Henry Neville

“ The Prince himfelf (whofe name was William Pine the Grandchild of George Pine that was firft on fhore in this Ifland) came to his Pallace door and faluted us very courteoufly, for though he had nothing of Majefty in him, yet had he a courteous noble and deboneyre fpirit, wherewith your Englifh Nation (efpecially thofe of the Gentry) are very much indued. ”

“ I digged holes in the earth fetting my poles at an equl diftance, and nailing the broken boards of the Caskes, Cherts, and Cabins, and fuch like to them, making my door to the Seaward, and having covered the top, with fail-clothes ftrain'd and nail'd, I in the fpace of a week had made a large Cabbin big enough to hold all our goods and our felves in it, I alfo placed our Hamocks for lodging, purpofing (if it pleafed God to fend any Ship that way) we might be tranfported home, but it never came to pafs, the place, wherein we were (as I conceived) being much out of the way. ”

“ At laft one of my Wives died being fixty eight years of age, which I buried in a place, fet out on purpofe, and within a year after another, fo I had none now left but my Mafters Daughter, and we lived together twelve years longer, at length fhe died alfo, fo I buried her alfo next the place where I purpofed to be buried my felf, and the tall Maid my firft Wife next me on the other fide, the Negro next without her, and the other Maid next my Mafters Daughter. ”

“ We had no bad weather in eleven dayes fpace, but then a fudden ftorm of Wind did us much harm in our Tacklings, and fwept away one of our Sailors off from the Fore Caftle. November the fixth had like to have been a fatal day unto us, our Ship ftriking twice upon a Rock, and at night was in danger of being fired by the negligence of a Boy, leaving a Candle carelefly in the Gun-room; the next day we were chafed by a Pyrate Argiere, but by the fwiftnefs of our Sails we out ran him. December the firft we came again to Madagafcar, where we put in for a frefh recruit of Victuals and Water. ”

“ The people are indifferently civil and ingenious, both men and women imitate a Majefty in their Train and Apparel, which they fweeten, with Oyles and Perfumes: adorning themfelves with Jewels and other Ornaments befitting each Rank and Quality of them. ”

“ They have many odd Cuftoms amongft them which they observe very ftrictly; as firft, not knowing their Wives after they have born them two children: Secondly, not accompanying them, if after five years cohabition they can raife no iffue by them, but taking others in their rooms: Thirdly, never being rewarded for any Military exploit, unlefs they bring with them an enemies Head in their Hand, but that which is ftrangeft, and indeed moft barbarous, is that when any of their friends falls fick, they will rather chufe to kill him, then that he fhould be withered by ficknefs. ”

“ Idlenefs and Fulnefs of every thing begot in me a defire of enjoying the women, beginning now to grow more familiar, I had perfwaded the two Maids to let me lie with them, which I did at firft in private, but after, cuftome taking away fhame (there being none but us) we did it more openly, as our Lufts gave us liberty; afterwards my Mafters Daughter was content alfo to do as we did; the truth is, they were all handfome Women, when they had Cloathes, and well fhaped, feeding well. ”

“ My father coming to rule, and the people growing more populous, made them to range further in the difcovery of the Countrey, which they found anfwerable to their defires, full both of Fowls and Beafts, and thofe too not hurtful to mankinde, as if this Country (on which we were by providence caft without arms or other weapons to defend our felves, or offend others,) fhould by the fame providence be fo inhabited as not to have any need of fuch like weapons of deftruction wherewith to preferve our lives. ”

“ Four of our men returning back in the long Boat to our Ships company, could hardly make them believe the truth of what they had feen and heard, but when we had brought our fhip into harbour, you would have bleft your felf to fee how the naked Iflanders flocked unto us, fo wondering at our fhip, as if it had been the greateft miracle of Nature in whole World. page 4 We were very courteoufly entertained by them, prefenting us with fuch food as that Countrey afforded, which indeed was not to be defpifed ”

“ I being now all their ftay in this loft condition, we were at firft afraid that the wild people of the Countrey might find us out, although we faw no footfteps of any, not fo much as a Path; the Woods round about being full of Briers and Brambles, we alfo ftood in fear of wild Beafts, of fuch alfo we faw none, nor fign of any: But above all, and that we had greateft reafon to fear, was to be ftarved to death for want of Food, but God had otherwife provided for us, as you fhall know hereafter ”

