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' ' . i< i ' ,i .' ii J I^iypwjuagil^^^^ ,■ I ^ ^ « ^- ^ o ^ A r~^ t .« A •r"»,^-'i«,Mif|,k .,<«,l..l-*^S^ ^ ,^, * f ■■•"Sl-* 4>J.5i70 fv THE Bookfeller to the Reader. .a ^- ■-■'«*- \HE Chevalier de Beauchenc, jfuthor of thefe Memoirs^ after having tajfed near fifty If ears in the Service of tie Kingy as well by Land as Sea^ came ini$ France with a confiderahle For^ tune ; but the PaJJion he always had for Play foon threw it into I)if order ^ not to nuntionfome Affairs of Honour ^ which his violent andbajiy Spirit occafkned him^ and which could not be accommodated but at the Expence of his Purfe. Hi loft above two Thirds of his Fortune at Breft, tf/St. Malo, and at T^znttSy and went with what was remaining to fettle at Tours. // was in that Cityy that falling into a Quarrel withfome of the Englifli there^ he fought with them the nth of December, I73i> and found in thai Combat a Death which he had fo often braved with Impunity in the mojl dangerous Attempts* At thofe Hours y when his Madnefsfor Play permitted him to employ himfelfin other Amufe^ mentSy he was pleafed with fitting down to write the Events of his Life^ and with recalling to his ?7- ' ^iii Memory aU the bcU Exploits hi hadunder^' takm^ and all the Daniers he had undergene ; next to the Joys of th^ Sottle^ this was his darling tleafure. Jkother Motive alfo excited hfnsto thisWori^ Vfhich he looked upon as ufeful to Society ; he imagined that the PTorld would be obliged to him for that Infinity of minute Details thai he has given ojf'the Rencounters in which he command* edi fir according to his Notions ^ aChptain of a Frivateer^ nay a common Mafter of a Ship'^ ought to have the fame Prudence J Courage ^ and Mdfefs^ in the Conduit of their Jffiursy as anJamiralhas in his. Soon after the Death of Mbnfmir de Beau- chene^ a mutual Friend to hit ff^dow and to me^ writ to me from. Tours, and hi me know that he had per/waded that Lady tofuMr thefi Memoirs to be printed which her I&sband had left. In effkSt^ Jbefoon after fint thins to « \a\ v^ ^V ii^. ^T^/ Chevalier dc Beauchene f^i(/J/ /i^ ll^^^ficcepf of the P oft of Captain, He\ nt:^,^^^ iz^tfiVf to Sea with feventy-five h , Privateers. They meet with four , ^ Englifh Veffels^ who ufe them very "^^ roughly. The Chevalier goes to St. Domingo, to join fome French Pr/- ^ vateers there. The gallant Adventure >^ofa Roclieller, one of his Companions. They go to cruize ttpon the Coafiofthe Carraccas, and with a Vejfel of eight Guns take two Englifh Ships^ one of four and twenty:, and the other of fix and thirty Guns. They return to St. Domingo, where they jhare their Prizes^ and fall into all manner ef Debauchery. They put to Sea again. The Hijiory of a Philofophical Priva'- teer. They attack a Ship of fix and forty Guns and three hundred MeUy and take it after a hot Refiftance.. But they have no fooner gained' that Prize than fhe is taken from them by an n- , C6NT E NT 8. djWi&gUlhv A/^ of ff^ary of fifty '^ Guns J and a Frigate of fix andthir^ iyy who make them Prifoners. They are firft fent to Jamaica, and from thence to the Prtfons of Kingfale in Ireland. A Detail of the Miferia they are made to fuffer. They all die exeept the Chevalier y who finds means to efcape. He goes to Cork, where he has the Happinefs to find a JVtdow^ who out of Generofity does him Ser* vic€y and who engages an Engiifh Captain to fet him qftiore in Hi^a* niola, from whence he goes to Petit Goave. There Monfieur dc Choiieuil gives him a Veffel and ninety Men^ with which he has the Boldnefs to go and cruize in Sight of the Ports of Jamaica, to revenge himfelf upon the Jirfi Engliih he can take^ for the Cruelties exercifed in Ireland upon him^ felfand his Companions. He takes an Englifh Shipy and treats the Crew moji barbaroufly. He has a Difpute with the Governor and Citizens of the Town ofCznzx. He attacks another Englifh Shipy in which be finds two French PrifonerSy one of whom is his .Acquaintance. Monne- mm C O N T B N t 5. BOOK m. ,*t\"J«''i4./ aVA, Monhe^lle pdatutie msfierious Hifiory «f his BiHb. Hi is irought up till fH Agt of Hvilve under the Difguife 4if^ Girl in the Caftle of the Baron du Mefnil, with LucUia the foU Hekefs 4f thkt Nobleman, A financier^ ae" €ePt/^ iy the Drtfs of Monneville, €arries him. to Paris, uwler tie Pretext ef placing him fviib a L^idy^ in polity of'ber Woman j but baving other Views . mpon this falfe Peafantj he places her . in a Con^oent as a Penfiomr^ fpares nothing for her Education^ and nt iength propofes to marry her. Monnc- villc, to avoid his Importumties^fearches and at length finds Means to leave the Convent. He puts on the Habit of a Cavalier^ makes a Conquejl of an Ac- trefsy and becomes Clerk to a great Man in the Revenues y who endeavours JO marry him to his Daughter by force. Monneville refitfiss to ayjent w ^\< THE ^^ Hiftory \ up till Difguife laron, du Hekrejs nnevillc, r Pretext n quality jcr Viiws )la€es her '•j fpares and 4it I Monnc- ^Jearches leave the abit of a f an Ac- a great tdeavmrs " by force, mt to it. edy con- Dajfent THE T«E ADVENTURES O F T H B Chevalier . «. ^ • 'The Adventures of he quits his Algonquins, and turns Privateer, He goes a C^-uize upon the Coafts of Jamaica, under Captain Mor- pain, and afterwards under the famous Montaviban, after wbofe 'Death he is eleiled Captain, 4. » 1 'i . ^.. t |Y Father and Mother, who were originally French, went to inhabit in Canada, not far from Montreal, upon the River of St, l^awrevce. They lived there in that happy Trah* Guility which is procured to the Cana'- dians, by the eafy Submiflion the Go- vernment cxadls from them. I fhoiild have been educated well, if I had been capable of DifcipKne, but that I never was. From my carlicft Childhood; I ihewed myfelf lo rebellious and fo ob- ftinate, that there was great doubt whe- ther I Ihould ever be any Honour to the Family. I was pafltonate, violent, always ready to ftrike, and to repay with Ufiiry the Blow^ that Ware given nie% I remi^mbfi^oneDay, my Mother ^n- dcJiWDUfihg t« (ye me t<^ a Poft, tfiat (he her, who wfib,went ada^ not ah ^n^^^ )py Tran- the Cana- I the Go- 1 (hm\d I had been ^atl never ildbood, I and fo ob- ioubt whe- Honour to e, viokl^t, i to repay ^cr^ given MotH«f^"" Poft, *?^ (he jfi^^ G&rt^tf/iV de BcatiGhcnc. 5 Ihe might chaftife me more convenient- ly, and not being able to uianage me alone, as little as I was, flie defired a young Curate, who CMtie home to teacfc me to read, to lend her his Afliftiance, Me did her this Service very charitably, with the Thought that this Corr^ftioh might be ufeful to me 5 in which the good Man was much deceived. Far from looking upon his Aid as a charitabte Aftion, for which I Was obliged tohim^ it paffed, in my fmall Judgment, for an Affront, that di(honourcdme,and whiek I ought to revenge. I turn*d all my Fury, therefore^ a;- , -gainft this poor Devil <>f a Mafter, ar^d • refolv'd to maul him. Finding myfeff too weak to execute this noble Sthcme alone, I communicated it to feveral Boy^, |«s excellently natur'd as myfelf, who did [not fail to approve it, and to offer mi their Hands towards fo juft an ExeCu^ rion. The Confpirators provided them^ felvcs with Stones, and all in a Bodf iflaulted the poor Wretch who had pro^ , ''okedme, in fuch a fierce manner, tliat ic would have undergone the Fate of thfe irflChriftian Martyr, if fonrc People^ B 2 vfho t . 4 ne Adventures of who by chance were pafling by, had noe refcued him from our Revenge. This good Ecclefiaftick, whofe Name b Pe* riacy fome time after returned into France* He refides now aAually at Nantes ^ in a Seminary, of which he is the Superior : Jt is not above three Months Iince I faw him by Accident, ^d he made me re- •colleft this glorious Exploit, telling me that he was charm'd that he had made a falfe Perdition ; having foretold, in my Infancy, that I (hould get myfelf knock'd on the Head before I had a Beard, My Parents, who faw me every Day in Ibme frefh Hece of Mifchief, like this that I have fpoken of, judg'd full as un- favourably of me, and I am aftonifl\*d myfelf that I am ftill in the World, af- ter having fo often expofed myfelf to the utmoft Dangers. Never Child dif- cover^d fuch a Difpofition to be a fiiri- ous Quareller \ a new IJhmaeU the Son of HagaL I was never (adsfied but when I had Knives, Arrows, Swords, or Piftols in my Hahd : They were my Plav-things. They did what they woula with me % if they promised me Arms, and ^ the Cbevalitf de Beauchene. j^ and if they had the Imprudence to per-' form their Promifci I tried them upon the iirft Animal I met : Before I was feven Years old, there was fcaroe left a Cat or a Dog in the Neigbourhood. It was thus I exercisM my growing Valour» till I was (Irong enough to make a more noble Ufe of it, and to fight with my three Brothers againft the hoquefe. Thefe Savages, gained by the Pre* fents of the Englijh^ fomedmes made Incurfions even to the Gates o^ Mont- real % they entered the Country in fmall Pardes, concealed themfelves in the Woods during the Day, re-alTembled themfelves in the Night, and fell upon the Villages. They pillaged them, and afterwards retired hairilv with their Boo- ty, after having fct Fire to what they could not carry off. But above all they took care not to forget the Hair of thoie they had kill'd ; and, widiout difpute, they are greater Artifts than any Barber in Europiy at preferving eveiy Hair, for they tear oflT at the feme time the Skin of the Head. They extend thefe Skins upon litde Circles of Ofier, aqd prefervc them carefiiUy. Thefe arc the Bj Stan* 6 Use Adventures of Standards, the Trophies, they chufe to- take from their Enemies. Thefe are the Military Honours of the Iroquefe, Their Courage is eftimated by the Num- ber of Heads of Hair that they ppffefs. They are bonour'd and refpefted \n Proportion, and the Glory of a Father^ who has diftinguifhed himfelf from o- thers by his Bravery, has not, as in £//- 7'ope^ the leaft Influence of Honour upon, a Son who appears unworthy of him.. The Troop of /r^j/^^y^, who made themfelves moft dreaded about ChatJibfy and Montreal^ had one of the moft ce- lebrated Savages for their Chief; he himfelf could have furnifhed the bcft accuftom'd Peruke-maker in Paris^ and was the Terror of Canada, This terri-r ble Mortal was named the Black-Kettle^ There was not a Perfon in that Country who could boaft diat he had heard that formidabfc Name without trembling, Wiil it be behcy'd, that publick Prayers were demanded to be delivered from hi$ t*ury, as formerly in certain Provinces of France^ the People begg'd of God to deliver them from the R^ge of the Normans^ AU :hufe to lefe are Iroquefe. j poffefs. efted ift I Fathcry from o- as in £«-. lOur upon, ^f him.. /ho made it ChmhlT ^e moft ce- Chiefi he d the belt Paris^ and This terri- lack-KeUle% lat Country heard that trembling, ^lick Prayer* f'd from hi» n Provinces ^M of God l^ge of the •1 the Chevalier de Beauchene. 