University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE, the Governor's House.
The Governor and Hotman.
Gov.
To seize the Ship, say you?

Hot.
Ev'n so, my Lord.

Gov.
And at what Hour?

Hot.
The Hour I cannot tell.

Gov.
Was you not trusted then?

Hot.
I was, my Lord; but he they call the Prince—

Gov.
What, Oroonoko?

Hot.
The same, my Lord; a bloody-minded Fellow;
He and another, took it in their Heads
To think I was not quite the Rogue I seem'd,
And if I had not left them wou'd have stabb'd me.

Gov.
Indeed—well we must be before-hand with 'em—
Your honest Service to the Government
Shall be rewarded with your Liberty;
Let's see—

[Pauses.
Hot.
(aside)
Cou'd I have work'd 'em up to farther Mischief,
My Wages had been more.

[Retiring.
Gov.
Here, Hotman—hark ye,
Let Captain Driver come to me this Moment—
[Exit Hotman.
Why this is just the Thing I wou'd have wish'd;
The Laws now take this Oroonoko off,
And leave Imoinda mine—the Ship secur'd,
His Party will desert him, and with Ease
I then may seize my Prey.—Who waits without?—
Enter Servant.
Go see the Guard be doubled; bid the Centry
Stand to their Arms; let Captain Stanmore know
He must attend me here on instant Business.
[Exit Servant.
Enter Captain Driver.
Captain, what Hands have you on board To-night?

Capt.
Not many; but enough to do the Business—
I learnt it from the Slave I met below.

Gov.
I sent him, Sir—

Capt.
I know it, Governor; and I have sent him
With Orders that the Ship shou'd weigh, and stand
From Shore; 'tis doing, Sir, e'er now.

Gov.
Your Crew then, Captain, are not all on board?

Capt.
No, no; I'll send them Orders to be ready;
They'll do for your Prince Oroonoko yet.

Enter Servant.
Serv.
Here's Captain Stanmore, Sir—

Gov.
I'll come—
[Exit Servant.
Well, Captain, I'll expect you; I shall order
All the Militia under Arms directly,
Here on the Platform.

Capt.
You need not fear me.

[Exit severally.

SCENE II,

the Citron-Grove; Moonlight.
Enter Oroonoko, Aboan, Imoinda, Slaves, Women, and Children following.
Oro.
Come on my Friends! see where the rising Moon
Now shines upon our Purpose! let our March
At once be swift and silent, like her Course;
The Ship surpriz'd, we triumph without Conflict,
Nor mark our Way to Liberty with Blood.

[As Oroonoko is leading them out, a Slave enters and prostrates himself before Oroonoko.
Slav.
My Lord, my Prince—

Oro.
What would'st thou say? be brief; stop us not.

Slav.
The Villain, Hotman.

Abo.
Ah!

Oro.
Well, what of him?—take Courage—what of him?

Slav.
My Lord, I fear he has betray'd us.

Oro.
Why?

Slav.
From our last Rendezvous, my Lord, e'en now
I watch'd him to the Governor's; but there
He stay'd not long; I saw as he came out
He spoke to Captain Driver, and from him,
I watch'd him still, he hasted to the Ship,
Which, now unmoor'd, lies farther from the Shore;
The Captain and his Crew are up in Arms,
All the Militia out, the Place alarm'd:
They'll soon be here—

Oro.
Why we must meet 'em then; the iron Hand
Of stern Necessity, is now upon us;
And from the Rack, she drives us to our Swords.
[Draws.
The Women and the Children fall behind,
Unfit for Dangers, such as now approach us.
What will become of them!

[Aboan, who during this Scene expresses the utmost Anguish of Mind by his Gestures and Deportment, at length comes forward; and prostrating himself before Oroonoko, takes his Foot and sets it upon his Head.
Oro.
Forbear—we're born to Error; let me raise thee—
I know thee faithful, therefore blame thee not.

Abo.
O! my dear Lord, my Heart drops Blood to think
My hasty eager fond Credulity
Should let that Slave's false seeming thus undo us—

Oro.
Name it no more—

Abo.
'Tis lost—'tis ruin'd—and by me; but this—

[He suddenly draws a Dagger, and offers to stab himself; but Oroonoko lays hold of his Hand.
Oro.
Hold; now you wrong my Design: thus far
Tho'st only err'd; but to desert me now,
[Wresting the Dagger from him.
Wou'd be a Crime indeed—I need thy Help.
Turning to Imoinda.]
Imoinda, you must not expose yourself:
Retire, my Love; I almost fear for you.

