ACT I.

WHO do you think is the Emperor's favourite now: whilſt I continued his favourite myſelf, I had no occaſion to make any enquiry.

You may be the Emperor's again: as to me, I ſhall never enjoy his favour—But here ſhe comes.

So, here you are muſing and plotting miſ⯑chief againſt me, becauſe the Sultan loves me; well, the woman who poſſeſſes his heart, is ſure to have every woman in the Seraglio againſt her: but there was a time when you was kind to me.

Yes my dear Sophie, when you was in diſ⯑treſs: and I aſſure you, that if ever that time ſhould come again, we will be as kind again, and love you as well as ever.

You think ſo—however our ſex are ſeldom kind to the woman that is ſo proſperous, their pity is [2]confined to thoſe that are forſaken—to be forſaken and ugly, are the greateſt diſtreſſes a woman can have.

Let her go, a good for nothing happy crea⯑ture, however by ſome accident ſhe is the favourite now, perhaps ſome of us may become favourites ſoon—ſiſter—what's that—

I tremble all over.

I am afraid it is a great ravenous bird, co⯑ming to devour us, is it a fowl? Perhaps it is the cha⯑riot of ſome of the gods of the Gentoos.

Oh, no it cannot be a bird, it has no wings—perhaps this is our Prophet Mahomet coming to earth again, and this is his chariot—It is—they are gods, I ſee their heads.

Let us not be afraid if they bear the ſhape of men (as gods they ſay moſtly do) let us face them.

Oh dear heart!—Stay—I never ſaw a god in all my life, and yet if they come in the ſhape of men, why I don't think I ſhould be ſo much afraid of them neither.

O! dear! O! dear!—The devil take all balloons I ſay—what a curſed confounded journey we have had of it—Fan, come out—where the devil are we after all—In Scotland, Denmark or Ireland, or Norway, or Lim⯑bo, it is deviliſh hot

why Fan, where are yon Fan!

I'm here Johnny—Oh! Lord! I am ſo glad to ſet my foot on chriſtian ground again.

Chriſtian ground you fool! why we're in Lim⯑bo—it muſt be Limbo, or Greenland. Doctor what ſay you, it is Greenland, is it not?—

Why man Greenland is cold, quite reverſe of this climate; this is either eaſt, weſt or ſouth, but which I cannot tell. I am ſure it is not north, by the heat, other concluſions I draw from other cauſes; I know we are a thouſand miles from our native land, from the ſwiftneſs of our machines motion, and the [3]length of time we have been in it; another concluſion is, that not knowing the paths we have come, we know not where we are—I know only that we are in a cloſe walk of trees with houſes at a diſtance; we may be amongſt people, who pay no regard to genius, ſcience, or inven⯑tion, but may put us all to death, taking us for three witches that ride in the air.

Oh! Lord! put us all to death!—is all our fine ride in the air come to this—Oh, Lord! O Lord.

Ay Fan, and how the people clapp'd and huz⯑za'd, when they ſaw us mount in the air!—They little thought they ſhould not ſee us again, Gad that was the reaſon may be that they ſeem'd ſo glad—for my part I was ſo pleas'd with my journey, I was almoſt out of my wits for joy; I did not think that we ſhould have no more than a couple of hours ride. I thought we ſhould have been picked up in Eſſex, Darby, or Kent, or Middleſex or thereabouts, but the devil a bit! the Doc⯑tor with all his magic could not ſtop it when it was ſet a-going.

I own I am ſhock'd at our adventure.

Well here we are after all—but where, the Lord only knows.

Do you appear lighter—I am much more hea⯑vy than in my natural element.

Ay Doctor, like a fiſh out of water.

I do not ſpeak to you of elements.

I am ſure doctor I wiſh you hadn't brought us out of our element.

Your ſoul and body are compoſed of one ele⯑ment, and that is earth, and your wiſe is all water.

Ay Doctor, with now and then a ſpark of fire.

Damme Doctor, you are all air, and yet you have not enough of it to take as back again neither.

I may be able to fill that machine again.

I wiſh you would fill our bellies in the mean⯑time, upon my ſoul I am half ſtarved.

