Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	great_a	place_n	see_v	2,893	5	3.1798	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27305	Oroonoko, or, The royal slave : a true history / by Mrs. A. Behn.	Behn, Aphra, 1640-1689.	1688 (1688)	Wing B1749; ESTC R4474	60,838	238

French Governor he had from his Childhood of whom I have spoken before and who was a Man of admirable Wit great Ingenuity and Learning all which he had infus'd into his young Pupil This French-Man was banish'd out of his own Country for some Heretical Notions he held and though he was a Man of very little Religion he had admirable Morals and a brave Soul. After the total Defeat of Jamoan's Army which all fled or were left dead upon the Place they spent some time in the Camp Oroonoko chusing rather to remain a while there in his Tents than enter into a Place or live in a Court where he had so lately suffer d so great a Loss The Officers therefore who saw and knew his Cause of Discontent invented all sorts of Diversions and Sports to entertain their Prince So that what with those Amuzements abroad and others at home that is within their Tents with the Perswasions Arguments and Care of his Friends and Servants that he more peculiarly priz'd he wore off in time a great part of that Shagrien and Torture of Despair which the first Efforts of Imoinda's Death had given him Insomuch as having receiv'd a thousand kind Embassies from the King and Invitations to return to Court he obey'd though with no little Reluctancy and when he did so there was a visible Change in him and for a long time he was much more melancholy than before But Time lessens all Extreams and reduces 'em to Mediums and Unconcern but no Motives or Beauties though all endeavour'd it cou'd engage him in any sort of Amour though he had all the Invitations to it both from his own Youth and others Ambitions and Designs Oroonoko was no sooner return'd from this last Conquest and receiv'd at Court with all the Joy and Magnificence that cou'd be express'd to a young Victor who was not only return'd triumphant but belov'd like a Deity when there arriv'd in the Port an English Ship. This Person had often before been in these Countries and was very well known to Oroonoko with whom he had traffick'd for Slaves and had us'd to do the same with his Predecessors This Commander was a Man of a finer sort of Address and Conversation better bred and more engaging than most of that sort of Men are so that he seem'd rather never to have been bred out of a Court than almost all his Life at Sea. This Captain therefore was always better receiv'd at Court than most of the Traders to those Countries were and especially by Oroonoko who was more civiliz'd according to the European Mode than any other had been and took more Delight in the White Nations and above all Men of Parts and Wit. To this Captain he sold abundance of his Slaves and for the Favour and Esteem he had for him made him many Presents and oblig'd him to stay at Court as long as possibly he cou'd Which the Captain seem'd to take as a very great Honour done him entertaining the Prince every Day with Globes and Maps and Mathematical Discourses and Instruments eating drinking hunting and living with him with so much Familiarity that it was not to be doubted but he had gain'd very greatly upon the Heart of this gallant young Man. And the Captain in Return of all these mighty Favours besought the Prince to honour his Vessel with his Presence some Day or other to Dinner before he shou'd set Sail which he condescended to accept and appointed his Day The Captain on his part fail'd not to have all things in a Readiness in the most magnificent Order he cou'd possibly And the Day being come the Captain in his Boat richly adorn'd with Carpets and Velvet-Cushions row'd to the Shoar to receive the Prince with another Long-Boat where was plac'd all his Musick and Trumpets with which Oroonoko was extreamly delighted who met him on the Shoar attended by his French Governor Jamoan Aboan and about an hundred of the noblest of the Youths of the Court And after they had first carry'd the Prince on Board the Boats fetch'd the rest off where they found a very splendid Treat with all sorts of fine Wines and were as well entertain'd as 't was possible in such a place to be The Prince having drunk hard of Punch and several Sorts of Wine as did all the rest for great Care was taken they shou'd want nothing of that part of the Entertainment was very merry and in great Admiration of the Ship for he had never been in one before so that he was curious of beholding every place where he decently might descend The rest no less curious who were not quite overcome with Drinking rambl'd at their pleasure Fore and Aft as their Fancies guided 'em So that the Captain who had well laid his Design before gave the Word and seiz'd on all his Guests they clapping great Irons suddenly on the Prince when he was leap'd down in the Hold to view that part of the Vessel and locking him fast down secur'd him The same Treachery was us'd to all the rest and all in one Instant in several places of the Ship were lash'd fast in Irons and betray'd to Slavery That great Design over they set all Hands to work to hoise Sail and with as treacherous and fair a Wind they made from the Shoar with this innocent and glorious Prize who thought of nothing less than such an Entertainment Some have commended this Act as brave in the Captain but I will spare my Sence of it and leave it to my Reader to judge as he pleases It may be easily guess'd in what manner the Prince resented this Indignity who may be best resembl'd to a Lion taken in a Toil so he rag'd so he struggl'd for Liberty but all in vain and they had so wisely manag'd his Fetters that he cou'd not use a Hand in his Defence to quit himself of a Life that wou'd by no Means endure Slavery nor cou'd he move from the Place where he was ty'd to any solid part of the Ship against which he might have beat his Head and have finish'd his Disgrace that way So that being deprived of all other means he resolved to perish for want of Food And pleased at last with that Thought and toil'd and tired by Rage and Indignation he laid himself down and sullenly resolved upon dying and refused all things that were brought him This did not a little vex the Captain and the more so because he found almost all of 'em of the same Humour so that the loss of so many brave Slaves so tall and goodly to behold wou'd have been very considerable He therefore order'd one to go from him for he wou'd not be seen himself to Oroonoko and to assure him he was afflicted for having rashly done so unhospitable a Deed and which cou'd not be now remedied since they were far from shore but since he resented it in so high a nature he assur'd him he wou'd revoke his Resolution and set both him