Imo.
I fear no Danger; Life, or Death, I will
Enjoy with you.

Slav.
(alarm'd)
They come, they come—I see 'em; they're upon us.

Oro.
(putting himself before Imoinda)
My Person is your Guard.

[Enter the Governor, with Hotman and his Rabble; Captain Stanmore and his Men.
Abo.
There is the Villain that betray'd our Cause;
His Life is due to me.—

[Advancing.
Oro.
Hold, you; and you who come against us, hold;
I charge you in a general Good to all,
And wish I could command you, to prevent
The bloody Havock of the murd'ring Sword,
I would not urge Destruction uncompell'd:
But if you follow Fate, you find it here.
Who first advances—

Enter the Captain, with his Crew.
Capt.
Here, here, here they are, Governor:
What, seize upon my Ship!
Come, Boys, fall on—

[Advancing first, Oroonoko kills him.
Oro.
Thou art fall'n indeed;
Thy own Blood be upon thee.

Gov.
Rest it there.
He did deserve his Death. Take him away.
[The Body remov'd.
You see, Sir, you, and those mistaken Men,
Must be our Witnesses, we do not come
As Enemies, and thirsting for your Blood.
If we desir'd your Ruin, the Revenge
Of our Companion's Death had push'd it on.
But that we overlook, in a Regard
To common Safety, and the public Good.

Oro.
Regard that public Good: Draw off your Men,
And leave us to our Fortune: We're resolv'd.

Gov.
Resolv'd! on what? your Resolutions
Are broken, overturn'd, prevented, lost:
What Fortune now can you raise out of 'em?
Nay, grant we should draw off, what can you do?
Where can you move? What more can you resolve?
Unless it be to throw yourselves away.
Famine must eat you up, if you go on.
You see our Numbers could with Ease compel
What we request: And what do we request?
Only to save yourselves.

[The Women, with their Children, gathering about the Men.
Oro.
I'll hear no more.

Gov.
To those poor Wretches, who have been seduc'd
And led away, to all, and ev'ry one,
We offer a full Pardon—

Oro.
Then fall on.

[Preparing to engage.
Gov.
Lay hold upon't, before it be too late,
Pardon and Mercy.

[The Women clinging about the Men, they leave Oroonoko, and fall upon their Faces, crying out for Pardon.
Slaves.
Pardon, Mercy, Pardon.

Oro.
Let 'em go all. Now, Governor, I see,
I own the Folly of my Enterprise.
The Rashness of this Action; and must blush
Quite through this Veil of Night, a whitely Shame,
To think I could design to make those free,
Who were by Nature Slaves; Wretches, design'd
To be their Masters Dogs, and lick their Feet.
We were too few before for Victory,
We're still enow to die.

[To Imoinda, Aboan, and his Friends.
Enter Blandford.
Gov.
Live, Royal Sir;
Live, and be happy long on your own Terms;
Only consent to yield, and you shall have
What Terms you can propose, for you, and yours.

Oro.
Consent to yield! Shall I betray myself?

Blan.
I'm glad you have proceeded by fair Means,
[To the Governor.
I came to be a Mediator.

Gov.
Try what you can work upon him.

Oro.
Are you come against me too?

Blan.
Is this to come against you?
[Offering his Sword to Oroonoko.
Unarm'd to put myself into your Hands?
I come, I hope, to serve you.

Oro.
You have serv'd me;
I thank you for't: And I am pleas'd to think
You were my Friend, while I had need of one:
But now 'tis past; this Farewel, and be gone.

[Embraces him.
Blan.
It is not past, and I must serve you still.
I would make up these Breaches which the Sword
Will widen more, and close us all in Love.

Oro.
I know what I have done, and I should be
A Child to think they ever can forgive:
Forgive! Were there but that, I would not live
To be forgiven: Is there a Power on Earth,
That I can ever need Forgiveness from?

Blan.
You shall not need it.

Oro.
No, I will not need it.

Blan.
You see he offers you your own Conditions,
For you, and yours.

Oro.
Must I capitulate?
Precariously compound, on stinted Terms,
To save my Life?

Blan.
Sir, he imposes none.
You make 'em for your own Security.
If your great Heart cannot descend to treat,
In adverse Fortune, with an Enemy;
Yet sure your Honour's safe, you may accept
Offers of Peace and Safety from a Friend.

