T H E
Inhuman
Stepmother;
O
R T H E
O F
Miss
Harriot Montague.
I n
T W O V O L U M E S.
VOL.
II.
L O
N D O N:
Printed
for J. ROSON, No. 54, St. Martin’s-
Le
Grand, near Newgate-Street.
M
DCC LXX.
T H
E
O F
Miss
HARRIOT MONTAGUE.
I AM the daughter of a noble Venetian, my
brother is a knight of Malta, my name is Mariana. I was placed in a monastery
as a pensioner, being but twelve years old; there a young gentleman courted me
secretly, the younger son of a noble family, who was a captain in the service
of the state, and had no other fortune but his commission, which indeed was
sufficient to support him nobly, but was not considerable enough to answer that
great fortune my father design’d me, or to answer his and my brother’s
ambitious expectations, I being an only daughter. This gentleman’s person and
sense gain’d my affection, so that I prefer’d him in my heart before all
others, gave him my hand and promise to be his; but it was not long e’er it was
discover’d that some conversation had pass’d between us, and I was sent for
home and question’d, but confess’d nothing. This distracted my lover, and he
was impatient at my being kept from him: so that at last he made use of a
stratagem to get me, which he thus effected: He sent me a letter by a servant
to my father’s, which he doubted not would be intercepted; in which he
acquainted me, after abundance of passionate assurances, that he would ever
love me; that fearing I suffer’d much constraint and uneasiness on his account,
he was resolv’d to sell his post, and go for Spain, having some great relations
there by his mother’s side, who was a Spanish lady, by whose interest he
doubted not to get a better post; and this was the most generous proof he could
give me of his affections, being resolv’d to make himself miserable to render
me happy. My father, who broke open this letter, was very glad, and had me
narrowly watch’d, till he saw that he did what he pretended, which he quickly
did; for he sold his post, and took leave of his friends, and went aboard a
ship for Spain, as he pretended. Then I was sent back to the monastery, where I
soon receiv’d a letter from him by means of another pensioner who was our
confident; in which he inform’d me, that he lay conceal’d at a village hard by,
and that he conjur’d me to get away with the first opportunity, and come to
him. This I did the next evening at the close of the day, and got safe to his
friend’s house where he was conceal’d. Here he receiv’d me with open arms, and
his friend’s chaplain married us that night. We went away thence before day the
next morning, in his coach, which carry’d us to the port where the ship’s boat
lay ready to receive us, he having hir’d the vessel on purpose. We went aboard,
weigh’d anchor, and set sail for Barcelona; but before we could reach that
port, we were unfortunately taken by an Algerine pirate, and brought to this
dismal place, where I was parted from him, and sold to this vile infidel, to
whose curs’d bed I have been forc’d, and have had the misfortune to be lik’d.
He has been absent these four months, being gone to his country-seat to pass
the summer-season, where he has other wretched women to divert him; he is to
return hither in three days, and then you must be a victim to his lust no
question.
Here she let fall a flood of tears, and
Clementina bore her company. ‘You have, said she, told me a story more unhappy
than my own, since I have still preserv’d my virtue, and am now resolved rather
to die than yield, since providence grants me three days for my escape. I’ll
use that time, and bravely venture to get hence, or die in the attempt; if you
will venture with me, speak, I’ll lead the way, death is preferable to such a
life as this.’ “You say you are a christian, heroick maid, said Mariana, would
you commit self-murder? Is no other way left to free us, or must we kill each
other?” ‘Far be that dreadful thought, said Clementina, from my soul; no, I
have thought of other means in the short time I have been here. I have observ’d
a Moorish slave whom I saw enter the gardens with a key at a door that leads to
the sea, as near as I can guess; that key I am resolved to purchase by his
death. Do you contrive some strange disguise to cover us, and pack your jewels
up, or what you have of value else, ready to carry out with us, and I will meet
him at the gate when he enters at the break of day, as I suppose his custom is,
and stab him with a penknife I have hid about me. Could we get the habit of an
eunuch for each of us, it would be the safest disguise we could put on; the Bey
being absent, few of his servants left here, and those left on their guard, and
more negligent than when he is present, it will not be so difficult to get away
as at another time.’ “I can procure such habits, said Mariana, and doubt not
though our apartment is lock’d up every night, yet the windows are not so high,
but we may easily venture down, tying the sheets of our beds together, by which
we may slip down into the garden, where in a chamber on one side the Seraglio
door, two white eunuchs lie to guard it; next this chamber is the wardrobe: if
one of us can but get in at the window of this place, and they not hear us, we
may have clothes of any kind, and jewels too.” ‘I will attempt it, said
Clementina, and would prefer all dangers, and even death, to infamy and
slavery.’ And so will I, said Mariana. Being thus resolv’d, they waited till
night came on, when hearing all things still, Clementina crept to her friend’s
chamber, who had bundled up her jewels and some linen: they got down from the
window, and then went to the wardrobe, the moon shining very bright, and were
some time before they could get in at the window, it being very high; but at
last Clementina’s wit, which exceeded her sex (tho’ women ever were esteem’d
more quick and subtile than mankind at cunning plots and quick contrivances)
soon found the way to enter; she got on Mariana’s shoulders, and went in there
trembling; she got two rich vests, two turbants, two pair of Turkish boots, and
a box, whose rich outside and weight, though small, made her believe it worth
the carrying away; these she bundled up, and threw out of the window to her
friend: but then she was at a mighty loss how to get out again, which she in
vain attempted, it being impossible for her to get up to the window from whence
she had dropt down into the room: no way was left but to pass through the
eunuchs chamber, and this necessity prevail’d with her to do. She took down two
rich scymiters that hung up in fine embroider’d belts, and having drawn one,
pass’d through the chamber where the eunuchs lay fast asleep, resolving if they
stirr’d, to kill them, or to die by their hands. Upon the table there stood a
silver bowl half full of wine, of which no doubt they had took their fill, although
their prophet does forbid it them; for few Musselmen refuse to drink it in
private: this bowl she took, with a bunch of keys which lay by it; and going to
the door found the key in it, so she gently unlock’d it, and putting it to
after her, went out safely to her friend, who stood trembling and almost dead
with fear. Clementina shew’d her the keys, one of which she fancy’d would open
the garden-gate, to which they hasted, and to their great satisfaction found it
so: being got out of the gate, which they lock’d after them, they stood to
consider which way to go, and resolv’d to get away from the town to the next
wood or ruin’d building they could meet with; they had not gone above two
miles, when they enter’d a grove, at the farther end of which they found an old
ruin’d mosque, which they went into with great fear, lest some old Turkish
Brahmen or Saintoin should live there; but hearing no creature stir but bats
and screech-owls, and such vermin as live in unfrequented places, they took
courage, and the day beginning to break, they laid down their bundles, and
changing their clothes, put on their Turkish habits, which instead of being
mean, such as slaves wear, belong’d to the Bey himself, being both cloth of
gold, the buttons of the one was rubies, and the other emeralds; the turbants
were suitably rich, and full of diamonds, pearls, and other jewels; so that
they had an immense treasure, had they known how to dispose of it. But at this
time they would willingly have parted with it all for some poor habit to
conceal them, fearing they should be pursu’d and taken, not knowing where to
hide themselves: They were weary, faint, and had no food, and search’d every
corner of this ruinous place to hide themselves; at last they found a door
which seem’d to lead down some stairs into a vault, where they suppos’d the
dead were bury’d, and that they should meet with nothing there but skulls and
bones and noisom vapours; yet had they had a light, they would gladly have gone
into it to hide themselves, nay liv’d, and chose to sleep and eat amongst the
dead, rather than to live luxuriously with infidels. They sat down upon the
stairs however to rest their tir’d limbs; so that if any should pass by, they
might shut the door upon them. As they sat thus consulting what to do, they
heard a noise, and saw a man enter the mosque with a dark lanthorn in his hand
and a loaf under his arm, with some scraps of meat, and fish in a little
basket; he had a long coarse frize garment on, his face and hands were tawny,
he had only sandals on his feet, and a strange fashion’d straw-hat upon his
head; he sat down his basket and bread, and opening his lanthorn, turning the
light side towards them, came to the door, and was going down stairs, when
Mariana giving a great shriek, fell into a swoon upon Clementina, and had like
to have beat her down the stairs. It is impossible to express her thoughts at
this instant; for though she was a woman of great courage, and had a dauntless
soul, yet she was shock’d at the instant, as was also the stranger. He look’d
upon them with amazement; the beauty of their faces, the splendor of their
habits, and the strange place he found them in, astonish’d him. Clementina at
last recovering herself, view’d him attentively, and reason’d with herself that
he was but a man unarm’d, and in all probability as much in distress as
themselves; mean time he concluded they were women disguis’d, and doubtless
fled thither for shelter; that they must be Europeans, and persons of birth by
their beauty, delicate hands, shape and complexions. He said thus in French to
Clementina, ‘In the name of God what are you, and from whence came you? Speak,
if you understand me, tell me if you are in distress, that I may help you.’ “We
are by birth Europeans, and profess the christian faith, said she, as I doubt
not you do, since you speak my native language; we are fled from ruin, infamy
and slavery, and got into this dismal place to screen ourselves from the fury
of the Infidels whom we this morning fled from. Assist us to escape their
hands, and find us means to get hence, and all the riches we have about us
shall be yours.” At these words the man shedding some tears, took her by the
hand with an air that spoke him a gentleman. ‘Fair creature, said he, I will
assist and defend you, and that lovely friend that you support, with my life;
fear not to descend with me into the vault, where I have lived above three
tedious years, and where we may without fear of discovery talk our misfortunes
over.’ He took the loaf and Mariana being now something recover’d from her
swoon, made way for him to go down before them with the light; at the bottom of
the stairs they found a room all of stone, clean though dismal, in which were
three doors which open’d into three other rooms like that; in one of these lay
a great quantity of bones and skulls, which this poor hermit had clear’d the
other rooms of; in that he liv’d in, was a bed made of straw and rushes, into
which he used to creep, covering himself with nothing else but an old mantle,
in which he used to wrap himself in winter: near this his miserable bed, there
lay two square stones, one about a foot higher than the other; the highest was
his table to eat upon, the other his seat to sit upon; this with a poor lamp
was all his furniture, except two earthen dishes, and a stone bottle that us’d
to keep water for him to drink. And now desiring his guests to sit down,
lighting his lamp, he pull’d a small bottle of arrack out of his pocket,
desiring them to drink, which they did. The lamp burning clear they could with great
satisfaction view each other, the hermit view’d Mariana more attentively, he
leap’d up and catched her in his arms with such transports, that Clementina was
amazed and terrify’d, fearing he had some ill design upon them; but she was
quickly undeceived, for he cry’d out, ‘my Mariana! my angel! have I liv’d to
embrace you again? is it possible? and do I hold in my arms my wife? It is too
much: such joy is insupportable.’ At these words being extreme weak, he
fainted, for he was even starved with this poor way of life, and grown a
perfect skeleton. Mariana was so surpriz’d, she could not utter one word; but
Clementina pour’d some of the arrack into his mouth, which soon revived him;
the most passionate discourse passed between him and Mariana that can be imagined:
for what joy could exceed hers to meet her dear husband again? she beg’d to
know how he came to live in that place; and all that had passed since they were
parted, which he related in these words, kissing her hands, and gazing upon her
all the while, as if his glad soul, which seemed to sparkle in his eager eyes,
would feast itself on that delightful object.
