Danger awaiting him, as alfo of the Cause thereof, he being afterwards affured by one Cafar, who was reckoned converfant in the Magic Art, that nothing but the Back-Stroke of a Burgundian would hinder him from becoming King. Both of which Predictions he found too fatally verified; being beheaded for confpiring against his Sovereign Henry IV. by a BackAroke of the Hangman of Paris, who was of Burgundy.

But the following Inftance (which is extracted from the Travels of Fincent le Blanc, Vol. I.) of the Fatality attending fuch curious Enquiries into Futurity, we think more remarkable and tragical than any of the former; inasmuch as the Perfons who fuffered thereby, were not thofe themfelves who had recourfe to fuch unlawful Confultations, but their poor innocent Children. A certain Prince who was named Alfonge, and was Tributary to the King of Pegu, in the East Indies, and his near Relation, married a lovely Princefs, named Abelara, one of the greatest Beauties in thofe Parts, with whom he lived in the ftrictest Union and most perfect Happinefs. To add to their Felicity, they were bleffed with two Sons, who were Twins, and who, even in their most tender Years, gave the greateft Hopes of becoming one Day the Ornament of their Country, as well as the Delight and Comfort of their fond Parents. But what diflinguifhed thefe young Princes the moft, was that intire and uncommon Affection which each of them mutually bore to the other: This went fo far, that neither of them could be easy afunder, and the one was always ready to confent to, or, if poffible, to prevent the Defires of the other. In this cordial Unanimity they lived happily, till they arrived at the Age of ten Years; when the old Serpent, the Enemy of all Concord, infpired their Father and Mother with a Defire of knowing their future Fortune; which they had foon Reason to repent: For, to their great Grief and Aftonishment,

they

they were told, that those two Brothers, who now loved fo dearly, would one Day become the Murderers of each other. The poor young Princes themselves, likewife being informed what a tragical and fhocking End awaited them, were filled with the utmost Concern; and as they grew up, one would frequently fay to the other, Brother, it must needs be you that muft kill me, for I would fooner die a thousand Deaths than do you the leaft Injury imaginable. To which the other would answer, Banish all fuch Thoughts, good Brother, for you are equally dear to me with my own Life, if not rather dearer. However, the anxious Father, in order to prevent the dreadful Misfortune threatened, refolved to feparate them; whereat the two Princes were fo troubled, and grew fo melan choly, that he was obliged to lay afide his Defign for fome Time. In the mean while a War breaking out between the Kings of Narfinga and Pegu, the Father, with his two Sons, as Tributaries and Relations of the latter, were obliged to go to his Affiftance. A Peace, however, was foon concluded between them, by the Interpofition of fome neutral Powers, equally Friends to both Monarchs, on Condition that the two young Princes fhould marry the two Daughters of the King of Narfinga, and that the King of Pegu, in Confideration of thofe Nuptials, fhould confer on his young Kinsman that married the elder, certain Provinces he had conquered from a neighbouring Monarch, whilst the other was to have certain other Territories affigned him as his Allotment, very remote from thofe of his Brother. Accordingly the Nuptials were foon after confummated; which done, the two Princes set out each of them for their respective Dominions, to the great Joy of their Father, who now imagined there was no Danger of their falling into the dreadful Misfortune that had been foretold them. But, to fee how blind Mankind are to Futurity, and to the Means of providing for their own Welfare, that very Separation which he vainly fancied would prove their

Security,

Security, fhall be the direct Occafion of their fu'filing their unhappy Destiny! In effect, it fo happened, that the Prince of a neighbouring Country, who was both their Relation and Ally, fent to thefe two Brothers for Affiftance, who accordingly haftened both unknown to each other, to his Relief. Now, in a Town on their Way thither, lived a Lady, who had once been their common Mistress; fuch Things not being scrupled amongst the People of thofe Countries; and the two Brothers approaching the Place of her Refidence about the fame Time, by a kind of fupernatural Impulfe, were moved on one and the fame Night, to make a Vifit to this Lady, without any Attendants, but one Servant, infomuch that they met at her Gate, in the dark, at the very fame Inftant. This provoking them to Jealoufy, and Jealousy to Fury, they rufhed fiercely upon, and mortally wounded each other; thereby fatally accomplishing what had been fo long foretold; and what it had fo induftriously been endeavoured to avoid. But what rendered this tragical Scene yet more moving, was, that one of the Princes as he lay dying, gave humble Thanks to Heaven, for having thereby prevented the dreadful Crime of killing his own Brother, whereof it was foretold he fhould be guilty; whereupon, the other knowing him by his Voice, and thofe Words, with much Difficulty crept to him, and embracing him with many Tears and Lamentations, expired with him in his Arms. Nay, which was more, to crown all, their Father, who was also come to the Aid of his Relation, being informed of this difmal Calamity, haftened thither, and flew himself upon the Bodies of his Sons.