7 All that I heard reported of this fa- mous Savage, did not fo much infpire me with Fear as a Defire of feeing him. I knew it was the Cuftom of the Iro- quefe^ inftead of killing the Children, ta carry them ofF,^ and bring them up iji their own Manner. This made me wiih to be carried away by them. I am cu- rious, faid I^ to know thefe People by my own Experience, and to try whether I fhall not fiad more Pleafure in their Habitation, than I have in my own Fa- mily, where I am fcolded and contra- dialed every Moment : The Savages ccftainly will let me make ufe of Wea- pons as much as I pleafe •, far from dif- puting the Pleafure I take in ufing tliem, as my Parents do, they will fee with Joy my warlike Humour, and give me Occafions of exercifing it. I formed a Pefign, therefore, to go and jom them on the-firft Incurfion they (hould make near Montreal \ which did not fail to happen in a IhortTime, as I am going to relate. Monfieur de Frontenac^ the Governor cf Canada, embark'd to pafsinto France. He was fcarcc departed, before the Iro- B 4 quefe I i; ^ Tie Adventures of fuefe endeavowM to make ufe of his^ Abfcnce, to revenge themfelves for the Ravages which had been made the pre* ceeding Year in one of their Cantons ♦, by MefTieurs the Marquis de Denouville; de Cailleres, and de VaudreuiL Thus» on all Sides» nothing was heard of but Villages ftirprized, pillaged, and burnt. As to me, I waited impatiently till the Black Kettle* % Troop fhould draw near us, when one Evening the Alarm' was fpread over all the Quarter. The Men run to their Arms, and prepared them- felves to defend their Country. What? a Subjeft of Rapture for me, to behold the whole World preparing themfelves fof Battle! Inftead of hiding myfelf with the Women, I prepared to follow my Brother^, who were of an Age to ufe their Swords, for the Defence of our Gods Penates % and I cry^ out, in die Excefs of Joy that tranfported me, that I was glad I fhould fee that Savage^ whole Name refounded on all Sides. This drew upon me, from my Mother, a Reprimand, preceded by a Box on the Ear, which I durft not indeed return, but ' * The Canton of the Senontuantg which wn ravaged by the Frttuk in 1687. the Chevalier de Beauchene. 9 but which I refolved within myfelf not to leave unpuniflied. I eicaped from her Hands, notwithftanding the Efforts fhe made to retain me ; and running to the Place where I heard the Noife of Fire- jAj-ms, I arrived at the Field of Battle, relblving to take my Flight with the Iro- quefe\ or if they difdain'd to take me, to be however a Speftatqr of the Com- bat ; as much to revenge myfelf on my Mother, as to enjoy a SpeAacle that was agreeable to me. « The Savages ftruck their Blow in lefi than a Quarter of an Hour. They kill*d about thirty People, before they were in a Condition to repulfe them, fet Fire to feveral Houies, and retired with a large, tho* not with a very rich Booty, and fome few Prifoners, amongft whom my eldeft Brother had the M&- fortune to be found. As I lookM round with great Eagemefi to find the Iro^ quefe^ I perceiv*d twelve or fifteen of them unnimifliing a Houfe before they burnt it, and fetching out of it two lit- tle Children ; I immediately call'd ouc^ as loud as I could poflibly. Quarter, Gentlemen, Quarter ! I yield \ carry me along with you. B ^ | 1 I io 7h£ Adventures cf I don't know that they underftood mc»jhowever I prefentcd myfelf to them wi{b fo good a Grace, that they could not refufe me the Satisfadion of being their Prifoner ; one of them took me upon his Shpulders, and we ibon join'd the reft of the Troop ; what is moft uncommon was, that inftcad of crying, like the other little Boys, I held a Ket- tle and a Copper-pot in my Hands, that the Savage who bore me. had quitted to take me up. After a March of eight or ten Leagues,, the Iroquefe remarking the Approach of Day, halted in a Wood to.repofe them* felves till Night ; and as they were pre- paring to purlue their Journey, they were on a fudden attacked by two hundred Canadians 2aid yilgonquins,vfhx)pVinhappi- ly^ not having peirceiv'd time enough the Place where the Prifoners were faften'd, could not deliver them. The Ircquefe who guarded tliem, having heard the Cry of War +, immediately knocked than on the Head. The f This Cry, which the Canadians have imi- -tnted from the Savagesi b a kind of Howling, J '<; .. .. whicK .•r • the Chevalier de Beaudbene. 1 1 The Iroquefe are eafily overcome when they are furprizcd. They radier chufe to attack^ than to defend them- ielvqs. They immediately took their Flight, carrying us off with them, and leaving nine of their Men in the Power of the Enemy. Thcfe Canadians^ vrho had performed this liafty Expedition, were command- ed by Meffieurs de Maricour^ de St. Helene, and de Longueil^ Brothers, all Men of Valour, and of the principal Family of Montreal. Thefe brave Of- ficers, excited by the Sollicitations of my two other Brothers, made this At- tempt to refcue my eld^ft Brother and myfelf from the Hands of the^ Sa- rages. ' . In tliat Canton of the Iroquefe to which I was carried, it wa^ the Cuftom to burn all their Prifoners. They tied them to a Stake, round which they light- ed which is foraicd by ftriking their Hands upon their Mouths ; It lenres for two Purpofcs ; to aflfright the Enemy whom they furprize, and as a Sigaal to thcmi'elves. tammm » Lv !' I (i I 111 IM t ,:\ 12 7%^ jidvifilttres of cd four Fires at fo great a Diftancc, thafc thofc unhappy Wretches were two, and ibnietimes three whole Days before they ixpmd. The Canadiansiiad often threat- en d the Savages to treat them in the fame manner, if they did not aboliflt this barbarous Cuftoin, and conform to the Laws of War. The Iroquefi had always deibifed their Menaces, fb- that Monfieur ie Maricour and his Brq- thers, whatever Horror they had for loch an Inhumanity,, thought them* felves obliged to exercife it upon the nine Frifoners that they had taken. Every one knows that amongft* thefe Savages, a M^ that has been made Prifoner, to whatever kind of Death they deftihy him, may be preferv'd from Execution by any one ot the.Af- fiftants that adopts him, by throwing a ^String of Beads round his Neck, and €^ of their Mantles upon his Body, ^nlthout any further Ceremony. Now it muft be obferved, that this Monfieur ie Maricour that I fpeak of, had beea formerly carried off by the Iroquefe^ and adopted in this Manner, and that having *-. the tibeoalier de Beauchene. 1 3 i4bund means to efcape from them, he liad retum'd to Montreal. He then, as Chief of the Expedition, commanded by way of kepriials, that the nine Savages that he had taken fhould be bum'd. He was excited to it ftrongly by my Relations, who demanded their -Deaths with the greateft Entreaties, and all the Canadians confented to it ; but M. Je St. Vallier^ Biihop of ^ebecK happening to be then at Montreal^ where he came to ^ve his Confirma- tion, oppofed it with all his Power. He made a moft pathetick Dilcourfe to the People, and employ*d even Tears to excite their Compaflion. But Policy rcnder*d the Eloquence of the Prelate in vain, Monfier de Maricour was in- exorable, and all the Spectators judg'd that upon this Occafion Cruelty was to be prcfeired before Mercy, The Prifoncrs were fattened each to their Stake, and the Air immediately refounded with their Voices : They be- gan to fing what they call their Song of Death. This Song generally con- tains the Enumeration of the JPerfons they pass: m i!i •V 14 725^ Adventures of they have killed in their Incurfipns,.an(i the -Numbers of the Heads of Hair that adorn, their Huts. Nptwithfbnd- ing the dreadful P^q^arat-t^ns of Death. that furround them, they appear cakn ^ you fee no Impreflion either of Fear or Sorrow upon their Countenances. Thejr look upon it as a Mark of Cowardice to be afr^d to die, and even not tp. iing when they are upon lofing their Lives. There are not many Eurafean$' capable 6f this Steadinefs. ..