My life, said he, the fatal day that we were
parted, and you were sold to the cursed Bey of Tunis, who has no doubt enjoy’d
that lovely person (then he sigh’d deeply, and she wept) I was disposed of for
a slave to an old Jew, who drove me home into the country before him, with my
arms pinion’d. Being come to his house, he put me into the garden to work,
there I was made draw water, dig, and labour hard all day, at night chained
like a dog in a hole under his summer-house on straw; my food and labour were
so hard, that in a few days I fell sick of an ague and fever; so that fearing I
should die, he took me into the house, making me wait at table, whet the
knives, go on errands, and such trivial things; but my weakness encreasing, I
was at last confin’d to my bed. This frightened him so, that he told me,
(finding I was a gentleman, and unfit for service) if I would write to my
friends, and procure a tolerable ransom, he would let me go. Then I told him
that there was a young gentlewoman who was taken with me in the same ship, and
that if he could get me intelligence where she was, and find on what terms she
might be freed, then I would send to Spain to my friends for a ransom for both,
though they were but in mean circumstances; for I dar’d say no other, because
the villain would have been extravagant in his demands; and I told him unless
he could do this, I did not think it worth my while to write, or care what
became of me. This vex’d him horribly. In short, I lay ill so long, that had
not his daughter, a handsome Jewish maid, privately supply’d me with some rich
wines and good food, I had surely dy’d; for though a kind of a doctor he
employed, gave me some medicines that conquer’d my disease, yet I had never
recovered strength enough to get away without her help; but being able to walk
about, and little notice being taken of me by the servants, I left the house
one evening, and resolved to get back near Tunis, where I hop’d to get some
news of you. This Jew’s country-house was fifteen miles off it, and I was two
days and nights a crawling to this ruinous place, into which I entered, to rest
myself, being quite spent. I had a bottle of wine, and some bread and meat ty’d
up in a cloth in this little basket, in which I us’d to gather fruit for the
table. After I had eat and slept here, I began to consider what to do; if I
enter’d the city, I should run the risk of being taken up perhaps and examined,
and so be sent to prison for a runaway, or sent back to my master, which was
almost as bad: so a thought came into my head, that if I could find means to
subsist and live concealed in this place, I might have some fortunate
opportunity of finding where you were. Then I began to view the place more
narrowly, and found this door: I descended into the vault, but it was so dark I
could not discern what was in it, but groping about, I thought I heard a groan,
and turning my head, discern’d the glimmering of a lamp in one of the inner
rooms: I entered it, though in some disorder, and there I saw one of the most
dismal objects that ever eyes beheld, it was an aged man dressed in this coarse
coat that I have on, his beard reached to his waste, his bones appeared ready to
start through his parched shriveled skin, his eyes were sunk, his voice failed,
and he seemed to be in the last agonies of death, as indeed he was. I could
hardly recollect my spirits, I was so moved at this dreadful sight. He fixed
his eyes upon me, and seemed desirous to speak to me. In the name of Jesus,
said I, what are you that are thus come to dwell amongst the dead? That name,
said he, is sweet indeed; speak it again, dear christian, and comfort my
departing soul. At these words charity made me haste to give him some of my
wine, of which he swallowed but a little with much difficulty; yet that a
little revived him, and I begged of him to get down some more. In fine, he was
so refreshed, that I hop’d I should have saved his life, but was deceived.
I know, said he, your curiosity is great to
know who I am, and the strange adventures that have brought me to this dismal
place and end; and I will endeavour to reward your kindness, if I am able, with
the story of my life. I was the eldest son of a noble family in Spain, it was
my fortune to fall in love with a young lady, the daughter of a Grandee; I got
her father’s permission to court her, but was received but coldly; in fine, I
found I had some rival who supplanted me in her affection, and made it my whole
study to discover who he was; and it was not long e’er I was satisfy’d that a
young Cavalier used to be admitted through the gardens frequently, in the dead
time of the night, to her apartment. I passionately loved her, and this
discovery so enraged me, that I resolved to kill him. In short, I lay in ambush
with three of my servants, in a grove behind the gardens, and saw him enter,
leaving his horse and one servant to wait his coming out, which was not till
the break of day. I advanced at the head of my servants, and shot him dead, and
made off immediately without discovery, being mask’d; my coach waited about two
miles off the place; so I quitted my horse, and went into it, reaching my own
home in the city before it was broad day: by noon the news was spread all over
the city that Don Ferdinand de Juan my cousin-german was kill’d, but none could
discover by whom. I concealed my thoughts, appearing much concerned for his
death, and being unable to live at quiet without Ravina, I pressed for our
marriage so earnestly, that her father consented, and we were joined by the
sacred rites, not to be happy but wretched; for she was so sincere in her
affection to her murder’d lover, that she could never be happy with another;
and having too well convinced myself the first night, that my bride was no
virgin, I grew furiously jealous and unkind to her. This usage put her upon
measures to be revenged; and her charms soon procured me such a rival, that I
knew not how to cope withal; a duke made me that modish thing a cuckold, and to
prevent my having any opportunity of being revenged, not only came always well
attended to my house, but procured me a great post in the army, which obliged
me to be absent from home most part of the year; yet my wife lost no time but
cursed me with a child every year, so that I began to look on her as a vile
strumpet, and the children as vipers and serpents produced by her lust and my
dishonour. At last I plotted the destruction of her and them, and having
contrived this villainy to destroy them, and ruin my own peace and soul, laid
all things ready to escape from justice, I came home, and at one fatal supper
in my wife’s apartment, poisoned her and her three children. At midnight I took
horse, and reached the next sea-port by day-break, where a bark lay which I had
hired to carry me to England, having remitted a vast sum of money thither in
order to provide for me there, knowing I must never return to Spain again. I
went on board, met with a great storm which drove us towards the straits, where
an Algerine pirate met with and took us; being brought to Tunis, I was sold for
a slave to a Bassa, who kept me in extreme misery seven years; he being kill’d
in the wars, I fell into the hands of his son, who was an officer of the guard
to the King of Fez and Morocco; with him I travelled many thousand leagues,
carrying burdens, and running by his horse’s side. All this I looked upon as a
just punishment inflicted upon me by divine justice for my enormous sins, and
must confess the horrors of that guilt that loads my soul, were always more
grievous to me than the bodily pains I suffered, though they were almost
insupportable. At last, quite wearied out and desperate, I fled over the
mountains, and after wandering about in the disguise of a poor dervise, which
is the habit I have on, by means of which I passed undiscovered to this place,
in which I chose to reside, and have lived five whole years unmolested, I got
my bread by begging in the adjacent city and suburbs, being held in great
veneration by the common people, by reason of my dress, which made me pass for
a religious mahometan. All this time I have been labouring to make my peace
with God by prayers and tears, hoping to wash away my stains, and purify my
conscience; this I hope, through the merits of my Saviour, I have done: It is
about ten days since, coming to my dismal cell, I saw two persons struggling as
if one was going to rob or kill the other, and stepping in between them, one of
them, which I suppose to be the thief, stab’d me into the thigh with a poisoned
knife, as I since conclude, and then fled; the person I had rescued, seemed
very thankful, and desirous to know who I was, to reward me; but I was shy of
that, so he gave me a purse of gold and left me. I hasted home to dress my
wound with some salve I had by me, but the next morning I could not rise; I
have lain here ever since in extream torment, have had no food these three days
past, and believe my thigh is mortified. He related all this, often faltering
in his speech, and groaning, nay fainting several times; but I spare to make
particular mention of these things. He concluded thus: And now, said he, I
shall die by a violent death as those I murdered did; may God accept of these
my sufferings and Repentance here, in compensation of the ills I have done, and
then I shall be happy. I kept him alive with the wine that night, but the
mortification ended his unhappy life the next morning. I drag’d his body into
the next room, and shut up the door as close as I could, to avoid the stench of
it, and concluded to live here, putting on his old coat as a sure disguise: I
took the purse of gold also, which was a great help to me, and having dy’d my
face and hands with the juice of an herb to make me look thus tawny, have lived
undiscovered all this time. I learned at my Jew-master’s to make straw-hats,
and baskets for to gather fruit in; these I make here in the heat of the day
and sell for bread and meat, which if I get none ready dress’d I broil upon
some coals, making a fire of sticks in the mosque, in one corner of which I
have made myself a kind of fire-place with stones; then I bring down some of
the hot coals upon a tile into this place to warm and dry it, else I should die
with the dampness of it. I am so well acquainted with the country now, that I
am confident I could find out some more commodious place to live in: but
fearing to go farther off the city, and be less likely to hear news of you,
made me continue here; but since providence has been so merciful to bring you
hither, you shall take up with this sad being some few days, till I can procure
such a disguise for each of you as I have on, and colour your faces like mine,
which will wash off again; and then I will provide some better place near the
sea-side for us to dwell in, till God is pleased to send some ship to carry us
off from this sad place. The rich vests and turbants you have on would surely
betray us; we will take the jewels off, and hide them in the vault among the
dead bones, where none will seek them, and to-morrow I will buy two coats, and
boots, with flannel to make you long tunicks to your heels, to keep you warm,
and hide your fine linen underneath; your heads shall be covered with
flannel-hoods, like cowls, with straw-hats. This resolved on, they sat down,
and eat thankfully of the scraps he had brought home. Thus with a good
conscience, men may live contented, nay be even happy in the most miserable
circumstances. A charnel-house now entertains these two ladies, who are better
pleased to eat scraps, and lie on straw and the cold stones, than dwell in a
fine palace, and sleep on beds of down with infamy. After this poor repast,
they prayed, and laid them down to rest, Mariana’s husband having fastened the
door of the vault within-side as he used to do, to prevent wild beasts from
entring there. The next morning he went to the city, and bought what they
wanted, yet not at one place, but at several, for fear of suspicion, and
returned soon; then they sat down to work, and made the flannel tunicks and
hoods, as he directed them; he had brought meat, and dressed it in the mosque
above, whilst they worked in the vault below: by night they had finished their
disguises; and he, impatient to remove them from that dismal place, went out
after they had dined, and searching along the shore, found an old ruinous
cottage on the side of a rock, so built in the cleft of the rock, that it was
well screened from the bleak winds or parching sun, and so shadowed with trees
that grew round about and over it, that it was not easily seen. No body lived
in this place but an old fisherman and his wife. Don Alonzo told them he was a
poor dervise whose cottage was tumbled down, and if they would quit this for
him and two more hermits to live in, he would pay them to their content; the
poor devout peasants, reverencing his sacred person and profession, gladly
consented: so he paid them a small matter, though to them it was a great sum,
and they quitted the place, retiring to another cottage at a little distance
from it; these poor people he employed to buy two quilts, some coverlids, and
what else was wanting, to make this place a convenient cell for him and his two
friends; and in three days time, all being ready, they removed in the dusk of
the evening from their dismal vault to this clean wholesome cottage, where they
lived for some months very happily, hiding their rich jewels and clothes in a
hole in the rock: the poor fisherman and his wife were very serviceable to
them, fetching what they wanted, and supplying them with fish; and having a
good strong boat, they hoped by his means to get to some ship, he having
promised to go on board the first European ship he could get sight of at sea,
for which service Don Alonzo assured him, he would give them ten pieces of
gold. During the time of our female hermits abode in this place, they never
went into the town; but Don Alonzo neglected not to go frequently to sell his
straw baskets and hats, which the ladies learned to make with great dexterity;
so that they made enough to supply them with bread and meat in way of exchange.
