 | Oroonoko |  |
35
ACT III.
SCENE I.
[Aboan with several Slaves, Hottman.]Hott.
What! to be Slaves to Cowards! Slaves to Rogues!
Who cann't defend themselves!
Abo.
Who is this Fellow? he talks as if he were acquainted
With our design: is he one of us?
[Aside to his own Gang.
Slav.
Not yet: but he will be glad to make one, I believe.
Abo.
He makes a mighty noise.
Hott.
Go, sneak in Corners; whisper out your Griefs,
For fear your Masters hear you: cringe and crouch
Under the bloody whip, like beaten Currs,
That lick their Wounds, and know no other cure.
All, wretches all! you feel their cruelty,
As much as I can feel, but dare not groan.
For my part, while I have a Life and Tongue,
I'll curse the Authors of my Slavery.
Abo.
Have you been long a Slave?
Hott.
Yes, many years.
Abo.
And do you only curse?
Hott.
Curse? only curse? I cannot conjure,
To raise the Spirits of other Men:
I am but one. O! for a Soul of fire,
To warm, and animate our common Cause,
And make a body of us: then I wou'd
Do something more than curse.
Abo.
That body set on Foot, you wou'd be one,
A limb, to lend it motion.
Hott.
I wou'd be the Heart of it: the Head, the Hand, and Heart.
Wou'd I cou'd see the day:
Abo.
You will do all your self.
Hott.
I wou'd do more, than I shall speak: but I may find a time.
Abo.
The time may come to you; be ready for't.
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Before I trust him farther.
Slav.
If he dares half what he says, he'll be of use to us.
[Enter Blanford to 'em.]
Blan.
If there be any one among you here,
That did belong to Oroonoko, speak,
I come to him.
Abo.
I did belong to him: Aboan; my Name.
Blan.
You are the Man I want; pray, come with me.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.
[Oroonoko and Imoinda.]Oro.
I do not blame my Father for his Love:
(Tho' that had been enough to ruine me)
'Twas Nature's fault, that made you like the Sun,
The reasonable worship of Mankind:
He cou'd not help his Adoration.
Age had not lock'd his Sences up so close,
But he had Eyes, that open'd to his Soul,
And took your Beauties in: he felt your pow'r,
And therefore I forgive his loving you.
But when I think on his Barbarity,
That cou'd expose you to so many Wrongs;
Driving you out to wretched Slavery,
Only for being mine; then I confess,
I wish I cou'd forget the Name of Son,
That I might curse the Tyrant.
Imo.
I will bless him, for I have found you here: Heav'n only knows
What is reserv'd for us: but if we ghess
The future by the past, our Fortune must
Be wonderfull, above the common Size
Of good or ill; it must be in extreams:
Extreamly happy, or extreamly wretched.
Oro.
'Tis in our pow'r to make it happy now.
Imo.
But not to keep it so.
[Enter Blanford and Aboan.
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My Royal Lord! I have a Present for you.
Oro.
Aboan!
Abo.
Your lowest Slave.
Oro.
My try'd and valu'd Friend.
This worthy Man always prevents my wants:
I only wish'd, and he has brought thee to me.
Thou art surpriz'd: carry thy duty there;
[Aboan goes to Imoinda and falls at her Feet.
While I acknowledge mine, how shall I thank you.
Blan.
Believe me honest to your interest,
And I am more than paid. I have secur'd,
That all your Followers shall be gently us'd.
This Gentleman, your chiefest Favourite,
Shall wait upon your Person, while you stay among us.
Oro.
I owe every thing to you.
Blan.
You must not think you are in Slavery.
Oro.
I do not find I am.
Blan.
Kind Heaven has miraculously sent
Those Comforts, that may teach you to expect
Its farther care, in your deliverance.
Oro.
I sometimes think my self, Heav'n is concern'd:
For my deliverance.
Blan.
It will be soon:
You may expect it. Pray, in the mean time,
Appear as chearfull as you can among us.
You have some Enemies, that represent
You dangerous, and wou'd be glad to find
A Reason, in your discontent, to fear:
They watch your looks. But there are honest Men,
Who are your Friends: You are secure in them.
Oro.
