exempt from the Law as White-hall and that they ought no more to touch the Servants of the Lord who there represented the King's Person than they cou'd those about the King himself and that Parham was a Sanctuary and though his Lord were absent in Person his Power was still in Being there which he had intrusted with him as far as the Dominions of his particular Plantations reach'd and all that belong'd to it the rest of the Country as Byam was Lieutenant to his Lord he might exercise his Tyrany upon Trefry had others as powerful or more that int'rested themselves in Caesar's Life and absolutely said He shou'd be Defended So turning the Governor and his wise Council out of Doors for they sate at Parham-house they set a Guard upon our Landing Place and wou'd admit none but those we call'd Friends to us and Caesar. The Governor having remain'd wounded at Parham till his recovery was compleated Caesar did not know but he was still there and indeed for the most part his time was spent there for he was one that lov'd to Live at other Peoples Expence and if he were a Day absent he was Ten present there and us'd to Play and Walk and Hunt and Fish with Caesar. So that Caesar did not at all doubt if he once recover'd Strength but he shou'd find an opportunity of being Reveng'd on him Though after such a Revenge he cou'd not hope to Live for if he escap'd the Fury of the English Mobile who perhaps wou'd have been glad of the occasion to have kill'd him he was resolv'd not to survive his Whiping yet he had some tender Hours a repenting Softness which he called his fits of Coward wherein he struggl'd with Love for the Victory of his Heart which took part with his charming Imoinda there but for the most part his time was past in melancholy Thought and black Designs he consider'd if he shou'd do this Deed and Dye either in the Attempt or after it he left his lovely Imoinda a Prey or at best a Slave to the inrag'd Multitude his great Heart cou'd not indure that Thought Perhaps said he she may be first Ravished by every Brute exposed first to their nasty Lusts and then a shameful Death No he could not Live a Moment under that Apprehension too insupportable to be born These were his Thoughts and his silent Arguments with his Heart as he told us afterwards so that now resolving not only to kill Byam but all those he thought had inrag'd him pleasing his great Heart with the fancy'd Slaughter he shou'd make over the whole Face of the Plantation He first resolv'd on a Deed that however Horrid it at first appear'd to us all when we had heard his Reasons we thought it Brave and Just Being able to Walk and as he believ'd fit for the Execution of his great Design he beg'd Trefry to trust him into the Air believing a Walk wou'd do him good which was granted him and taking Imoinda with him as he us'd to do in his more happy and calmer Days he led her up into a Wood where after with a thousand Sighs and long Gazing silently on her Face while Tears gust in spight of him from his Eyes he told her his Design first of Killing her and then his Enemies and next himself and the impossibility of Escaping and therefore he told her the necessity of Dying he found the Heroick Wife faster pleading for Death than he was to propose it when she found his fix'd Resolution and on her Knees besought him not to leave her a Prey to his Enemies He griev'd to Death yet pleased at her noble Resolution took her up and imbracing her with all the Passion and Languishment of a dying Lover drew his Knife to kill this Treasure of his Soul this Pleasure of his Eyes while Tears trickl'd down his Cheeks hers were Smiling with Joy she shou'd dye by so noble a Hand and be sent in her own Country for that 's their Notion of the next World by him she so tenderly Lov'd and so truly Ador'd in this for Wives have a respect for their Husbands equal to what any other People pay a Deity and when a Man finds any occasion to quit his Wife if he love her she dyes by his Hand if not he sells her or suffers some other to kill her It being thus you may believe the Deed was soon resolv'd on and 't is not to be doubted but the Parting the eternal Leave taking of Two such Lovers so greatly Born so Sensible so Beautiful so Young and so Fond must be very Moving as the Relation of it was to me afterwards All that Love cou'd say in such cases being ended and all the intermitting Irresolutions being adjusted the Lovely Young and Ador'd Victim lays her self down before the Sacrificer while he with a Hand resolv'd and a Heart breaking within gave the Fatal Stroke first cutting her Throat and then severing her yet Smiling Face from that Delicate Body pregnant as it was with Fruits of tend ' rest Love. As soon as he had done he laid the Body decently on Leaves and Flowers of which he made a Bed and conceal'd it under the same cover-lid of Nature only her Face he left yet bare to look on But when he found she was Dead and past all Retrieve never more to bless him with her Eyes and soft Language his Grief swell'd up to Rage he Tore he Rav'd he Roar'd like some Monster of the Wood calling on the lov'd Name of Imoinda a thousand times he turn'd the Fatal Knife that did the Deed toward his own Heart with a Resolution to go immediately after her but dire Revenge which now was a thousand times more fierce in his Soul than before prevents him and he wou'd cry out No since I have sacrificed Imoinda to my Revenge shall I loose that Glory which I have purchas'd so dear as at the Price of the fairest dearest softest Creature that ever Nature made No no! Then at her Name Grief wou'd get the ascendant of Rage and he wou'd lye down by her side and water her Face with showers of Tears which never were wont to fall from those Eyes And however bent he was on his intended Slaughter he had not power to stir from the Sight of this dear Object now more Belov'd and more Ador'd than ever He remain'd in this deploring Condition for two Days and never rose from the Ground where he had made his sad Sacrifice at last rousing from her side and accusing himself with living too long now Imoinda was dead and that the Deaths of those barbarous Enemies were deferr'd too long he resolv'd now to finish the great Work but offering to rise he found his Strength so decay'd that he reel'd to and fro like Boughs assail'd by contrary Winds so that he was forced to lye down again and try to summons all his Courage to his Aid he found his Brains turn round and his Eyes were dizzy and
