Speaking Volumes

by Bradford Morrow

  After muche Explanacion, of which the Kinge grew earlie Tired, I learnt that Wymmin held prescednce in many of the Relations and Activities of the Land. Indeed, he sayd to mee that though I believed on oure firstt Landinge my own Men had chosen Maidens for their Companie it was the Wymmin whoe chose the Men. No Man chooses a Woman here, he explaind, and even hee the Kinge was pluckd by his faire Queene. Whatt use are Men, I then demanded, butt hee would nott awnswer sayinge the Time for siche Questions was over for the Daie. And then appeared manie Wymmin in oure Tentt who tooke Great Command of oure and their Pleasure thatt I was to tell the Kinge nextt morne thatt though a Lande ruld by wymmin did seeme Strange its Distracions were quite Considerable. Whatt happenned in that Nite I cannott Relate for itt would make the least Christian of Soles blushe soe deeplye that their Bodies might be taken for a wounded Man on a Battlefield.

  Wee passed through manie Similar adventures in our Path, too numerous to Relate here, and manie strange Sights did cross my Vision that I had manye opportunities to Question all I knewe of the Worlde and its Peeple. Had I been of a Philosofical nature I mite well have founded a Newe Schoole of Thought. In terms simple enough for any mere Labourer to understand, I would saye that in this Worlde wee Judge others by that which wee knowe, yett all we knowe is the tinie Worlde of oure Upbringinge. To base upon siche Knowledge a Condemnacion of oure Peeres whoe knowe as littel as oureselves and further, to Condemn Others whose Wayes wee knowe nott by oure own small Standardds, is to take upon ourselves the verie Mantle of the Lorde and claim wee understand His Wayes, though siche Wayes are veiled in Grate Mysterie beyond our feeble Vision and Comprehencion. Why did nott the Lorde strike downe these Pagans a Centurye agoe. I knowe nott and presume nott upon the Plann of oure Lorde or His Desines, and saye onlie thatt I enjoye and rejoice in His Bountie and Mercie.

  Wee came upone oure Destination in the Night and as iff in Expectation grayt Fires were burninge to Welcome us and there was muche singing and dancinge and sweete Musicke of Tabour and Pipe and manie other instruments. After taking of manie Victualls wee Repayred to the Palace where the Queen waited to greet the Kinge.

  The Kinge approached her in the manner of a Subjeckt and on his Knees did present his Personn and spoke Timidly of all he had done in the Service of her Magestie. She abused himm muche and her Tongue was Round and Large in what few Insultts I did Comprehend. She even sayd that once the Kinge was in their Chambers she would give him a Violent Thrashinge. I was muche Angered at firstt for I hadd become a Friend to the Kinge and believed the Queene owned no Rite to Abuse him in siche Manner. My Thoughts were thus sett against the Kweene and when itt came Time for the Kinge to present mee to her Magestie I approached the Throne with Haughty Aire and little Regarde for her Position and when the Kinge’s Counsailor bidd me kneele I refused. There was muche Stirringe in the Hall at my Impudence that I felt everye Eye upon mee. The Queene looked sharply att mee and I believed that then and there my Head would bee lostt as I had seen so manie lose their Heads on my Journee to the Palace.

  But then the Queene spake Sweetelie, sayinge, Why do you Dishonor me in siche manner. And I, not knowinge whatt to say, said simplye that it was because she dishonored her Husbande, the Kinge, and I hurriedlie abused her for her sharpe Tongue and the Threats of Violence she poured upon the Head of my Friend the Kinge. And then a strange thinge happened, for everyone in the Halle began to Laugh, and to Laugh most Riotously. Even the Kinge and Queen fell to their Knees in such Amusement that I believed this must be some Final Torture before the Executioner arrives.

  Onlie after manie Minutes of suche Abandonmentt did the Queen compose herself sufficiently to Speeke siche thatt she sayd, quite plainly, that she in no waye abused the Kinge, but that hee, on returning Home after siche Long Journeys, loved nothinge better than to be Whipped and Abused both by Tongue and Lash and contrarie to dishonoringe him she was in fackt succumbinge to his most Deepe Desire. And then, after askinge Humblie for Permission, the Kinge explaind that his onlie Desire at that Moment was to bee taken from this Halle to a Private Chamber where the Queene would bounde him with Strips of Animall Hide, spitt upon him, and Conduckt upon his Personne the mostt Fiendish of Activities, siche that I have nott wordes to fully describe them here. The Queene then requested my Presence at this curieuse Rituall and sayd to mee thatt iff I should soe Desire similar Pleasures could bee arranged for my selfe.