The pure air we breath'd while ſo many de⯑grees above the earth, ſupplied every want.

No, not it Doctor, you know you eat hearti⯑ly of the ham and chickens, and drank more of the wine than Fan and I.

That he did.

That was only by way of experiment, I had no wants I aſſure you.

Lord Doctor—No wants!

None there.

Why yes, you had, you know you wanted to kiſs me when you thought Johnny was aſleep.

Zounds ſtand back, yonder is a fine lady co⯑ming.

Are you Gods?

She ſpeaks to us.

Then, you are gods.

Gods ma'am! no, we are three poor devils.

Devils! avaunt.

Don't go to ſend us back again, we have had enongh of it I aſſure you.

Be ye gods or devils, in theſe ſhades you muſt not remain a moment.

Why where the devil are we?

In the dominions of the Great Mogul.

The Great Mogol!

The Great Mogul! Oh, oh, oh.

Oh, ho, ho, ho.

In the Seraglio of his favourite concubines, where no mortal but himſelf dare approach in human ſhape, except our wretched ſex, and Eunuchs who are our guards.

Eunuchs! Lord madam they are of no ſex at all—we have often heard madam of the Great Mogul. Why Lord he can't be jealous of me, and as to the Doc⯑tor there he is nobody—it is all over with him, he has no longer any inflammible air about him, either in his balloon or himſelf, its all gone, is'nt it Doctor?

I am very faint, I am ſure it is near a month ſince we left Hyde Park corner.

Hyde Park corner!

Yes, juſt by the turnpike going to Knight's brid [...].

And after ſailing a month like a poor ſchool boy's kite, we are thrown into the jaws of that damn'd cutthroat dog the Great Mogul.

What do you ſay?

I did'n't mean your Mogul, madam.

You muſt take care what you ſay, you are my fellow creatures, and you are brought here by this ſtrange Machine—take care the Mogul Eunuchs are conſtantly on the watch, the time draws night, when they will enter this dwelling: be prepared to give an account of yourſelves, who, and what you are, and ſub⯑ſtantial excuſes for your being found here, or you aſ⯑ſuredly die in miſery.

Doctor! why damme Doctor, what's the matter with you—you are ſhip'd Doctor, damme I ſay what's the matter with you—Contrive ſomething to ſay to the Great Mogul.

I cannot contrive any thing.

You contriv'd the Balloon and be hang'd to you, and you contriv'd to get us here, now contrive to take us back again.

At preſent I cannot, all my inflammible air is gone.

I told you ſo—its all over with him, and with us too I fear.

Oh, dear Johnny, what will become of us, what will become of us?

Come, don't cry Fan, we ſhall ſee our children again, never fear.

As to that female, ſhe has nothing to appre⯑hend for herſelf, ſhe will be ſaved from death, and moſt likely exalted to the embraces of the Great Mogul.

I had rather not madam, if its all the ſame to you.

I only ſpeak of what is probable, but prepare an excuſe, I muſt call here the Eunuch and inform him of what has happen'd, or we ſhall be greatly ſuſpected, and puniſhed with you.

Pray madam, are theſe Eunuchs a good ſort of gentlemen?

They are ſevere, but they do but their duty—They obey their maſter, who meant them to be ſe⯑vere—if poſſible make them your friends, by all means.

Doctor, what ſhall we do? what the devil ſhall we do?

I ſhall fare the worſt, the Mogul will conſider me as ſome important perſonage, ſome capital conſpira⯑tor perhaps, and I have no doubt, but he will arreſt me and flee me alive.

And I have no doubt but he'll arreſt me too.

Ay, he will eat us all alive, you won'd come Johnny.

And you would come Fanny.

That was becauſe you ſhould not come alone Johnny.

Zounds ſtand back—there's a damn'd black fel⯑low coming—I'll ſay I am a woman in men's cloaths.

Oh! no don't Johnny, who knows but the Great Mogul will fall in love with you.

What are you, that float in air—you muſt ap⯑pear before the Great Mogul, to anſwer with your lives for this audacity. Who was that being that brought you here?

He—that being there—the Docctor.

