hismodestyandpatiencewerenevertemptedtocomputetheyearsofhisfather；norwasthatfathercompelledtorepentofhisliberalityeitherbythevirtuesorvicesofhisson。ThesonofMichaelwasnamedAndronicusfromhisgrandfather，towhoseearlyfavorhewasintroducedbythatnominalresemblance。TheblossomsofwitandbeautyincreasedthefondnessoftheelderAndronicus；and，withthecommonvanityofage，heexpectedtorealizeinthesecond，thehopewhichhadbeendisappointedinthefirst，generation。Theboywaseducatedinthepalaceasanheirandafavorite；andintheoathsandacclamationsofthepeople，theaugusttriadwasformedbythenamesofthefather，theson，andthegrandson。ButtheyoungerAndronicuswasspeedilycorruptedbyhisinfantgreatness，whilehebeheldwithpuerileimpatiencethedoubleobstaclethathung，andmightlonghang，overhisrisingambition。Itwasnottoacquirefame，ortodiffusehappiness，thathesoeagerlyaspired:wealthandimpunitywereinhiseyesthemostpreciousattributesofamonarch；andhisfirstindiscreetdemandwasthesovereigntyofsomerichandfertileisland，wherehemightleadalifeofindependenceandpleasure。Theemperorwasoffendedbytheloudandfrequentintemperancewhichdisturbedhiscapital；thesumswhichhisparsimonydeniedweresuppliedbytheGenoeseusurersofPera；andtheoppressivedebt，whichconsolidatedtheinterestofafaction，couldbedischargedonlybyarevolution。A
beautifulfemale，amatroninrank，aprostituteinmanners，hadinstructedtheyoungerAndronicusintherudimentsoflove；buthehadreasontosuspectthenocturnalvisitsofarival；andastrangerpassingthroughthestreetwaspiercedbythearrowsofhisguards，whowereplacedinambushatherdoor。Thatstrangerwashisbrother，PrinceManuel，wholanguishedanddiedofhiswound；andtheemperorMichael，theircommonfather，whosehealthwasinadecliningstate，expiredontheeighthday，lamentingthelossofbothhischildren。^7Howeverguiltlessinhisintention，theyoungerAndronicusmightimputeabrother\'sandafather\'sdeathtotheconsequenceofhisownvices；anddeepwasthesighofthinkingandfeelingmen，whentheyperceived，insteadofsorrowandrepentance，hisill—dissembledjoyontheremovaloftwoodiouscompetitors。Bythesemelancholyevents，andtheincreaseofhisdisorders，themindoftheelderemperorwasgraduallyalienated；and，aftermanyfruitlessreproofs，hetransferredonanothergrandson^8hishopesandaffection。Thechangewasannouncedbythenewoathofallegiancetothereigningsovereign，andthepersonwhomheshouldappointforhissuccessor；andtheacknowledgedheir，afterarepetitionofinsultsandcomplaints，wasexposedtotheindignityofapublictrial。Beforethesentence，whichwouldprobablyhavecondemnedhimtoadungeonoracell，theemperorwasinformedthatthepalacecourtswerefilledwiththearmedfollowersofhisgrandson；thejudgmentwassoftenedtoatreatyofreconciliation；andthetriumphantescapeoftheprinceencouragedtheardoroftheyoungerfaction。
[Footnote6:HewascrownedMay21st，1295，anddiedOctober12th，1320，Ducange，Fam。Byz。p。239。HisbrotherTheodore，byasecondmarriage，inheritedthemarquisateofMontferrat，apostatizedtothereligionandmannersoftheLatins，Nic。
Greg。l。ix。c。1，andfoundedadynastyofItalianprinces，whichwasextinguishedA。D。1533，Ducange，Fam。Byz。p。249—
253。]