The Blazing World and Other Writings (Penguin Classics)

by Cavendish, Margaret

  The Speech

  O King, and you spectators, why do you offend the gods, in destroying their messengers; which come to bring you life, and to make you happy; had I brought you plagues, then you might have sacrificed me unto your god of lights, as coming from death and darkness, his enemies; but for this your false devotion, the great sun, saith he, will destroy you with one of his small thunderbolts, killing first your priests and then the rest. With that shot off his pistol into the breast of the chief priest, wherewith he straight fell down dead; the noise of the pistol, and the flash of the fire, which they never saw before, and the effect of it upon the priest, struck them with such a horror, and did so terrify them, as they all kneeled down imploring mercy, and forgiveness, with trembling limbs, and weeping eyes, whereupon he told them, there was no way to avoid punishment, but first to fast two days from any kind of nourishment; next, not to open their lips to speak, and then to obey whatsoever he shall teach them, as being sent from the gods; bidding them go home until their time of fasting were out; and then to return to the temple again, commanding none to remain there, but to leave it to the old man, and he. Which temple was most rich and curiously built, having in that country great art and skill, in architecture.

  Whereupon, the King and all the people, rising up, bowing their heads down low, as in humble obedience to commands, praying to him as a god to divert the punishments intended to them, and in sorrow, as lamenting their fault went home, each to his house, sealing up their lips for such a time, from receiving meat, or sending forth words; in the meantime the old man and he had leisure to bethink themselves what to do, having at that time the temple as a palace to live in, none to disturb diem, nor to hinder their thoughts from working out their advantage, and sitting in council a long time, disputing with each other, what was best to do, at last resolved the old man should go to the King as sent from the gods, to bid him send a command to all his people to eat such herbs, as a salad, drinking their water without mixture just before they came, for else, said the old man, their hunger will make them impatient, or so dull, as it may stop their ears, by the faintness of their spirits, caused by their empty stomachs, and too much said he, makes them furious, sending up malignant vapours to their brains, which may cause our ruins; but after he had been with the King, he returned back to the temple again, and the King obeyed his desire, as a command from the gods, and brought the people all to the temple, where after they were all gathered together, Travellia advanced himself so much higher than the rest, as they might hear him round.

  Then thus spake.

  Pious friends, for so I may call you, being willing to please the gods; but your ignorance hath led you wrong ways: yet the gods seeing your zeal, though through a false devotion, pitying your ignorance did by their wisdom find means to appease the wrath of their justice, for every attribute of the gods must have a satisfaction; For right is their kingdom, and truth is their sceptre, wherewith they govern all their works; but the gods hath strewn lots among mankind of moveable things which chance gathers up, and chance being blind mistakes both in the gathering and distributing: now the gods made this chance by their providence when they made man, for man hath no more knowledge of the transitory things of the world, than what chance gives them, who is an unjust distributor, for all external gifts come from her hand, which for want of sight, she gives oft times the beggar’s lot to the King, the servants’ to the masters, the masters’ to the servants: and For the internal gifts which the gods have bestowed on men, are different, as the external are transitory; For some are nearer to perfection, some farther off: yet none have perfect knowledge, For the gods mix man’s nature with such an aspiring ambition, that if they had a perfect knowledge of the glory of the gods, and a perfect knowledge of the first cause; and the effects produced therefrom, they would have warred with the gods, and have striven to usurp their authority, so busy and vainglorious hath the gods made the minds of men. Wherefore the gods govern the world by ignorance: and though the goodness of the gods is great, yet their goodness is bound in with their justice, which is attended with terrors, to punish the crimes of men. And even to punish the innocent errors that proceed from that ignorance, which they have muzzled man withal; but as their power made the world; their wisdom rules the world; their justice punishes the world: so their mercy keeps the world from destruction, and their love, not only saves man, but prefers man to a glorious happiness. And some of this love the gods have sent to you, although by your ignorance you had almost cast it from you. And since the gods have sent you knowledge by us, take hold of it: and not willingly fall in your suspicious errors, although it is a difficult pain, even For the gods themselves to persuade man, who is of a cross, superstitious, inquisitive, and murmuring nature, accusing the gods For partiality, saying, they prefer or cast out whom they please, not as man deserves; thus they judge of the gods, by their own passions, but the gods by variations are pleased to continue the world, and by contradiction do govern it, by sympathy delight it, For delight lives not altogether in the power of chance; being created in the essence and soul of man, For though chance can present those things which [cause] antipathies, or sympathies, to the senses which present them to the soul, yet it hath not the power to rule it[.] For the soul is a kind of god in itself, to direct and guide those things that are inferior to it; to perceive and descry into those things that are far above it, to create by invention, to delight in contemplations; and though it hath not an absolute power over itself, yet it is a harmonious and absolute thing in itself, and though it is not a god from all eternity, yet it is a kind of deity to all eternity, for it shall never die; and though the body hath a relation to it, yet no otherwise than the mansion of Jove hath unto Jove[.] The body is only the residing place, and the sensitive spirits are as the soul’s angels, or messengers and intelligencers; so the souls of men are to the gods as the sensitive spirits to the soul; and will you dislodge the sensitive spirits of the gods, by destroying and unbuilding each other’s body by violent deaths, before it be the gods’ pleasure to dissolve that body, and so to remove the soul to a new mansion? And though it is not every creature that hath that soul, but only man, for beasts have none, nor every man, for most men are beasts, only the sensitive spirits and the shape maybe, but not the soul; yet none know when the soul is out or in, but the gods; and not only other bodies may not know it, but the same body be ignorant thereof.