  I thus spent an Eveninge with Distractions passing strange that iff I place but a Cupfull on this Page the Reader will nott onlie call mee Liar butt think that I have made some Packt with the Devil himselfe. But whether dear Reader you believe or do nott believe, I place heer before you an Accountt of my Activities that Nite soe thatt youe may Judge mee by my Accione upon the Balance of your owne Lawe.

  I was led to a Roome that cann onlye be called a Dungeon for around aboutt us in this damp and stone-lined Chamber were all manner of curious Instruments that on initial Inspection defied all explanacion cept that which applied to them the Function of producing Payne. The Chamber was litt by an huge Fyre in its Center casting uponn the Walls such a Tangle of menacing Shadowes that I feltt upon enteringe a flutter in my disturbd Hart. The Queene quickly placed a Hood over the Head of the Kinge and tied aboutt his Necke a rope soe that itt seemd he was an Prisoner standinge on the verie Gallowe that would Hang him. The Kinge, rather than Remonstrateinge againstt his Queene, lett out a sounde of Delicate Joie as one heers when a Little Childe is rubbed upon the Bellie by the hand of a caring Mother.

  Butt rather than take this Sounde as Invitation to lett fall from her Lips wordes of Care and Love, the Queene sett aboutt abusinge him with her Tongue, sayinge ghastlie Phrases and castinge upon his Regale Head a number of Curses that would chill the verie Bones of an Enemie. On heeringe so Sharpe a Tongue cast att him the Kinge did nott Defend himself or cast similar Aspersions upon his Wyfe butt fell to his Knees and brought his Mouth to the Feett of the Queene and there did Lick the verie Ground, which even in siche Darkenesse was cleerlie a Field of Filth and siche Matter as is Deposited by Animalls in their dailie Activities that I would faine touch itt with Glovd Hand. But the Kinge wentt to his Task with unseemlie Abandon and soon was Rollinge to and fro while the Queene, unsatisfied with meere Curses, began to Kicke mostt Violentye att his Person. I was here att the Pointt of Makeinge a loud Objectione when the Kinge lett out so shrille a Screame that I was stoppd, certain now that siche Behaviore would have its Proper Punishmentt and that the Kinge, regaininge his lostt Sense, would bring downe uponn the head of his Wyfe siche Punishmentt that she would never think to act in siche Manner again.

  Sadlie I was wrong for the Queene grabbd him roughlie by the rope around his Necke and made him Crawle to one of the Contrapcions already mentioned. Here she tied him bye the Hands and Feet soe that his Bodie formd a large Cross, though knocked onto its side, and I thought he resembld the Savioure in His Passione, and his Cries were siche like that more than simplye foregivinge his Tormentore, he calld her bye sweete Names and lett fall upon her siche Complimentts that strangely onlie served to infuriate her More. What Monster was she that she dealt soe with the Man she called her Husbande and her Kinge.

  I was nowe in siche a State of Surprise that even iff I soe desired I could nott raise my Voice in Protestt. My Bodie and my Eyes felt a Compulsion thatt made me wantt to Stare and lerne the Outcome of these Darke Practices. The Queene, with Violent Hands, tore from his Bodie his everie coveringe soe thatt he Hunge there like a Newborne Childe and I was Amazd to see that his Maleness stood Alertt like a Flagpole upon which the Union Jack will soone be Raised. She then tooke a Whip and struck him fore and aft so thatt the Kinge lett out siche Yells I was forcd to cover my Ears with my Hands. I thought then that I must be regarding a Pantomime or Playe putt on for my Amusement and thatt all I had seen was simply a kinde of Actinge. Once the thought was upon mee itt seemd the mostt Naturall solutione to the Puzzle of these Practices and I Congratualted my self
e on looking through the Joke of which I was certainlye the Butt.

  But itt was the Buttock of the Kinge that freed me from beinge the Butt of an Imaginarye Joke. Upon it I spied what were cleerlie Lacerations cawsed by the Whipp the Queene lett flie soe Unceremoniouslie, and soone thin Fingers of Bludd were running along his Buttock and Leg. I sawe soone across his whole Bodie similar Cutts thatt forned the Origin of manie tinie Tributaries of Blood thatt, if the Queen’s actions were to go Unchecked, would quicklie Gather into their owne Thames or Nile. Butt just as mye Feare for the Life of the Kinge grewe to its Height and I was againe pushed to Act upon his Behalfe, my goode Intentions were Ambushed by a Totale Change in the Manner of the Queene. She quitt her Rough Treetmantt and dropt the Whipp and threwe herselfe down at the Feete of her Kinge, asking Forgiveness and Begginge that she bee freed from soe Uglie an Activitie.

  Here is the True Nature of the Queene, I told my selfe, for surely some Demon mustt just the Minute before have Released her from its Darke Gripp.