Muſt the woman go too.

Yes.

O ſir, we'll follow you.

Damn it Doctor, this comes of your haram ſcaram things.

Admirable! incomparable, moſt excellent! in a retreat of the gardens I ſaw the wretches fall—overheard their converſation. We were amazed at the miraculous manner of their arrival, but ſuch acts I knew had been lately diſcovered in Europe—I am reſolv'd to have ſome diverſion with them.

Where are thoſe Europeans.

My Leige, the ſlaves, the ſailors of the air wait your pleaſure.

What are there ſituations on this new occaſion.

Horror and dread.

Aggravate their fears, as much as poſſible, tell them, I am the abſtract of cruelty, the eſſence of tyrran⯑ny; tell them the Divan ſhall open with all its terrors. For tho' I mean to ſave their lives, I want to ſee the effect of their fears, for in the hour of reflection I love to con⯑template that greateſt work of heaven, the mind of man.

Happy for thoſe adventurers is the ſerene temper of the Mogul—My friends

loſe no time to put the commands of our maſter into im⯑mediate execution—here they come, retire my friends.

Unhappy man I pity you, I was once in Eu⯑rope, and treated kindly there!—I wiſh in gratitude I could do any thing to ſerve you—but the Mogul is bloody minded, and cruel, and at preſent inexorable.

Then is our ſituation deſperate.

It's all over with us.

Ay, 'tis all dicky with us.—Hark'e ſir, you have been in Europe.

Pray Mr Blacky was you ever in England?

Yes I was, I love the country.

Then you [...]ſt love [...] Engliſhman—only help us out of this hobble [...] what, I'll do any thing to ſerve you, [...] vot [...] for candidate and whatever you plea [...] [...]

The Mogul is only to be wrought [...] by his fears, now if you can alarm him with the danger of taking your lives.

How the devil can we alarm him, ſurrounded as he is with thouſands, and we are but three of us.

He will be in the Divan immediately, be firm and bold before him—ſeem to know yourſelves of con⯑ſequence—ſeem to have no fear, and that will alarm him.

Sir we are very much obliged to you.

Thank you my dear Blacky, a thouſand times.

The Divan is opening—now mark and prac⯑tice all I ſay, and put forth all your fortitude.

Let thoſe who refuſed the preſents I demanded, be impaled, the Nabob who refuſed his favourite wife, be burnt alive—and let the Female who broke my fa⯑vourite diſh, and thereby ſpoiled my dinner, be torn to pieces.

Horror abſorbs my faculties.

Oh Lord! Oh Lord! what ſhall we do?

Where are thoſe bold audacious ones, theſe Eu⯑ropeans?

Moſt gracious ſovereign, behold the man on whom your anger is raiſed, and for whom your racks are preparing, comes Ambaſſador from England, which he likewiſe inhabits, to aſk of you his way to the Perſi⯑an dominions, where he's to meet ſome legions of war⯑riors. Inhabitants of a new machine invented for the uſe of man, called, called—what is it called?

called a Balloon—The King his maſter is now within two day's journey of [9]your mighty realm, in his way to the Perſian dominions, which he means ſhall feel the force of his vaſt power, for injuries received, but will not ſtop here to refreſh him⯑ſelf, and his mighty army on the right of your king⯑dom, without your permiſſion, which he ſolicits by this his noble Ambaſſador.

Why was not this explained on his firſt arrival?

An accident happening to the machine in which he was conveyed, it unfortunately fell into a place forbidden; fear of your diſpleaſure forbade him to an⯑nounce himſelf.

Who is this king that thus addreſſes me as his equal—Take down the roll and read it, that the Ambaſ⯑ſador may know who, and what I am.

"Know this moſt glorious menarch, before whom you now ſtand, is Emperor of all India—The Great Mogul—Brother of the Sun and Moon—of the Right Giver of all earthly Crowns—Commander of all creatures from the ſea of Cremona, to the Gulph of Perlia—Emperor of all E⯑ſtates, and Lord of all the Region on the conſines of Aſia—Lord of all the coaſt of Africa—Lord of Ethio⯑pia, Grand Sultan of all the beautiful females of Circaſ⯑ſia, Barbary, Media, and both the Tartaries—Prince of the river Ganges, Zanthur, and Euphrates—Sultan of ſeventeen kingdoms—King of eight thouſand Iſlands, and huſband of one thouſand wives."