  For the soul is as invisible to the sensitive spirits, as the gods to men; for though the soul knows and hath intelligence by the sensitive spirits, yet the sensitive [spirits] have none from the soul; for as gods know men, but men know not gods, so the soul knoweth the senses, but the senses know not the soul; wherefore you must seek all the ways to preserve one another, as temples of the gods, not to destroy and pull them down; for whosoever doth so, commits sacrilege against the gods; wherefore none must die, but those that kill, or would kill others[.] Death must be repaid with death, saith Jove, and only death is in the power of man to call when they please, but life is in the power of the gods, and those that displease the gods shall have a miserable life, not only in the bodily part, which is sensible of pain, and may be tormented out of one shape into another, and be perpetually dying or killing with all manner of torments, and yet never die; as in the shape of a man, feels stabs in the sides, or the like; in the shape of a bull, knocks on his head, or the like; in the shape of a hart, arrows in the haunch, or the like; in the shape of a fish, hooks tearing the jaws, besides all manner of diseases and infirmities; thus burning, hanging, drowning, smothering, pressing, freezing, rotting, and thousands of these kinds, nay, more than can be reckoned, may suffer: thus several bodies, though but one mind, may be troubled in every shape.

  But those that please the gods, live easy in every shape, and the quietly and peaceably; or when the gods do change their shapes or mansions, ’tis for the better, either for ease or newness.

  Thus have the gods sent us to instruct you, and to stay so long amongst you as you can learn and
know their commands, then to return unto them.

  With that the King and people bowed their faces to the ground, adoring him as a god, and would have built altars, and offered sacrifices unto him; but he forbade them, telling them they must build altars in their hearts of repenting, humbling, and amending thoughts, and offer sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiving to the great and incomprehensible Jove, and not altars built with hands unto men, nor to offer inhumane sacrifices to gods of their own making.

  Thus preaching every day for some time, forbidding vain and barbarous customs, and inhumane ceremonies, teaching and persuading them to believe the gods were not to be known nor comprehended, and that all that they have discovered of themselves to their creatures, was only by their works, in which they should praise them: for and by which doctrine they were brought to be a civilized people, and approved of their teacher so well, that they would do nothing concerning religion, or any other affairs of government without diem; and being dismissed for that time, departed, leaving them to themselves in the temple. But at certain and set times the King and people repaired thither to hear him preach, who taught them according to his belief; and whensoever they moved out of the temple, all the people flocked about them with acclamations of joy; and whensoever the King sent for diem, as he often did for their counsels, all the princes attended, and people waited upon them, and thus they lived with great splendour, love, and admiration amongst diem; their persons were thought divine, their words were laws, and their actions examples, which they kept, and the people followed.

  Thus for a while we leave diem, and return to the old lady and the Prince.

  The old lady sen[t] into Affectionata’s chamber (as then called) for so she named herself there, to entreat her company, for therein she took great delight, she being witty in her conversation, and pleasing in her humour: but the messenger bringing his errand, missed of the mark, looking about, and calling aloud, could neither hear nor see her; so returning to the old lady, she was not to be found; whereat she grew into a great passion, not only for her loss, which she thought great, since her love to her, and esteem of her, was not small, which she had for her: but that she apprehended the Prince would think that she had neglected that charge he had entrusted her with.

  But whilst she was in this passion, the Prince came in, who had been in the young Lady’s chamber, but missing her, thought she had been there: but seeing her not, and the old lady weeping, straight asked her for his mistress; but she through tears and sobs could not answer; whereupon some about her answered, she was gone none could tell where: at whose words, the Prince’s countenance and complexion expressed his grief, the one being sad, the other pale, standing in a fixed posture, his body seeming like a statue which his soul had left, being gone to seek after her: but at last, as if it had returned in despair, grew frantic with grief, tearing himself, cursing his misfortunes[.] At last, [he] goeth into her chamber, looking in every corner, even where she could not be, as much as where she might be; for lovers leave no place nor means unsought or untried. At last, he espied a letter upon the table directed to the lady, which he opened, considering not the incivility of breaking up the seal without the lady’s leave, for jealous lovers break all such ceremonies; and thus read[.]