while they were thus fondly employ'd forgetting how Time ran on and that the Dawn must conduct him far away from his only Happiness they heard a great Noise in the Otan and unusual Voices of Men at which the Prince starting from the Arms of the frighted Imoinda ran to a little Battel-Ax he us'd to wear by his Side and having not so much leisure as to put on his Habit he oppos'd himself against some who were already opening the Door which they did with so much Violence that Oroonoko was not able to defend it but was forc'd to cry out with a commanding Voice Whoever ye are that have the Boldness to attempt to approach this Apartment thus rudely know that I the Prince Oroonoko will revenge it with the certain Death of him that first enters Therefore stand back and know this place is sacred to Love and me this Night to Morrow 't is the King's This he spoke with a Voice so resolv'd and assur'd that they soon retir'd from the Door but cry'd 'T is by the King's Command we are come and being satisfy'd by thy Voice O Prince as much as if we had enter'd we can report to the King the Truth of all his Fears and leave thee to provide for thy own Safety as thou art advis'd by thy Friends At these Words they departed and left the Prince to take a short and sad Leave of his Imoinda who trusting in the strength of her Charms believ'd she shou'd appease the Fury of a jealous King by saying She was surpriz'd and that it was by force of Arms he got into her Apartment All her Concern now was for his Life and therefore she hasten'd him to the Camp and with much a-do prevail'd on him to go Nor was it she alone that prevail'd Aboan and Onahal both pleaded and both assur'd him of a Lye that shou'd be well enough contriv'd to secure Imoinda So that at last with a Heart sad as Death dying Eyes and sighing Soul Oroonoko departed and took his way to the Camp. It was not long after the King in Person came to the Otan where beholding Imoinda with Rage in his Eyes he upbraided her Wickedness and Perfidy and threatning her Royal Lover she fell on her Face at his Feet bedewing the Floor with her Tears and imploring his Pardon for a Fault which she had not with her Will committed as Onahal who was also prostrate with her cou'd testifie That unknown to her he had broke into her Apartment and ravish'd her She spoke this much against her Conscience but to save her own Life 't was absolutely necessary she shou'd feign this Falsity She knew it cou'd not injure the Prince he being fled to-an-Army that wou'd stand by him against any Injuries that shou'd assault him However this last Thought of Imoinda's being ravish'd chang'd the Measures of his Revenge and whereas before he design'd to be himself her Executioner he now resolv'd she shou'd not die But as it is the greatest Crime in nature amongst 'em to touch a Woman after having been possess'd by a Son a Father or a Brother so now he look'd on Imoinda as a polluted thing wholly unfit for his Embrace nor wou'd he resign her to his Grand-son because she had receiv'd the Royal Veil He therefore removes her from the Otan with Onahal whom he put into safe Hands with Order they shou'd be both sold off as Slaves to another Country either Christian or Heathen 't was no matter where This cruel Sentence worse than Death they implor'd might be revers'd but their Prayers were vain and it was put in Execution accordingly and that with so much Secrecy that none either without or within the Otan knew any thing of their Absence or their Destiny The old King nevertheless executed this with a great deal of Reluctancy but he believ'd he had made a very great Conquest over himself when he had once resolv'd and had perform'd what he resolv'd He believ'd now that his Love had been unjust and that he cou'd not expect the Gods or Captain of the Clouds as they call the unknown Power shou'd suffer a better Consequence from so ill a Cause He now begins to hold Oroonoko excus'd and to say he had Reason for what he did And now every Body cou'd assure the King how passionately Imoinda was belov'd by the Prince even those confess'd it now who said the contrary before his Flame was abated So that the King being old and not able to defend himself in War and having no Sons of all his Race remaining alive but only this to maintain him on his Throne and looking on this as a Man disoblig'd first by the Rape of his Mistress or rather Wife and now by depriving of him wholly of her he fear'd might make him desperate and do some cruel thing either to himself or his old Grand-father the Offender he began to repent him extreamly of the Contempt he had in his Rage put on Imoinda Besides he consider'd he ought in Honour to have kill'd her for this Offence if it had been one He ought to have had so much Value and Consideration for a Maid of her Quality as to have nobly put her to death and not to have sold her like a common Slave the greatest Revenge and the most disgraceful of any and to which they a thousand times prefer Death and implore it as Imoinda did but cou'd not obtain that Honour Seeing therefore it was certain that Oroonoko wou'd highly resent this Affront he thought good to make some Excuse for his Rashness to him and to that End he sent a Messenger to the Camp with Orders to treat with him about the Master to gain his Pardon and to endeavour to mitigate his Grief but that by no means he shou'd tell him she was sold but secretly put to death for he knew he shou'd never obtain his Pardon for the other When the Messenger came he found the Prince upon the point of Engaging with the Enemy but as soon as he heard of the Arrival of the Messenger he commanded him to his Tent where he embrac'd him and receiv'd him with Joy which was soon abated by the down-cast Looks of the Messenger who was instantly demanded the Cause by Oroonoko who impatient of Delay ask'd a thousand Questions in a Breath and all concerning Imoinda But there needed little Return for he cou'd almost answer himself of all he demanded from his Sighs and Eyes At last the Messenger casting himself at the Prince's Feet and kissing them with all the Submission of a Man that had something to implore which he dreaded to utter he besought him to hear with Calmness what he had to deliver to him and to call up all his noble and Heroick Courage to encounter with his Words and defend himself against the ungrateful things he must relate Oroonoko reply'd with a deep Sigh and a languishing Voice I am arm'd against their worst Efforts for I know they will tell me Imoinda is