I thank you for your caution.
Blan.
I will leave you:
And be assur'd, I wish your liberty.
[Exit.
Abo.
He speaks you very fair.
Oro.
He means me fair.
Abo.
If he should not, my Lord.
Oro.
If, he should not.
I'll not suspect his Truth: but if I did,
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Abo.
You secure, not to be disappointed: but besides,
There's this advantage in suspecting him:
When you put off the hopes of other men,
You will rely upon your God-like self:
And then you may be sure of liberty.
Oro.
Be sure of liberty! what dost thou mean;
Advising to rely upon my self?
I think I may be sure on't: we must wait:
'Tis worth a little patience.
[Turning to Imoinda
Abo.
O my Lord!
Oro.
What dost thou drive at?
Abo.
Sir, another time,
You wou'd have found it sooner: but I see
Love has your Heart, and takes up all your thoughts,
Oro.
And canst thou blame me?
Abo.
Sir, I must not blame you.
But as our fortune stands there is a Passion
(Your pardon Royal Mistriss, I must speak:)
That wou'd become you better than your Love:
A brave resentment; which inspir'd by you,
Might kindle, and diffuse a generous rage
Among the Slaves, to rouze and shake our Chains,
And struggle to be free.
Oro.
How can we help-our selves?
Abo.
I knew you, when you wou'd have found a way.
How, help our selves! the very Indians teach us:
We need but to attempt our Liberty,
And we may carry it. We have Hands sufficient,
Double the number of our Masters force,
Ready to be employ'd. What hinders us.
To set 'em then at work? we want but you,
To head our enterprize, and bid us strike.
Oro.
What wou'd you do?
Abo.
Cut our Oppressors Throats.
Oro.
And you wou'd have me joyn in your design of Murder?
Abo.
It deserves a better Name:
But be it what it will, 'tis justified
39
Oro.
I'll hear no more on't.
Abo.
I am sorry for't.
Oro.
Nor shall you think of it.
Abo.
Not think of it!
Oro.
No, I command you not.
Abo.
Remember Sir,
You are a Slave your self, and to command,
Is now anothers right. Not think of it!
Since the first moment they put on my Chains,
I've thought of nothing but the weight of 'em,
And how to throw 'em off: can yours sit easie?
Oro.
I have a sense of my condition,
As painfull, and as quick, as yours can be.
I feel for my Imoinda and my self;
Imoinda much the tenderest part of me.
But though I languish for my liberty,
I wou'd not buy it at the Christian Price
Of black Ingratitude: they shannot say,
That we deserv'd our Fortune by our Crimes.
Murder the Innocent!
Abo.
The Innocent!
Oro.
These men are so, whom you wou'd rise against:
If we are Slaves, they did not make us Slaves;
But bought us in an honest way of trade:
As we have done before 'em, bought and sold
Many a wretch, and never thought it wrong.
They paid our Price for us, and we are now
Their Property, a part of their Estate,
To manage as they please. Mistake me not,
I do not tamely say, that we should bear
All they could lay upon us: but we find
The load so light, so little to be felt,
(Considering they have us in their power,
And may inflict what grievances they please)
We ought not to complain.
Abo.
My Royal Lord!
You do not know the heavy Grievances,
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Which they impose; Burdens, more fit for Beasts,
For senseless Beasts to bear, than thinking Men.
Then if you saw the bloody Cruelties,
They execute on every slight offence;
Nay sometimes in their proud, insulting sport:
How worse than Dogs, they lash their fellow Creatures:
Your heart wou'd bleed for 'em. O cou'd you know
How many Wretches lift their Hands and Eyes
To you, for their Relief.
Oro.
I pity 'em,
And wish I cou'd with honesty do more.
Abo.
You must do more, and may, with honesty.
O Royal Sir, remember who you are,
A Prince, born for the good of other Men:
Whose God-like Office is to draw the Sword
Against Oppression, and set free Mankind:
And this, I'm sure, you think Oppression now.
What tho' you have not felt these miseries,
Never believe you are oblig'd to them:
They have their selfish reasons, may be, now,
For using of you well: but there will come
A time, when you must have your share of 'em.
Oro.