And now he thought it would not be improper to convert some of the jewels into
ready money, which might stand them in stead, in case they found cause to
remove or means to get off. In order to this, he carry’d some of the jewels
Clementina had brought away in the fine box she took out of the Bey’s wardrobe,
which they had broke open, and found to be full of jewels and gold; a few of
these he went with to a Jew-merchant in the city, whom he told that he had
found a box with these jewels, and some other things of value in it, on the
sands, as he was walking on the sea-shore, and supposed to be part of some
shipwreck: the Jew did not much trouble him with questions, but finding he
should have them a good pennyworth, cared not how he came by them, and bid him
a thousand pieces of gold, but Don Alonzo insisted upon two thousand, to which
the Jew at last agreed, and paid him down the money, the jewels being no doubt
worth twice as much; but this sum was sufficient for our hermits. And now Don
Alonzo could boldly go to him, and buy what they wanted, without fearing to
give occasion of suspicion, since the Jew would not wonder how he came by
money. All the diversion the hermits took, was to walk on the sea-shore in the
evenings and early in the mornings, in hopes to discover some ship to get off.
One morning, a dreadful storm having blown in the night, they went out to see
what mischief was done; and Clementina being foremost, perceived something
floating on the sea; she stood still to observe it, and soon saw it was a man,
with his hands fast clenched on a chest, his habit was lac’d with silver: she
cry’d out to Don Alonzo to come to help this poor wretch: he ran, and stepping
up to his middle in the water, caught hold of the chest and drag’d it to shore.
Then they took the man up, who appeared to be dead, but Don Alonzo holding him
up by the heels, the water poured out of his mouth in great quantity, after
which some signs of life appeared; they carried him home to their cottage, gave
him rack, and put him into a warm bed, and so brought him to life; he was a
very handsome gentleman, and his linen and clothes spoke him a man of no mean
quality. Don Alonzo left him with the Ladies, whilst he called the fisherman to
help bring the chest to the cottage, supposing it to contain something worth
saving. The stranger viewed the ladies with wonder, their strange habits and
tawny complexions ill agreeing with the sweetness of their features, and
delicate hands and limbs: he thought he knew one of them, yet was in doubt.
Mean time they were very busy in tending him, giving him burnt wine, and
talking in French to one another, a language he was no stranger to, for he was
a French gentleman by birth. At last he addressed himself to Clementina in this
manner: ‘Madam, if my eyes do not deceive me I have the honour to know you, is
not your name Clementina? the unfortunate daughter of a mother who barbarously
sent you out of France. Speak, are you a stranger to Monsieur Le Montague?’ At
this discourse she changed colour, and shedding some tears, reply’d, ‘I am
indeed the unfortunate Clementina, and too well know that name, since I am
never like to see, or if I did, can never possess what I so dearly loved.’
“Yes, said he, you will I doubt not do both, for he is safely arrived in
France, and a widower, having sought for you all over Canada and the
West-Indies; he came home a little before I left France.” Here he told her all
the story of her mother’s death, and the manner of their living together; that
he was now possessed of a vast estate, and retired from the world on her
account. By this time Don Alonzo and the fisherman brought in the chest, and
Clementina proceeded to ask the stranger who he was, not being still able to
recollect. He told her immediately that his name was Montelion. Good heavens!
said she, are you that charming gay young captain who used to visit and court
my dear friend madam Cleora, when we were pensioners in the monastery together?
Yes, said he, I am that unfortunate man, who have married and brought that
lovely maid from France to lose her life I fear, and it had been well for me to
have perished with her; if she is dead, life will be a hell to me. I beg you
therefore to add to the charitable office you have done in saving me, by
searching all the coast hereabouts carefully, for she was holding fast on the
chest, when my senses forsook me, and then we were not far from the shore: I
hope therefore that she may still be alive; if I do not find her, grief will
perhaps finish that life that you have now restored me to. I saw a boat near us
when I fainted, and conclude if she had been drowned, she would have kept her
hold on the chest, as people generally do; for this reason I flatter myself the
fisher-boat took her up, and neglected me, whom they might conclude dead, or
that some wave might drive me out of their reach. Don Alonzo sent the old
fisherman to make inquiry, who was acquainted with all the others on that
coast, the stranger being so weak he could not rise. They intreated him to tell
them his adventures, and the manner of his coming to that coast; which he
related in these words.
After you fair Clementina left France, I
contined my addresses to Cleora, whose brother Leander, soon after you were
gone, went away for Virginia, being highly disgusted with his guardians,
resolving to apply himself to an uncle he has there, who had considerable
effects of his in his hands, he persuaded himself would assist him against his
other uncles: Camilla followed him, no news of them has come to France since
they left it. Cleora was soon removed from St. Malos to Calais, and I
following, she was sent to the convent of Augustine nuns at Paris. Mean time my
elder brother dying, I became master of a fortune sufficient to answer hers: so
I applied myself not only to her obdurate uncles, but to the bishop and
principal merchants who importuned them to consent to our marriage, but to no
purpose, for they were resolved never to part with her and her fortune, tho’ I
proceeded so far, that I offered to divide it with them, but this they rejected
with a pretended scorn. In fine, I saw all I did was to no purpose, so I
resolved to steal her away, and fly to Virginia to her brother, who being now
come of age, might greatly assist me, as I will him. I set out for Paris with
this design, but was strangely disappointed when I came there, for she was
removed thence to a house of her guardians (an old stone building, strong as a
little fort) in a village in Normandy. Here they placed her under a kind of
guard, for they put an old hag in the chamber with her, who never let her stir
out but on the leads (for it was the uppermost room in the house;) two stout
surly fellows lived below, and took care of the gate. I took a private lodging
in this village, disguised like a mean person, leaving my servants at a market
town three miles off; and pretended to the old farmer where I lodged, that I
had been sick, and was come to that place for my health, being a tradesman at
Coutance; this passed very well with the country people. The house my dear Cleora
was kept in, was moated round and had a draw-bridge, which was seldom let down
but when any of the servants went out or in. I walked round it several days to
consider what course to take, and there I had the pleasure or rather torment,
of seeing my dear Cleora walking with the old hag upon the leads. I did not
dare to make any sign to discover myself to her, and being convinced that it
was impossible to get at her by fair means, I resolved to use force; in order
to which, I sent the old farmer’s man to the market-town, with a letter to my
valet-de-chambre, whom I had left with two footmen and four horses, to come to
me next morning, which they accordingly did. I took them to a place in sight of
the prison where my mistress was, and we staid concealed under the shelter of
some trees, till we saw one of the men-servants come out, the bridge being let
down: we rode up with pistols in our hands, seized on the bridge, which my two
servants kept, whilst my valet-de-chambre and I forced the servants at the gate
to give us entrance; for I caught him by the throat, and clapping my pistol to
his breast, bid him bring me to his young mistress, or I would kill him. He
begged for mercy, and I held him by the arm, and ascended the stairs with him
to the room where she was. You may believe she was extremely surprized at
seeing a man enter the room thus rudely, but she quickly recovered her fright
at the sight of me. The old hag screamed and roared like one distracted, but
that I little regarded; so I bid my mistress follow me, and we ran down stairs;
I mounted her upon my horse behind me, on which I had purposely put a pillion,
and my men breaking down the draw-bridge, threw it into the moat, and so
prevented our being pursued for some hours; in which time we made off to a
curate’s house cross the country, about twenty miles farther: Here we were
married, and lay concealed for above a month, in which time the search made
after us was over, and they concluded we were gome out of the kingdom. Then
having disguised her in man’s clothes, and a ship and money, with bills of
exchange, being got ready for us at Diepe, we set out from the curate’s,
attended by two servants, and got safe off.
We then thought ourselves happy, and had a
prosperous voyage, till we came through the Straits, when a dreadful storm
arose, driving us on this coast; and our ship (which was but small) striking
upon a rock, bulged; we had no way to save ourselves but by getting into the
long-boat: my dear wife was my chief care, I got her one of the first in, and
the captain and several sailors and passengers leaped after in such disorder
(all being willing to save their lives) that they over-set the boat, and we
were all thrown into the merciless sea. I catched hold of my dear wife, and
seeing a chest floating, and that we were not far from the shore, I caught hold
of it, bidding her throw herself upon it: Thus we remained, till my strength
was so spent, that I could no longer sustain the waves beating against me, and
fainted at the moment I saw a fishing-boat making towards us; and now all my
hope is, that she was taken into it.
Soon after he had ended his relation, the old
fisherman entered, with the good news, that a fisherman standing on the shore,
saw the lady taken up by the boat, from whence they threw a rope, which she
catched hold of; and that the man on the chest was carried off towards the
shore by the waves. He said the woman rung her hands, and seemed to call after
him: but that the boat made away out of his sight, from the shore. Montelion
lifting up his hands, cry’d, ‘My God, I thank thee with my soul, that her life
is preserved: Let thy angels keep her safe, and direct me to her: Strengthen my
confidence in thee, that the improbability of our meeting again may not drive
me to despair.’
The hermits did all they could to comfort him,
and procured a habit like theirs for him: They resolved to be gone the first
opportunity, but he could not be persuaded to leave the place without his lady;
nay, his impatience was such, that he often ventured out in a morning early,
and would go many miles along the seashore, making inquiry of the fishermen:
but alas! he was deceived in looking for her there, for she was otherwise
disposed of. Some months passed in this manner, so that he began to despair of
finding her, or they of getting thence; but providence, whose ways are
unsearchable, and always tend to our good, detained them there for the
preservation of the virtuous Cleora.
Don Alonzo one morning going out very early
alone to the city to sell his straw-ware, and buy provisions as usual, passing
by a wood, heard the voice of a woman making great lamentations in the French
tongue: he turned aside to see if he could discover where she was, and
following the voice, entered a great way into the wood, in the thickest part of
which he perceived a woman sitting on the ground; she had a Turkish habit on
was very young and beautiful; she held her hands upon one of her legs, which
was much swoln; her face was pale as death, her eyes sunk with weeping and
famine; she looked upon him as a person resigned to death, and uttered not one
word. He spoke to her in French, saying, ‘Madam, what ails you? how came you to
this place? I am a christian, and can help you. Alas! (said she) I fear all
help comes too late; I have been here three days with my leg broke, and have
had neither food nor help, so am not able to move, or follow you; I fled from
ruin and infamy, and have met death: I was saved from the merciless seas, to
perish on the more inhospitable shore.’ ‘Is not your name Cleora? said he. Yes,
said she, but ——.’ Here she swooned, he was troubled that he had nothing to
give her, but was forced to run back to the fisherman’s cottage, which was half
a mile, yet nearer than his own: here he got some brandy, and made him follow
him with a blanket: they ran all the way, and found her lying as dead, with her
teeth clinched; he had much ado to get some of the brandy down her throat, but
at last she began to breathe and move: Then they put her into the blanket, and
carried her betwixt them home to Don Alonzo, where the transporred Montelion
was so divided betwixt grief and joy, that he scarce knew what he said or did.