^ , Whilft Monfieur de Mariconr gzsrp ids Orders for the Execution of the nine ircquefe^ he perceived that him wha fecmed to be. the Chief of them dicj not fing V and that inftead of teftifying ^ fame Gaiqty as his Companions^ he was buried in a profound Sorrow. He reproached him for it in the Iroquefe- Language, \rfiich he underftood perfeA- ly : How comes it^ my Friend, faid he to hrm» thou w^nteft Courage! thou feemeft to finifli thy Days with Regret ! Thou art miftaken, replied the Savage : It is not Death that afflids me, and prevents me from finging. I am more valiant than tliyfelf. Look upon my m Qns,and of Hair ithftand- f Death, ar calm v ^ Fear or es. They ;owardice ;n not tQ- fmg their %'-•".'■'■'" '■'l, V*'* ^ ■* t * '■ . cottr gav^ 3f the nine him "wha them did ; teftifying lanionSi he Irrow. He^ TC Iroquefe- odpetieA- nd, &d he age! thou ith Regret! he Savage : s me, and I- am more^ L upon my the CbewfUer de Beauchene. i ^ CaJJ'e * Tete ; thou may'ft behold there the Marks of fifty-five Enemies whom I have kill'd. But, what afflifts me fx>w is, added he, my having prefcrved thee, ten Years ago, from the Fate which thou now deftineft for me. At thefe Words Monfieur de Mariccur looked upon the Iroquefe with more Attention than before, and recollefted Wm to be the Savage who had adopted, him ; he run to him immediately, call- ing him his Father ; he embraced hinj with Tranlport feveral times, and then turning to the People, he demanded of them the Pardon of this Savage. The People, ^ready touched by this Adven- ture, began to cry out that he fhould be untied,, when one tizmtdi Cardinal^ a young Inhabitant of Montreal, whofe Brother liad been killed in the laft Ek- pedition, approaching haftily to the iri- j«(/^ . whom they defigned to fave, plunged into his Bofom the Knife that they wear in that Country fixed to their Girdle, to the great Grief of Monfieur de Maricour, ^ After * A kind of Club beot at the End, /harp and cutting 'where it bends. ^ \ .», i6 Tie jldventures of ?1!. I i-. »"* ' !'' I After they had burn'd feven of the eight Prifoners that remained, they left the Eighth expofed two or three Hours to the Fires which were lighted round him, that he might fpeak more feelingly of the bitter Pangs his Companions had fuflfered, when he returned into his Can« ton ; where he was fent to tell Im Coun- trymen, that if they did not ceafe to burn their Prifoners, they muft cxpeft the fame Treatment in return. This Example of Severity had more Effeft upon the Iroauefcj than die Clemency with which they had always ufed thole who had been uken before ; for they had always fent them back free, and fometimes loaded with Gifts. After that Time they fcarcc ever burn*d a Cana^ iian ; but, Ibme Hurons^ and a great Number of AlgonquinSj gave me that Amufement during the fix Years that I remained with the Iro^uefc^ Upon my arrival at the Village I found another Mother ; a Woman who had loft her Huft>and and one of her Children in the Combat, adopted mc^ and making Choice of another Huf- band, 'I . the Chevalier de Beauchene. 1 7 band, (he was foon comforted. But 1 fpeak like an European v flic ftood in need of no Confolation : Far from af- flifting hcrfclf for the Lofs flie had had> Ihe rejoiced at it : Befides the infinite Honour that redounded to her from the Menwry of the Deceafed, who had died glorioufly for their Country, they left her a Succcffion of a copious Number of Scalps. There were feveral Children of my Age in the Huts, and a great Number in the Village. I could not think I had 'loft any thing, (ince I faw I had ftill a Father, a Mother, Brothers and Com* panions. But what plcafed me the moft m my new Parents was, that inftead of hindering me, as the others did, from touching any Weapons, they taught me how to ufe them, and let me ex- crcife them continually. However, I drew upon myfelf frequently moft un- gende Corrections, becaufe I was always feeking Quarrels, and coming to Blows with the other little Boys, whom I wounded dangerouQy. There was every Day ahnoft a Head broke by my Per- fofmancesi which occafioned my fa« J . vagjc ^e Advefjfures of vage Parents often to think of fending me back to Canada^ though they loved me tenderiy. They could not however refolve upon it ; for I teftificd fo great a Repugnance to leave them, when they threatened to have me conveyed to Montreal^ that I attached them ftill more ftrongly to me. I went upon Incurfions againfl: the ^ other Savages, and they admitted me into their greatefi Parties of Hunting when I was but twelve Years old. But indeed I was more formed and more robuft than other young People were at Eighteen ; had it not been for this Strength which has augmented contmuftUy to this Day,, and which may with Truth be ftilcd extraordniary, I muft have perilhcd in. fifty Occafions, whctc that alone faved my Life.. . I could here give a truer Defcription* of .the Manners and Guftoms of the Iroqueje^ than any other Perfon can do ; but there are fo many of thofe Botch* crs of Narrations, that I frankly leave to another the Pleafure of making known the Falfities of thofe that are fo univerlally read. Having been brought ^e Chevalier de Beauchene. i ^ up amongft this lavage Nation, I muft be fully inftrufted in its Cuftoms > I fo ftrongly acquired the Spirit of them, tliat I looked upon myfelf for many. Years as an Iroquefe. Several Years were neceflary for me, I don't fay to conquer, but only to foften a little that Fiercenefs which I had contrafted by being with* thefe People, fo different from the reft of die World, and whofe manner of Living fuited but too ftrongly witli my Inclinations. I breathed nought but War: Ytt, whatever Defire I had to figlit, I re- fufed to follow my Parents when they went to War againft the Canadians^ and even againft the Algonquins ; which they did very frequently to pleafe the Eng^ li/h who induced them to it, and fent them for that purpofe great Quantities of Arms, Cxjtlers Ware, and Brandy* They made flich frequent Incurfions into Canada^ that Monfieur de Fronte* nac^ who was then the Governor, pur» fued diem in the beginning of the Year 1695, and approached to pillage the Canton where I dwelt. Our Savages were obliged for diis Vifit to die Eng^ lb' ' :' 1 20 ^e i4dventures of lijb who were with us, and who had perliiaded them that nothing was fo f afy as to furprize Monfieur de Fronti^ uacj and take him Prifoner. *Tis impoflible to be more embar- rafs*d than I was upon thb Occafion. I was abfolutely refolded not to fight againft the Canadians: The Iroquefe^ thinking me ftrong enough' to enter into the Combat, threatened to kill me if I did not behave as the reft. What Rcfolution could I take ! Happily for me the Love I bore my Country was not put to ib ftrong a Trial ; for the Canadians marched into our Canton in fuch regular Order, that we were obliged to retire, and let them ruin it, without being able to enterprize any thing againft them, or to do them any other Harm than by killing Ibme of their Centinels by Night with our Arrows. As all their Ravages were founded in deftroying, tearing up, and burning, without any Profit by our Spoils, they were foon tired of exercifing fo fruitleis a Revenge. They returned from whence ihey came j which we had no fooner remarked, the Chevalier dcBesiVLchcnt. remarked, than We refolved to purfuc them, being more ftrongly excited by Revenge than we had been to the De- fence of our Country, We did not in the leaft confult upon a general Attack. Every Chief of a Village condufted his Peopk as he thought proper. DiWded into three or four Troops, for feveral Days we only coafted round the Enemy, and kept hovering near their Left Wing in the Night, wkhout being able to at- tack them. One Evening however we perceived about two or three Hundred of them, who not imagining us {o near them, had retired into a Meadow at fome Di- ftance from the reft of the Army ; we refolved to carry off this fmall Corps, which we attacked about Midnight. I joined myfelf in the Party, upon the Aflurance that was given me tnat they were Hurons^ who were taking to the Left to regain their Country by the Way of the great Lake. We killed at the firft Onfet about ten or twelve •, but four or five Bodies of them, who were placed as Advanced Guards, received us fo handfomely, that they foon threw us 'Av ii iii h ^' ^^ The Jidvent'ures oj lis into Dilbrder, and put us to flight. They chole us out by the Light oi the Fires round their Troops, and did not 'fend one Mufkct-fliot in vain* The Paflion'I had for Arms, n6t permitting me to be one of the firft that i-etired, I v/as furrounded with my a- dopted Father, who endeavouring to difcngage me from five or fix Canadians that were round me, was taken with me. We were faften'd to two Trees, and we lexpeded they would burn us as foon as it was Day. I was not too well plea* fed with this Ceremony at my Time of Life-, and what mortified me-ftill more than an immature Death was, that hav- ing kiird no Enemies, I had nothing to fay in my Song of Death. My Savage "Father entering into my Grief> told me, to comfort me, that it was fufficient to prove I died a brave Man, that I was taken with my Arms in my Hand. Tho* he had reafon to believe, f hat lie would be faved v/ith me if I made my- felf known, yet he exhorted me not ^ rize among the Canadians^ who flock- ed about me in Crowds, to confider me ith all the Attention that a young Iro* [/<^y^ feem'd to defer ve, who fooke th^ ^rench Language fo well. We were nmediately untied, both my Savage 'ather and myfelf*, they condufted iiS [0 the Commanding Officer, who having )bliged me to confefs that I was born a Ja^iadiaHy ofFer'd us our Lives, if we ^ould follow him. I accepted his Offer without MH 't4 ^e Adventures of without Hefitadon, refolvingtobegotio from him on the firft Occafion that pre* fented itfelf. As to the Savage, he re- fufed to follow me, and never ceafed to reproach me, till, having procured him his Liberty, I had given him my Pro* mife to rejf Count de MomeviUe^ and run through. . jnany Adventures with him, as will be ^^ feen - in the Hiftory of my Life j we conceived for each other, from that Moment, a Friendfhip, which ilill en- dures in its full Extent. He carried ofF mxh him, as Slaves, fcvend Iroquefs Women, and a great Number of Children. I apprehended imch that I was to go with him upon the fame Footing ; and in that cafe I propofed to make myfelf known to my Kelations at Montreal. But my Fears were vain ; he procured me Soldier's Fay, in a poor littde Fort that he com- manded. jbcgono that pre- e, he re- ceafedto :ured him my Pro- inded this ^rc atuck*d i Monficur fo, becaufe r the Name run through, as will be Lifes ^<5 from that ich ftitt en- U ^ as Slaves, and a great apprehended Lth him upon that cafe 1 inown to my Jut my Fears me ooldier*s Ithathecom- mandeOf ' the Chevalier de Beauchene. 