“ Here is a great many of thofe perfons whom thy call Brackmans, being their Priefts or Teachers whom they much reverence. It is a cuftome here for the King to give to fome of thofe Brachmain, the handelling of his Nuptial Bed; for which caufe, not the Kings, but the Kings fisters fons fucceed in the Kingdom, as being more certainly known to be of the true Royal blood: And thefe filters of his choofe what Gentleman they page 28 pleafe [83] on whom to beftow their Virginities ”

“ As for the Ifland of Pines it felf, which caufed me to Write this Relation, I fuppofe it is a thing fo ftrange as will hardly be credited by fome, although perhaps knowing perfons, efpecially confidering our laft age being fo full of Discoveries, that this Place fhould lie Dormant for fo long a fpace of time; Others I know, fuch. Nullifidians as will believe nothing but what they fee, applying that [86] Proverb unto us, That travelers may lye by authority. But Sir, in writing to you, I queftion not but to give Credence, you knowing my difpofition fo hateful to divulge Falfities ”

“ Her privities were hid with fome pieces of old Garments, the Relicts of thofe Cloaths (I fuppofe) of them which firft came hither, and yet being adorned with Flowers thofe very rags feemeth beautiful; and page 5 indeed modefty fo far prevaileth over all the Female Sex of that Ifland, that with grafs and flowers interwoven and made ftrong by the peelings of young Elms (which grow there in great plenty) they do plant together fo many of them as ferve to cover thofe parts which nature would have hidden. ”

“ Here might I add their way of Chriftening Children, but that being little different from yours in ENGLAND, and taught them by GEORGE PINES at firft which they have fince continued, I fhall therefore forbear to fpeak thereof. After our return back from the difcovery of the Countrey, the Wind not being fit for our purpofe, and our men alfo willing thereto, we got all our cutting Inftruments on Land, and page 24 fell to hewing down of Trees, with which, in a little time, (many hands making light work) we built up a Pallace for this William Pines the Lord of that Countrey ”

“ Whofoever shall commit adultery, for the firft crime the Male shall lofe his Privities, and the Woman have her right eye bored out, if after that she was again taken in the act, she should die without mercy. 5. That who fo injured his Neighbour, by laming of his page 19 Limbs, or taking any thing away which he poffeffeth, fhall fuffer in the fame kind himfelf by lofs of Limb ”

“ Having refrefhed our felves, they invited us to the Pallace [58] of their Prince or chief Ruler, fome two miles diftant off from the place where we landed; which we found to be about the big-nefs of one of our ordinary village houfes, it was fupported with rough unhewn pieces of Timber, and covered very artificially with boughs, fo that it would keep out the greateft fhowers of Rain, the fides thereof were adorned with feveral forts of Flowers, which the fragrant fields there do yield in great variety. ”

“ We took alfo with us alive, [82] divers Fowls which they call Marde, about the bignefs of a Pullet, and not different in tafte, they are very fwift of flight, and yet fo fearlefs of danger, that they will ftand ftill till fuch time as you catch them: We had alfo fent us in by the Governour about two bufhels of eggs, which as I conjecture were the Mards eggs, very lufious in tafte, and ftrenthening to the body. June 8. We had a fight of Cambaia, a part of the Eaft Indies, but ”

“ Execution being done upon him, the reft were pardoned for what was paft, which being notified abroad, they returned from thofe Defait and Obfcure places, wherein they were hidden. Now as Seed being caft into ftinking Dung produceth good and wholefome Corn for the Indentation of mans life, fo bad manners produceth good and wholefome Laws for the prefervation of Humane Society. Soon after my Father with the advice of fome few others of his Counfel, ordained and fet forth thefe Laws to be obferved by them. ”

“ That, who should defame or fpeak evil of the Governour, or refufe to come before him upon Summons, fhould receive a punifhment by whipping with Rods, and afterwards be exploded from the fociety of the reft of the inhabitants. Having fet forth thefe Laws, he chofe four feveral perfons under him to fee them put in Execution, whereof one was of the Englifhes, the Off-fpring of Sarah Englifh ”