You see how little cause I have to think so:
Favour'd in my own Person, in my Friends;
Indulg'd in all that can concern my care,
In my Imoinda's soft Society.
[Embracing her.
Abo.
And therefore wou'd you lye contented down,
In the forgetfulness, and arms of Love,
To get young Princes for 'em?
Oro.
Say'st thou! ha!
Abo.
Princes, the Heirs of Empire, and the last
Of your illustrious Lineage, to be born
To pamper up their Pride, and be their Slaves?
Oro.
Imoinda! save me, save me from that thought.
Imo.
There is no safety from it: I have long
Suffer'd it with a Mother's labouring pains;
And can no longer. Kill me, kill me now,
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Rather than let me live to see you hate me:
As you must hate me; me, the only cause;
The Fountain of these flowing miseries:
Dry up this Spring of Life, this pois'nous Spring,
That swells so fast, to overwhelm us all.
Oro.
Shall the dear Babe, the eldest of my hopes,
Whom I begot a Prince, be born a Slave?
The treasure of this Temple was design'd
T'enrich a Kingdoms Fortune: shall it here
Be seiz'd upon by vile unhallow'd hands,
To be employ'd in uses most prophane?
Abo.
In most unworthy uses; think of that;
And while you may, prevent it. O my Lord!
Rely on nothing that they say to you.
They speak you fair, I know, and bid you wait.
But think what 'tis to wait on promises:
And promises of Men, who know no tye
Upon their words, against their interest:
And where's their interest in freeing you?
Imo.
O! where indeed, to lose so many Slaves?
Abo.
Nay grant this Man, you think so much your Friend,
Be honest, and intends all that he says:
He is but one; and in a Government,
Where, he confesses, you have Enemies,
That watch your looks: what looks can you put on,
To please these men, who are before resolv'd
To read 'em their own own way? alas! my Lord!
If they incline to think you dangerous,
They have their knavish Arts to make you so.
And then who knows how far their cruelty
May carry their revenge?
Imo.
To every thing,
That does belong to you; your Friends, and me;
I shall be torn from you, forc't away,
Helpless, and miserable: shall I live
To see that day agen?
Oro.
That day shall never come.
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I know you are perswaded to believe
The Governour's arrival will prevent
These mischiefs, and bestow your liberty:
But who is sure of that? I rather fear
More mischiefs from his coming: he is young,
Luxurious, passionate, and amorous:
Such a Complexion, and made bold by power,
To countenance all he is prone to do;
Will know no bounds, no law against his Lusts:
If, in a fit of his Intemperance,
With a strong hand, he should resolve to seize,
And force my Royal Mistress from your Arms,
How can you help your self?
Oro.
Ha! thou hast rouz'd
The Lion in his den, he stalks abroad,
And the wide Forrest trembles at his roar.
I find the danger now: my Spirits start
At the alarm, and from all quarters come
To Man my Heart, the Citadel of love
It there a power on Earth to force you from me?
And shall I not resist it? not strike first
To keep, to save you? to prevent that curse?
This is your Cause, and shall it not prevail?
O! you were born all ways to conquer me.
Now I am fashion'd to thy purpose: speak,
What Combination, what Conspiracy,
Woud'st thou engage me in? Ile undertake
All thou woud'st have me now for liberty,
For the great Cause of Love and Liberty.
Abo.
Now, my great Master, you appear your self.
And since we have you joyn'd in our design,
It cannot fail us. I have muster'd up
The choicest Slaves, Men who are sensible
Of their condition, and seem most resolv'd:
They have their several parties.
Oro:
Summon 'em,
Assemble 'em: I will come forth, and shew
My self among 'em: if they are resolv'd,
43
Abo.
I have provided those will follow you.
Oro.
With this reserve in our proceeding still,
The means that lead us to our liberty,
Must not be bloody.
Abo.
You command in all.
We shall expect you, Sir.
Oro.
You shannot long.
Exeunt Oroonoko and Imoinda at one Door, Aboan at another.
SCENE III.
[Welldon coming in before Mrs. Lackit.]Wid.
These unmannerly Indians were something unseasonable,
to disturb us just in the nick, Mr. Weldon: but I have the Parson
within call still, to doe us the good turn.