2 5 manded, about fifty Leagues North from Chambly, and I enjoy'd a perfeft Liber* ty. He did more, my frank open Air pleas'd him •, he took me into all his Parties, obliged me to eat at his Table, and treated me as his EquaL / We pafsM the Days in an agreeable Habitation that he had in the Country, and in which any other but me would have thought himfelf happy to have been fix*d. Monfieur ie Gendre led the moft quiet and regular Life imaginable there : That did not fuit me in the leaft \ it was impoflible for me to be fatisfied with it long, and to agree to the Tafte he had for Repofe ; I muft have Fa- tigueSj Incurfions, Combats, or at leaft' fome Quarrels to have amufed me, and I could find no Opportunity for them there ; and yet, in fo peaceful an Ha- bitation, Monfieur le Gendre and my- felf were very near dying a violent Death. An Officer of the Fort feeing me one* Morning with two of the Soldiers, who were driving out the Cold with Brandy,, join'd himfelf to our Party. Our Con- Vol. L C ver- t 'I'U 26 H^ Adventures of verfation tum'd upon the Iroquefe ; the Soldiers, defirous of being thoroughly inform'd of thefe Savages, afked me fe- veral Queftions, and I took a Pleafure in fatisfying their Curiofity. The Offi- cer entering into the Converfation, quef- tion'd me in his Turn; after which, having defired me to follow him, he carryM me into his Clofet, took out a Bottle, uncork'd it, and filled a Glais, which he prefented to me : Drink this "Wine, faid he to me, I believe it will fuit your Tafte. I put the Glafs to my Mouth, only juft to wet my Lips, and made the Grimace of a Man who dif- likes his Liquor. How is this, cried he ? what! do you think it bad ? Very bad, return*d I, with all the Franlrefs of a Savage, who had not learn'd to lie out of Politenefs. I fee, faid he laugh- ing, that you are no great Connoiffeur ^ this is one of the beft Wines in France ; I am fatisfied Monfieur le Gendre would judge differently of it. I fhould be glad, added he, to fhare with him a little Par- cel that I have procured of this Wine, Which was prefented to me, but it is what I dare not propofe to him myfelf ; l^re has been a £ttle Difference between us. the Osevatiet de fieaucHene. ty J, and perhaps he would not receive \y Compliment well ; you muft make ife of your Addrefs to reconcile us. i lefire no better, reply*d I, only tell me >w I mUtl behave. Nothing is more rufy, faid the Officer, only let him tafte )f my Wine, without telling him from rhom it comes, and if he thinks it ex- :ellent, as I don't doubt but he will, ^ou (hall inform me of it privately ; I rill fend him a few Barrels, and I have in my Mind that this little Prefent will ^ring about our Reconciliation. If I aj^roved this Projeft of Accommo- lation extremely, and promifed very [ncerely to endeavour to make it fue- led. I receiv*d from the Officer a )ttle clofely feaj'd, and I affur'd him I rould make the Ufe of it he defired. Vf tjie greateft Happinefs in the World, did not quit the Officer immediately, mufin^ myfelf with him for fome time ; fter which I retired without taking the (ottle, which Meft thro' Forgetfulnefs the Fort, and returned to my two [oldiers, with whom I continued till ight, driving away Cold and Melan- lolly. The next Morning, recolleft- C 2 iog 28 The Adventures of ing that I had not done what the Offi- cer defired me, I was preparing to go to him, when a Soldier came to inform me, that he, and two of his Dome- fticks, were found dead in their Beds, and all three of the fame Poifon, accord- ing to the Information of the Surgeon. I doubted not but this dreadful Accident was the Work of this Bottle of Recon- ciliation ; and after having related to Monfieur le Gendre what had pafsM the Day before, between me and the Officer, we made a thoufand Reflexions upon it, without being able to fix a certain Judgment, or daring to decide whether the Deceased was innocent or guilty. However that might be, I thank'd Hea- ven for not having given me one of thofe fedate folid Tempers, that think of every thing, and never forget the leaft Article of the Commiflions they are charg'd with. This melanchoUy Event, tho' Mon- fieur le Gendre had nothing to reproach himfelf with, yet laid him under a Ne- ceflTity of going to Siuebec. He pro- pofed to me to make this little Journey with him, and I willingly accepted the Pro- ng to go to inform s Dome- lieir Beds, I, accord- I Surgeon. I Accident rf Recon- related to pafs'd the he Officer, ions upon : a certain ie whether I or guilty, ink'd Hea- ne one of that think forget the ns they are tho' Mon- lo reproach ider a Ne- He pro- fle Journey xepted the Pro- tbe Chevalier de Beauchene. 2 9 Propofition. As we pafs'd thro' Mont- real^ I refolv'd out of mcer Curiofity to fee my Parents, without making myfelf known to them. I imagin'd that this was eafy to be done, but 1 was miftaken ; my Refolution not holding out againft the Emotions of Tenderncfs that Nature infpires upon thefe Occafions : For when il came up to my Father and Mother, |thofe tender Names fprung from me in fpite of myfelf, inftead of thofe of Mon- ifieur and Madame^ which I had defign'd to pronounce. I was receiv'd at home [like another prodigal Son, the Authors [of my Birth returning the moft ardent jThanks to Heaver; for my Return : As to my Brothers, who had never loved me, they exprefs'd no great Joy, and all the Neighbourhood was in Terror, re- |membering the Tricks I had ulc:d to 'play them. My Father and Mother ^ent immediately to demand my Liber- ty of Monfieur le Gendre, who could lot refufe it to their Entreaties, whatever "Legret he had to lofe me. •Tis eafy to judge, that a young Fel- low of my Humour could make no long Stay in his Father's Houfe, without C 3 being -o rbe Adventures /'f^o my Brothers, tho' dxey ^"l^fficeiaS older than myfelf, I were Omcers, anu .^ Footing. foon put them u^n^^Sf ,,^ ^,, % I accuftom d them to auu my haughty Airs. ^ j. "to avoid the Idler^^^Hl , naturally h»^^ f*"^" '"'°' To^this eU I affociated myielt witn * ^ and living more J'J-^* Months with- C.««J^^»^lj'^^°ft;V;^^^^^^ who, far out returning to my r*. ^^ from complaining ^^.f^^Cito me fences, began ^1^^"/° ^%d return'd for them. Some«m«.^^^^^^^ ^, with a large Troop w ^^ t . ^^ hadchofemcfortheir^.l^f>an^^^^^ obeyed my Orders. wnen» .^^^ it the Chevalier dcBtSiUchcnc. 31 into Montreal at their Head, I was haughtier than a vidtorious General •, and woe to that Tr^defman who did not fa- lute me with Reverence enough, or dared to look in my Face, An Affair that I had in that City, in the middle of the Year 1701, attach'd me wholly to my u'^lgonquins. The Fadt was this : We, that is, myfelf and a- bout a hundred Canadians^ undertook to efcort Monfieur de la Mothe de Cadillac^ who was fent with two Subaltern Offi- cers, near two hundred Leagues from Montreal^ to command at the Sir eight •* When we were at the Place, which is named the Fall ofChina^ becaufe there is a Water-fall there, upon the River of St. Lawrence^ where they arc obliged to unload their Goods, Monfieur de Cadil- lac undertook to fearch the Canoes, to fee if we had not brought more Brandy than was allowed. He difcover'd more that! was liccnc'd in fcveral of the Canoes \ * The Streighi is an EiUblifliment with a good Fort, which was crcAed by the Orden of Monfieur tie Pentcbartrainf upon the River, or more properly the Canal, which joins the Lake of the Hur^ni to the Lake Erie. • - '^■- C4 and I 32 ^e Adventures of and immediately raifing his Voice, de- manded, with a magifterial Air, whofe it was i one of my Brothers was near him, who anfwer'd him in the feme Tone, that it belonged to us, and that he had no Authority to find Fault with it. Cadillac was a Gafcon^ and confequent- ly hot ; he affronted my Brother, who drew upon him immediately -, Cadillac recciv'd him like a Man of Courage, and making him retreat, he was going to difarm him, when throwing myfelf be- tween them, I pufh'd afide my Brother, and took his Place, and repuls'd my E^nemy fo brifkly, that he had no Occa- fion to be forry that we were parted. He is, I believe, ftill alive 5 if he dares, let liim contradid me. We were but three Leagues from Montreal \ Cadillac return'd thither to make his Complaints : I had the Indif- crerion to follow him, inftead of rerir- ing with my Savages. Monfieur de Champigftf^ who was then Intendant, fcnt me Word upon my Arrival to come to him i I was advifed to withdraw my- fclfj but I rejcftcd this Counfel, which uci. , appeared de- hofe near fame that th it. uent- who \dillac ?, and ng to If be- other, jM my Occa- i. He •es, let \ from er to Indif- If retir- [leur de lendant, :o come ^w my- which pear'd the Chevalier de Beauchene. 