The ladies got her into bed, and gave her hot spoon-meat; but when they came to
look upon her leg, they shrunk back amazed, for she had broke it short at the
instep, the bone being split, came through; her leg and foot was so swelled,
that had the best bone-setter in the world been there, he could not have set it
at that instant. Clementina had some skill, she presently made a fomentation
with herbs and wine, and applied stoups dipped therein to it, which gave the
poor lady great relief in some hours: what to do they knew not; they did not
dare to send for a Mahometan surgeon, there was no christians of that
profession, and they all feared a mortification, Montelion was almost
distracted. At last Don Alonzo went to the Jew, and told him he had occasion
for a surgeon, and desired his assistance. He told him, a friend of his had
bought a christian slave of that profession, who had been surgeon to a French
ship; he would direct and recommend him to that friend. He went with a letter
from this Jew to the other, who freely lent him his slave; and they went
together, Don Alonzo talking with him by the way, found he was surgeon to the
ship which brought Clementina from Canada. He acquainted him with her being in
his house, and his own story, not fearing to be discovered by a christian, who
he offered to redeem from slavery of the Jew; an offer the other gladly
accepted of no question; for though we often live as ill as heathens, who
profess ourselves christians, and whilst we live together are often at
variance; yet none but such as have experienced it, can tell the joy and
comfort poor christians find, in meeting and conversing together when in
slavery amongst turks and heathens; then true charity glows in their breasts,
and they gladly assist one another to the utmost of their power.
This surgeon was caressed by all, but
especially by Clementina, who knew him to be a very honest gentleman. He
dressed the poor lady, and miraculously restored her leg to such a state, that
in six weeks she could walk with a crutch, though never able to go upright, but
was ever lame, it being impossible to cure it otherwise, having lain so long
without help. Clementina asked him what was become of the captain; he told her
he was dead, he believed of the wounds he received in the fight; a just reward
for his crimes in using her as he had done. Now Cleora being pretty well
recovered, acquainted them how she came into this condition, and the occasion
of her flying to the wood where Don Alonzo found her.
Being pulled into the boat (said she) by means
of the rope they threw out to me, I expected them (having shewn so much charity
to me) to have made after you (addressing herself to her husband) but they
seemed deaf to my intreaties, neither did they understand me, I believe,
because they were strangers to my language. They made away for Tunis, to which
they were going, it being a fishing boat belonging to a Bashaw who lives there
and sent them out the day before to get fish for his table, as his custom was.
They certainly imagined they had got a prize in me, seeing me young and
tolerably handsome. When they had brought me to shore, they led me directly to
the Bashaw’s (their masters) house, where I was delivered to a black, who
seemed mighty glad, and viewed me so curiously, that my face was overspread
with blushes. By him I was led to a fine Apartment, where an old maid servant,
who spoke French, came to me; the grief and surprize I was under made me glad
to meet with somebody to inform me what I was to be done with: I asked her many
questions, and was answered, that I was to be mistress to one of the handsomest
and most powerful men in the place, that he was his princes chief favourite; in
short, she praised him up to the skies. I told her I was already married, and
would rather die, than admit of another’s embraces. She laughed at that, and
taking off my wet clothes, brought me up a Turkish dress. Thus I remained many
days confined in this place, being furnished with all necessaries of food,
habit and lodging; in which time walking in the gardens, I saw and conversed
with some of those unfortunate women who had been purchased for his pleasures,
Europeans, now made slaves to the insolent Mahometan, who was at this time at a
country-house about two miles distant from the wood in which Don Alonzo found
me, so that it was some months before that I was exposed to the Infidel’s view.
During my abode in this place I made some attempts to escape, but could never
effect it, for the slaves so narrowly watched us, that there was no hopes of
getting away. And now being quite overwhelmed with sorrow, I applied myself to
God to deliver me. Indeed I wondered that I continued so long without seeing
this tyrannical Algerine; but at last I learned the reason, he was sick of a
tertian ague and fever all that time; as soon as he recovered he ordered me to
be brought to him, to his country-house, having had such an advantagious
character given him of me, that he was impatient to see me. I had contracted a
kind of friendship with a young creature, who had been brought there at ten
years old; her name was Emilia, an English gentleman’s daughter of great
fortune; she was god-daughter to a lady, whose husband was a rich Merchant, and
went to settle in the West-Indies with his family, she took this beautiful girl
along with her, and the ship being unfortunately taken, and brought into Tunis,
she was sold to this Bashaw, whose mistress she had been five years when I came
to that unhappy place. She was fair as an angel, witty, and highly sensible of
her misfortune. She had brought him a daughter, which was carried away from her
soon after it was born. She pity’d me extremely, and assured me that it was almost
impossible to escape thence. She seemed resigned to her misfortunes, and said,
since God has been pleased to suffer her to be reduced to such a way of life,
where she could have no opportunity of practising her religion, or avoiding the
Infidel’s embraces, she hoped he would not lay any thing to her charge as a
crime, since it was compulsion, not choice. But all her arguments seemed weak
to me, and I resolved on death rather than to yield. At last, one morning the
old French woman entered my chamber, and bid me prepare myself to go to the
great man, whose favourite I was to be. She brought me a rich habit and linen,
and dressed me to all the advantage such a pagan habit could be put on with,
whilst I stood weeping, careless of what she did, and meditating what to do. At
last she threw a vail over me, and led me through the garden to a kind of
horse-litter, into which the black slave put me. I perceived that there were
seven or eight ill-looking slaves to guard me, so that it was in vain to
resist. I was about three hours upon the road, and had refused to eat any thing
before I set out, that I was so faint when they came to take me out, that two
of them were fain to lead me into the house, which was a kind of earthly
paradise, adorned with fine paintings, and such furniture, that I was
surprized. Being conducted to a delicate chamber, where there was a bed made
after the European fashion, and velvet stools and chairs, things very uncommon
in these parts of the world; they left me, and in a few moments after a
gentleman, in a rich night-gown and turban, entered: he was tall, slender, and
delicately shaped, his eyes were black and shining, his skin moderately fair,
his air and mein so soft and engaging, that I stood confounded. At these words
Montelion reddened; she perceiving it, with a smile said, my dear don’t be
jealous, for his beauty and my persuasions did him no further service with me,
but to raise my pity; for I soon perceived he was an European, and had bought
his greatness here by renouncing his faith. He bowed, and stood looking upon me
for some time without speaking; then, like a man awakened from a pleasant dream
to substantial joy, he catched me in his arms, and said in French, ‘fame has
done you wrong, sweet creature; you are fairer than fancy could conceive; take
to your arms a man that adores you, and knows how to value such a treasure; no
Barbarian or fierce Moor, but one who was born in the politest part of the
world; I am an Italian, whom injuries drove hither; who being ruined by my
fellow-christians, have fled for succour to barbarians, who have advanced and
made me great enough to make you as happy as the world can make you.’ My soul
was filled with horror at these words. ‘Have you renounced your Saviour, said
I, and do you think a christian can look upon you without abhorrence? my
religion and honour are so dear to me, that I will die for either; and though I
am in your power (as you imagine) whilst I remain firm in this resolution I am
safe, and your attempts are vain.’ He used all the persuasions possible to gain
me, nay, stooped to beg and pray; but finding me inflexible, and growing faint,
being still weak with his late illness, he called for wine, sherbet, and
sweet-meats, courting me to eat and drink, but I refused. Then he asked me if I
designed to be my own murderer, and damn myself? I answered no, but I did not
think it safe to eat and drink with a person who had base designs upon my
virtue, and might, perhaps, deprive me of my reason by some stupifying drug,
and ruin me; therefore I would abstain from eating till providence supplyed me
with some wholesome bread and water, or any thing that might satisfy hunger
without danger. He seemed surprised at my being so resolute, and no doubt but
his conscience pricked him when he saw me so well perform my duty, which he had
by cowardice and ambition acted contrary to. At last he took leave, bidding me
reflect, that no human power could free me from him; that I must at last yield
to his desires; that he would much rather gain me by courtship, than force; but
if I continued obstinate, he must be obliged to constrain me to be kind; then
he left me, a slave keeping the door. This civility, I believe, was owing to
his weakness; but being now left alone, I sat down in a chair, and fell into a
serious consideration of my wretched condition: I had no weapon to defend
myself, or harm him; the doors were guarded; then I viewed the windows, and
they were so high, that a leap from thence seemed to threaten certain death: I
disputed in my conscience the lawfulness of such an action. Thus I sat till
evening, being often interrupted by his officious slaves, who brought me choice
wines and presents from him, all which I refused; yet at last fearing want of
sustenance would render me unable to resist him if he offered force, or
faintness seize my spirits, and deprive me of my reason, I made the slave that
brought in the wine, drink a glass of it before me, and then I took two glasses
full myself, and eat some bread. When it grew dark they urged me to go to bed,
but I refused. They brought in two wax lights, and retired, shutting the door;
and now I trembled, fearing what followed. About midnight the apostate Bashaw
entered the chamber, and fastening the door, came to me, using all the softest
persuasions and intreaties: in short, finding me deaf to all his
sollicitations, he proceeded to use force; but then some kind angel sure
assisted me, for I grew strong, he soon tired, and renewed his intreaties. At
last he swooned at my feet, and then being distracted with my fears, I resolved
to use those happy moments; so without standing to deliberate, I catched the
rich sash off that ty’d his night-gown, and fastening one end to one of the
bars of the windows, slid down; but that not being above three yards long, I
fell down from a great height, and lay for some time quite stun’d; but
recovering, found I had not broke my bones, and rising on my feet, fled towards
the next wood, it being a very moon-light night: I thought it not so far off as
it proved, for it was near two miles, as I guess, and I had hardly strength
left to reach it, but fear drove me on. When I entered the wood I was filled
with more dreadful apprehensions, and fancied the wild beasts would devour me;
to avoid which I got up into a tree, whose trunk being old and hollow, I easily
climbed: There I seated myself and passed the remainder of the night till
day-break but then I feared to descend, lest I should be pursued; nor did I
know where to go. Whilst I was thus musing sleep prevailed over thought, and I
fell into a slumber, and drop’d down from the tree, which fall broke my leg.
What I endured for three days that I lay there, you may imagine: I expected
nothing but death, as I had reason to do; but providence preserved and relieved
me by your means, for which I will be thankful whilst I live.
All the company joined in praises to God, and
were filled with admiration: they passed the time very agreeably, till the good
old fisherman, whom they had converted to the christian faith, together with
his wife, acquainted them, that he had that morning met at sea with a Spanish
ship, had been aboard it, and informed the captain of their being there; that
he had promised to send his long-boat that night to a creek behind the rock to
fetch them. It is, said he, a ship of good force, and fears no pirate, being
well arm’d and mann’d. Don Alonzo, on this news, went away to Tunis, and gave
his friend the surgeon notice, who went back with him. The ladies in the mean
time packed up their jewels, money, and some linen, and all being ready, they
went away to the creek in the dusk, and waited the boat’s coming. They offered
to take the fisherman and his wife along with them, but they chose to end their
lives in their own country, pleading their age: so they left them all their
furniture, and twenty pieces of gold, a sufficient provision for them. The
ship’s boat came about eleven o’clock at night, and carried them off safely to
the ship, Don Alonzo promising to assist Clementina and the surgeon to return
to France by land, and he and Mariana doubted not of a good reception from his
friends at Madrid. Besides, the two ladies had brought such a treasure in
jewels from the Bey’s seraglio, that that being divided was sufficient to
provide for them all. Montelion and his lady were presented with a part of
them, and his chest having been saved, was a provision for them, they were
prevailed upon to desist from their intended voyage to Virginia, Clementina
promising, that Monsieur le Montague should stand by them against her unjust
guardians, so they determined to go home to France with her. The Spanish
captain received them with transport, and they had leisure to entertain him
with an account of all their strange adventures.