Well.
We had best stay a little I think, to see things settled
agen, had not we? Marriage is a serious thing you know.
Wid.
What do you talk of a serious thing, Mr. Welldon? I
think you have found me sufficiently serious: I have marry'd
my Son to your Sister, to pleasure you: and now I come to
claim your promise to me, you tell me marriage is a serious
thing.
Well.
Why, is it not?
Wid.
Fidle fadle, I know what it is: 'tis not the first time I
have been marry'd, I hope: but I shall begin to think, you don't
design to do fairly by me, so I shall.
Well.
Why indeed, Mrs. Lackit, I am afraid I can't do as fairly
as I wou'd by you. 'Tis what you must know, first or last;
and I shou'd be the worst man in the world to conceal it any
longer; therefore I must own to you, that I am marry'd already.
Wid.
Marry'd! you don't say so I hope! how have you the
Conscience to tell me such a thing to my face! have you abus'd
me then, fool'd and cheated me? What do you take me for,
Mr. Welldon? do you think I am to be serv'd at this rate? but
44
have you to know, I understand better things, than to ruine
my Son without a valuable consideration. If I can't have you,
I can keep my Money. Your Sister shan't have the catch of
him, she expected: I won't part with a Shilling to 'em.
Well.
You made the match your self, you know, you can't
blame me.
Wid.
Yes, yes, I can, and do blame you:
You might have told me before you were marry'd.
Well.
I wou'd not have told you now; but you follow'd me
so close, I was forc'd to't: indeed I am marry'd in England;
but 'tis, as if I were not; for I have been parted from my Wife
a great while: and to do reason on both sides, we hate one another
heartily. Now I did design, and will marry you still,
if you'll have a little patience.
Wid.
A likely business truly.
Well.
I have a Friend in England that I will write to, to poyson
my Wife, and then I can marry you with a good Conscience,
if you love me, as you say you do; you'll consent to that,
I'm sure.
Wid.
And will he do it, do you think?
Well.
At the first word, or he is not the Man I take him
to be.
Wid.
Well, you are a dear Devil, Mr. Welldon:
And wou'd you poyson your Wife for me?
Well.
I wou'd do any thing for you.
Wid.
Well, I am mightily oblig'd to you.
But 'twill be a great while before you can have an answer of
your Letter.
Well.
'Twill be a great while indeed.
Wid.
In the mean time, Mr. Welldon—
Well.
Why in the mean time—
Here's company: we'll settle that within.
I'll follow you.
[Exit Widow.
[Enter Stanmore.]
Stan.
So, Sir, you carry your business swimmingly:
You have stolen a Wedding, I hear.
Well.
Ay, my Sister is marry'd: and I am very near being
run away with my self.
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The Widow will have you then.
Well.
You come very seasonably to my rescue:
Jack Stanmore is to be had, I hope.
Stan.
At half an hours warning.
Well.
I must advise with you.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV.
[Oroonoko with Aboan, Hottman, Slaves.]Oro.
Impossible! nothing's impossible:
We know our strength only by being try'd.
If you object the Mountains, Rivers, Woods
Unpassable, that lie before our March:
Woods we can set on fire: we swim by nature:
What can oppose us then, but we may tame?
All things submit to vertuous industry:
That we can carry with us, that is ours.
Slave.
Great Sir, we have attended all you said,
With silent joy and admiration:
And, were we only-Men, wou'd follow such,
So great a Leader, thro' the untry'd World.
But, oh! consider we have other Names,
Husbands and Fathers, and have things more dear
To us, than Life, our Children, and our Wives,
Unfit for such an expedition:
What must become of them?
Oro.
We wonnot wrong
The virtue of our Women, to believe
There is a Wife among 'em, wou'd refuse
To share her Husband's fortune. What is hard,
We must make easie to 'em in our Love: while we live,
And have our Limbs, we can take care for them;
Therefore I still propose to lead our march
Down to the Sea, and plant a Colony:
Where, in our native innocence, we shall live
Free, and be able to defend our selves;
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Provide a Ship for us.
Abo.