3 3 appear'd to me more timid than pru- dent. I did not hefitate a Moment to repair to the Intendant, without being agitated with the leaft Fear ; on the contrary, I thought he ought to fear me, and did not imagine he would be • bold enough to fay any thing difobliging tome. I enter*d into his Apartment with an audacious Air, and dreflcd as ufual like a Savage i I remember he had about him aboTc fifty Officers, befides Mon- fieur de Ramefe^ the Governor of the Place, and feveral Ladies : Approach, faid the Intendant to me calmly, ap- proach, Monfieur le Mutin^ *tis you then who pretend to draw y^ur Sword againft your Officer? Yes, Monfieur, reply'd I, it was me, and I ought to have done it, if I would not fuiFer my Brother to be murder'd before my Eyes. Your Brother, reply'd he, is a Mutineer, whom you ought not to have imitated, and who muft fubmit to the Punifliment inflifted by the Laws, when we can find him. As to you, I condemn you to the Dungeon, where you muft remain, C5 if i( 34 TBe Adventures ef if you pleafe, till Monfieur de la Mothc condcfcends to pardon you. I had perfwaded myfelf,^ that the la- tcndant only defignM to frighten me» and that it was agreed that Monfieur de RamefeyWith the other Officers, Qiould de- mand my Pardon, if I fiibmitted without murmuring to the Sentence pronounc'd ^ but that was impoffibfe, the Word Dun- geon fet Fire to me in a Moment, and looking upon Monfieur de Champigny with an irritated Look,r— It ftiall not be, reply'd I haughtily ; as long as I have my Sabre, I will not go to the Dun- geon, nor fo long as my Savages are in the Place. Thereupon I made fomc Steps to go out, but all the Officers threw themfelves before me, and dif- arm*d me ; aflliring me that I ihould no', be puni(h*d if 1 obey^^d the Inten- dant As I would not fubmit^ notwith- ftanding ull that they could 6y to. me, the Guards of the Governor at laft were obliged to feize me, and kd me, or ra- ther carried me to Prifon,. not without receiving a large Quantity of Cuffs from mc, whjch they returned a Hundred- fold. J '•Af the CheDalier de BeaachenCo ^ ^ ' I pafled direc Days in the Dungeon, with Fetters on my Feet, biting upon the Bridle. After this the Intendant, whofe Intention was to fatisty my Sa+ vages, who began to murmur at my Imprifonment, fcnt for me to appear before him, and told mc that he was forry that I had conftrain'd him to pu- nifh me ; that he cfteem'd me, and that I might depend upon his ferving me in every thing that depended upon him j that he only exhorted me to ufe my ut- mod Efforts to moderate my Violence of Temper, and that in confideration to me he forgave my Brother; a Favour which proved very ufelefe to hitn, fince the Sliame of being overcokne by CadiU lac made him redre amongft the Savages^ from whence he never returned. The Day that I came out of Prifon, I Icarn'd that Monfieur de Ramefe^ out of Friendfhip to me, had made my Ex- cufes to Monfieur de la Mothe^ and that he had at firft obtained of the Intendant that I fhould be only an Hour in the Dungeon, but that old Madame d'Jr- pintigniy who, unfortunately for me, was then paying her Court to Monfieur de 1 36 , 7i^ Adventures of de Champignyy had prevented my En- Jargement ; that this malicious Wo- man had reprefcnted to him that I could not be treated too feverely; and that ihc faid to the Intendant, — Ah! my Lord, you ought to let him rot in Pri- fon, you would do a great Service to the Country by it ; nobody is fafc from th Fury of this Vagabond ; I, myfelf, that fpeak to you, my Lord, have Rea- fons of Complaint againft him ; he in- fulted me lately with an Infolence that defcrves corporal Punifliment* . m t-i > Behold in whatconfifted this pretend- ed Infult done to this Dame a*Arpin- tigni : I had fold her Furs upon Cre- dit, to pay me at fuch a fpecified Time ; fhe let it oafs without fatisfying me; I demanded the Money of her, fhe refufed me ; I threatned her in Terms which perhaps flie thought too uncivil i however, I only told her with an Oath, that if I was not paid ir> four and twenty Hours, I would flea her alive in her own Houfe, and then let fire to it. ;i Indc* the Chevalier de Beauchene. 3 7 Independant of the Kindnefs Mon- fieur de Ramefe had for me, there was a very good Reafon for fetting me at liberty. I was become neceflary in re- gard to the Savages who were attached to me. The War was commenced in Europe upon Account of the Crown of Spain^ and by Confequcnce between the Engli/h in New-Englandy and the Canadians, This was one of thofe Conjunftures in which it is important to manage the Savages. The Iroquefe had buried the Axe, to Ipeak in their Language ; that is to fay, had made Peace. But it was feared that they would break it again in the Year 1698. Monfieur de Frontenac^ not long before his Death, had made a kind of Truce with them, finding them ftunncd by the Lofs of their famous Chief Black Kettle^ who was killed by a Party of young Algonquins. There was fo lit- tle Dependance made upon this irre- gular Treaty, that Monfieur de Callserei judging that another ought to be made, concluded a folid Peace with the Iro- quefe ]\n 1 70 1, by the Care and Ad- drefi of Monfieur de Maricour^ and Father Anfelm^ a Jcfuit. Thefe two ex- perienced ■'(i! I le 38 ^e Adventures of perienced Negociators conveyed thcm- felves amongft the Savages, whofe Ge- nius they were perfeftly well acqn^nted with, and engaged them to fend their Deputies to Montreal^ who planted the Tree of Peace there, as they exprefs themfelves, and danced the Calumet to the Number of eight or nine hundred. From that Time the Englijh^ having fpared nothing to induce them to take up the Axe again againft us, had partly fucceeded ; fince by vertue of Prefents they gained upon fome of the Savages, who towards the latter End of the Year 1703, fet Fire by Surprize to the Fort which Monfieur de Cadillac commanded at the Streight. The Nation of the Ircquefe in gcne^ ral did not however look upon this Enterprize as an Infraftion of tne Trea- ty •, for having met with feveral Troop* of them in the Woods foon after^ wc were received more like Friends than Enemies by them ; they would abfo- lutely fmoak, and make Kettle * with i». Thirty Algenquins \vh« accompanied • Boil their Provilion, and cat together. .if i-'t .1 :heni- eGe- ainted 1 their edthe jxprefs met to \dred. having to take I partly Prefents lavages, lie Year :he Fort mandcd n gcnc^ )on this le Trea- Troop* Iter, wc ids than Id abfo- with i». mpanicd '4i i J '4 <.it the Chevalier de Beauchene. j^ me, at firft apprehended that we muft come to Blows : But the Iroquefe prp- tefted to us, that they would never lift up the Axe againft the French^ nor againft their Allies ; but that as to the Englijh, whom they had Reafon to be diflatisfied with, they would give them no Quarter. I was curious to know why they complained of the Englijh^ and I enquired it of them. They told me that they were unfatisfied for feveral Reafons •, and among the reft,, for one that they laid to Heart extremely : That they had carried Ibme Furs to Corlari^ in New-Torky where, after having fought for two Days one of their Com- panions, who had loft himfelf, they found him hanged in an unfrequented Wood^ At this Word (banged) all the 7r^- ^uefe made the moft frightful Shrieks^ and expreffed the greateft Sorrow. You would have thought they had ftill be- fore their Eyes the unfortunate Com- panion whofe Fate they deplored. I did not lofe fo fair an Occanon of ex- horting them not to leave fo barbarous an Infult unpunilhcd. I did more -, I offered 40 The Adventures of offered myfelf, to ferve their Vengeance, to depart immediately with them, and procure Reparation for this Outrage. They took me at my Wofd : But af- terwards reflefting upon our fmall Num- ber, they afked me if I could not ob- tain a greater Succour from our Father Muntis *. I imagined that our Go- vernor, whom they called by that Name, would not be forry to make ufe of this Conjunfture, to form fome Enterprize which might fet thefe Sa- vages at Variance with the Englijh for fome Time. In this Confidence, I con- dufted Part of thefe Iroquefe to Mont- real^ in Quality of Deputies of their Nation. I presented them to Monfieur de Ramefe^ who ftifled their Refent- ments, and promifed them Afliftance ; and effeftively, after having writ to Monfieur de Vaudreuily he gave them three Hundred Canadians^ commanded by Monfieur de Beaucour^ En^necr and Captain of a Company of Foot. Befides this, he defired me to induce the greateft Number of Algonquins I could to join the Party. I affured him, that • The Sayages ftjle a Sovereign thus, or » Maftcr i gnd alfo God iiiimrdf. the Chevalier de Bcauchene. 