  Madam,

  Pray think me not ungrateful after all your noble favours, that I go away without your leave or knowledge; for could I have stayed with security, nothing but your commands could have forced me from you; or could my life have served you, I would have offered it as a sacrifice to obligation: but Madam, it is too dangerous for a lamb to live near a lion; for your nephew is of so hungry an appetite, that I dare not stay, which makes me seek safety in some other place: but when my thoughts forget your honourable memory, let them cease to think. The gods protect your virtue, and send you health. Fare you well.

  Affectionata.

  When he had read this letter, and went to lay it on the table again, he perceived another letter directed to him, which he opened and read.

  Sir,

  You cannot condemn me for going away, since my stay might prove my ruin, you having not power over your passions; but had my life been only in danger, I should have ventured it; not that I am so fond of death as to give my life willingly away; but I am so true a votress to Chastity, that I will never forsake her order, but will carry her habit to my grave; nor will I give Virtue an occasion to weep over my follies, nor Truth to revile me with falsehood, but honour as a garland shall crown my hearse, whilst innocency enshrines my corpse, that Fame may build me a monument in noble minds: but had you been master of your passion, or had the temperance of your affections been equal to your other virtues, I should have joyed to live near you, as saints do to gods; and though my hard fortune has driven me into many dangers, and more I am like to run through by the unknown ways you have forced me into, yet the blessing of Jupiter fall upon you, whatsoever chance to me. Farewell.

  Affectionata.

  When he had read his letter, he sits down musing with himself a long time; then rose, and without speaking any words, departed to his house in the city.

  The old lady, his Princess, seeing him so sad, asked him what was the cause.

  He answered, he was sick, and went to bed.

  The next day, calling his steward, he settled his estate, and ordered everything according to his mind; then bid him provide so much monies; which done, he sent for his wife, telling her she must not take it ill, if he left her for a short time, for he was resolved to travel, for, said he, I have a quarrel to one that is stolen out of the kingdom, and I cannot be at quiet until I have found the party out to be revenged for the injury done me, bidding her conceal the cause.

  She with tears entreated his stay; but no persuasions could prevail to alter his intention, or rather resolution; for love is obstinate; and if it finds not a like return, but a neglect, grows spiteful, rather wishing evil to what they love, than another should enjoy what they would have, and hate themselves out of a displeasure in not having what they desire; so did he, and was impatient until he was shipped and gone; who steered his course towards the Kingdom of Riches, as believing she was sailed towards her own country, for resolved he was to find her out, or to end his days in the search, his life being a burden without her company.

  Thus love sailing in the ship of imagination, on the ocean of the mind, tossed on the troubled waves of discontented thoughts, whilst his body sailed in the ship on the ocean of the sea, cutting the salt waves, they were set on by pirates, and were taken prisoners, so that he was doubly captivated, his soul before, and now his body; at first, they used him but roughly, according to their barbarous natures; but by degrees, his noble disposition and affable behaviour got different13 entertainment.

  It chanced some time after, in the sharing of those prizes they got with him, and some others they had got before, they fell out, and from rude words they fell to ruder blows. The Prince apprehending the danger that might befall to himself, strove to pacify them, giving them such reasons in elegant words, that it charmed their ears, and softened their hearts, and ended the strife amongst them, and begot from them such love and respect, that they made him their arbitrator, and divider of the spoils; which he performed with that justice and discretion to each one, that they made him their governor and chief ruler over them; which power he used with that clemency and wisdom, that he was esteemed rather as their god than their captain, giving him all ceremonious obedience. And thus reigning in his watery kingdom with his three-forked trident, we leave him for a time, and visit the old man and adopted son, who now began to grow weary of their divine honours, and like wise men that seek a retired and secured life from the pomp of dangerous glories, bethought themselves how they might get away, and return into their own countries again; for an humble and mean cottage is better beloved by the owner, than the bravest and stateliest palace, if it be another’s. Thus putting their designs in execution, they invited the King and people to a solemn meeting in the temple, where Travellia, standing in his u
sual place, thus spake.

  The gods, said he, hath caused me to return from whence we came; and to you great King their command is, to love your people and to distribute justice amongst them, guarding the innocent, punishing the offender, and not to use any cruel ceremony to destroy your own kind, but to instruct them in the right, and to lead them into the ways of truth, as being their high priest amongst them; also to make no wars against your neighbouring kingdoms, but as a defence and guard to your own, for in peace, lives happiness, when wars bring ruin and destruction; and in doing this tranquility shall be as a bed of ease for life to sleep on, and length of days as a chariot for life to ride in to Heaven; where your soul shall dwell in the height of bliss: and in this world, fame shall crown your deeds; and your posterity shall glory in your name.

  And to you beloved people, the gods command piety in your devotion; obedience to your King; love to your neighbour; mercy to your enemies; constancy to your friends; liberty to your slaves; care and industry to your children; duty to your parents; and in doing this, plenty shall flow in amongst you; mirth shall dance about you; pleasures shall invite you; delight shall entertain you; peace shall keep you safe, till the gods calls you to partake of the glories of Heaven; and my prayer shall always be; that Jove may preserve you all.