OCR Text |
Show --- A General @ | ;0 --- S S e When now the Emperour Zungc inins received Intelligcnce, tha e bol Pillagers ‘were already got over th Yellow River and in the Province of Xan which is not very far from the Imper a very great Ar he immediate!y cauféd y to be raifed under the €omm Liys, wit order at leaft to ftop the Robber in their march, if he could no totally dc:'firo\ them : Bue this great Army effeGed nothing' for no fooner €re they come j fight of the Enemy, but they deferte their Commander them's which fo infinicely afliGed the Gen and rap over t ral, that he wen and hang'd away imf(elf 0rthwi: The report of thefe difaftrous a&i g {pread, Mmediately filled the whole City of P king wich grea and amazeme and withal made fo deep an imp eflion into'the heart of the Em erour, that concluded to leave the {ame and to flye with his Family to king s byt fro this his determination he was earneftly di fwaded as wel] by fuch as were faithfy, as thofe that intended Treacher towards him. - Thofe ‘who unde colour o Friends, and were yetin hear Traytors and Enemies to their and Coun trey, advifed him to ftay, that f with the greater eafe and conveni nce, befor their confpiracy came to be detelte , they might deliver hj; up into he Hands o the Rebels ; but fuch as were in eed faithful,advifed his ftay for t welfare of th Empire; alledging that his flight and the deferting of his Imperial ity, woul hazard the whole State by heartnin the Enemy, and difcouraging his Su Befide, they concluded that they were abl to- defend the City againft all attempt whatfoever of the Enemies Countrey, bei g well provided and fortified with Vi {uals and Ammunition - Nay furthe , that without al] peradventure the In ab; tantsof all the other Provinces woul ' not- forbear to come to their relie they thould hear that the Emperou wasrefolved notto leave it, butt riskof his utmof¥ F ortune, eveh to the lo s of his Life in the (ame the Emperour refts fatis ied, and refolves in perfon to ftand by the fend the fame to the laft drop of hisblood The Ufurper Licungzn:on the other hand no lefs quick in intention, the nimble at a&tion; and wel] knowing that Proverb, irtss a1t dolys quis in hofle re guirit? jJoining Policy and Force together, fent' great number of his Souldiers ha g v bitedin the fame Mode with thofe of China; in to'the chief City of Peking ; an the betterto prevent difcovery,he fent them ri tall at one time,but now and the one; furnithingfome with Mon. 'y to drive a Trad there, ordering others to fe up Drinking-houfes, or totake what other couife of l fe they judged moft fic from fufpition, till fuch time as he came with his whole of the City ; and that then by fetting Fire on the Houf s, or fome other like mifchievousact, they fhould make fome difturbance n the City The.Plor was not better laid then effected, being car ied on with that privacy that riothing of it was ever difcovered by the Chinefes, till it was piit in exc clition O i i 7 However the Ambitious Fox not d ringto truft only ‘to'this, thought. upor fonde other means fir to make fyre of shis his under aking 5 and that which appeatedmofk feafible to him, 'was by corrupting fome f the chief of the C(')ung of \Wavywhich he ealily compaffed ; fo'r~'thcy perceiving the Emperours Affai to belina decaying condition, were foon' perfwaded to e ter into a Copfedcrac with him,whertby they obliged themfelves to deliv r up the City unto'hm atfuc atime and hour:: And (o faichful were'they i Infidelity, that it was accordingl performed by them in the month of May, 1644. w en one of the Gates by fh' Ttaytbrs within being (et open, the Befieg rs {uddenly entered; ‘and a!thOI'g difcovered by fuch as were faithful to the Em erour, yet they alfo perceiving tha the City was full of Confufion, and t at'the matter Wwas quite paft hope, eve y on fhifted for hilelf, and left all co th mercy of the Robber Licung |