  Butt as this thought came over mee the Voice of the Kinge emerged from under the Hood, begginge her to continue with the Terrible Activitie and claymeinge thatt she must Give Up her gentle Strokes and move on to more Harsh Punishmentt. That hee called these Gentle Stroke did surprise me Greatly for the Whipp did Crack loudlie through the Air and everie Time it came downe upon his Naked Bodie he would lett out the mostt terrible of Cries as though he were an Animall in an Abbattoir undergoinge its very last Breaths upon this Earth.

  The Nite continued in siche manner and if I had nott been there to see with mye own Eyes siche Peculiar Occurences then I would never have Believed them from the Mouth of Another. I watched as all manner of Instrument was applied to the Bodie of the Kinge and even those that had been cookd in the Fire untill their Tipp did burne to an unseemlie Scarlett notifying mee of the Great Heate to which the Metall had been brought. All Nite the Screames of the Kinge continued yett through out his Manhood did Stand ever to Attention and if I did nott heer on Occassion the Sweete breaths he uttered I would nott have believed itt possible. For it grewe cleere to me, as though a Myst rose that had earlier coverd mine eyes, that the Kinge did enjoi this Activitie and that, as the Queene had earlier assurd, he lookd forewarde to it upon his Retuorne to the Palace.

  I was at one pointt in the Nite sorelye Tempted to followe the Example of the Kinge. I believe that whatever Activitie wee ourselves have nott Tried lies beyond the View of oure owne Judegementt, and so feltt, thinkinge my selfe a Friende of the Kinge yett consideringe his Activitie close to Madness, thatt I my self mustt take a Partt if to Judge truthfullie is my Desire.

  So, on sayinge siche like to the Queene, she Smiled mostt Diabolicallie and within a Minute I too was Tied up like oure deare Savioure, a Hood stitched from the Skinn of a foul-smelling Animall upon my Head, my clothes torne violentlye from mee, and my own Manhood, to my great surprise, pointinge up to the verie Heavens themselves. She tooke no Mercie upon my Greene Nature in her Wayes and the Whipp flew as Violentley at mee as it had at the Kinge. I too Screamed butt alsoe, I must tell the Reader, that after a short time, perhaps under the Influence of the Rare Beautie of the Queene who betweene the Strikes of the Whipp lett her Gentle Hands run over mee, feltt a certaine Kinde of Pleasure thatt is beyond the Qualitie of my Pen to Describe. And soone, I too, like the Kinge, demanded when she lett the Violence of her Stroke slacken, that she Whipp mee with the Full Force of Strength in her and I cried out like oure Savioure on the Mount of Olive, thatt she bee Forgiven for her Sins.

  Thus the Kinge and I became Brothers of a Sorte, sharing a Passione for the Punishmentt that his Wyfe was wont to mete out upon us. At anie Tyme of Daye or Nite the Queene would change her Countenance entirely and Demand that I perform the mostt Diabolical of Tasks. I mite be Talking with her in a Crowded roome when suddenly I would see in here Eyes a certain Flash and I would know that soone, if nott immediately, I would be Charged with a mostt humiliatinge Function. Sometimes I was ordered to Strip bare in the Presence of all and then to Run my Tongue along the Floor from Foott to Foott untill I had licked a Path from every single Person to everie other Person in the Chamber. At other times, she would order the Kinge to do upon mee siche Unspeakable Acts thatt I dare nott Write them here, butt only State thatt the Twoe of us would Perform Deedes thatt nott even the Devil and his Consort would Imagine.

  Siche was my Life in the Courtt and though to anie Reader it mustt seeme a Most Damnable Existence I found in itt to the Contrarie a kinde of Sweetness thatt in my Previous Life I had not ever encountered and began to believe thatt I mite yett Live outt my Daies as the Curious Servant to the Passions of the Queene.

  Butt throughout these Dayes the Heate continued to afflyct us most mercilesslie and whatt Joyes we mite find in the pursuit of simple Pastime was as soon devastated against the Rocke of Dailie News that spoke at everie Houre of Families whose Cropps had been Destroied by the Climate or who had lostt manie Members to the Ill Humors that proliferated under soe Harde a Regime. There seemed everie Daye to passe through the Palace a groweinge Procession of those seekinge either the Charitie of the Kinge or his Protectione, and on everie Lip their was a Clamoure for the Kinge and Queene to hold siche Great Ceremonies that would bringe Favoure from the Gods on the Countrye and the People.