They arrived at Barcelona in good health, sold
part of their jewels there, highly rewarded the captain, and Don Alonzo’s
friends provided nobly for him and Mariana, who writ to her parents at Venice
an account of all her sufferings, and safe return to Europe. The French ladies
and gentlemen stayed some days to recover themselves of the fatigue of their
voyage, and then set out for France, promising never to forget the civilities
they had received, and the friendship they had all contracted with one another
in their misery. And now ’tis fit that we leave the barbarous Algerines, and
return to Leander and his kinsman, whom we left travelling to Virginia through
Carolina.
Leander and his generous kinsman with the
hermit Monsieur de Lisle, came safe to Virginia, where they were gladly
received by the old gentleman and his new wife. Leander was much pleased that
she was now his aunt, and young Dumaresque liked her well enough for a mother
in law; yet she could not look upon her nephew without blushes and some kind of
disorder; this was observed by her husband, and he began to wish his kinsman
thence. He well knew that she married him in a pique, not out of affection. In
short, having been informed of all that had befallen him and his son in their
voyage to the island of St. Domingo, he calmly advised him to return to France,
having honourably accounted with him for all the monies and effects left in his
hands, and made him a handsome present of sugars, tobacco, and other
commodities which that country produces, to a great value; saying, ‘Nephew I
always designed you something, and though I have now a prospect of more
children, yet I will do what I intended; you are now of age, and your guardians
can no longer detain you from your own, it is time you should settle in the
world, and the young woman you liked being disposed of to another, you must use
your reason; conquer that passion which is now unlawful and injurious to your
repose, and look out for a wife in your own nation, to bring posterity to keep
up your name, and be comforts to you in your declining years.’ Leander thank’d
him for his good advice and present, but was determined not to follow his
counsel, though Monsieur de Lisle pressed him extreamly to go with him to
France, but Leander would not consent to leave Harriot behind. Young Dumaresque
likewise spurred him on to let him go back to the island to inquire after her;
but alas! he had another design than that only in view; he had seen the
charming Lavinia, Don Carlos’s sister, and her bright image so filled his soul,
that he could not rest. We easily consent to what we desire. Leander deals with
the captain that carried them thither before, to go back again with his
kinsman. Mean time he finding his uncle look cold upon him, invited Monsieur de
Lisle, no ship being at that time ready to go for France, to go with him to see
another plantation of his uncle’s and view the country. The ship goes off with
Dumaresque, much against his father’s will; but he arrived safe at the island,
and resolved to lie on board the ship every night, and not taking a lodging on
shore, for fear of discovery; in the day he ventured to walk about the town,
and went to the great church to mass on the next sunday after his arrival,
there he saw the charming Harriot, with her little son and daughter standing by
the governor her father-in-law, dressed in a widow’s dress, and Lavinia in deep
mourning. This was a very agreeable sight no doubt to him; he did not dare to
venture to speak to her, but was fain to wait for an opportunity some other
time, which he supposed would not be extreme difficult, now Don Carlos was no
more; but he was mistaken, for he had engaged his father on his death-bed to
prevent, if possible, her ever seeing Leander again. ‘My dear lord and father,
said he, he is the cause of my death, he ruined my repose, and if he returns,
will rob my dear children of their mother; her affections are still inclined to
him. I have brought her to the catholick faith, he is a Hugonot, and will
seduce her from her religion and children; do not let my fortune serve to
enrich my hated rival, nor my children be wronged.’ He likewise charged
Harriot, as she valued his soul’s repose, not to marry him, or leave that
island and his children. Thus the revengeful Spaniard, even in death, continued
to hate his brave rival, who had a prior right to her heart, and endeavoured to
prevent his happiness, even when he could no longer enjoy her himself. For
these reasons the governor, who was inconsolable for the loss of his son,
desired Harriot to live in the castle with him, where she was respected as a
queen, and had all the reason in the world to be contented. Lavinia, who was
courted by the greatest persons in the island, kept her company, and there was
the greatest friendship imaginable between them. Lavinia had not as yet felt
Cupid’s Tyranny; she seemed invincible to love. Young Dumaresque having waited
some days in vain for an opportunity to speak to Harriot, grew weary, and
resolved to give her a letter in publick. He thought in himself, she is now a
widow, and free to choose whom she pleases; why should I fear to remind her of
her vows and engagements with my friend? He dressed himself very fine the next
festival-day, and went to mass earlier than before, and there waited till they
all came; then he went boldly up to Harriot, and with a profound bow, presented
the letter to her: this he did with such a grace and mein, that Lavinia looking
upon him, was seized with such an unusual liking to him, and so disordered,
that she could scarce conceal it; love at this fatal moment entered her breast.
He withdrew to the other side of the altar so soon as he had delivered the
letter, and there placed himself on his knees right against them, with design
to observe Harriot’s countenance, by which he hoped to judge of her sentiments
in relation to his friend, as likewise to have the pleasure of looking often
upon the charming Lavinia, to whom his eager glances spoke his passion; whilst
her unguarded looks and blushes assured him he was taken notice of. Mean while
the governor observed him, and watched Harriot, who having looked on the superscription
of the letter, guessed that it brought news of Leander, and remembered young
Dumaresque’s face. This threw her into a mighty disorder; she put the letter
into her pocket, not daring to peruse it in so publick a place: but the
distraction of her mind caused her in a few minutes to faint. This confirmed
the governor in his suspicions, and he whispered one of his gentlemen, whom he
beckoned to him, to take care that gentleman was secured as he went out of the
church, and kept under a guard till he examined him. Prayers being ended, he
gave Harriot his hand to lead her to the coach, so that she had no opportunity
to speak to young Dumaresque. A young Cavalier, who courted Lavinia, did the
same by her, inflamed with jealousy at her behaviour towards the stranger, who
imprudently followed them, in hopes to speak to one of the ladies; but he was
seized at the church-door as they were going into the coach, he struggled, and
demanded a reason of the soldiers and gentlemen that laid hands upon him, but could
get no other answer but that it was the governor’s order: so he was carried to
the room in the castle, and kept till the governor, having conducted the ladies
to their chamber, came and examined him, asking him what the letter contained
that he had given his daughter-in-law, whence he came, and who sent him: To all
which he answered boldly, and told the truth, saying; ‘My lord, I do not think
that I have done any thing but my duty. She is a widow, was promised to my
kinsman before, and forced unjustly from him; he is her equal, and her first
choice, and I cannot imagine why you should detain her from him.’ “Your friend
replied the governor fiercely, by his imprudent coming hither ruined my son’s
peace, and broke his heart; he begged me with his dying breath never to let him
see her more, to rob his children of her presence, whom I will never let her
carry hence; and he has bound her by the strictest Injunctions never to marry
again; and to be brief with you, I am determined, if ever he sets foot on this island
again, to take such measures to secure him, that it shall never be in his power
to disturb her or me any more. As for you, I will try whether a prison can
cannot hold you, and if you escape hence again it shall be my fault.” At these
words he left the room, and young Dumaresque was hurried away that night under
a guard to a strong prison into which they used to put criminals of state, ten
miles from the town, where he was lodged in all appearance for life.
Harriot, so soon as her father-in-law left her
with Lavinia, opened the letter and read it aloud to her; she could not conceal
her joy to hear her dear Leander was alive and constant. ‘Ah! my dear sister,
said she, throwing her arms about her neck, why did your revengeful brother lay
me under such cruel obligations not to marry this dear man, to whom my faith
and heart was given before? He forced me from him. Is it just, that having been
a faithful wife to him, I should not be at liberty to dispose of myself to him
to whom I do of right belong now he is dead? Your generous soul, though yet a
stranger to love, is sensible of pity, and cannot but compassionate my
distress, my soul being divided betwixt duty to my dead lord, and affection to
my living.’ Lavinia embracing her with tears, replied, “alas! my sister, I
participate of your griefs and fear that I am born to be unhappy too, I love
his generous friend; his person, and noble friendship to Leander charms me; and
if I am not deceived, I am not indifferent to him. I will do all that I am able
to assist you, but I fear my father will undo us both; I saw his furious looks,
and fear the effect of his resentments: just as we entered the coach, I saw the
people gather in a croud, and fear some mischief.” As they were talking,
Lavinia’s woman, Clara, entered as pale as death: madam, said she, there is a
strange gentleman seized, and brought under a guard into the castle, I saw him
carried along just now up the great square. This news extremely alarmed them,
and confirmed their fears; they employed Clara, not daring to be too
inquisitive themselves, to get intelligence, for she was mistress to Claudio
the governor’s gentleman, who had the charge of young Dumaresque; but he
setting out with him that night for the prison to see him secured there, she
could get no account of him till the next morning, when she got the secret out
of Claudio where he was. This news overwhelmed the ladies with grief, and
Harriot grew so incensed, that she quarrelled with her father-in-law,
complaining that she was not treated as she ought to be, and if the gentleman
was not freed, she would complain to the King of Spain, that she had been taken
away from Leander by fraud, and compelled to marry Don Carlos; that she was a
subject of England, though his daughter-in-law; that he had no power to command
or restrain her from going off the island, and marrying whom she pleased. This
so enraged the governor, that he told her, since he found that she had so
little sense of her honour, and respect for her husband’s memory and her
children’s good, or his dying commands, he would take care to keep her to her
duty, and prevent her disgrace; that Leander was of too mean a rank to be
received in the place of that noble Spaniard his dear son, who was descended
from an illustrious family, and had demeaned himself in marrying her; he had
hitherto treated her for his sake with too much indulgence, which he perceived
she had no grateful sense of; that young Dumaresque though a good friend to
Leander, yet was a venturous fool to return thither on so vile an errand, as to
bring love-letters to another man’s wife, that he began to doubt whether his
son had died fairly, or not, and to suspect she had by some cursed slow poison
destroyed him, else they could not have known the time when it was fit to come
to her, and knew she was a widow: in short, he loaded her with bitter
reproaches and taunts, and confined her to her apartment under a guard,
suffering none to go near her but Lavinia and some few of her relations, who
teazed her continually with the respect she owed her dead husband, and how she
ought never to marry another inferior to him. The governor little suspected his
daughter was any ways concerned in young Dumaresque’s welfare; but alas, she
was as much afflicted as Harriot, and ventured to send Clara with a purse of
gold to him. He would have sent a letter back but was denied pen, ink and
paper. Clara lent him her table-book, in which he wrote a most passionate
letter to Lavinia, declaring his love, and begging her to let the captain who
brought him thither, be informed of what had happened to him, and sent back to
Leander to warn him not to come thither. On the receipt of this letter, Lavinia
dispatched Clara to the captain, who presently weighed anchor, and set sail for
Virginia, to carry these joyful and sad tidings to Leander, first that Harriot
was a widow, and next that his kinsman was in prison, and she under a guard on
his account. Leander in a short time was informed of all, the ship coming safe
to Virginia; and no persuasion of his uncle, aunt and friends could deter him
from going over to the island, to demand his lady, and release his friend: but
the captain of the ship refused to go back, saying he was sure he should be
imprisoned and lose his ship. It was some months before he could get a vessel
to carry him; during which the governor was informed by his spies of Clara’s
visits to young Dumaresque in the prison. He caused him to be secretly removed
to the old castle where he had been before a prisoner; there the commanding
officer had such a strict charge given him to take care of him, that he was
secured from any possibility of an escape, not being ever permitted to go on
the battlements, but confined to a chamber with two centinels at the door night
and day, being relieved every four hours. The haughty governor having thus
secured him, laid wait to catch Leander, not doubting but he would soon follow
his friend, when he heard the news from the Virginia captain, of whose
departure out of the port he had had intelligence and would have stopped the
ship, which he had a good pretence for, it being a time of war between the
English, French and Spaniards; but only he concluded it best to let it go to
fetch Leander.