Gov.
He will rely on what you say to him:
[To Blan.
Offer him what you can, I will confirm
And make all good: Be you my Pledge of Trust.

Blan.
I'll answer with my Life for all he says.

Gov.
Ay, do, and pay the Forfeit if you please.

[Aside.
Blan.
Consider, Sir, can you consent to throw
That Blessing from you, you so hardly found,
[Of Imo.
And so much valu'd once?

Oro.
Imoinda! Oh!
'Tis she that holds me on this Argument
Of tedious Life: I could resolve it soon,
Were this curs'd Being only in Debate.
But my Imoinda struggles in my Soul:
She makes a Coward of me, I confess:
I am afraid to part with her in Death;
And more afraid of Life to lose her here.

Blan.
This Way you must lose her; think upon
The Weakness of her Sex, made yet more weak
With her Condition, requiring Rest,
And soft indulging Ease, to nurse your Hopes,
And make you a glad Father.

Oro.
There I feel
A Father's Fondness, and a Husband's Love.
They seize upon my Heart, strain all its Strings
To pull me to 'em from my stern Resolve.
Husband and Father! all the melting Art
Of Eloquence lives in those soft'ning Names.
Methinks I see the Babe, with Infant Hands,
Pleading for Life, and begging to be born:
Shall I forbid his Birth? Deny him Light?
The heavenly Comforts of all chearing Light?
These are the Calls of Nature, that call loud;
They will be heard, and conquer in their Cause:
He must not be a Man, who can resist 'em.
No, my Imoinda! I will venture all
To save thee, and that little Innocent:
The World may be a better Friend to him,
Than I have found it. Now I yield myself:
[Gives up his Sword.
The Conflict's past, and we are in your Hands.

[Several Men get about Oroonoko and Aboan, and seize them.
Gov.
So you shall find you are. Dispose of them,
As I commanded you.

Blan.
Good Heav'n forbid! you cannot mean—

Gov.
This is not your Concern.

[To Blandford, who goes hastily to Stanmore.
Blan.
For Heav'ns Sake use your Int'rest with him, Stanmore.

Gov.
I must take care of you.

[To Imoinda.
Imo.
I'm at the End
Of all my Care: Here will I die with him.

[Holding Oro.
Oro.
You shall not force her from me

[He holds her.
Gov.
Then I must.
[They force her from him.
Try other Means, and conquer Force by Force:
Break, cut off his Hold, bring her away.

Stan.
Dear Governor, consider what you do.

Gov.
Away—

Imo.
I do not ask to live, kill me but here.

Oro.
O bloody Dogs! Inhuman Murderers!

[Imoinda forc'd out of one Door by the Governor and others. Oroonoko and Aboan hurried out of another.
[Exeunt.
Remain Blandford and Stanmore.
Blan.
Astonishment confounds me, what a Wretch!
But he shall not betray me to the Pledge
And forfeit of my Honour thus; I'll force—

Stan.
No, tho' Resentment's just use gentle Means,
To brave him wou'd ensure the Captive's Death:

Blan.
I cannot brook the Wrong, to make my Faith
The Pander to his Cowardice and Lust!

Stan.
'Tis vile indeed, but yet let justice wait,
His Pow'r will not be long, and when your Blow
Will only reach to him, then strike, strike home;
But now, if thou woudst save—

Blan.
O! I would save
At my own Life's Expence the trusting, honest,
Deceiv'd, betray'd, insulted Oroonoko:

Stan.
Then hear me, stoop for once to Intercession,
We may support it with such weighty Reasons,
That he shall not say nay, he shall not dare.

Blan.
Not dare! you see he has already dar'd
A Crime that might draw down the Wrath of Heav'n
By Miracle to blast him:

Stan.
Yes, but those
Who fear not Heav'n, are most afraid of Men.

Blan.
Yet my Resentment he has brav'd ev'n now.

Stan.
He has, but in the Tumult of his Passion,
With his Dependants round him, before whom
To have been over rul'd had hurt his Pride;
Trust me, to-morrow to your Face and mine
He will not dare to vindicate the Wrong.

Blan.
You shall prevail—I'll meet you at his House
Early to-morrow.

Stan.
Your Hour?

Blan.
At Eight.

Stan.
I'll meet you there.

[Exeunt severally.