4 1 that it ftiould not be my Fault, if I did not determine a great Number of them to follow me. I made him this Af- furance with a Fervor and ZeaJ, that drew feveral Compliments from him. But to fay the Truth, if I entered fo hody into his political Views, it wa$ not fo much out of Lx)ve to the Pub- lick Good, as from the Pleafure I felt at the Profpeft of ravaging a Coun- try. I harangued the Algonquins ; near four Hundred fufFered themfelves to be perfwaded ; and when they had given me their Promife, we departed for this Expedition at the latter End of June^ 1 704. The Iroquefe Deputies were be- fore returned to their Cantons, to give an Account to their Brethren of the Refult of their Deputation ; one Part of them was to join us in the Way, and the others, on a certain appointed Day, were to enter the Country in fe- veral Troops. We arrived at the Ren- devous before the Time prefix'd, the* the Road was difficult, and above one hundred and fifty Leagues in length. Unfortunately Monfieur ^f B^aucour had carried I i 42 The . "tdventures of carried with him fome French Soldiers, who not being accuftomed to our Ca- noes, could not fupport the Fatigue, and were of much more Inconvenience than Service to us. When thefe Ca- noes were to be carried over Land, as they were feveral times, and efpecially once for twenty five Leagues, they could fcarce drag themfclves ; this was not the Way to be helpful to us in carrying our Canoes and our Provifions. Yet, this would have been nothing, if one of them had not made us fail in our Enterprize by the blackeft of Trea- fons. Thb perfidious Wretch, whllft we halted in the Woods, thirty Leagues from the firft Englijh VillageS, to hide our Canoes there, and to repofe our- felves till it was Light, as we had agreed upon with the Iroquefe ; this Traitor having recovered his Strength prevented us, and went to adyertiie our Enemies of our Approach ; fo that we looked very foolifh, when drawing near a Vil- lage which we had depended upon pil- laging in the firft Place, we plainly perceived two thoufand Englijh under Armis, the Chevalier de Beauchene* 43 Arms, who waited for us in good Or- der. This obliged us to retire abruptly, and regain our Wood. As we were not far diftant from Orange *, the Gar- rifon of which might have intercepted us, we were conftrained to return to our Canoes without having fired a Gun. This piqued us the more, as the Year before Monfieur de Beaubafftn^ Son to Monfieur de la Valiere^ Major of the Fort of Montreal had ravaged above five and twenty Leagues in the fame Country, though he had fcarce a Hand- ful of Canadians with him, and fewer Savages than we had. The Expcnce of this Armament was not fo confiderable, but that we (hould eafily have comforted ourfelves for this falfe Step, if we had c(Hne off with only lofing our Labour ; but we had carried Provifions only for the Journey, reckoning upon this, that the M^a- zincs of the Enemy would fiirnifh us with more than fufficient for our Re- turn. We were deceived in our Calcu* ladon, and our Excurfion was very near coding us our Live&i 4t leaft feveral •> • of • A Town in the Province of l^inju-York. :i ill III ill; 'ti\ I 44 vie Adventures of of our Companions pcrifhed in it, who remained by the Way unable to fol- low us -, or out of Weakncfs were bore down in their Canoes by the Rapidity of the Stream, and drowned feven or eight at a time. My Savages fucceedcd a little better in this Adventure than the reft •, they continually got fome Fifh, or fome fort of Game \ but In fmall Quantities, the Seafon not being favourable for Fifh- ing, becaufe of the Heat. This made them murmur ngainft Mcffi^ms de Beau- €Our and de Vaudreuil^ and efpecially againft me, for whofc Sake they had taken the Field. One amongft them, a moft innocent young Fellow, carried his Rcfentment ftill further, and made us all laugh one Evening, notwithftand- ing the Mifery we were in. *Tis uni- verfally known, that the Savages fub- jeft to Frame are almoft all baptized, and yet fo ignorant, that they don't know the firft Principles of the Chrif- tian Religion : They are looked upon as DoftotF, and the learned Meh^'of the Canton, if they carry their Erudi- tion fo far as to get by Irjleart the Li- tanies the Chevalier de Beauchene. 45 tanics of the Virgin, which they repeat publickly every Morning and Evening as their Prayers. As to the other in- docile Difciples of the Miflionaries, they can only anfwer, Ora pro nobiSj and that very brokenly. It happened then that one of this Rank, who had ftunn'd us every Day with his Ora pro nobis^s^ having one Night kept a profound Si- lence, furprized us all by this Novelty. Hov/ is this, Makinoy faid I to him, after the Prayers, thou haft faid nothing to Day ? Thou haft not prayed to the Muntis, He anfwered me abruptly : Matagon tarondiy Mat agon ora pro no* bis. If God give me fomething to eat, I will give him Ora pro nobis. The greatcft Part of the other Sa- vages did not think him fo much in the wrong. Some of them even imitated him ; and as we had eat nothing for three Days, Defpair began to feize up- on us, and no Pcrfon found Courage fufficient to exhort the reft to Patience. I believe we muft have all inevitably pcriflied in the Deferts, if we had not been on a fudden aflifted by that Pro- vidence, againft which we had not been able li I, . i'l III 1 46 ftbe Adventures t>J able to keep ourfelves from murmur*- ing. We had ftill above half our Way to go, when wc received a Supply of Pro- vifions. It was Monfieur de Vaudreuil him^lf, that fent them to us ; advertis'd of the deplorable Situation we were in, by one of thofe Savages whom they call Jug- glers, he had haften'd this Succour to prevent our Ruin. This Juggler had affured him that his Ouahiche, or D^" mon^ had informed him in the Night, that his Brothers were betrayed, and were returning without Provifions, to- gether with the whole Troop. We had, indeed, two Brothers of this 5avi^e with us, one of whom was his Twin- Brother. Thofe who know me, know that it is not my Dcfeft to be too cre- dulous; neverthelefe, Iconfefs, that the Jugglers, if they could not convince me, at leaft, have often aftonifli'd me, I relate this Fad, becaufe it is certain that, but for this Juggler, we muft all have periflied in the Woods. In what- foevcr manner he learned the Condition mt were in, whether by Magick, whe- ther in a Dream, as our Learned hold, or ii I! ■It, y- + irmur*- Vayto ►fPro- of the by one all Jug- ccour to rler had or D^' e Night, ed, and Sons, to- I We had, J Savage as Twin- le, know I too cre- , that the convince u(h'd me, is x:ertsun e niuft all In what- Condition rick, whe- ■ned hold, or the Chevalier de B^auchcne. 47 or by Sympathy, what did it fignify to us, he divin'd it, howevpr, and favcd our Lives. Monficur de Vaudreuil was the firft to make a Jeft of the Advice of the Juggler, and did not determine to fend us Affiftance, but by the preffing SoUi- citation of feveral Officers, who repre- fented to him that, without having any Regard to the Vifions of the Savage, he might feem to believe it myfterious, 'gnd charge him with the Condud: of a little Convoy of Provifions to us -, this was executed wwr^ out of Pkafantry than for any Bt they gave him. (Whoever has frequented Monfieur de [Vaudreuirs^ has doubtlefs heard him [relate this Hiftory, which he was never I tired of repeating, as well as twenty- jfive other French Officers, who were Witneffes of tlie Confidence with which I the Juggler related to him the pretend- ied Convcrfation he had had with his Damon. The bad Succefs of this Enterprize rendered my Savages more circumfpeft, id lefs eager to join themfclvcs to the Canu" '^'I il !li ll 48 Tihe Adventures of Canadians^ and the Perfidy of the French Soldiers prejucjiced them terribly againft the whole Nation. They would no longer have any Commerce with a People whom they few capable of violating what ought to be mod facred to Mankind ; and if they ftill remained fubjeft to France^ I perceiv*d it was more out of Fear than out of Inclmation. So much Value do thefe good People, in .their ignorant Simplicity, fet upon Truth and Probity. I myfelf, foon after, made no good Apology for the French Nation, in their Opinions, by quitting them in a Manner that could not pleafe them ; they would not have failed to have reproached me with it, if, to avoid their Reproaches, I had not abandoned them forever. This is a Detail which I am going to relate, without confidering how to excufe my- felf for leaving them without bidding them adieu. Monfieur de Suharcas^ the Governor di AcadiCy had freighted, in his Port, a Frigate, named the Hind\ he afterwards addrcfs*d himfelf for Sailors, to form his Equipage, to Monfieur Raudof^ the In- ten- the Chevalier de Beauchene. 49 tendant of Canada, and to Monfleur de Vaudreuil^ who fent an Officer of ^^- bec^ call'd Vincelot^ to Montreal^ with Orders to make this Levy. This Offi- cer, when he arrived there, was inform- ed that the fureft Method of procuring fome Algonquins^ was to bring me into his Intereft, and to engage me firft my- fclf : He made the Propofal to me, in a manner that did not fufFer me to hefi- tate a Moment upon accepting it ; fincc he began by letting me underftand, that, in this Frigate, we fhould continually cruize upon the Coafts oi New- England^ and that the more brave Men we had on board, the more confiderablc Captures we Ihould make. The eager Defire I had to be engag- 1 ed in a War at Sea, where I imagined that every Day we ihould have Oppor- Itunities of coming to Aftion, made me employ all the Power I had over my Sa- r^es to oblige them to follow me ; but his was a ftill longer Voyage to make, than that we had taken towards Orange^ [and the unfortunate Succefs of our Enter- prize, which they had not had Time to foi^et, did not prejudice them in favour VOL. I. D of 50 T!he Adventurei (f of another. I could lift no more than twenty, who only engaged themfelvcs in^ this Affair out of Kindnef<^ to me, and agreed before their Departure that they ihould be fubjeft only to my Com- mand. They went further, armed with a Diftruft which appeared to them well founded, they demanded Provifion for themfelves and for me, with the Liberty of going our own Route in particular^ ^ther before or after the French and the Canadians^ who were preparing to de- part, to the Number of one hundred and thirty, which was granted them. It was towards the latter End of the Winter, and the Ice, which we had to break through