Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	read_v	see_v	time_n	3,254	5	3.4751	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54661	A true account of the captivity of Thomas Phelps at Machaness in Barbary and of his strange escape in company of Edmund Baxter and others, as also of the burning two of the greatest pirat-ships belonging to that kingdom in the River of Mamora upon the thirteenth day of June 1685 / by Thomas Phelps.	Phelps, Thomas.	1685 (1685)	Wing P1982; ESTC R25583	19,445	34

the men all save two whom I would permitt to return aboard and bring me a Christian or else aver my Pass if they will not do that I am then satisfied what he is and think my self obliged to desend my self from Slavery but this I am very confident of that he will never stay to dispute the case afterward About a fortnight after I was taken we met one Samuel Crampton who came from Faro and whom we soon took without any resistance The week following we took a small Ketch come from Cales laden with Sherry and Raisies and bound for Limrick John Elliot Master The number of us Christians taken aboard the Three Prizes was Twenty five besides Twelve which were aboard the Pirate in all Thirty seven We who were newly taken were kept in Irons in the Hold. After the taking of these Three Vessels the Pirate made all the sail he could for Sallé to save the spring Tide which flows at Sallé and Mamora S S W about Thirty Leagues To the Northward of Sallé we met a Fleming who came from Sallé and told our Commander that the English-men of War were at Tangier then attending Captain Nicholason which caused us to bear directly for Sallé and fell in directly with the Castle where were no English-men of War according to the Advice On the Bar of Sallé there run a great Sea which obliged us to come to an Anchor near the Bar where we rid Six hours then were we poor Christians all let loose from our Iron-shackles wherein we had been confin'd for Twenty days preceeding the Captain sent the Boat as near the Shore to the South of the Bar as possibly he could to enquire what News there they were acquainted that they might safely come in the next high Water whilst the Boat was gone a Shore the Moors we observ'd fell all fast a sleep the Captain also with his Head over the Rail upon the half-Deck seem'd deeply ingag'd This opportunity me thought was very inviting I made a proposal of it to my fellow Slaves and undertook to do the Captains business my self The Christians were forward enough to comply with the motion and Eleven of the Twelve which were Slaves retain'd in the Ship before our being taken they also were willing if the Twelfth who was Steward in the Ship would have consented but this sneaking varlet prov'd recreant and for fear of him the other Eleven turn'd also Renegadoes to this Heroick and Christian resolution I had a mind to have dispatcht this troubler of our peace out of the way first but the fear that his fellow Slaves would have severely resented it restrain'd my resolution the Slaves Name was Will. Robinson he professed himself a Christian in words but in deed we found more civility from the Moors than him At Four in the Afternoon we weighed Anchor and stood in for the Bar we struck Twice going over but without any dammage it was upon the First day of November after we had helped to moor our Ship at Night we were all carried ashore and conveyed to our Lodging which was an old Stable but without Litter or Straw having nothing save the bare dirty Ground for our Bed or Pillow the next Day we were all carryed aboard the Ship to Unrigg her and get out her Ballast which we did about Four in the Afternoon I was sent for ashore to come to the Governour who passed his sentence on us Three Masters that we should go to his House and there remain until we were sent for by the King we remained at his House Ten days where our daily employment was to Grind the Corn for the use of his Family at length there came an Order for us and all the rest of the Christians to be carryed to the King whose Ordinary and then Residence was at Machaness a place which this present Emperour has set his Fancy upon and bestows most of his care and employs all Christian Slaves in Building there it is distant from Sallé about Seventy Miles and from Fez Thirty In our Journy thither I cannot forget our Captains extraordinary civility in Accommodating us sometimes with Borricoes to ride on so that in Two days and a half we arrived thither The First night we were not brought before our great Master but the following our Captain presented us before him and withal some Portuguese Plate which was taken in Mr. Crampton's Vessel as the Captain gave it into his Hand the surly Tyrant with a seeming scorn and disdain heav'd it against the Wall which was the first Action I observ'd and did a little discover the temper of my new Patron Muley Ishmael Emperour of Morocco and Fez c. He ordered us to be sent amongst the rest of our fellow Slaves as we went we were entertain'd with the civilities of the place and welcomed by the joyfull acclamations and complements of the Moors kicking and slapping us all along which appeared very uncouth to me who was but a Stranger but that Night my fellow Captives allayed my wonder by acquainting me that what had past was nothing it was only a sutable Prologue to all the Tragical sufferings that Christians must endure there whilst they are Slaves which were so dreadful that I could willingly that very Night have ventured my Life to endeavour an escape they Painted out to me the Tyrannical humour of the Emperour both towards the Christians and Natives in such Bloudy Colours viz. how they had seen him Butcher many Thousands with his own hands how that none can be secure in his presence for that the varying of a look a small spot in the Garment or any such inconsiderable circumstance will raise such a caprice in the Emperours Noddle without any other provocation as to endanger all the Heads before him and it is very rare if the company escape with One or Two only Beheaded or Lanced through the Body The Second day after my arrival thither I saw him Lance Seven and twenty Negroes one after another and every Day after until New-years-day when he parted to Santa Cruz with his Army I either saw or heard of his inhumane but yet through custom to him Natural Barbarities Killing and Dragging but this latter is a piece of respect observed only to Minions and Favourites Vice-kings and Alcaids yea his Women are not able by all their Charms to avoid his Fury but are more the objects of his implacable rage than any other passion I have been several times in the West-Indies and have seen and heard of divers Inhumanities and cruelties practised there I have also read in Books and have heard Learned men discourse of the Sicilian Tyrants and Roman Emperours but indeed I forget them all they are not to be named in comparison with this Monster of Africk a composition of Gore and Dust whom nothing can attone but humane Sacrifices and to be in whose court it is much more eligible to be his Horse or his Mule than to be his Privado or Wife of