andhiskinsmenordescendantscontinue，ineachgeneration，toleadthearmiesandcouncilsofthestate。Thepurplewasnotdishonoredbytheiralliance，andhadthelawofsuccession，andfemalesuccession，beenstrictlyobserved，thewifeofTheodoreLascarismusthaveyieldedtohereldersister，themotherofMichaelPalaeologus，whoafterwardsraisedhisfamilytothethrone。Inhisperson，thesplendorofbirthwasdignifiedbythemeritofthesoldierandstatesman:inhisearlyyouthhewaspromotedtotheofficeofconstableorcommanderoftheFrenchmercenaries；theprivateexpenseofadayneverexceededthreepiecesofgold；buthisambitionwasrapaciousandprofuse；andhisgiftsweredoubledbythegracesofhisconversationandmanners。Theloveofthesoldiersandpeopleexcitedthejealousyofthecourt，andMichaelthriceescapedfromthedangersinwhichhewasinvolvedbyhisownimprudenceorthatofhisfriends。I。UnderthereignofJusticeandVataces，adisputearose^12betweentwoofficers，oneofwhomaccusedtheotherofmaintainingthehereditaryrightofthePalaeologiThecausewasdecided，accordingtothenewjurisprudenceoftheLatins，bysinglecombat；thedefendantwasoverthrown；buthepersistedindeclaringthathimselfalonewasguilty；andthathehadutteredtheserashortreasonablespeecheswithouttheapprobationorknowledgeofhispatronYetacloudofsuspicionhungovertheinnocenceoftheconstable；hewasstillpursuedbythewhispersofmalevolence；andasubtlecourtier，thearchbishopofPhiladelphia，urgedhimtoacceptthejudgmentofGodinthefieryproofoftheordeal。^13Threedaysbeforethetrial，thepatient\'sarmwasenclosedinabag，andsecuredbytheroyalsignet；anditwasincumbentonhimtobearared—hotballofironthreetimesfromthealtartotherailsofthesanctuary，withoutartificeandwithoutinjury。Palaeologuseludedthedangerousexperimentwithsenseandpleasantry。\"Iamasoldier，\"saidhe，\"andwillboldlyenterthelistswithmyaccusers；butalayman，asinnerlikemyself，isnotendowedwiththegiftofmiracles。Yourpiety，mostholyprelate，maydeservetheinterpositionofHeaven，andfromyourhandsIwillreceivethefieryglobe，thepledgeofmyinnocence。\"Thearchbishopstarted；theemperorsmiled；andtheabsolutionorpardonofMichaelwasapprovedbynewrewardsandnewservices。II。Inthesucceedingreign，asheheldthegovernmentofNice，hewassecretlyinformed，thatthemindoftheabsentprincewaspoisonedwithjealousy；andthatdeath，orblindness，wouldbehisfinalreward。InsteadofawaitingthereturnandsentenceofTheodore，theconstable，withsomefollowers，escapedfromthecityandtheempire；andthoughhewasplunderedbytheTurkmansofthedesert，hefoundahospitablerefugeinthecourtofthesultan。Intheambiguousstateofanexile，Michaelreconciledthedutiesofgratitudeandloyalty:drawinghisswordagainsttheTartars；admonishingthegarrisonsoftheRomanlimit；andpromoting，byhisinfluence，therestorationofpeace，inwhichhispardonandrecallwerehonorablyincluded。III。WhileheguardedtheWestagainstthedespotofEpirus，Michaelwasagainsuspectedandcondemnedinthepalace；andsuchwashisloyaltyorweakness，thathesubmittedtobeledinchainsabovesixhundredmilesfromDurazzotoNice。Thecivilityofthemessengeralleviatedhisdisgrace；theemperor\'ssicknessdispelledhisdanger；andthelastbreathofTheodore，whichrecommendedhisinfantson，atonceacknowledgedtheinnocenceandthepowerofPalaeologus。
[Footnote11:ThepedigreeofPalaeologusisexplainedbyDucange，Famil。Byzant。p。230，&c。:theeventsofhisprivatelifearerelatedbyPachymerl。i。c。7—12andGregorasl。
ii。8，l。iii。2，4，l。iv。1withvisiblefavortothefatherofthereigningdynasty。]
[Footnote12:Acropolitac。50relatesthecircumstancesofthiscuriousadventure，whichseemtohaveescapedthemorerecentwriters。]
[Footnote13:Pachymer，l。i。c。12，whospeakswithpropercontemptofthisbarbaroustrial，affirms，thathehadseeninhisyouthmanypersonwhohadsustained，withoutinjury，thefieryordeal。AsaGreek，heiscredulous；buttheingenuityoftheGreeksmightfurnishsomeremediesofartorfraudagainsttheirownsuperstition，orthatoftheirtyrant。]