In a little time, I and my family and friends came to a right understanding: but my wife protested I should never go to sea any more; although my evil destiny so ordered, that she had not power to hinder me, as the reader may know hereafter. In the meantime I here conclude the second part of my unfortunate voyages.

ome of them upon hearing me talk so wildly thought I was mad; others laughed; for indeed it never came into my head that I was now got among people of my own stature and strength. The carpenter came, and in a few minutes sawed a passage about four feet square, then let down a small ladder upon which I mounted, and from thence was taken into the ship in a very weak condition.

was so weak and bruised in the sides

The farmer observed it, and, concluding I must soon die, resolved to make as good a hand of me[53] as he could.

hanger

He appeared as tall as an ordinary spire steeple, and took about ten yards at every stride, as near as I could guess. I was struck with the utmost fear and astonishment, and ran to hide myself in the corn, from whence I saw him at the top of the stile, looking back into the next field on the right hand, and heard him call in a voice many degrees louder than a speaking trumpet; but the noise was so high in the air that at first I certainly thought it was thunder.

would please to spare your life, and only give orders to put out both your eyes

They look upon fraud as a greater crime than theft, and therefore seldom fail to punish it with death; for they allege, that care and vigilance, with a very common understanding, may preserve a man’s goods from thieves, but honesty has no fence against superior cunning; and, since it is necessary that there should be a perpetual intercourse of buying and selling, and dealing upon credit, where fraud is permitted and connived at, or hath no law to punish it, the honest dealer is always undone, and the knave gets the advantage

abhorrence

I desired the secretary to present my humble duty to the emperor, and to let him know that I thought it would not become me, who was a foreigner, to interfere with parties; but I was ready, with the hazard of my life, to defend his person and state against all invaders.

eleven thousand persons have, at several times, suffered death, rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end

swore and subscribed to the articles with great cheerfulness and content, although some of them were not so honorable as I could have wished; which proceeded wholly from the malice of Skyrris Bolgolam, the high admiral; whereupon my chains were immediately unlocked, and I was at full liberty.

ave an account of my behavior to the six criminals above-mentioned, which made so favorable an impression in the breast of his majesty, and the whole board, in my behalf, that an imperial commission was issued out

Six hundred beds,

I made a countenance as if I would eat him alive. The poor man squalled terribly, and the colonel and his officers were in much pain, especially when they saw me take out my penknife; but I soon put them out of fear, for, looking mildly, and immediately cutting the strings he was bound with, I set him gently on the ground, and away he ran. I treated the rest in the same manner, taking them one by one out of my pocket; and I observed both the soldiers and people were highly delighted at this mark of my clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage at court.

I confess, I was often tempted, while they were passing backwards and forwards on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and dash them against the ground. But the remembrance of what I had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could do, and the promise of honor I made them

declivity

Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labor and ill food; the rest were in a very weak condition.

was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London

fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies

his head sunk, and his pipe dropped, and he gave up the ghost, without a groan or a reproach.

No, since I have sacrificed Imoinda to my revenge, shall I lose that glory which I have purchased so dear, as the price of the fairest, dearest, softest creature that ever Nature made? No, no!”

hose frightful marks of rage or malice, rather than wounds got in noble battle. They told us by our interpreter that when any war was waging, two men, chosen out by some old captain whose fighting was past, and who could only teach the theory of war, were to stand in competition for the generalship, or great war-captain; and being brought before the old judges, now past war, they are asked, What they dare do, to show they are worthy to lead an army? When he who is first asked, making no reply, cuts off his nose, and throws it contemptibly on the ground; and the other does something to himself that he thinks surpasses him, and perhaps deprives himself of lips and an eye

Caesar took Clemene for his wife, to the general joy of all people; and there was as much magnificence as the country would afford at the celebration of this wedding: and in a very short time after she conceived with child,

Clemene

And he promised him on his word and honor he would find the means to re-conduct him to his own country again;

Come, my fellow-slaves, let us descend, and see if we can meet with more honor and honesty in the next world we shall touch upon.