  I askd the Kinge whyy had the Ceremonie nott yett beene Helde and hee did tell me that the Queene, uponn whome the Stars shone siche Light that gave here Eyes into the Future, whiche I tooke to meane the Queene was alsoe something of a Cabballistt or Astrologer, had deemed that the Daye propitious to the Ceremonie had nott yett arrived. But when he said this I could reade in his Face a certain weariness, if nott an anger, at her Refusall to signal the Openinge of the Annuall Ceremonie, siche that when I pressd him further he turned awaye as if in sudden Fright att mye wordes and said nott to speake further of this matter and never to bringe it upp in the Presence of the Kweene.

  In the following Dayes he shewed more than an ever a groweing Melancholia and oure Nightlie Pasttimes held in thatt Darke Chamber alreadie described became quite dulle of interest, for even when the Queene did whipp most wildlie at the Kinge untill she fell to the Floore with Teeres of Exhaustion showering her face, and soe thatt I expected him close to Death Himselfe, he shewed little Enjoymentt for our Game and in the morne would turne to me a mostt Sullen and Disaffected Face, yett saye nothing of the Cause of this Great and Troubleinge Lassitude.

  One Eveninge I heard him in his Bed Chamber pleadinge with the Queene to Holde the Great Ceremonie within thatt weeke for, he said, hee could nott hold himself in check anie longer. I did not understand his wordes and so endeavoured to Listen again everie Night with the Hope I might learne more of his Ill Humor and thus affect a waye to Aid him in his Distress. The nextt nite I againe heard him Pleade and was able to Heare the awnswere of the Queene, where she told him without Reason that the Ceremonie would Waite and then Laughed most Cruellie at his Abjectione. Over the Nites he continued to pleade, sometimes makinge the Case for Himselfe and other times for the Peasants whose Life and Livelihoode laye within their Handes. Butt everie Night she refused him and I grewe mostt angrie at her Heartlessnesse and determined the Nextt night to burst in upon their Discussion no matter whatt the Kinge had ordered.

  Soe whenn I heard them Whisperinge again the Night followinge, with the Kinge pleadinge for his Subjeckts and the Queene laughinge haughtilye in his Face, then I knocked openn the Doors of their Privatt Chamber and thundered loudly in, exclaiming uponn my Soul what grave Injustice the Queene did to her owne Kinge and Subjeckts by withholdinge from them this mostt Precious Ceremonie.

  Butt both Kinge and Queene gave mee a Look of siche Astonishemantt thatt in the Middle of my Oratorie I began to stammer and to haltt. The Kinge was Smilinge mostt broadlie and his Face had uponn it none of the Dejection I expected. Indeed, he seemed to be in mostt Light a mood that I began to wonder if my poore Suffieciency in their Tong
ue had led me into a wide Blunder. It was the Queene who explaind to me in mostt kindlie Termes that for the Kinge the continued Sufferinge of his People in deede produced muche Joye and that his Pleadinge everie Night was simplie a Game that theye played together. Butt then I demanded to knowe why out of this Chamber the Kinge displaied so Melancholie a Face. This was partt of the Game, the Kinge did saye, and that hee for the purpose of his Greatt enjoyementt did like his Subjeckts too think that he did Care after their Well Beinge. Yett I protested that I had seene him acte with siche Benevolence towards soe manie Subjeckts that this Joye hee tooke in sufferinge mustt be a Shield to hide some other Awnswere. But Noe, the Kinge did saye, for he claymed I mustt have seene howe whenevere hee did mete outt Justice a far greater sufferinge was produced than was alleviated. Did I nott wonder, he asked, whye the punishements for even the smallest indiscretions were indeed huge. I doe nott care for the Well-Beinge of my Subjeckts, the Kinge declared, butt onlye that through seeminge to alleviate the sufferinge of a fewe I can give my selfe great Pleasure by cawsinge the sufferinge of the Manie.

  I was again muche amazed and wondered iff anything that I sawe in this Countrye was what it was, or thatt if ever I was presented with Mirage within Mirage and I seemd, as I leftt the Chamber, to bee walking Blindfold in a Labyrinth of the Kinde the Ancients in their Pagan wayes had followed. I knewe nott what was whatt or whoe was whoe and everie Motive held behind itt a Greater Lie soe thatt though the Kinge did muche to Persuade mee of his Hatred of his Subjeckts and his Joye in their Agonie I could nott believe it, butt I knewe that if hee told mee the verie Opposite and claymed after all a Love for his Peeple then I still would Questione and seeke withall a greater Reason for his Stark Behaviore. Yett seeing his Apparent Gladness in the Sufferinge of his Peeple I decided to joyne him in his Emotione and soe looked upon Payne as a source of Happiness where before I had looked upon as a State needing Succorr or Amelioracion, and in deed I did finde that in another’s Sufferinge muche Joye was to be had.