An accident! the luckiest accident presents it self:
The very Ship, that brought and made us Slaves,
Swims in the River still; I see no cause
But we may seize on that.
Oro.
It shall be so:
There is a justice in it pleases me.
Do you agree to it?
[To the Slaves.
Omn.
We follow you.
Oro.
You do not relish it.
[To Hottman.
Hott.
I am afraid
You'll find it difficult, and dangerous.
Abo.
Are you the Man to find the danger first?
You shou'd have giv'n example. Dangerous!
I thought you had not understood the word;
You, who wou'd be the Head, the Hand, and Heart:
Sir, I remember you, you can talk well;
I wonnot doubt but you'll maintain your word.
Oro.
This Fellow is not right, I'll try him further.
[To Aboan.
The danger will be certain to us all:
And Death most certain in miscarrying.
We must expect no mercy, if we fail:
Therefore our way must be not to expect:
We'll put it out of expectation,
By Death upon the place, or Liberty.
There is no mean, but Death or Liberty.
There's no Man here, I hope, but comes prepar'd
For all that can befall him.
Oro.
Death is all:
In most conditions of humanity
To be desir'd but to be shun'd in none:
The remedy of many; wish of some;
And certain end of all.
If there be one among us, who can fear
The face of Death appearing like a Friend,
As in this cause of Honour Death must be:
How will he tremble, when he sees him drest
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In all the terrors of their cruelty?
For now if we shou'd fall into their hands,
Cou'd they invent a thousand murd'ring ways,
By racking Torments, we shou'd feel 'em all.
Hott.
What will become of us?
Oro.
Observe him now.
[To Aboan concerning Hottman.
I cou'd die altogether, like a Man:
As you, and you, and all of us may do:
But who can promise for his bravery
Upon the Rack? where fainting, weary life,
Hunted thro' every Limb, is forc'd to feel
An agonizing death of all its parts?
Who can bear this? resolve to be empal'd?
His Skin flead off, and roasted yet alive?
The quivering flesh torn from his broken Bones,
By burning Pincers? who can bear these Pains?
Hott.
They are not to be born.
[Discovering all the confusion of fear.
Oro.
You see him now, this Man of mighty words!
Abo.
How his Eyes roul!
Oro.
He cannot hide his fear:
I try'd him this way, and have found him out.
Abo.
I cou'd not have believ'd it. Such a Blaze,
And not a spark of Fire!
Oro.
His violence,
Made me suspect him first: now I'm convinc'd.
Abo.
What shall we do with him?
Oro.
He is not fit—
Abo.
Fit! hang him, he is only fit to be
Just what he is, to live and die a Slave:
The base Companion of his servile Fears.
Oro.
We are not safe with him.
Abo.
Do you think so?
Oro.
He'll certainly betray us.
Abo.
That he shan't:
I can take care of that: I have a way
To take him off his evidence.
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What way?
Abo.
I'll stop his mouth before you, stab him here,
And then let him inform.
[Going to stab Hottman, Oroonoko holds him.
Oro.
Thou art not mad?
Abo.
I wou'd secure our selves.
Oro.
It shannot be this way; nay cannot be:
His Murder wou'd alarm all the rest,
Make 'em suspect us of Barbarity,
And, may be, fall away from our design.
We'll not set out in Blood: we have, my Friends,
This Night to furnish what we can provide,
For our security, and just defence.
If there be one among us, we suspect
Of baseness, or vile fear, it will become
Our common care, to have our Eyes on him:
I wonnot name the Man.
Abo.
You ghess at him.
[To Hottman.
Oro.
To morrow, early as the breaking day,
We rendezvous behind the Citron Grove.
That Ship secur'd, we may transport our selves
To our respective homes: my Fathers Kingdom
Shall open her wide arms to take you in,
And nurse you for her own, adopt you all,
All, who will follow me.
Omn.
All, all follow you.
Oro.
There I can give you all your liberty;
Bestow its Blessings, and secure 'em yours.
There you shall live with honour, as becomes
My Fellow-sufferers, and worthy Friends:
This if we do succeed: But if we fall
In our attempt, 'tis nobler still to dye,
Than drag the galling yoke of slavery.
[Exeunt Omnes.]
| Oroonoko | |