Seeing therefore it was certain that Oroonoko would 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 matter, to gain his pardon, and to endeavor to mitigate his grief; but that by no means he should tell him she was sold, but secretly put to death: for he knew he should never obtain his pardon for the other.

they should be both sold off as slaves to another country,

he caught her in his arms as she fell: and ’twas visible to the whole presence, the joy wherewith he received her. He clasped her close to his bosom, and quite forgot that reverence that was due to the mistress of a king, and that punishment that is the reward of a boldness of this nature. And had not the presence of mind of Imoinda (fonder of his safety than her own) befriended him, in making her spring from his arms, and fall into her dance again, he had at that instant met his death; for the old king, jealous to the last degree, rose up in rage, broke all the diversion, and led Imoinda to her apartment, and sent out word to the prince to go immediately to the camp; and that if he were found another night in court, he should suffer the death ordained for disobedient offenders.

saw the prospect of a bed of state made ready, with sweets and flowers for the dalliance of the king, who immediately led the trembling victim from his sight, into that prepared repose;

deny this marriage, and swear thyself a maid.

he sent the royal veil to Imoinda; that is the ceremony of invitation: he sends the lady he has a mind to honor with his bed, a veil, with which she is covered, and secured for the king’s use; and ’tis death to disobey; besides, held a most impious disobedience.

But how he should be confirmed she was this wonder, before he used his power to call her to court (where maidens never came, unless for the king’s private use) he was next to consider; and while he was so doing, he had intelligence brought him that Imoinda was most certainly mistress to the Prince Oroonoko. This gave him some chagrin:

old king, who had many wives and many concubines,

But Oroonoko was none of those professors; but as he had right notions of honor, so he made her such propositions as were not only and barely such; but, contrary to the custom of his country, he made her vows she should be the only woman he would possess while he lived;

when they saw he was not dead, they asked him what name they had for a man who promised a thing he did not do. The Governor told them, such a man was a liar, which was a word of infamy to a gentleman. Then one of ’em replied, “Governor, you are a liar, and guilty of that infamy.

those they make use of there not being natives of the place: for those we live with in perfect amity, without daring to command ’em; but, on the contrary, caress ’em with all the brotherly and friendly affection in the wor

I was myself an eye-witness to a great part of what you will find here set down; and what I could not be witness of, I received from the mouth of the chief actor in this history, the hero himself, who gave us the whole transactions of his youth

To spend too much time in studies, is sloth;

Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend

Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them;

Studies serve for delight, for ornament and for ability

MASQUES

the good be not taken away with the bad, which commonly is done when the people is the reformer.

It were better to have no opinion of God at all than such an opinion as is unworthy of him; for the one is unbelief, the other is contumely; and certainly superstition is the reproach of the Deity.

Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi.

while they are in the puzzle of business they have no time to tend their health either of body or mind

Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men’s opinions to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it: but if they think with themselves what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be as they are, then they are happy as it were by report, when, perhaps, they find the contrary within; for they are the first that find their own griefs, though they be the last that find their own faults

Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere

It is a strange desire to seek power and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man’s self.

A single life doth well with churchmen, for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool.

abatement

Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men

perfidious

that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the metal work the better, but it embaseth it.

But it is not the lie that passeth through the mind, but the lie that sinketh in, and settleth in it, that doth the hurt, such as we spake of before.

.

His desires have no measure; Endless folly is his treasure; What he promiseth he breaketh; Trust not one word that he speaketh.

He her obeyed, and martyred my poor heart. I waking hoped as dreams it would depart; Yet since, O me, a lover I have been.

did so by thee in thy murder

who yet lay still, but then fetching a deep groan from the profoundest part of his soul, he said.

Which still doth waste, and, wasting as this light, Are my sad days unto eternal night.

respite

bewailing

drave

.

