302                 A Short Deferipion
it to his Council; who keeping him blind, played their Game ac-
cording to their own Pleafure, and without any great oppofition dif-
fered the Tartar to feize part of Leaetmg. After the Conquefl: of
which, he endeavoured to fubdue the whole Province, but was in-
terrupted in his career by a too vigorous refiftance; and the War be-
twixt the two Nations lafted a long time, Vi&ory fometimes incli-
ning to one, and at other times to the other fide; but at laft the Strife
ended in a Peace, in favour of the Tartar, the Emperor being ob-
liged to permit him in the quiet enjoyment of his Conquefts: by
teafon that the Robbers and feveral of the Nobility had made fuch a
formidable Infurre&ion, that the Emperor feemed to apprehend more
danger from them than from the Tartars themfelves. Which was indeed
afterwards confirmed by the Event; for the Robber Licoung after
taking feveral Cities and whole Provinces, grew fo infolent as to pre-
fix to attack even the Emperor himfelf in Peking his Metropolis,
which he knew to be empty of Forces, or at leaft that thofe there,
were coaiimndedby thofe who would betray their Prince.The Emperor
finding himfelf betrayed on one hand and deferted on the other, be-
ing unwilling to fall into the Robbers hands alive, after he had killed
hii Dftaghttr with his Sabir,  ended his own miferable Lite with a
Rope.
The Conqueror attempted to fix himfelf on the Throne; but
Prince Ouf**$?Ki, who commanded the Army at the Great Wall, and
kept I watchful Eye on the Tartar, defigning either to fall on him
with his great Force, or engage him on his fide, gained over to his
Party the LeMtw&rs, and all thofe who were either baniflied, or
had fled to thtt Province,- but tho' they were added to his Army,
he did not think himfelf ftrong enough to deal with the almoft in-
finite numbers, and confequently fuperior Force of the Robber or
Ufurper: Wherefore he, by a Treaty with Tfottte oxZunte the Tartarian
ftirig, obliged him to join his Force with him againft the Ufurper,
w ower to revenge the Death of his Father whom the Robber had
«riieUy aiurtbered $ he fucceeded in his defign, and after a bloody
fight (as is already hinted in the VHth Chapter) purfued him, and
it is at prefent utterly unknown where Licoung perifhed. During
tfol§ puriwt of the Robber, Tfont* enters the Empire in order to fop-
t»n Princetf*fa»gK«w onoccafion, to cleanfe the Land of Licouugs Fol-
lowers, and tfifperfe the Confpirators: He advanced to Peking, where
finding the Coaft clear, and the Throne empty, he afcends it, and
»ffifted by his Tartarian Forces, caufed the Chinefe (whofe hearts he
had