Harriot fell sick, and Lavinia grew very
melancholy and much altered; no news could be got of young Dumaresque. At
length she fell dangerously ill, insomuch that her life was in danger, and
being light-headed, called perpetually on her lover. This opened the governor’s
eyes, who finding she loved this stranger, lost all patience. She was now his
only child, and all his ambitious hopes were comprehended in her being nobly
disposed of. The noblest and wealthiest gentlemen in the place made their
addresses to her, and would have been proud of having her: but she was attached
to a man whose father was only a merchant, married to a second wife, by whom he
had younger children to lessen his fortune; besides he was a protestant, and
that alone was enough to make him reject the match; in fine, he was at his wits
end; the physicians told him medicines could do no good, he must resign her to
death, or bring the person to her whom she loved. This expedient was death to
him, yet he could not consent to lose his darling, the lovely Lavinia; at last
he sent for young Dumaresque, who was brought pinioned under a guard like a
criminal, and expected nothing but death; he had been sick a considerable time
of an ague and fever, which was turned to a yellow jaundice, so that he was so
altered, that his friends would scarce have known him. Being brought to the castle,
and carried up into a room, the governor came to him with looks that expressed
the inward distraction of his mind. Stranger, said he, what would you do to
gain your freedom? nothing, he replyed fiercely, that should be injurious to my
honour or conscience: I am now indifferent to life, and would not thank that
man who, having injured me, should ask me pardon and release me; you may use me
as you please, you have treated me so ill already, that I expected neither
justice nor favour from you. The governor could not but admire young
Dumaresque’s bravery in secret, but yet seemed angry; and answered, sir, do you
consider whom you speak to, and that your life is at my disposal? yes I do,
sir, said Dumaresque, and have spoke my thoughts. Well sir, said the governor,
I acknowledge I have used you somewhat roughly; but had you lost such a son as
I have, killed by your friend’s rash attempt, which has broke my son’s heart
and Harriot’s peace, you would doubtless have acted like me; but I have now but
one daughter (here he wiped off the falling tears) do you respect her? young
Dumaresque alarmed at these words, answered hastily, yes, and honour her above
the world, nay dare to tell you that I love her, and that it is my greatest
ambition to die at her feet, if fate would permit me; nor is there a thing on
earth for which I would wish to live beside herself. For her sake answered the
governor, you shall not only live, but be freed. At these words he took him by
the hand, and calling in a servant, who unbound him, he led him to Lavinia’s
chamber, who was so weak that she had been many days confined to her bed. Here
my dear child, said the governor, is the gentleman you so much respect; I shall
leave you together. He was so disordered, being forced to stifle his resentments
and constrain his pride, that he immediately withdrew. Lavinia lifting up her
eyes, viewed young Dumaresque with much concern, unable to speak, his altered
face too well informed her of the treatment he had met withal; whilst he seeing
her, whom he so dearly prized, in a condition so unlikely to recover, fetched a
deep sigh, and falling on his knees by the bed, catched her hand, and raising
it to his lips, said with a low voice, ‘Must we then meet to part so soon
again, and must death deprive us of that happiness we might now possess? Speak,
divine creature, what hopes? “If, said she, there is a cordial to restore me to
my health again, it is the sight of you, a blessing I despaired of. Say, does
my cruel father relent, will he consent to make us happy? and has he granted
you your liberty? If so, I will endeavour to live.” At these words, he fell
into a great transport; and the governor entering, said a great many obliging
things to him. In fine, Lavinia in a short time recovered, and was married to
Dumaresque, on his promising to reside there, and not return to Virginia to
live. But poor Harriot, tho glad of her sister’s good fortune, and pleased to
converse with Dumaresque, of whom she learned all that had befallen the
unfortunate Leander, yet could get no satisfaction, or find means to go to him,
the governor having took such measures that no person could enter or go out of
the sea-ports without his knowledge. Dumaresque could not as yet propose going
to Virginia, but supposed his friend would shortly arrive, and that his dear
Lavinia’s interest and his, with his father-in-law, was sufficient to procure
his consent to the unfortunate Leander’s marriage with Harriot. Thus they
flattered themselves; but a Spaniard’s revenge must be gratified; and they never,
or very rarely forgive an injury. Leander having procured a vessel to carry
him, and taking a considerable sum of money from his uncle, set sail from
Virginia, and arrived at the island of St. Domingo about a month after his
kinsman’s marriage. He no sooner set his foot upon the shore, filled with
expectations of seeing his dear Harriot, but he was seized by ruffians, bound
hand and foot, and carried aboard another ship, where he was put in irons, and
sailed the next morning, he knew not whither. The same night that he was
seized, the captain of the ship that brought him, received a message from the
governor to depart the island that moment, or expect to be treated as an enemy,
and his ship to be seized. He obeyed immediately, finding that neither threats
nor intreaties could avail him. This news never reached Harriot’s ear; and poor
Leander, overwhelmed with despair, was carried up the great river Oroonoko, and
set on shore amongst the savages, being carried in a boat up to the river
Paria, where he expected nothing but to be murdered, and eaten by the barbarous
Indians, who dwelt in huts, and are under no civil government. They speak no
language, but a jargon that no European understands. The cruel Spaniards
unbound him, gave him a sword, a gun, and a horn of powder, with a pouch full
of bullets and shot; telling him if he offered to make the least attempt to
follow them, they would kill him on the spot. He little regarded what they
said, being both weak and over-whelmed with the dreadful prospect he had before
him of being left in a strange place, from whence there was no probability of
escaping; a place which we Europeans are little acquainted withal amongst
Savages, whose language and customs, he was an entire stranger to, that he sat
down upon the ground, and casting his eyes round wept bitterly: then looking up
to heaven, besought God to look upon him, and deliver him from the miseries of
life. Whilst he was thus employed, the villains retreating to their boat were
set upon by a party of savages, about a hundred in number, many of whom fell by
the Spaniard’s shot, who discharged their guns and pistols at them, which
obliged the Indians to give back. The Spaniards being but eight in number, and
some of them wounded, retired towards the shore to get into their boat; but, to
their great surprise, found it gone; for their companions that were left to
take care of it, being shot at with arrows by the Savages, who from the rocks
shot down upon them, concluded their companions dead, made off to their ship
with all the speed they were able. The cruel Spaniards now too late repented
the wicked deed they had done, and seeing death at hand, trembled at future
punishments; despair urged them on, and they turned back and pursued their
enemies, who fled before them to the place where poor Leander, roused with the
noise of their guns and swords, was standing as a man who was prepared for
death, and unconcerned at whatever happened: but when they called to him to
help them, crying forgive and join with us; christianity, and the generosity of
his great soul, made him forget the injuries they had done him; and like a lion
roused from his den, fall on the Savages till they had all left the place. Then
thinking it unsafe to pursue them further, he advised the Spaniards to retreat
towards the river under the covert of some rock; they consented, and hasted
thither, there they found a great cavern in the side of a rock, into which they
entered with joy, and being quite spent, and three of them dangerously wounded,
they sat down on the ground to rest, destitute of food or any necessaries. That
night the three wounded men expired; a sad admonition to the rest, who were
conscious they deserved no less. They were now sincerely penitent, and
consulted with Leander, whom they resolved to obey in all things, what was best
to be done; they knew they could not live without provision, and though they
hoped the boat would return to fetch them, yet that being uncertain, they must
find some means to subsist. At last they resolved to go out of this dismal
place before it was broad day, and if possible seize upon one of the huts of
the savages, and secure them, and so keep them as hostages, sending one at a
time to fetch food for them, and by signs threaten to kill the rest if he
failed to return. They charged their fire-arms, and crept along the shore till
they came to a hut, into which they entered, and found two savages, a woman,
three children, and an European man, as his complexion shewed, asleep; they
seized the Savages, but for the white man, who appeared to be of a great age,
he arose and embraced them, crossing himself; and lifting up his hands as a man
overjoy’d, he spake to them in the Latin tongue, desiring to know who they were
and whence they came. The Spaniards afraid to speak the true cause coming
thither, said they were come on shore in their boat in search of water, and
being set upon by the savages, had been detained there whilst the boat went
off; those they left in it being as they supposed frighted away by the noise of
their guns. The old man spoke to the Indians in their tongue, and they
immediately fell at the Spaniard’s feet, kissing them, and bowing down their
heads in token of obedience. The old man told Leander that he had lived twenty
years in that country; that he was a Benedictine monk, born at Valladolid in
Spain, and thence sent to Peru, from whence he had travelled to this place by
land; that he had learned the language of these Savages, and living amongst
them, gained their esteem, and converted many to christianity; that these poor
Savages were some of them, with whom he chose to live, being very honest
people; that he would undertake they should supply all their wants, and be very
serviceable to them; that the Savages they had fought with were the enemies of
the prince that governed that part of the country, and used frequently to
invade him, and carry off some of his people, whom they eat, as his subjects
did them; but that now he had persuaded a great many from doing it, and pretty
well broke them of those barbarous customs. He then desired the Spaniards to
sit down with him, and take some refreshment without fear. After which he said
he would conduct them to a place where they might live securely, till he could
find means to procure their return to the island of St. Domingo or Virginia,
offering to be their guide to Carthagena, from whence they might get shipping
to either place. Leander returned him a thousand acknowledgments, and in his
soul greatly admired the providence of God, but wanted an opportunity to inform
him of the Spanish villainy in bringing him thither, and to warn him not to be
too free in discovering any secret retreat to them, which he was desirous to
conceal, though his countrymen; for though they appeared sincerely penitent,
yet he feared to trust himself with them to return to the island of St.
Domingo, resolving to go to Virginia, and not venture to go there any more;
concluding in himself, that if Harriot’s affection for him continued sincere,
she would, now being a widow, find means to get away and come to him thither;
and that if at his return to Virginia, he could hear nothing of her nor his
dear friend, he would apply to the Spanish Vice-Roy at Mexico for justice; and
being a native of France, he doubted not of obtaining it, since France and Spain
were at peace. He and the rest sat down with the good monk; the poor Savages,
who were by profession fishermen, set bread and cold dressed fish before them,
with some meat and broth which they had boiled the day before for the humble
priest and themselves; this they had warmed over a fire which they made in the
hut with a few stones set in form of a hearth, with a hole made in the ground,
setting the pot on the stones, and making a fire underneath: they gave them
also drink and rum, which greatly refreshed them.
Leander whispered the monk that he wanted to
speak with him alone; he took the hint, and after eating, advised the
Spaniard’s to lie down on the clean straw which the poor Savages had laid for
them in one corner of the hut, the only bed he and they had used to lie upon;
there, said he, you may repose yourselves, whilst your leader and I discourse.