The Sunne grew weake, his beames no comfort gaue, While all greene things did make the earth their graue: Each brier, each bramble, when you went away,

holy Writ

Phebus 

But surely Adam cannot be excus’d,

imputa- tions

who forgetting they were borne of women, nourished of women, and that if it were not by the means of women, they would be quite extinguished out of the world: and a finall ende of them all,

To doe that which so many better can; Not that I Learning to my selfe assume, Or that I would compare with any man: But as they are Scholers, and by Art do write,

Its she that must instruct and eleuate. My weake distempred braine and feeble spirits, Which all unlearned haue aduentur’d, this To writ of Christ, and of his sacred merits, Desiring that this Booke Her hands may kisse: And though I be unworthy of that grace, Yet let her blessed thoghts this book imbrace.

When two such glittring Suns at once appeare; The one repleat with Sou’raigne Maiestie, Both shining brighter than the clearest cleare: And both reflecting comfort to my spirits, To find their grace so much aboue my merit;

You will accept euen of the meanest line Faire Virtue yeelds; by whose rare gifts you are So highly grac’d, t’exceed the fairest faire.

I humbly wish that yours may light on me: That so these rude unpollisht lines of mine, Graced by you may seeme the more diuine.

ERCHANCE he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him;

That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me and bend Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.

10

Thou hast made me, and shall thy work decay? Repair me now, for now mine end doth haste, I run to death, and death meets me as fast,

If our loves faint, and westerwardly decline, To me thou, falsely, thine And I to thee mine actions shall disguise.

These three hours that we have spent, Walking here, two shadows went Along with us, which we ourselves produced. But, now the sun is just above our head, We do those shadows tread, And to brave clearness all things are reduced. So whilst our infant loves did grow, Disguises did, and shadows, flow From us and our cares ; but now ’tis not so.

But, O alas ! so long, so far, Our bodies why do we forbear?

So to engraft our hands, as yet Was all the means to make us one

So let us melt, and make no noise, No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ; ‘Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love.

.

For thee, thou need’st no such deceit, For thou thyself art thine own bait : That fish, that is not catch’d thereby, Alas ! is wiser far than I.

I should not find that hidden mystery. O ! ’tis imposture all ;

Since thou and I sigh one another’s breath, Whoe’er sighs most is cruellest, and hastes the other’s death.

So doth each tear, Which thee doth wear, A globe, yea world, by that impression grow,

Since you will be true, You shall be true to them who’re false to you.’ ”

hen you have done a braver thing Than all the Worthies did ; And a braver thence will spring, Which is, to keep that hid.

I HAVE done one braver thing Than all the Worthies did ; And yet a braver thence doth spring, Which is, to keep that hid.

Yet she Will be False, ere I come, to two, or three.

Lives a woman true and fair.

.

ust so much honour, when thou yield’st to me, Will waste, as this flea’s death took life from thee.

Let not to that self-murder added be, And sacrilege, three sins in killing three

three lives in one flea spare, Where we almost, yea, more than married are. This flea is you and I, and this

A sin, nor shame

It suck’d me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.

[Exit.]

Let Faustus live in hell a thousand years, A hundred thousand, and at last be sav’d!

That time may cease, and midnight never come; Fair Nature’s eye, rise, rise again, and make Perpetual day; or let this hour be but A year, a month, a week, a natural day, That Faustus may repent and save his soul!

And with my blood again I will confirm My former vow I made to Lucifer.

OLD MAN

What, is he gone? farewell he! Faustus has his leg again, and the Horse-courser, I take it, a bottle of hay for his labour: well, this trick shall cost him forty dollars more.

I was no sooner in the middle of the pond, but my horse vanished away, and I sat upon a bottle of hay, never so near drowning in my life.

I am content to release him of his horns:–and, sir knight, hereafter speak well of scholars.

returned home;

Well, villains, for your presumption, I transform thee into an ape, and thee into a dog; and so be gone!

The POPE crosses himself again

Well, I’m content to compass then some sport, And by their folly make us merriment.

hat book! why, the most intolerable book for conjuring that e’er was invented by any brimstone devil.

Ah, Christ, my Saviour, Seek to save[104] distressed Faustus’ soul!

