This open bold declaration of mine was so opposite to the schemesand politics of his imperial majesty， that he could never forgive me. He mentioned it in a very artful manner at council， where I was told that some of the wisest appeared， at least by their silence， to be of my opinion； but others， who were my secret enemies， could not forbear some expressions which， by a side-wind， reflected on me. And from this time began an intrigue between his majesty and a junto of ministers， maliciously bent against me， which broke out in less than two months， and had like to have ended in my utter destruction. Of so little weight are the greatest services to princes， when put into the balance with a refusal to gratify their passions.
About three weeks after this exploit， there arrived a solemn embassy from Blefuscu， with humble offers of a peace， which was soon concluded， upon conditions very advantageous to our emperor， wherewith I shall not trouble the reader. There were six ambassadors， with a train of about five hundred persons， and their entry was very magnificent， suitable to the grandeur of their master， and the importance of their business. When their treaty was finished， wherein I did them several good offices by the credit I now had， or at least appeared to have， at court， their excellencies， who were privately， told how much I had been their friend， made me a visit in form. They began with many compliments upon my valour and generosity， invited me to that kingdom in the emperor their master’s name， and desired me to show them some proofs of my prodigious strength， of which they had heard so many wonders； wherein I readily obliged them， but shall not trouble the reader with the particulars.
When I had for some time entertained their excellencies， to their infinite satisfaction and surprise， I desired they would do me the honour to present my most humble respects to the emperor their master， the renown of whose virtues had so justly filled the whole world with admiration， and whose royal person I resolved to attend， before I returned to my own country. Accordingly， the next time I had the honour to see our emperor. I desired his general license to wait on the Blefuscudian monarch， which he was pleased to grant me， as I could perceive， in a very cold manner；but could not guess the reason， till I had a whisper from a certain person， “that Flimnap and Bolgoiam had represented my intercourse with those ambassadors as a mark of disaffection；” from which I am sure my heart was wholly free. And this was the first time I began to conceive some imperfect idea of courts and ministers.
It is to be observed， that these ambassadors spoke to me， by an interpreter， the languages of both empires differing as much from each other as any two in Europe， and each nation priding itself upon the antiquity， beauty， and energy of their own tongue， with an avowed contempt for that of their neighbour； yet our emperor， standing upon the advantage he had got by the seizure of their fleet， obliged them to deliver their credentials， and make their speech， in the Lilliputian tongue. And it must be confessed， that from the great intercourse of trade and commerce between both realms， from the continual reception of exiles which is mutual among them， and from the custom， in each empire， to send their young nobility and richer gentry to the other， in order to polish themselves by seeing the world， and understanding men and manners； there are few persons of distinction or merchants， or seamen， who dwell in the maritime parts， but what can hold conversation in both tongues； as I found some weeks after， when l went to pay my respects to the emperor of Blefuscu， which， in the midst of great misfortunes， through the malice of my enemies， proved a very happy adventure to me， as I shall relate in its proper place.