They readily complied glad to take some rest. Whilst he and Leander walked over
the hill, they descended into a fine valley, at the bottom of which was a little
kind of copse or thicket, composed of stately tall trees and close quickset
hedges. By the way Leander told him his story; the monk detesting their
baseness, told him he should return no more to them, but abide with those that
he had placed in that little cell to which he was going to carry him: there you
will find, said he, a gentleman and lady whose conversation will make you think
the time no way tedious whilst you stay here; it is a month since they were
cast away upon this shore, and by my means, through the mercy of God, preserved
as you have been. I heard a dreadful storm in the dead of the night, and
walking out on the shore so soon as day-break to see what mischief that sad
night had done, discerned at some distance two women, one richly dressed, the
other like her servant, wringing their hands, and lamenting over a person who
lay on the sands, as I supposed, dead; the lady expressed the most extravagant
concern that ever I beheld. I made what haste I could to their assistance, and
at my approaching her was extremely surprised; she was young and fair as an
angel, her hair was hanging loose, and wet as was her habit, but she had a
necklace and pendants of diamonds, with a stomacher that dazled my eyes; she
was dressed in a Spanish dress, her vest was black velvet, her petticoat gold
tissue, bracelets of pearl; and in fine, I never saw a person of greater
beauty, or who appeared more like a woman of quality than the distressed
Ravina, for that is her name; the man that lay at her feet as dead, appeared
her equal in all kinds; he was young, handsome, richly dressed, and seemed just
drowned. I staid not to deliberate, but lifted him up, saying in Spanish, which
I supposed she spoke, God comfort and help you, sweet lady, has this gentleman
been here in this condition any time? Oh no, said she, he is just cast upon the
shore. Then said I, there is hopes; I immediately turned his head downwards,
and a great deal of water poured out of his mouth, he shewed some signs of
life. Having thus given his stomach some relief by this discharge of water, I
set him upright on the ground, chafed his temples, and taking a little bottle
of rack, which I always carried about me, poured some down his throat; in fine,
I brought him to life, and she and the maid, her servant, assisting, we brought
him into this little wood to which we are going, a place which I had chosen to
make me a little oratory in, and had caused my converted Savages to build with
some boards, making me a kind of little chappel with an altar, and a chamber or
dormitory behind it to repose in, in the heat of the day. Here I used to
perform the holy duties of my office, to baptize, and give the blessed
eucharist, having under the altar a way into a little vault, where I keep poor
vestments and what else belongs to the altar. I brought them to this place,
fearing the jewels she had on, and her beauty, might tempt the Savages to some
wickedness; for should the savage prince Manca, who governs this part of this
barbarous country, hear of or get sight of this fair European, he would have
her for his brutish pleasure in spite of all intreaties or resistance;
therefore I secured her here, where she has remained a whole month concealed.
Her adventures, and the brave Bellario her husband’s, you shall know from themselves:
in this place and company I will leave you, and at my return to your
companions, tell them a wild beast came out of a wood and devoured you, so send
them away by the first opportunity, and I will disguise and conduct you,
Ravinia, her husband and servant, to Carthagena, from whence we will go
together for Europe, or where you please; for I am weary with living amongst
Savages, and having but a little time more to live in the world, am desirous to
spend it in my convent amongst my countrymen and friends, who may lay me to
rest when dead amongst my ancestors. The hardships I have endured for twenty
years in this place, have so broke my constitution, that I am not able to hold
it much longer. By this time they were come to the wood, and ending their discourse,
the monk presented Leander to the gentleman and his lady, who being acquainted
with his adventures, embraced and welcomed him to their poor habitation,
overjoyed that they should have such company, and promised to go with him to
Virginia, and procure him all the satisfaction he could desire of the governor
of the island of St. Domingo, Ravina being the Vice-Roy’s daughter. But words
cannot express Leander’s surprise at the first sight of these strangers; he
thought Ravina so beautiful, that she excelled all her sex; her air, her shape,
dress and face, and the gloominess of the place she was in, filled him with an
unusual veneration and respect for her. Bellario was tall, finely shaped, and
had a majestick sweetness in his look that commanded the respect and gained the
love of all that saw him. Their servant was a young Italian maid, who though of
an olive complexion, was very agreeable, well shaped, and had eyes so black and
shining, that it was dangerous to look upon them. The monk used to send them provisions
by this girl, whose name was Philinda, having been christened by Ravina who
took her when a child, and had brought her up. Philinda went every morning to
the hut to fetch such poor food as the monk could procure for them; they drank
water from an adjacent spring, had some poultry that they kept in the wood to
supply them with flesh and eggs, there being plenty of fowl in those parts, as
likewise roots: the country being not very well peopled, they lay on straw; and
there growing very good grapes in the valleys, they had hung some up to dry in
the sun upon the hedges, and squeezing the juice out of others, drank of it
instead of wine. Thus these great people, who had been used to all the
delicacies in nature, and had never slept but upon down, and used to have the
finest clean linen every day, were now content to live in the poorest manner,
and found that it was possible to live without all those things that a
plentiful fortune furnishes. The monk having thus introduced Leander, and
stayed some time with them, took leave; and then Leander being intreated,
entertained them with a more particular account of his life and adventures.
After which Bellario returned the favour with the relation of his and Ravina,
being seated under a fine spreading tree near the door of their cottage, it
being now the close of the day, and a fine evening, Philinda being very near
them milking two tame she-goats which the monk had sent thither, and were of
great service to them.
They being all seated commanding on the left
side a fine view of the river Oroonoko, which discharged itself into the sea
fronting them, and on the right, a fine range of cedar trees: in this
delightful place Bellario began his relation in these words: I should first
relate my dear Ravina’s birth, and speak of her family. She was the only
daughter of the marquis of Castile, who is descended of one of noblest families
in Italy, though born a Spaniard: her mother was daughter of Don Lorenzo, lord
of Placentia, a Castilian lord of great merit and fortune. The marquis being a
great favourite to the king of Spain, was appointed vice-roy of the Indies in
the year 1692, at which time Ravina was thirteen years of age. He arrived
safely at Mexico the same year with all his family, and has resided there ever
since, which is now ten years. I am the son of Don Alvares de Mendoza, an
Arragonian lord, a man of equal birth and fortune with Ravina’s father; but
there was a mortal hatred between our two families, by reason of a fatal
accident that happened in my infancy: my father had a sister, who was esteemed
one of the fairest and most accomplished young ladies in Spain; she was but
fifteen when my father brought her to court; there a young Castilian cavalier,
who was a colonel of the guards, and nephew to Ravina’s father, saw and fell in
love with my aunt, who was already promised to a lord of the first quality and
fortune in Arragon: he courted her privately by means of a servant, who was in
his interest; and having gained my aunt’s affection, at length obtained the last
favour. It was not long after this unhappy converse had been between them,
before the lord to whom she was promised arrived, and she was constrained to
marry him: he suspecting her virtue, being sensible she was no virgin, became
furiously jealous; yet concealed his thoughts from her and all the world,
resolving to stay till he had discovered the happy rival that had been
beforehand with him, before he let his resentments break forth: for these
reasons he gave her opportunities of seeing her lover, carrying her down to a
country-seat not far from Madrid, which he had bought since his marriage, under
pretence of obliging her, but indeed with design to discover the fatal secret.
Here he often left her for a night or two, whilst he went and stayed at Madrid
with the king; the unfortunate Don Lorenzo (her lover) failed not to supply his
place in her arms, going disguised to a peasant’s house at a village near, from
whence (attended only by one servant) he entered the gardens, and went into her
apartment by a ladder of ropes, which she used to fasten for him on a balcony
that opened into her chamber. Her lord (the incensed Arragonian) soon
discovered all by means of a page whom he had employed to watch; and one night
he concealed himself in a summer-house in the garden, having only this page
with him, both well armed; and the moon shining very bright, saw Don Lorenzo go
into her chamber by the ladder, which he left hanging in order to his retreat,
as usual. He stayed till he supposed he was undrest and gone to bed; then he
mounted the ladder, followed by his page, and coming into the chamber, where a
wax-light was burning on the table, approached the bed softly. Don Lorenzo
having heard some little noise, was started up, and sat upright in the bed:
This gave the enraged husband a fair opportunity for his revenge, he stabbed
him to the heart with his dagger; the poor lady shrieking out, he tore her out
of bed by the hair, cut out her tongue, and discharging one of his pistols in
her face, which he had loaded with small bird-shot on purpose, left her on the
bed blind, her eyes and face being in a most dreadful condition, all tore to
pieces, and full of the shot. Never was a more tragick scene than this chamber
appeared; she looked like the wronged Calista, and the unfortunate Lorenzo lay
weltering in his blood, expiring on the floor.
Thus one imprudent sinful action occasioned the
ruin of three noble accomplished persons; nay, involved their families in the
greatest misfortunes, and have intailed them upon their posterity; the first
ground of which was the ladies parents, who not consulting her inclination,
matched her against her will; want of a firm virtue in her made her yield to
another, when she was pre-ingaged by them: and an unchristian spirit of revenge
governed her husband, and made him commit two dreadful murders, and incur the
anger of heaven, and the justice of the laws: which though he escaped by flight
and his prince’s favour, yet it ruined his peace and fortune. I hope it will be
a warning to all who hear this dismal story, to avoid the like crimes. The
distracted husband having thus discharged his fury, thought of his own safety;
and taking some gold and his wife’s jewels out of a cabine, in that room,
descended the ladder, and attended by his page, went out of another gate than
that by which his rival had entered; and mounting his horse, which he had left
there with his page, they rode away as swift as possible to a place twenty
miles farther, where he took shelter in a convent of Benedictine monks. Don Lorenzo’s
gentleman finding his master stayed longer than usual, grew uneasy, and
quitting his horse ventured up the ladder, thinking he might be asleep; but
entering the room, he was filled with such horror and amazement, that he
alarmed all the servants with the outcries he made. The poor lady was not dead;
she was such an object as would have excited compassion in the heart of a
barbarian. It was easy to guess the cause of all these dreadful deeds, had the
gentleman not revealed them by his lamentations over his dead lord; but he
concealed nothing in his passion, but too well explained the ladies crime and
his master’s.
Not to detain you longer on so sad a subject, a
surgeon being fetched, the poor lady was put into bed, and her face dressed,
but there being little appearance of her recovery, which indeed would have been
a greater misfortune to her than death, her confessor was sent for, who prayed
for her, and gave her all the spiritual comfort he was able; and though she
could not speak, yet by signs she testified her repentance. He stayed with her
many hours, till finding the anguish of her wounds and loss of blood took away
her senses by a strong fever, he left her to the care of her servants, and
assisted Don Lorenzo’s gentleman to remove his master’s body into a hearse the
servants had brought to carry him to his own house at Madrid. Then he returned
to the lady, to whom he administered the last rites of the church, and about
four in the morning she expired.