continually, made us em- ploy near a Month in our Voyage be- yond our Calculation J fo that Monfieur die Subarcas^ who, upon the News of our Departure, had Itveral Times fenta Brigantine to take us over the Streigbty or the French Bay^ which feparates ^ca- 4it from New-England^ hearing that no Perfons came, recaird k to Port-Rcyal^ and expefted us no longer. Some Savages of that Place, who feeing us all gslttm'd together thtre^ without knowing What f: ' PC than elves itv ne, and lat they v Com- [^ed with lem well ifion for e Liberty ►articular^ h and the ig to de- ndredand m. indof the we had to adc us em- oyage be- t Monfieuy e News of Hmesfenta he StreigbU )arates Aca- •ing that no rer. Some feeing us all outknovwing ' vrh*t :-K< ■'I * the GkevaHer de Beauqhanc 51 what Refolution to Cake, gave us thia Account. After having waited in our Turn, therefore, .nine or ten Days, livingupon the Fiih tliat was left us by the Tides, we held a Council, the Refuk of which was, to chufe a calm Day, and to ha^^ zard fome of our Party in one of our Canoes, to go and inform Monlieur d^ Subarcas of our Arrival. The Danger was fo great, that none but thoie who were ignorant of it could have attempt- ed it. It was a PafTage of at lead: thirty Leagues, and if the Sea was ever fo little difhirb'd, it mufl: fwallow up the Men and the Canoe. The Canaaiansj who were fenfible of the Danger, were not at all eager to expofe themfelves to it; they were tranfported when they heard that I was willing to run the Rifque of fuch a Navigation, with five of my Savages. We embark*d all fix in a little Canoe made of Back, and drefled like Algonquins^ and in this man- i ner I firft went to Sea. By good Fortune for us, it was as jcalm as we could wifh ; the Poets would D 2 have During indred 1 each ley fet Inglifiy ;vcr, in Je four re they Trees* fo that ive and I a great Retreat, , fatal to at length •gain the as at the of about Vilhed all gour, till ntcd, wc le Town ; ernor had ird under ne we had the Chevalier de Beauchcne. 5 5 During the firft Days that the Englijh kept us thus block'd up, they fent out Parties all along the Coafts, to pillage and to ravage the Country, that they might have fome Profit from the Bloc- kade ; but this did not long continue with Impunity. Captain Baptifte^ a brave Canadian^ tho' he had only forty Savages with him, foon obliged them to be upon their Guard j he continually was furprizing fome of tlieir Troops, which he beat, and then flieltcry him- k\f in the Woods ; and harrafTing die Enemy thus, he kept them in a conti- nual Alarm. On our Side we alfo began to make fome Sallies, the Baron de St. Caftin with his Savages, and I with mine. This Gentleman was the Son of a French Baron and a Savage Woman, whom his Father had married when he was a Pri- foner amongfl- the Savages, and he had a Bravery that went even to Teme- rity-, he was generally efteem'd and looked upon as an Officer of great Ufe to the Nation. He joined to his Va- lour all the Probity of a Man of Ho- D 4 nour. ■".-t I 56 ' TT)e Adventures of liowx^ and a mod uncommon Merit ; he, as weJl as myfelf, took a Pride in being drelTed like the Savages. At length, the Englijh confidering that their Ravages coft them more Blood than compenfated the Profit, recalled their Parties, and made fome Attempts to carry the Place, but they were re- pulfed in every Affault they gave. Monfieur de Subarcas then found how much he wanted the Affiftance of the Privateers, and the Canadians ; befides that, his Garrifon was far from being numerous, they were fo litde ufed to War, that, but for us, they would not have held out four and twenty Hours ; the Soldiers in particular had fo tho- roughly loft all Hopes of being able to refift them any Time, that they thought of nothing but deferring, and the Offi- cers had all the Trouble in the World to prevent them. One Day two of them deferted, who gave Occafion by their Flight to the Privateers Knowledge of me, and their Defire to have me one of their Company. The Adventure, in few Words, was thus : ■w '-i .• The the Chevalier de Bcauchcnc. 57 The two Dcfcrtcrs havmg found Means to get out of the Place, with- out any Precipitation, before our Eyes^ and in broad Day-light, tum*d their Steps towards the Englijh. The Go- vernor, who faw them defert fo calmly, was irritated at their Behaviour, and ex- preffed a great Defire to have them again, that they might be treated as they deferv'd. I enter*d into his Re- fentment, and ofFer'd to bring them back i he made a Difficulty to tSce me at my Word, becaufe of the Danger I muft throw myfelf into to keep myPro- mife •, but, without (laying to conquer his Repugnance by my Difcourfes, I chofe three of the nimbleft of my Al- gonquins, and following with them the Traces of the Soldiers, we paffed with fiirprizing Swiftnefs at the Diftance of fifty Paces from the Enemy, who fired upon us, and we overtook the Defejiters, •who had ftopp*d to fee us run. We feiz'd upon them in an Inftant, and brought them back to the Governor, who had them beheaded that Moment % at the fame time he loaded me with Careffes, and gave me, pubJick!y, Ap- D 5 plaufes. n i: 11(1 llii !l|l I ■illU^i ' 58 The Jidventures of plaufes, that my Violence made him re^ pent a few Hours after. To proportion the Recompcnce to the Service I had done him^ he had the Goodnefs to aflign to me and my Sa- vages a copious Portion of Brandy and Provifions, which began to be diftri- butcd very fparingly. The Store- keeper, named Degoutiity. who *tis like- ly had had the fame Employment in Franeey and who im^ned ne had ftill to do with French Soldiers, would have put fifteen Pounds upon us for twenty, and Bones for Fleih. I complained of it, he affronted me, and I, who was never very patient, gave him a Return with my Sabre, that put him out of a Condition of preventing me from giv- ing myfelf good Weight and Mea- fure. This Affion was immediately repoi^ ed to the Governor, who came out with a ftirious Air, and flew to me with a Piftol in each Hand, fwearing moft ter- ribly, that he- would Ihoot that Man thro* the Head who durft be failing in their Rcfpcft to his Officers. His Wjath n pence to t had the 1 my Sar mdy and )C diftri- c Store- *tis like- yment in had ftill ould have )r twenty, plained of who was a Return 1^ out of a from giv- ind Mea.- cly report- le out with fnc with a g moft ter- that Man e fiuling in cers. His Wradi ^3 '4 the Chevalier de Beauchene. 59 Wrath affiigbted me fb little, that I had the Raihnefs to (Wear at lead as loud as himfelf, and to defy him to ihoot : He was a Man likely enough to Eunifh my Audacioufnefs, and I believe e would certainly have difcharged his Piftols at me, if MorpaiH and fome others of die Privateers had not held his Hands, and reprefented to him, that a Savage was excufable for being ig* norant of the Laws of Military Difci-% pline \ and that if we learn'd them by degrees from his Soldiers, we might perhaps learn them in return to be faithful and intrepid. " . . Thefe Reafons, or rather the Necef- fity he had of my Savages, who would have been cut to pieces to the laft Man, or have revenged me, appeafed him. He gave us a long Leffon upon our Duty ; and told me afterwards, that he pardoned my Violence, becaufe he was perfwaded I would not have given way to it, if I had known diat touch- ing one of his Officers was attacking him himfelf, who reprefented the Per- fon of the King. This was the glo- rious Aftion which made the Privateers defuou<^ ,:iiii :ii:!! ■Ill 111 III llir 111' I N n; .11 r II ( ■ 60 fthe jidventures of defirous to have me with them •, they judged by that, that I was a rafli Spi- rit that feared no Danger, and was in- capable of fubmiting. In a word, I appeared worthy of augmenting the Number of the Privateers. However^ they did not yet propofe it to me. '= «■ ^ •ft ff - • The Enterprize which the Englijh formed after this, had no better Succefs than the reft: They endeavoured, in vain, to bum the Veffels that were un- der the Cannon of the Place. So that finding themfelves near wanting of Pro- vifion, and reflefting that we beat them with their own Weapons, by making ufe of the Flour which Morpain had carried off from them, and which was deftined for their Fleet, they prudently refolvcd to retire. -- ^. .. . They did not imagine us bold enough to dare to attack them in their Retreat ; and in this Confidence they were re- embarking with great Tranquility, when fallying brifkly out of the Woods, we fell unawares upon eleven or twelve hundred Men •, who, whilft they were waiting for the Shallops, were pillaging fomc ••* the Chevalier de Beauchene. 6 1 feme Houies iituated upon the Shore. We killed a great Numoer of them be- fore they could put themfelves into a Pofture of Defence ; but jthey were not long before they did fo, and were (bon fupported. We had then a very hot Aftion, in which we had the Mit fortune to lofe Monfieur de Saleant, one of our braveft Officers. The Baron de St, Cajiin was dangeroudy wounded, as was alfo Monfieur de la Boularderie. Some Privateers, near whonm I com* bated, remarked me with Pleafure in the Aftion ; they perceived, that after having broke my Sabre, I made ufc of the But-end of my Fuzil as a Club, without being daunted at a Mufket Shot that I had received in my Thigh. This confirmed them in the good Opinion they had of my Courage, and they rc- folved to engage me upon any Terms into their Company. I difcovered their Defign by the Manner in which they applauded me to Monfieur de Subarcas^ who to make me amends for the Lofs of my Fuzil, which I had broke to pieces upon the Heads of the Englijbj made me a Prcfent of that he carried himfelf. i;|! 