Now, without entring into any Difquifition which Way thefe Cafters of Horofcopes, or Calculators of Nativities, come by their Intelligence, which we confefs we can no otherwife account for, than by fuppofing the Almighty, for the Punishment of all fuck impious Enquirers, may enable them to give

fuch

fach exact Information, let us only make fome few Observations upon the Folly, as well as Wickedness, of fuch Curiofity. And first, we evidently see it is of no Service to them; it does not enable them to fhun the Misfortune threatened: Secondly, we find it only tends to imbitter their Days, by keeping them in a continual Dread of it, and thereby anticipating their Mifery.

The Inftance of the Duke de Biron in particular, is fingularly remarkable; he was not only told what Death he should die, but for what Offence; one asfures him, nothing but beheading would prevent his being King; and another confirms it, by telling him nothing but the Back-ftroke of a Burgundian would hinder it. Now it was evident, he could never become King lawfully, not being of the Royal Family, nor having any Title to the Crown; he therefore could not arrive at it by any other Means than open Rebellion, or fecret Confpiracy, of the Danger whereof he was fairly and doubly forewarned. But of what Service is this to him? Is e thereby enabled to avoid it? And does he ftand upon his Guard against the ambitious Suggeftions of the Tempter, in Confederacy with his own ungrateful, falle, and treacherous Heart? Not at all; and accordingly he fuffers an ignominious Death, and falls a Victim to the Juftice of an injured Sovereign, the more exasperated against him, as he had loaded him with Favours and Honours.

Nay, we have Examples both in facred and prophane Hiftory, of thofe who have not only rendered their Lives uncomfortable to them by fuch Enquiries, but have even immediately haftened their Deaths thereby. Such is that of Benhadad King of Syria, who fent Hazael to the Prophet Elisha, to know whether he should recover of an Illness with which he was afflicted. Now, though he confulted only a Prophet of the Living GOD, yet as he was

defirous

defirous of enquiring into Futurity, and thereby invaded the Province of the Almighty, who has referved fecret Things to himself, Hazael is plainly told, not only that Benhadad fhould die, but that himfelf fhould fucceed him in the Throne. Whereupon Hazael, at his Return to his Mafter, though he perfidioufly affured him he would recover, covered his Face next Morning with a thick wet Cloth, which ftopping the Refpiration, foon fmothered and killed him, and he afcended his Throne.

Of the fame Nature is that of Natholicus, who, as we are informed by Buchanan, having acquired the Crown of Scotland by much Bloodshed, and endeavoured to establish it by the fame, and being perpetually haunted by that Fear, which is the infeparable Companion of Guilt, fent a Messenger in whom he thought he could confide, to enquire of a Witch how long he should reign, and how many Years he fhould live. To which the Witch plainly answered, he should not live long, but should be killed by one of thofe in whom he repofed the most Trust. This made the Meffen ger very defirous of knowing who it was fhould be guilty of fuch an Action; and she as exprefly told him, he should himself be the Man: Whereupon, though he had before no Thought of fuch a Thing, being afraid the Anfwer of the Witch could not be long concealed, and that the Discovery might endanger his own Life, he refolved rather to fulfil it; and accordingly, at his Return, having demanded a private Audience of the King, on Pretence of communicating to him fome important Intelligence, he there flew him.

We shall now proceed to an Example of another Kind, for the Inftruction and Warning of those curious Damfels, who, not content with waiting the appointed Time to know who are to be their Sweethearts have recourfe to unwarrantable Tricks, in order to fatisfy their wicked Itch of diving into Futurity. A

young