I need not tell you how enraged my father, and all
our family, was against the cruel Alvares, when this story was known; nor were
Don Lorenzo’s friends less afflicted: but Alvares’s family did all that was
possible to obtain his pardon of the king, pleading the enormity of her crime,
and the justice of his procedure; and that he could do no less than sacrifice
both her and her paramour to repair his honour; that the injury was
unpardonable in both; that the cruelty he had exercised on his lady was
excusable, considering the greatness of the provocation. In fine, they said all
they could in his defence, whilst her family and Don Lorenzo’s used all their
interest against him, and were so potent, that though the king was inclined to
forgive and only banish him, yet he deferred to declare himself, and so gave
him time to get off with much wealth, having sold off secretly and made
conveyances of his estate, before a process could be got out against him:
however, he was sued and condemned, when he was got out of the reach of the
laws. My grandmother broke her heart for her unfortunate daughter. Ravina’s
father and family, and mine, though they joined in prosecuting Don Alvarez, yet
conceived a mortal aversion to one another, and much blood was spilt on both
sides by duels and rencounters; so that some few years after the king honoured
her father with this great post in the Indies, to prevent a farther effusion of
blood and quarrels. I was too young at this fatal juncture, when these
misfortunes happened; but Ravina and I growing older, my soul was charmed with her
beauty; and though I could see no hopes of ever gaining her’s or her father’s
consent, yet I could not forbear loving, or desist from pursuing her: my
quality and fortune made way, and having nothing to urge against me but a
family difference, the charming Ravina consulting reason and religion, saw the
folly and injustice of that procedure, and gave ear to my persuasions: At last
she generously confessed a passion for me, and promised to be mine provided I
could gain her father’s consent. I then applied to my father, who acquainted
the king with our mutual affection, and pleading that this was the only way to
reconcile the two families, and put an end to that fatal strife that had been
of such ill consequences to both, prevailed with his majesty to propose it to
Elvira’s father; but he delaying to give a positive answer, having before
obtained the viceroyship, went off without it, and so obliged me to follow him.
I obtained a letter from the king, in which he even commanded him to give me
Ravina, and let our marriage be forthwith consummated: my family and hers all
joined in this, and I departed Spain with a whole packet full of letters to
this effect. I was certain of not being refused now, since he did not dare to
disoblige or disobey the king. I arrived safely at Mexico, and was well
received according to my expectation, and soon after married to my dear Ravina:
and now being completely happy, we studied how to divert ourselves, and take
all the innocent diversions the land and sea afforded; being at a pleasure-house
of the governor’s on the lake, we went aboard a yatch one evening to take the
air upon the sea, it being fine weather, and resolved to spend the night in
mirth and pleasure. We had several ladies and gentlemen with us, with musick.
We supped, danced, and were very merry; but about midnight a terrible storm
blew, after having been tossed about many days and nights, not knowing where we
were, we were driven upon a bank of sand near this shore. Here we lay bulging
till such time as the yatch was torn to pieces, then every one shifted for
himself: Ravina and our friends were got into the boat, I placed myself near to
her, resolving to bear her to shore, if possible, on my back, in case the boat
should not hold out the storm to the shore, as it happened, for it was soon
swallowed up in the waves: I catched fast hold of her, bidding her throw her
arms about my neck; and it being now day, I made for the shore which I saw
before me; but my strength being almost spent before I could reach it, just as
I felt the land under my feet I fainted; she laying hold of me, pulled me up
and saved me. Philena having got hold of a plank that was floating, being part
of the ship, to which she clung very fast, was by the providence of God saved;
and the wind blowing directly to the shore, she was thrown upon the sands
before us, and seeing my distress and Ravina’s, ran to her assistance, who had
otherwise perished with me. They dragged me on shore out of the reach of the
waves, which would have washed us away; there the good father came to our
relief. Thus the divine providence has preserved our lives and yours in a
miraculous manner, and will, I hope, furnish us with means to return to our
homes in health and safety.
Thus Don Bellario ended his relation, and they
passed a few days as agreeably as the dismalness of their abode would permit,
the monk visited them every day, when the Savages were gone a fishing. One
evening the monk returning home, saw some white men, who appeared to be
Europeans by their habit, sitting round a fire boiling a pot on the shore;
their fire-arms being muskets, lay by them. He saw that a pinnace lay on the
shore, and discerned the ship lying at anchor about half a league off: he made
signs to them to permit him to come near; they answered, and he hasted to them,
and found they were come from the island of St. Christopher’s, and bound to
Spain: He told them of the Spaniards that he had saved, and prevailed with them
to take them on board their ship; he went and called them, and they were
overjoyed to get thence, and meet with such a lucky opportunity; and the monk
thanked God that he was rid of them, being uneasy whilst they were on that
shore, lest they should discover his concealed friends whom he dearly esteemed,
but these he abhorred, as being villains. They went away that night, returning
many thanks to him, and seeming very sorry that Leander was not still alive to
go with them; but hoping in themselves, as it afterwards proved, that when they
got to the island of St. Domingo, the revengeful governor would reward them
highly, designing to tell him that they had disposed of him in the woods, where
he had been devoured by the wild beasts. The glad monk carried the good news of
their departure to his friends the next morning. Now they consulted about
getting to Carthagena; by land it was very dangerous, and by sea very
difficult; for they had the Savages to fear as they travelled, and dreadful
mountains and woods to pass through; no boat of strength sufficient to carry
them, and not provision enough for a voyage of so many days at sea; and what
was worse, no pilot to guide the vessel, if they had had one. In fine, they
knew not what course to take: at last they resolved to venture to cross the
great river Oroonoko in the Savages fishing-boat. This being resolved, trusting
to providence, they prepared to go; but the night before they were to depart,
they saw a man running down the adjacent hill, pursued by a fierce tyger: he
had a drawn sword in his hand, and a strange-fashioned coat made of beasts skins:
he had no shoes or stockings, but pieces of bears skins tied about his legs
with twigs; his head had a strange fur cap on; his face they could scarce
distinguish, till coming into the wood, he climbed up a tree, and the beast
pursuing him to the foot of it, Leander, who had fetched a gun, shot it dead,
having perceived the man was a white, and his countenance no Indian. No sooner
was the beast killed, but the man leaped down from the tree, and ran to embrace
his benefactor, whose surprise cannot be exprest when he saw his face, and
heard him call him by his name, and knew it was the honest captain of the ship
who lived at Virginia, and had carried him and his friend Dumaresque to the
island of St. Domingo. Elvira and her dear Bellario, who were retired at the
stranger’s approach, hearing them talk, came forth, and invited him in, being
together in the hermitage, for that was properly the name of their cell: they
asked him to eat, a favour he gladly accepted of; Philena set what provisions
they had before him, as cold fowl, goats milk, bread, dryed grapes, and water,
and wine made of their juice; a noble feast to a man who had lived for above
five weeks on roots and fruits, such as the woods produced, and had not tasted
any drest food, neither bread, meat nor fish. Being much refreshed, he related
to them the manner of his coming thither.
I was going on a voyage for some merchants,
said he, to Barbadoes about six weeks ago, my ship being heavy laden with goods
for that place, at which I was to unload, and take in others for other islands:
I had a fair gale of wind and good voyage, till I came near the Summer-Islands;
then a storm arose and drove the ship up this river, where it was dashed to
pieces against some rocks, amongst some unknown, and I suppose uninhabited
islands. I had but eight men and a boy aboard, two of whom were blown off the
shrouds into the sea: those that were left got out the boat, and we quitted the
shattered vessel, which was full of water above the first deck, and committed
ourselves to the mercy of God. The night was dark as pitch, and we knew not
which way to steer. At last the boat, unable to hold out against the dreadful
waves that bore her up to the skies one moment, and then opening, seemed to
sink her into the bottomless deep, the wreck being filled with water by a great
sea that washed over her, sunk; and then we gave ourselves over for lost, and
were all separated, never to meet again in this world, I fear. Nature taught
me, though hopeless, to struggle for life; and it being just break of day, I
discerned the shore, and made for it; the wind sitting fair, helped me greatly.
At last I reached it half dead, and sitting down on the side of a rock to
recover myself, looked round to see where I was, and soon found that I was cast
on this inhospitable shore, where I must expect to be devoured either by men or
beasts; this made me almost repent that I had escaped drowning. I had no arms
nor food, and my soul being full of horrible apprehensions of the
Cannibal-Savages, I sought for a place to hide myself in, and looking about,
crept into a hole in a great rock, not far from that on which I sat down; and
being quite spent with the fatigue of the past night, I fell into a profound
sleep, out of which I was awakened some hours after by two Savages, who were
stripping me, and had already got my shoes and stockings; but going to pull off
my coat and waistcoat, which they could not do without lifting me up, I
awakened, and looking up, caught one of them by the throat; and wrenching this
sword out of his hand, he broke from me, carrying away my clothes, which he
held so fast that he tore my coat and waistcoat off as he broke from me, and
they both fled with incredible celerity. I was now left almost naked, and
fearing they would return with more Savages, and fall upon me, I fled up into
the woods, not knowing where else to hide myself, but amongst the trees and
bushes. And now being ready to faint with hunger, I searched about for wild
fruits and roots, and eat whatever I could find, which, alas! instead of
satisfying my hungry stomach, made me sick. I sat in a tree all that night, and
the next day so soon as it was light, crept down to the shore, to see if I
could espy a boat, or any of my sailors who might have escaped like me to the
shore; and there, to my great surprise, I saw my boat lying on the sands, and
was transported to find her there, thinking I might get off with her the next
tide, and reach some of our islands. So soon as the water flowed, and the sea
coming in, set her afloat; I ran down, and leaping into her, steered her by the
rudder along the shore, but found I was not able to govern her at sea: I wanted
strength and more hands, had neither oars nor sails, yet I feared to lose her;
and finding I could not venture out with her, I resolved, if possible, to
secure her in some place where the Savages should not find her, in hopes that I
might meet with some christians here whom chance had brought, like me, to this
barbarous land, who would be glad to escape hence, and assist me to get away in
her. I brought the boat accordingly along the shore, till I came to a kind of a
creek, so covered with trees, that it was almost impossible to perceive any
thing that lay there. I brought her into this creek, at the end of which was a
very thick wood; and having halled her on shore, broke down a great many of the
green branches of the trees, and made a kind of bower over it, so that it lies
quite covered; I have lain aboard it every night since: I have every day ranged
about for food, and lived chiefly on the eggs of the sea-fowl and turtles,
which I found in the rocks and on the sands, nor did I dare attempt to make a
fire to dress any thing, for fear of discovery, so I sustained life by sucking
them, and eating turtles raw, laying the flesh in the sun till it was hot, and
then I eat it as savorily as if it had been the greatest dainty in the world. I
knew not what to do for clothes, but one day finding two bears cubs in a wood,
I killed and flead them, hanging their skins on the hedges to dry, these I made
into the strange fashioned coat I have on: I killed some young goats also, and
eating the flesh, made me a cap and spatterdashes with the skins, as you see.
But I must now acquaint you with the most surprising accident that ever befel any man living. One morning roaming about a wood, I met with a young woman fair as Venus, but pale as death; she was wrapped in a piece of sailcloth, having nothing under but a fine Holland shift, a white dimity petticoat and waistcoat, and no headclothes, but her hair, which was the finest light brown, hung in curls down to her waist; but all this was hid under her canvas wrapper; she seemed half famished, and was so surprised at the sight of me, supposing me a Savage, that she ran away from me as fast as she was able. I followed her till she ran into a cave, into which I entered, and getting hold of her, spoke in English, asking her who she was, and of what nation. She seemed surprised to the last degree, and said, pray do not kill or be rude with me; I am a poor unfortunate maid, said she, who by cruel guardians was trepann’d and sent away for Jamaica; but our ship being drove on this coast, was lost, and I with one young man, who was the captain’s kinsman, were saved on this unhappy coast: here we lived together for three days, but the fourth, going out of the cave as usual to seek for food, he never returned, and is I fear murdered. I have lived in this dismal place two months, all alone, under the most dreadful apprehensions imaginable, almost famished and pinched with cold and damps; not daring to go far from my cave for fear of meeting the savages. I was charmed with her tears, and pierced to the soul with her condition. I told her my story, and begg’d her to go along with me, and live in the boat, promising to protect her with my life, and provide her with s