The Blazing World and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) (15 page)

But the Prince told her he would satisfy himself first, unless she would consent to live with him as his wife, in that island, wherein, said he, we may live free, and secure, without a disturbance.

She musing with herself what to do, believing he was not grown the chaster, with living amongst rude and barbarous people, thought it best to dissemble and give a seeming consent. Whereat the Prince’s thoughts were more elevated, than if he had been master of the whole world, whereafter returning to the rest of the company, the one with an overjoyed mind, the
other sad and full of perplexed thoughts; but when she came to a place where she might be alone, setting down in a melancholy posture, where for a time without uttering words, or shedding tears, for grief and amazement had congealed the one, and stopped the other, yet at last her smothered sorrow broke out into complaint.

You gods, said she, who will offer sacrifice to your deities since you give mnocency no protection, nor let chastity live undefilled. Cruel fates to spin my thread of life, to make me up a web of misery; accursed fortune that brake not that thread with an untimely death, and you unjust powers to torment poor virtue, making it a sin to free itself, for had I leave to the I would not live in shame for to dwell here committing acts dishonourable, although I am forced, yet shall I seem a party guilty, and though no outward accusers, yet my conscience will condemn me; but, O you gods of light, since you regard me not, nor will hear me;
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you powers of darkness, hearken unto me, and wrap me up in your dark mantles, of perpetual night, that no eye may see me, and cast me into black oblivion, where no remembrance is.

The old man her father, who was come from the waterside, where he had been for the directing and ordering of the building of a new ship, came to her in the midst of her complaints, and asked her what she lacked, or if she were sick; I would I were, said she, then might I hope death would reprieve me, but I am worse, for I am miserable, having torments like to those of Hell within my mind; my thoughts are vultures, eating on my carrion infamy, or like the restless stone, that cannot get up to the hill of peace, but rolleth back with fear, and sad remembrance; then telling him what she was, which he did never know before, and what had passed since the first of her misfortunes to that present, and how he had ignorandy discovered her: which, when he heard, he cursed his tongue for telling how, and where he found her.

Father, said she, what is past cannot be recalled, wherefore I must strive to help myself in what’s to come; and since I have been dutiful, and you so loving and kind as to save me from the jaws of death, help me now to protect my honour, convey me hence, let me not live here to please his appetite, but cast me to
some unknown place, where like an anchoret
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I may live from all the world, and never more to see the face of man, for in that name all horror strikes my senses, and makes my soul like to some furious thing, so affrighted it hath been.

Said her father, Heaven give you quiet, and me aid to help your designs; but you must, said he, dissemble to compass your designs; wherefore rise, and put on a smooth and pleasant face, and let your discourse be compliant, that you may have a free liberty; for if a doubt should cross his thoughts, you may chance to be restrained and kept by force, which will break that assistance I may bring you.

Whilst they were thus discoursing, the Prince came to them, who had not patience to be long from her, for her absence was his Hell, and her presence was his Heaven; and flattering the old man, my father, said he, for so I may call you now, only let me entreat you I may be your son, and she your daughter, since she you thought was a boy, is proved a girl; and since fortune hath brought us so happily to meet, let us not despise her favours, but make the best use of them to our advantage.

Then telling the old man how that island might be made a paradise, and in what felicity they might live therein, if their peevish humours did not overthrow their pleasures, the old man seemed to approve of all the Prince said; whereupon the Prince took him to be his dear friend, and secret counsellor; for the old man did not omit to give him counsel concerning the settling and advancing of his new and small monarchy, because he thought in doing so he might the better work out his own design, by taking away those suspicions that otherwise he thought he might have.

Then the Prince bidding the old man to have a care, and to order his maritime affairs in overseeing his ships and boats built, for, said he, our chief maintenance will be from the sea; the whilst, said he, I will persuade these men I have here to make this place the staple and port of their prizes, and dwelling.