Doſt thou hear Ambaſſador, thou who art leſs acquainted with the rays of royalty, to whom we have permitted our titles to be read in our preſence; now look on your credentials, and tell us who is this king your maſter.

What ſhall I do for creden⯑tials?

Look on the roll, ſeem to read it with firm⯑neſs.

"The King his maſ⯑ter, is by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, Ireland, Scotland, Northumberland, Lincoln⯑ſhire, [10]Sheſſield, and Birmingham; giver of all Green, Blue, Red, and pale Blue Ribbons, Sovereign of the moſt noble Order of St Patrick—Grand maſter of every Ma⯑ſon Lodge in Chriſtendom, Prince of the River Thames, Trent, Severn, Tyne, New-River, Fleet-Ditch, and the Tweed: Sovereign Lord, and maſter of many loyal ſubjects, huſband of one good wife, and father of eigh⯑teen fine children.

Then who art thou ſlave, that dare come into our preſence.

He is no ſlave, know my moſt Royal maſter, this is his highneſs the Pope of Rome.

Yes, and pleaſe your highneſs, I am the Pope, at your ſervice.

A great Pontiff indeed—Is that the faſhion of his robe?

His travelling dreſs only.

My Air Balloon Jacket, pleaſe your honour.

I want no enumeration of his dignity, I have heard it all.

Yes, yes, all the world have heard of the devil and the Pope.

Cruel and rapacious. The actions of his prede⯑ceſſors will never be forgotten by the deſcendant of Ma⯑homet. I rejoice I have him in my power—his life will but ill repay thoſe crimes with which this monſter formerly peſtered the plains of Palentina.

Oh Lord, tell him he's a Cobbler at once and don't tell him any more lies.

They have aſſaulted my Seraglio and the Greek Pontiffs are forbid the uſe of women—The Engliſh am⯑baſſador is under no ſuch reſtriction, how can I forgive it.—

Mere accident brought me here great Sir, I have no paſſion for women, as his holineſs will witneſs.

Who is that female?

She does not belong to me, ſhe is a nun, and pleaſe your highneſs, taken from a convent in Italy, and [11]was guilty of ſome crime, not to be forgiven, but by ſe⯑vere pennance, enjoined to accompany us.

In our country dreſs ſhe would have charms!—What ſay you ſweet one? Give her another dreſs, and take her into the Seraglio—let the other two ſtay here one day for reſt, then let them depart.

You Lordſhip will pleaſe to let Fan go too.

Oh Johnny—you would my Johnny.

Johnny!

Yes, and pleaſe your holineſs—I am Pope Johnny the twelfth.

What will become of our children.

Children!

Yes, yes children, that was what ſhe was ba⯑niſhed for.

If tenderneſs will not drive her, puniſhment ſhall, perſuade her to go.

Oh, you are yet undone.

Pleaſe your Mogulſhip, I will talk to her in private—perhaps I may perſuade her to comply with your princely deſires, for we Popes have never any con⯑verſation with women except in private.

Guards, keep at a diſtance, but do not loſe fight of them—For one day, reſt in our court as friends, then you ambaſſador, and his highneſs may depart hence, and report my magnificence.

Oh, Fanny, Fanny, Fan, Fan—

Oh Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, will you leave me here in a ſtrange land, amongſt tygers, land monſters, and ſea monſters.

Oh Fan, Fan, if we were at Wapping again, mending of ſhoes, in our little two pair of ſtairs room backwards—with the bed juſt turn'd up in one corner of the room.

My Johnny and I ſitting ſo comfortable toge⯑ther at breakfaſt, where we had pawn'd your waiſtcoat to get one, with one child crying on my knee, and one on yours; my poor old mother ſhaking with the ague, in one corner of the room—the many happy [12]mornings Johnny that we have got up together ſhaking with the cold—No balloon to vex us.