Ay, go, accursed spirit, to ugly hell! ‘Tis thou hast damn’d distressed Faustus’ soul. Is’t not too late?

Come, I think hell’s a fable.

Then write again, FAUSTUS GIVES TO THEE HIS SOUL.

That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives,[78] So he will buy my service with his soul.

GOOD ANGEL and EVIL ANGEL.

if I should serve you, would you teach me to raise up Banios and Belcheos?

Say, he surrenders up to him his soul, So he will spare him four and twenty[60] years, Letting him live in all voluptuousness; Having thee ever to attend on me, To give me whatsoever I shall ask, To tell me whatsoever I demand, To slay mine enemies, and aid my friends, And always be obedient to my will.

Unhappy spirits that fell with Lucifer, Conspir’d against our God with Lucifer, And are for ever damn’d with Lucifer. FAUSTUS. Where are you damn’d? MEPHIST. In hell.

By which the spirits are enforc’d to rise: Then fear not, Faustus, but be resolute, And try the uttermost magic can perform.–

O, but I fear me nothing can reclaim him!

First I’ll instruct thee in the rudiments, And then wilt thou be perfecter than I.

And reign sole king of all the[28] provinces;

Go forward, Faustus, in that famous art

Read, read the Scriptures:–that is blasphemy.

A sound magician is a mighty god: Here, Faustus, tire[21] thy brains to gain a deity.

The reward of sin is death: that’s hard.

And universal body of the law:

medicus: Be a physician, Faustus; heap up gold, And be eterniz’d for some wondrous cure: Summum bonum medicinae sanitas, The end of physic is our body’s health. Why, Faustus, hast thou not attain’d that end?

Bene disserere est finis logices. Is, to dispute well, logic’s chiefest end? Affords this art no greater miracle? Then read no more; thou hast attain’d that[9] end:

t.

Thus when they had the witch disrobed quight,   And all her filthy feature open showne, They let her goe at will, and wander wayes vnknowne.

Whom when his Lady saw, to him she ran   With hasty ioy: to see him made her glad,   And sad to view his visage pale and wan,   Who earst in flowres of freshest youth was clad.   Tho when her well of teares she wasted had,   She said, Ah dearest Lord, what euill starre   On you hath fround, and pourd his influence bad,   That of your selfe ye thus berobbed arre, And this misseeming hew your manly looks doth marre?

And smote off quite his right leg by the knee,

And eke the fruitfull-headed beast, amaz’d   At flashing beames of that sunshiny shield,   Became starke blind, and all his senses daz’d,   That downe he tumbled on the durtie field,   And seem’d himselfe as conquered to yield.

She lightly sprinkled on his weaker parts;   Therewith his sturdie courage soone was quayd, And all his senses were with suddeine dread dismayd.

And euery dore of freewill open flew.

ut he her comforted and faire bespake,   Certes, Madame, ye haue great cause of plaint,   That stoutest heart, I weene, could cause to quake.   But be of cheare, and comfort to you take:   For till I haue acquit your captiue knight,   Assure your selfe, I will you not forsake.   His chearefull words reuiu’d her chearelesse spright, So forth they went, the Dwarfe them guiding euer right.

He had not trauaild long, when on the way He wofull Ladie, wofull Vna met,

Dongeon deepe him threw without remorse.

And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow:

Drunke of the streame, as cleare as cristall glas; Eftsoones his manly forces gan to faile, And mightie strong was turnd to feeble fraile.

And bad the waters, which from her did flow, Be such as she her selfe was then in place. Thenceforth her waters waxed dull and slow, And all that drunke thereof, did faint and feeble grow.

But that false Pilgrim, which that leasing told,   Being in deed old Archimage, did stay   In secret shadow, all this to behold,   And much reioyced in their bloudy fray:   But when he saw the Damsell passe away   He left his stond, and her pursewd apace,   In hope to bring her to her last decay.

These eyes did see that knight both liuing and eke ded. That cruell word her tender hart so thrild,   That suddein cold did runne through euery vaine,   And stony horrour all her sences fild   With dying fit, that downe she fell for paine.