and the Means of getting it and for very small and unvaluable Trifles supply us with what 't is impossible for us to get for they do not only in the Wood and over the Sevana's in Hunting supply the parts of Hounds by swiftly scouring through those almost impassable places and by the meer Activity of their Feet run down the nimblest Deer and other eatable Beasts But in the water one wou'd think they were Gods of the Rivers or Fellow-Citizens of the Deep so rare an Art they have in Swimming Diving and almost Living in Water by which they command the less swift Inhabitants of the Floods And then for Shooting what they cannot take or reach with their Hands they do with Arrows and have so admirable an Aim that they will split almost an Hair and at any distance that an Arrow can reach they will shoot down Oranges and other Fruit and only touch the Stalk with the Dart's Points that they may not hurt the Fruit. So that they being on all Occasions very useful to us we find it absolutely necessary to caress 'em as Friends and not to treat 'em as Slaves nor dare we do other their Numbers so far surpassing ours in that Continent Those then whom we make use of to work in our Plantations of Sugar are Negro's Black-Slaves altogether which are transported thither in this manner Those who want Slaves make a Bargain with a Master or Captain of a Ship and contract to pay him so much a-piece a matter of twenty Pound a Head for as many as he agrees for and to pay for 'em when they shall be deliver'd on such a Plantation So that when there arrives a Ship laden with Slaves they who have so contracted go a-board and receive their Number by Lot and perhaps in one Lot that may be for ten there may happen to be three or four Men the rest Women and Children Or be there more or less of either Sex you are oblig'd to be contented with your Lot. Coramantien a Country of Blacks so called was one of those places in which they found the most advantageous Trading for these Slaves and thither most of our great Traders in that Merchandice traffick'd for that Nation is very war-like and brave and having a continual Campaign being always in Hostility with one neighbouring Prince or other they had the fortune to take a great many Captives for all they took in Battel were sold as Slaves at least those common Men who cou'd not ransom themselves Of these Slaves so taken the General only has all the profit and of these Generals our Captains and Masters of Ships buy all their Freights The King of Coramantien was himself a Man of a Hundred and odd Years old and had no Son though he had many beautiful Black-Wives for most certainly there are Beauties that can charm of that Colour In his younger Years he had had many gallant Men to his Sons thirteen of which died in Battel conquering when they fell and he had only left him for his Successor one Grand-Child Son to one of these dead Victors who as soon as he cou'd bear a Bow in his Hand and a Quiver at his Back was sent into the Field to be trained up by one of the oldest Generals to War where from his natural Inclination to Arms and the Occasions given him with the good Conduct of the old General he became at the Age of Seventeen one of the most expert Captains and bravest Soldiers that ever saw the Field of Mars So that he was ador'd as the Wonder of all that World and the Darling of the Soldiers Besides he was adorn'd with a native Beauty so transcending all those of his gloomy Race that he strook an Awè and Reverence even in those that knew not his Quality as he did in me who beheld him with Surprize and Wonder when afterwards he arriv'd in our World. He had scarce arriv'd at his Seventeenth Year when fighting by his Side the General was kill'd with an Arrow in his Eye which the Prince Oroonoko for so was this gallant Moor call'd very narrowly avoided nor had he if the General who saw the Arrow shot and perceiving it aim'd at the Prince had not bow'd his Head between on purpose to receive it in his own Body rather than it shou'd touch that of the Prince and so saved him 'T was then afflicted as Oroonoko was that he was proclaim'd Genéral in the old Man's place and then it was at the finishing of that War which had continu'd for two Years that the Prince came to Court where he had hardly been a Month together from the time of his fifth Year to that of Seventeen and 't was amazing to imagine where it was he learn'd so much Humanity or to give his Accomplishments a juster Name where 't was he got that real Greatness of Soul those refin'd Notions of true Honour that absolute Generosity and that Softness that was capable of the highest Passions of Love and Gallantry whose Objects were almost continually fighting Men or those mangl'd or dead who heard no Sounds but those of War and Groans Some part of it we may attribute to the Care of a French-Man of Wit and Learning who finding it turn to very good Account to be a sort of Royal Tutor to this young Black perceiving him very ready apt and quick of Apprehension took a great pleasure to teach him Morals Language and Science and was for it extreamly belov'd and valu'd by him Another Reason was He lov'd when he came from War to see all the English Gentlemen that traded thither and did not only learn their Language but that of the Spaniards also with whom he traded afterwards for Slaves I have often seen and convers'd with this great Man and been a Witness to many of his mighty Actions and do assure my Reader the most Illustrious Courts cou'd not have produc'd a braver Man both for Greatness of Courage and Mind a Judgment more solid a Wit more quick and a Conversation more sweet and diverting He knew almost as much as if he had read much He had heard of and admir'd the Romans he had heard of the late Civil Wars in England and the deplorable Death of our great Monarch and wou'd discourse of it with all the Sense and Abhorrence of the Injustice imaginable He had an extream good and graceful Mien and all the Civility of a well-bred great Man. He had nothing of Barbarity in his Nature but in all Points address'd himself as if his Education had been in some European Court. This great and just Character of Oroonoko gave me an extream Curiosity to see him especially when I knew he spoke French and English and that I cou'd talk with him But though I had heard so much of him I was as greatly surpriz'd when I saw him as if I had heard nothing of him so beyond all Report I found him He came into the Room and address'd himself to me and
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