Ay, and the many times after threſhing you well Fan, when we made it up again.

Yes, yes, the happy making it up Johnny, we ſhall never have that pleaſure again.

Oh, Doctor, you have none of this to lament, you never knew what theſe pleaſures were.

I wiſh I was in my old climate again, its fouleſt air.

Fan only ſeem to comply with the Mogul at preſent—and put on your fine dreſs, and I'll try if I can get you away—and if not Fan, I wiſh I may never ſole a pair of ſhoes again, if I don't ſtay with you, ra⯑ther than leave you here—Oh Doctor—Doctor! this comes of your fine Air Balloon, Oh Lord, Oh Lord, we ſhall be put to death in the end.

ACT II.

EXCELLENT! the intercepting this curious epiſ⯑tle, promiſes me a new ſource of entertainment, read it Omar, every thing proceeds as I could wiſh.

"I have been able to pro⯑cure ſome inflammible air, and hope ſoon to be able to ſee you in Wapping—don't waſte your time in the Se⯑raglio, but come, and help me to repair the Balloon. Contrive if you can to bring one of the females with you, as I want to try an experiment, which can live longeſt in the air, the women of this country, or our own——N. B. Let her have black eyes, neither too large or too ſmall, leſt my experiment ſhould fail."

A moſt noble ſtratagem! this is a conſpiracy in our government, let a ſtrong guard inſtantly ſeize this Doctor Ambaſſador and drag him immediately to the place of execution, this requires attention. Let this Cobler holineſs already half drown'd in liquor, be ſup⯑plied with the richeſt of my wines, and then in the high tide of his joys tempted with the fineſt of my wo⯑men—then alſo let him be convey'd to the place of exe⯑cution, and let the woman array'd in oriental ſplendour be made to accompany him thither—there will I appear to watch the motion of the culprits, and then diſmiſs them to their own country, in a manner worthy the doc⯑trines of our great Prophet, and not unſuitable to my own honour and dignity.

Lippery wine! Lippery wine! never will drink anything but lippery wine.

They ſay they don't drink wine in this country—damme 'tis no ſuch matter for brandy does all the ſame, though I don't think 'twas brandy neither—But it was deviliſh good, it has made me quite happy; I wiſh it does not make me fall in love preſently, for I am deviliſh apt to fall in love when I am drunk—theſe ſeems to be a parcel of pretty girls, pretty tipperty winches

there they go, ſo pretty, and ſo plenty, zounds maſter Mogul, you have a fine time of it here

Here, hark'e my dear.

Did you call me ſir?

Ay, my love, any body would call you—do you know that you are a ſweet ſoul!

Sweet ſoul!

Yes a ſweet ſoul.

Why our religion tells us we have no ſouls.

Does it, why then of what uſe is your religi⯑on! but if you have no ſoul, damme, but you have a pretty body, a very pretty body, that I do aſſure you, [14]and I am a ſweet ſoul, and what is a body good for, wi⯑thout a ſoul.

Have your countrymen ſouls?

They have a damn'd deal of ſpirit.

What's that?

Why I was going to tell you my ſweet crea⯑ture—

His holineſs upon his knees, and to a woman too.

O yes ſir! Though I am a Pope, I am not in⯑fallible.

Why this is ſtrictly forbidden in your religi⯑on.

Why ſo it is: and you are ſtrictly forbidden to drink wine—and yet you know you damn'd black dog, you are always drinking, when you think nobody ſees you, but this is Jubilee—all holiday at Peckham—Here ſirrah, fetch back that lady, madam no ſoul, do it. I cannot do without her.

Though I cannot recal the fair fugitive, I can do what you will like as well, take this handker⯑chief—It is the Mogul's.

Damn his handkerchief.

Caſt this at the foot of any woman you pleaſe, and ſhe muſt accompliſh all your deſire.

Muſt ſhe! damn me give me my old Miggy's handkerchief! and you'll ſee what work I'll make—but there ſhe goes.

Here ſhe comes, and looks very pretty, ſhe will be the favourite very ſoon, but let us plague her, and that will make her look ugly.