Then taking Travellia along with him, the old man and he parted for that time; and going to the rest of the company, he persuaded so well with his rhetoric, that they resolved to stay,
and build them houses there to live, and also warehouses to lay their prizes in, and from thence to traffic with them into safe and free places; whereupon everyone put himself in order thereunto[.] Some cut down wood, others digged up stones, some carried burdens, some placing and building; thus like bees, some gathered the honey and wax, whilst others made and wrought the combs. The meantime the old man made himself busy at the coast side about ships and boats, as being the chief master employed in that work. But ofttimes he would go out a-fishing in a fisher-boat all alone, bringing several draughts of fish; and when he thought he should be least mistrusted, conveyed victuals therein, and then gave Travellia notice to steal to the waterside; where watching his opportunity, when the Prince was busy in surveying and in drawing the plats
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and forms of the city he would have built, stole away; where as soon as he came, his old father went, as if he meant to go a-fishing, carrying his nets and the like with him to the boat, his supposed son busy in helping him, and so both being put out to sea; where they had not gone very far, but were taken by sympathetical merchants; who trafficking into the Kingdom of Amity, sold them there to other merchants; where carrying them to the chief city, the Queen of that country, who was an absolute Princess in the rule and government thereof, seeing Travellia, who was brought to her as a rarity, took such a liking to him, that she received him into her family, as also to attend near her person; wherein he behaved himself so well, that he became her favourite, where the old man was treated well for his son’s sake.

But in the meantime, the Prince was in a sad condition for the loss of his mistress, who searched about all the island for her, but could hear nothing of her, until he sent to the seaside for the old man, to enquire for her; who had answer back, that the old man and the youth went out a-fishing, but were not as yet returned.

Which he no sooner heard, but guessed aright that they were fled away; whereupon he grew so enraged, that he lost all patience, swearing, tearing, stamping, as if he had been distracted.

But when his fury was abated, his melancholy increased, walking solitary, accompanied only with his sad thoughts, casting about which way to leave that hated place, for all places seemed so where his mistress was not: yet he knew not yet very well what to do, because he had persuaded the rest of the company to abide there, and make it their home, which in order thereunto he knew they had taken great pains; besides, he thought they might despise him, as seeming inconstant, yet stay he could not; wherefore calling them together, [he] spake in this manner.

My friends, said he, we have here a pleasant island unhabited, but what is possessed by ourselves; and certainly, we might become a famous people, had we women to build posterity; making a commonwealth: but as we are all men, we can only build us houses, to live and the in, but not children to survive us.

Wherefore my counsel is, that some of us that are least employed, may take the new ship, and go a-piracing for women, making some adventure on the next kingdom, which may be done by a sudden surprisal, which prizes, if we get, will bring us more comfort, pleasure and profit than any other goods; for what contentment can other riches bring us, if we have not posterity to leave it with.

They all applauded so well of his advice, as they were impatient of his stay, striving who should go along with him, and so pleased they were with the imagination of the female sex, as those whose lot was to stay, prayed for the others’ good success, that seldom or never prayed before; but the Prince’s intention was only to find that female he lost; caring not to seek those he never saw; but most of those, setting out with great hopes and expedition, of a good return, sailed with a fair wind, three or four days, at last saw land, part of the Kingdom of Amour[.] No sooner landed, but they were beset with multitudes of country people, who flocked together, being affrighted with the arrival of strangers; and being more in numbers than they were, overpowered them, taking them as prisoners[.] They were examined, for what they came? They answered for fresh water, but they believed them not, for, said they, it is not likely you would come in a troop so armed for fresh water, so they
bound them, and sent them to the King to examine them farther; and being carried to the chief city where the King was, who was advertised of such strangers, sent for them into his presence to view diem[.] And being brought unto them, the Prince, who was of a comely and graceful presence, being a handsome man, bowing his head down low, and in a submissive style, thus spake.

Great King, we poor watery pilgrims; travelling through the vast ocean of the sea to search the curiosity of nature, to whom we may offer our prayers of admiration on her altar of new discoveries, but cruel fortune, who strives to persecute, hath forced us to your coast for the relief of fresh water, for we came not here to rob, nor to surprise, but to relieve our feeble strength; that was almost famished with thirst; not that we were afraid to die, but loath to live in pain; nor would we willingly yield up our lives, unless great honour lay at stake, but if the fates decree our death, what way soever it comes, with patience we submit.

But if great King your generosity dare trust our faiths, so far as to employ us in your service, we may prove such by our courage, as our acts may beg a pardon for those necessitated faults we have committed; and if we the in wars, we the like gallant men, but to the shackled prisoners, we the like slaves, which all noble natures shun.

