused at so unexpected a question, and concluded
his uncle must have been too familiar with her,
before he would have discovered such a secret.
In short he put his uncle to death, and very difficultly
prevailed on himself to spare Mariamne.

'After this he was forced on a second journey
into Egypt, when he committed his lady to the
care of Sohemus, with the same private orders he
had before given his uncle, if any mischief befel
himself: In the meantim