A woman never looks well, when ſhe is not in temper,

What are pleaſures when thoſe that one loves does not partake them with one; Ah my dear Johnny, the ſky that appears ſo clear, the ſun that ſhines ſo ſweet, and the wind that blows ſuch rich perfumes do but increaſe my ſorrow, whilſt my dear Johnny is not with me.

You was ſent here for penance madam, I heard.

Ay and ſevere penance it was—I loſt every thing on earth that I love by it.

But what do you ſay to your fine dreſs?

It is nothing at all to me, I ſhall faſt and pray.

What ſhould you faſt for, you may pray in⯑deed for the good graces of the Mogul.

I am ſure I ſhould rather be a poor Cobler's wife—(O Lord what have I ſaid

I mean I had rather be doing penance again with the Pope, or a do⯑zen Popes, rather than be married to one Mogul.

O I dare ſay you had. But men are not ſo plenty here, they are not to be found by dozens I aſ⯑ſure you.

No my dear Engliſh lady—I have been told in your country, every woman had a lover a piece, but here we have but one between us three and ninety ſeven of us.

And pray ladies have you ſeen any thing of the Pope lately, or is he gone away.

He was here juſt now, and making love to me.

I'll make her jealous.

No he didn't make love to you, and if he did, I'm ſure he was tipſy, for though I ſay it, that ſhould not ſay it, he is never ſo loving as when he is tipſy.

Damme! here they are all here, at my ſervice—you are a ſett of pretty creatures upon my ſoul—ma⯑dam [16]you are a damn'd fine girl, and ſo are you—and you too my little no ſoul. But that pretty little mop⯑pet

ſuits my fancy the moſt; here I fix (and not like an old muſty weather▪cock, till the wind changes about, but here I fix)

come and kiſs me.

That I will with all my heart and ſoul my dear Johnny.

What the devil! my own Fan—why who the devil would have thought of ſeeing you here, dizzen'd out in that fine gown, with a ſack round your waiſt—and a long petticoat trailing on the ground—and a turbot on your head, why what's become of your ſtraw hat and linen gown.

She is altered in that garb to pleaſe the great Mogul.

No no, that will not do, madam no ſoul, none of your tricks upon travellers, in the air eſpecially, no, no, Fan pleaſes none but me I aſſure you.

But do I pleaſe you Johnny.

Do you! yes that's what you do, why one mor [...]el of Britiſh beauty, is worth a whole cargo of out⯑landiſh frippery.

Great Sir, if you are at liberty I come to of⯑fer you ſome amuſement if you will walk to the gate of the Seraglio, you may ſee the execution of ſome crimi⯑nals—Every thing is ready on the platform.

Great Blackamoor I come—You will go la⯑dies, you ſhall go too Fan—But who the devil are they, what have they done?

I cannot tell, theſe executions happen ſo fre⯑quently, that we have no curioſity to learn. Your highneſs may enquire from themſelves.

In the name of the moſt mighty the Mogul, [17]I arreſt this man, and bring him to the place of execu⯑tion.

We are going there friend—Come along Fan.

This woman muſt be ſecured by us.

Not ſhe blacky, ſhe belongs to me.

Belongs to you!

Yes blacky, belongs to me—damme ſhe is my property.

I have the authority of the Great Mogul to take her before his preſence, there's his ſignet.

And I have the authority of the Great Mogul to keep her, damme there's his handkerchief—I throw it there

and now touch her you damn'd black dog, if you dare; as to that great [...]eal, you know you black thief, you never had it from the Mogul—You have been breaking open his beureau and ſtole it.

Though he gave it me himſelf, I cannot diſ⯑obey the holder of the handkerchief—Come with me.

Why damme—we are going—you are hinder⯑ing us, come along Fan—come along with me.

No ſhe muſt come along with us—

You are not to lay violent hands upon her, for look'ye maſter blacky, if you was in a certain corner of the world called Old England, you would know you dog you—that if the firſt. Prince of the Blood was to attempt the wife of a poor Cobler, againſt her will and good liking—He had better take up the whole iſland by main force, and daſh it into the ſea again.

Are the Eunuchs returned with the priſoners?

We expect them every minute.