And all her wit in secret counsels spent,   How to escape. At last in priuie wise   To Satyrane she shewed her intent:   Who glad to gain such fauour, gan deuise, How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise.

The pitteous maiden carefull comfortlesse,   Does throw out thrilling shriekes, & shrieking cryes,   The last vaine helpe of womens great distresse,

Scarse could he footing find in that fowle way, For many corses, like a great Lay-stall Of murdred men which therein strowed lay, Without remorse, or decent funerall: Which all through that great Princesse pride did fall And came to shamefull end. And them beside Forth ryding vnderneath the castell wall, A donghill of dead carkases he spide, The dreadfull spectacle of that sad house of Pride.

Them brought to Æsculape, that by his art Did heale them all againe, and ioyned euery part.

Or else goe them auenge, and let be seene

Not all so satisfide, with greedie eye He sought all round about, his thirstie blade To bath in bloud of faithlesse enemy; Who all that while lay hid in secret shade:

Canto IV

Beares her away vpon his courser light:

with death opprest He roar’d aloud, whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest.

Her piteous words might not abate his rage, But rudely rending vp his helmet, would Haue slaine him straight: but when he sees his age, And hoarie head of Archimago old,

But when she saw her prayers nought preuaile, She backe returned with some labour lost; And in the way as she did weepe and waile, A knight her met in mighty armes embost, Yet knight was not for all his bragging bost, But subtill Archimag,

Who streight him rent in thousand peeces small, And quite dismembred hath: the thirstie land Drunke vp his life; his corse left on the strand.

Still when she slept, he kept both watch and ward, And when she wakt, he waited diligent, With humble seruice to her will prepard:

The false Duessa, now Fidessa 

We may not chaunge (quoth he) this euil plight, Till we be bathed in a liuing well;

Duessa

once a man Fradubio, now a tree, Wretched man, wretched tree; whose nature weake, A cruell witch her cursed will to wreake, Hath thus transformd

So forth they rode

her champion fall

bad her knight addresse him to the fray

Saint George

her he hated

Lookt for her knight, who far away was fled, And for her Dwarfe, that wont to wait each houre; Then gan she waile and weepe, to see that woefull stowre

Then vp he rose, and clad him hastily;

.

When those accursed messengers of hell, That feigning dreame, and that faire-forged Spright Came to their wicked maister, and gan tell Their bootelesse paines, and ill succeeding night: Who all in rage to see his skilfull might Deluded so, gan threaten hellish paine And sad Proserpines wrath, them to affright. But when he saw his threatning was but vaine, He cast about, and searcht his balefull bookes againe.

.

.

The drouping Night thus creepeth on them fast,

And well could file his tongue as smooth as glas;

.

.

For light she hated as the deadly bale

gone

hollow caue

.

Forwasted all their land, and them expeld: Whom to auenge, she had this Knight from far co[m]peld.

And ouer all a blacke stole she did throw

more white then snow,

To winne him worship, and her grace to haue, Which of all earthly things he most did craue; And euer as he rode, his hart did earne To proue his puissance in battell braue Vpon his foe, and his new force to learne; Vpon his foe, a Dragon horrible and stearne.

liuing euer

Y cladd in mightie armes and siluer shielde, Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine, The cruell markes of many’ a bloudy fielde; Yet armes till that time did he neuer wield:

KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSSE, OR OF HOLINESSE.

FAERIE QVEENE.

Yet I know when God’s Bible was banished the Court, and ” Morte Arthur ” received into the prince’s chamber.

few books were read in our tongue, saving certain books of chivalry, as they said, for pastime and pleasure, which, as some were made in monasteries by idle monks or wanton canons: as one, for example, ” Morte Arthur,” the whole pleasure of which book standeth in two special points in open manslaughter and bold bawdry. In which book those be counted the noblest knights that do kill most men without any quarrel, and commit foulest adulteries by subtlest shifts

Papistry

.

a child shall take more profit of two faults gently warned of than of four things rightly hit;