The King, when he had heard him speak, thus answered the Prince as their accustomed manner was in verse:

Your Faith I’ll trust and Courages will try
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Then let us see how bravely you dare die.

The Prince poetically answered again, as he perceived it an usual custom to speak:

Our Lives, said he, we’ll give before we yield
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We’ll win your battles, or the in the field.

For the King at that time was newly entered into a war with the Queen of Amity; the chief cause was for denying him marriage, he being a bachelor, and she a maid; and their
kingdoms joining both together, but he nearer by his affection, being much in love with her, but she was averse and deaf to his suit, besides her people were loath, for fear it should be made a subordinate kingdom, wherefore he sought to get her by force[.] And the King liking the Prince’s demeanour, demanded who he was, from whence he came; the Prince told him truly who he was, from whence he came, how he was taken by the pirates, and how long he had lived with them; but not the cause of his journey, but by his discourse and behaviour, he insinuated himself so far into the King’s favour, and got such affections in his court living therein, as he became very powerful, insomuch as he was chosen the chief commander to lead out the army, believing him (as he was) nobly born, and observing him to be honourably bred; and they a people given to ease, and delighting in effeminate pleasures, shunned the wars, sending out only the most vulgar people who were rather slaves than subjects[.] All this meeting together produced the choosing of the Prince, who ordered and directed their setting out so well and prudently, as gave them great hopes of a good success[.]

In the meanwhile the Queen was not ignorant of their intentions, nor slack in her preparations, sending forth an army to meet them; but the Queen herself had a war in her mind, as great as that in the field, where love as the general led her thoughts, but fear and doubt off times made great disorder, and especially at that time; for Travellia, on whom she doted, was then sick, in which sickness she took more care to recover him, than to guard herself and kingdom; but the army she sent out, was led by one of her chief noblemen, who marched on until he had view of the other army, and being both met, they set their armies in battle array.

When they were ready to fight, the Prince thus spake in the most general language.

Noble friends, you being all strangers to me, makes me ignorant both of your natures and customs, and I being a stranger to you, may cause a mistrust, both of my fidelity and conduct, as for my experience I am not altogether ignorant of the discipline of war, having been a commander in my own country, neither need you doubt of my zeal, and loyalty to your
King’s services, by reason I owe my life to him, for it was in his power to have taken it away, neither can I have more honour bestowed on me from any nation than from this, were I never so ambitious, or basely covetous, to bribe out my fidelity; wherefore, if I lose, as I am persuaded I shall win the day, yet it will not be out of my neglect, falsehood or want of skill, but either it must be through fortune’s displeasure, or by your distracted fears, which fear I cannot believe will possess any spirit here, being so full of alacrity, cheerfulness and readiness to meet the enemy, and may the thoughts of honour maintain that heat and fire, not only until it hath consumed this army, but all that shall oppose you[.]

After he had spoke thus to them they began the onset, long was the dispute, but at last by the Prince’s courage, which animated the rest by his example; and by his wise conduct and diligent care in rectifying the disordered ranks, and supplying their broken files by fresh men, he got the day, and put the enemy to a rout, killing many, and taking store of prisoners[.] The Prince when he saw that fortune was his friend at that time, though at other times she had frowned, yet now he thought to make his advantage whilst she was in a good humour; wherefore he called to the soldiers to follow their pursuit; but they were so busy in the dividing of the spoils, as they were deaf to all commands, or entreaties, giving their enemies leave to rally their scattered forces, and so to march away, and by that means they got so far before them, as they had time to get up their spirits, and strengthen their towns by fortification, to man their forts, and to entrench themselves, which if they had followed their victory, they might have taken a great part of the country, for all places, as towns, forts, and the like, seldom stand out, but yield to a victorious army; yet it must be whilst the terror and fright of their losses hath wholly possessed their minds, leaving no place for hope[.] But when the Prince thought they had lost the opportunity through the covetousness of the soldiers, he sent a messenger to the King of the victory, and with the reasons why he could not follow the same, but if his Majesty would give permission he would march on, and try out his fortune[.] In the meantime, the Queen hearing of the loss of her army was much perplexed, then musing with herself what way
she were best to take, she straight went to Travellia who was indifferently well recovered, to him she related the sad news, then asking his counsel what she were best [to] do.