THE
AMOURS
OF
ZEOKINIZUL,

King of the Kofirans.

Translated from the Arabic of the famous Traveller Krinelbol.

With a KEY.

LONDON:

Printed for G. Smith, near Temple-Bar. 1749.

[Price One Shilling and Sixpence.]

PREFACE.

The Bookseller, who has taken upon him to print this little Work, having absolutely insisted upon my introducing it with a Preface, I was unwilling to refuse him so easy a Matter; and the rather as the Omission might greatly prejudice it. He urged his Request, by saying, that a Preface was no less essential to a Book, than an Exordium to a Sermon. As few read the one, as listen to the other; however, if either be wanting, the Performance is defective, and, is not so much as thought worthy to be read in order to be censured. Nevertheless, what can be said with Regard to a useless Discourse? Why, really, I think, it is best to say nothing at all. This little Work places Truth in so just a Light, that no Characters are wanting to point it out. But perhaps, the real Truth may be amplified in it, and there may be Applications made of it as false as injurious. This is what ought strongly to be guarded against; and to this Purpose I sincerely declare, that I have intermix'd nothing of my own in the Amours of Zeokinizul: But, like a faithful Translator, I have constantly kept close to Krinelbol's Manuscript. I have related the Facts just as he himself says they were told him by the Kofiran Nobility. This sincere Protestation, is all that I can do, In order to remove any Suspicion of Interpolations. The Arabian Manuscript is still in my Possession, and if desired, shall be printed. But I own, with Concern, that it is quite beyond my Power, to procure such a Number of Types as will be requisite to give this Satisfaction; therefore, let those who are willing and equal to such an Expence, set the Printer to work. I promise to deliver him the Manuscript on Demand. I cannot help thinking, but that the Malice of the World is at its highest Pitch. Formerly People were overjoy'd at the Certainty of the Antipodes; and to hear that the Inhabitants of those Climates came nearest to us in Industry, and the Love of Arts and Sciences; and that the Sun approached to, and receded from them, as it does with Regard to us. In fine, that their Temperature, their Seasons, their Manners, and Inclinations, were the same as our own. Yet, in this my Endeavour to verify such a Resemblance, by Proofs extracted from their own History, demonstrating by notorious and certain Facts that they think and act just like ourselves, I shall be branded for an Imposture; or some, who affect to be more sharp-sighted, will suspect that under fictitious Names, I have represented Persons for whom my Heart is filled with the most respectful Sentiments. Let this suffice,

as the shorter a Preface is the better it is liked.

THE AMOURS OF ZEOKINIZUL,

King of the Kofirans.

fter all the Labours and Attention of our best Academicians to form just Plans, and draw complete Maps of the whole Terraqueous Globe, there are many large Empires and powerful Nations, which their Enquiries have not reached; so that they are not only ignorant of their Position, but even of their Existence. Of this Number

are the vast Dominions of the King of the Kofirans, of which hitherto we have had not the least Idea; and which probably would ever have continued unknown to us had not an Arabic Manuscript of the famous Traveller Krinelbol luckily fallen into my Hands.

This illustrious Enquirer, of whom we have several Works, which ostentatious Translators, on Account of their Excellency, have published as their own, that he might not be misled by the various geographical Descriptions of the Globe, determined to ground his Knowledge upon his own Experience. With this rational View he left Arabia Felix, his native Country, and travelled all over both Asia and Africa. Always careful to take an accurate View of every Thing which was worth being seen or known, and making a judicious Collection of what was most remarkable in the Customs and History of the Countries which he visited. But a very small Part of his Collection has reached us. That we are so unhappy as to have only mutilated and unsatisfactory Fragments of an Author of such Veracity, and in such curious Matters, must be imputed to the want of Printing in most of the eastern Nations, and the Ignorance of this Traveller's Heirs.

An Acquaintance of mine, who is extremely fond of Travelling, thinking it would be a very acceptable Present, brought me these Sheets from Ispahan, where they cost him twelve Tomans, that is between twenty and thirty Pounds Sterling. I have translated it without either diminishing, augmenting,

or altering it in any one Particular. Only, for the Reader's Convenience, I have expressed the Names of Posts and Dignities in our Language, which in the Original were in Arabic, keeping to it in the Appellations of Persons and Nations, out of regard to historical Exactness. I do not in the least claim any Thanks or Acknowledgements for my Trouble; the several Works of this Nature which I have published producing in me an habitual Pleasure of employing my Pen, for the Instruction and Entertainment of polite Readers.

Possibly the whole Universe could not afford a more tranquil, happy Kingdom than that of the Kofirans, would their Princes equitably sit down contented with the Honours and Prerogatives with which they were invested at their Institution, and not falsly imagine, that their Grandeur and Glory consist in the Oppression of their Subjects; and would they be watchful to entail the Harmony and due Subordination betwixt the several Orders in their Government. Whereas for several Centuries past, they have been labouring to erect an Arbitrary Power; and the two last have taken large Steps towards this execrable End.

Zeoteirizul, the First of the Two, was Son to the greatest King that ever govern'd the Kofirans. Being scarcely eight Years old when the Crown devolv'd to him by his Father's Death, his Mother seiz'd the Reins of Government. This Princess who was a Neitilene by Birth, was related to the King of

Jerebi. Secret History relates that, prompted by her Ambition, she entered into a private Treaty with her Relation, her Husband's most inveterate Enemy, and contrived his Murder, which was unfortunately executed, to the great Loss and Grief of all true Kofirans. What aggravates the Guilt is, that this worthy Prince was stabb'd on the very Day of her Coronation, at a Juncture when he was giving this flagitious Wretch the highest Mark of his Affection.

No sooner was the Queen declared Regent of the Kingdom, but she bent all her Endeavours to establish her Power by protracting the King's