Is his wife with them?

She is, my ſovereign.

Maintain their fears, and place them with his mock excellency before the tribunal.

Come along Fan—Come along Fan—Where is the ambaſſador?

I'll place you next to him.

Sir I am very much oblig'd to you, my Doc⯑tor, what's the matter, you groan.

They are going to try ſome experiment on me, to broil me—to implame, perhaps to anatomize me.

Let me go.

You muſt not go.

I'd rather not ſtay.

Oh dear Johany, what's the matter! do not burn Johany.

Where are theſe wretched culprits doom'd to receive their ſentence?

They are here waiting your highneſs's plea⯑ſure.

Are all the racks ready, the chaldrons of boil⯑ing oil—The cages of hot iron, and the trampling ele⯑phants.

O Lord! O Lord!

The water oils and the grid irons are ready.

Will theſe impoſtors confeſs, who and what they are, if they hope any mitigation;—Who art thou, thou pretended ambaſſador, whoſe letter I intercepted, where⯑in you confeſs yourſelf an impoſtor, and wiſh to raviſh from my arms one of my moſt beautiful females.

I am a Doctor—I am a Doctor of muſic unl⯑verſally known, and acknowledged—maſter of legerde⯑main, adept in philoſophy, giver of bealth, prolonger of life, child of the ſun, interpreter of ſta [...], and p [...]y councellor to the moon.

What brought you here?

A Balloon.

What is a Ballon?

It is a Machine of French invention, founded on Engliſh Philoſophy, an experiment by air—lighter than air—a method of Navigation in the Clouds with winds, wanting only another diſcovery, ſtill in Nubibus, and for want of that diſcovery, brought us here, great [...]it, againſt our will, without any intention to ſeduce a⯑way any of the females of the Seraglio.

Lord, the Doctor would not hurt a hair of their heads.

And who art thou that would have impoſed yourſelf upon me for a venerable Pontiff.

Lord your honour, I was only joking with you, I'll be judged [...] Lady, if I look like a [...].—I am ſure the good man himſelf would excuſe me for ta⯑king his name, ſo long as I did not make free with his character—I am quite ſober now I aſſure you.

And you are no Pope.

Pope! the devil a Pope am I—I am no more Pope Johnny, than my wife is Pope Joan—

What art thou?

Who me! I'm a poor innoc [...]t Cobler [...] coyed by the Doctor here, from Wapping, for five guineas.

And he's as good a father, and as good a huſ⯑band, and as good a Cobler as any in London.

A Cobler! why damme I'll ſoal a pair of ſhoes with any man in your country.

Now prepare to die.

With all my heart, rather than part with my dear Johnny, if Johnny would die, what ſhould—

Keep ſilence while I pronounce jndgment—Tremble for your approaching doom. You are not now before the tribunal of a European, a man of your own colour. I am an Indian, a Mahometan, my laws are cruel and my nature ſavage—You have impoſed upon me, and attempted to defraud me, but know that I have [20]been taught mercy and compaſſion for the ſufferings of human nature; however differing in laws, temper and colour from myſelf. Yes from you Chriſtians whoſe laws teach charity to all the world, have I learn'd theſe virtues? For your countrymen's cruelty to the poor Gentoos has ſhewn me tyranny in ſo foul a light, that I was determined henceforth to be only mild, juſt and merciful.—You have done wrong, but you are ſtran⯑gers, you are deſtitute—You are too much in my power to treat you with ſeverity—all three may freely depart.

The lord bleſs you ſir: thank you.

You have my leave, and I have given inſtruc⯑tions to my meſſengers, to [...] native land.

Oh! thank heaven.

Well then thank heaven, I ſhall ſee dear Wap⯑ping again.

Every thing is ready for your departure.

Sir, we are very much obliged to you, and pleaſe give my compliments to the Great Mogul, and tell him I am very much obliged to him for not killing my huſband.

And I am very much obliged to him for not raviſhing my wife.

And preſent my compliments to him, and let him know that I will explain the generoſity of his con⯑duct in a Mogul Tale, that I intend to publiſh, giving an account of our adventures in our grand Air Balloon.