11 i ill: !"l 1; 11 62 ^e Jdventutes of himfelf. . The Fuzil was a very good one, and has been of Service to me up- on many Occafions fince. ' Inftead of employing the Hind Fri- gate to the Ufe for which it was firft defigned, Monfieur de Subarcas chofe rather to fend it into France^ to carry the News of the Enterprize of the Englijb ; and he charged Monfieur de la Konde^ with the Care of giving an Account of it to the Court. Several Canadians made this Voyage. As to me and my Algonquins^ whatever Defire we had to go to Sea, we could not obtain Permiffion to do it ; the Governor re- Iblving to keep us till he had received an Anfwer from France^ propofing not fo much as to fend us back into Canada till the End of the Summer, unlefs he received Orders to the contrary. I com- plained openly of this Procedure, fay- ing, that I had engaged myielf in or- der to cruize upon the. Coafts of New^ England only, and not to be (hut up in a Town and increafe the Garrifoo. The Privateers blew the Flame, and reprefented to us that we ihould be made 1-^ 4 the Chevalier de Beauchene. 6^ made a Jeft of in Canada^ if they law us return in four Months under the Wing of our Fathers and Mothers, after having bid them adieu for ib long* They ^harangued to me in particular ; and boafted to me of every thing in their Condition that was moil likely to flatter my Inclinations. What is moft agreeable amongft us, laid they, is that every one is an Officer, and labours only for himfelf. We are all equals and our Captain has no other Privi- fcdge than that of having two Voices in our Councils ; though to Ipeak as it truly is, his Vote goes no further than another^s, or rather he has no Vote at all ; for if the Queftion is to refolve whether we fhall attack a Ship or not, the Alternative is not in his Choice^ and he muft neceflarily declare for the Attack, or be obliged to fight againft his own Opinion. You have feen us under Arms, added they, and you may have remarked how gallantly w« ufed them* Is it neceflary to come to Ac- tion ? we behave like brave Fellows r Do we want an Opportunity of cxer^ cifing our Valour? Laughing, Drink- ing^ Gaming^ they arc then our Oceu- patioDSk The Auc uti M;l, 64 pations. Perhaps yoi that our Veffcls are il fider that makes th chufe them we v!:i . c of y be furprized ' .lall; but con- lie fwifter, and o come up the more eafily with thofe we defign to at- tack. If you are willing to (hare our Fortune, you fhall fee that we are not terrified at the largeft Veffels : With our Frigates of fix, or eight Guns, we of- ten carry off Veffels of Fifty, and man- ned with two or three hundred Men. And why ? becaufe without cannonading we board them diredlly, and then one brave Officer is worth twenty Soldiers. You may have obferved too, pur- fued they, by the Flour that we fold to the Governor, that in the Prizes we take we pay fcarce a Tenth to the Ad- miralty, and all the reft is ours. As foon as we have made ourfelves Matters of a Veffel, we divide the Merchan- dizes at the Foot of the Main-Maft, when that is feafible •, and when it is jiot, we fend our Capture to the firft l*ort to be fold, and divide the Prize. We arc not forry then for being but a fmall Number. The fewer the Shares, the larger they are \ and as to the reft, it the Chevalier de Beauchene. 6^ it has always been found that you never waiitj^Men upon boarding a Ship, if the Hands you have are valiant ; and though we are feldom very numerous when we attack, yet we always do it without being under Covert, and with- out retrenching ourfeves as they do up- on all other Vcffels. ^1^ All thefe Difcourfcs and many others that thq Privateers were continually holding to me to debauch me, at length infpired me with a Defire of exercifing their ProfelTion with them. Ipromifed to join them the Day of tlieir Depar- ture, the mod privately I could, becaufe Monficur de SuiarcaSj who had a Suf- [picion of our Plot, had forbid them to jcarry me off with them, under the Pe- [nalty of lofing what remained due to them upon the Flour, and which he was to pay them in Letters of Ex- change. I was accuftomed continually to pafs two or three Days in the Woods with fome of my Savages, or wandering a- long the Coaft to make Difcoveries. When I knew die Day on which the Vcffcl 66 ^e Adventures of Veflel was to depart, and the Place where I was to expeft it, I took Pro- vifions for fevcral Days, and went out as ufual with nine or ten of my Algon- quins^ whom I carried to the Place that was appointed me. As foon as I had found it by the Signs that had been given me, I made them return again with me towards Port-Royal^ wandering through the Woods that I might be able to efcape them. I own this was a melanchoUy Moment to me. When I confidered that I was going to kave thofe Friends whofe Lives were devoted to my Service, I fighed with Grief j and notwithftanding the Harfhnefs of my Nature, I felt myfelf ahnoft as much affli^led as a Father whom Neceflity obliges to quit his Children. I had about thirty or forty Piftoles in the Money of the Country, that is, in Cards figned by the Govemor and the Intendant : I had a great Mind to give it to them ; but I did not know how to manage it. At laft I thought of faying to one of them, that I had imprudently taken thefe Cards out with me, which were troublefome, and that the Chevalier de Beauchene. 67 I defired he would carry them for me ; ; after which, flopping by a Tree, I de- I fired them to go on fbftly, which they [did, thinking I would follow them im- mediately. As foon as I had loft fight of them, I returned to the Place where jthe Privateers had appointed oui- Ren- levous, and I concealed myfelf to wait For their Arrival. It was in a litdc Ifland twelve or iSfteen Leagues from Port-RoyaL The "lun was begi. 'ng to fet, when I dif- Covered the Veflfel of the Privateers ; it ras time it ihould appear. Moved with le Inquietude I was certain my poor Ravages felt for me, I pitied them, ahd ras feveral rimes tempted to go to \tm ag^ into the Wood. I am per- vaded they paflTcd the Night in fearch ^f me, with the ilioft dreadful Shrieks id Howlings. Be that as it will, as )on as I faw my new Companions ap- :ar, I ceafed to refleft upon the others, id thought only how I might diftin- lilh myfelf by my Aftions amongft e Privateers. ThQ I .1 ill! II' ii;' !ll mi 1*!" 68 flUfe Adventures of The firft thing they faid to me, was that the Governor was fo pleafed at fee- ing them go away without me, that he had difpatched them their Letters of Ex- change with all the Complaifance ima- ginable. This furniftied us with a glo- rious Opportunity of laughing at his Expence. I fhould foon have perceived, if I had not been convinced of it before, that I could never be with Mortals of a Nature more fui table to my own. They dreffed me in their Privateering Regi- mentals, and all clubb'd together to make a Purfe for me, that I might play with them ; for indeed what could we do at Sea if we did not game ? I eafily ac- cuftomed myfelf to it, and from thence took Birth and Root in me that curfed Paflion for Play, which I can never flat- ter myfelf with being able to conquer. I was a perf eft Comedy to thefe wor- thy Gentlemen at firfl: by my Ignorance, and by the docile Simplicity with which I executed every thing that they told me muft be done : The Defire of learn- ing to be a Seaman made me capable of doing any thing •, I remember, for Example, that they had the Malice to make the Chevalier de Beauchene. 69 make mc torment myfelf for a Quarter of an Hour to prevent the Ship from leaning on one Side ; as if the Weight of my Body could produce the fame EfFeft upon this great Veffel as upon my litde Canoe. Luckily I never gave into the lame Folly twice ; and in a Fortnight after our Embarkation, I was as wife as the reft. One Day, to divert themfelves only, they wanted to fee whether I was quar- [rellome in my Liquor ; and remarking [that I did not love Wine, they made me drink Brandy. I (wallowed this [Liquor "without Repugnance, and foon [brought myfelf into the Condition they ri(h*d to have me. By degrees, as the ''apours of the Brandy obfcured my leafon, I began to grow immoderately [gay. This obliged fome of the Brother- hood to attack me with their Sea-rail- lery. They affefted to fay difobliging things to me, and to infult me. I was provoked in earneft, and leaping upon them with my Cutlafs drawn, I do not know what might have happened, if fome of the Privateers, who kept dieir Eyes upon me, had not fcized me be- hindy ,ni:!' 70 ^e Ahentures of hind, and tied me faft, till my Fuiy and my Drunkennels was over. What was mofl: unfortunate in this Scene was, that I had given a Cut upon the Face to a Privateer who was much beloved by the whole Company, tho* he "^^s^l Spaniard, I was very much concerned at it, when I found that all this had been only a Scene concerted amongft my Comrades. Such is generally the Conclufion of thefe mad Jefts of inconfiderate Youth 5 they degenerate into ferious Misfortune. I burned with Impatience to meet a Veffel that we might come to Aftion. I was very curious to fee in what manner I (hould fucceed in a Naval Combat, and I owned frankly to the Privateers diat if they made me remain much lon- ger in Inaftion, they would force me to regret my Savages. However, notwith- fianding the Itch I had to be boarding an Eneniy, near a Month pafled with- out the leaft Occalion offering itfelf ; at length, however, we met with an Eng- lijh Frigate, of four and twcrity Guns, and a hundred and thirty Men. I w the Chevatier de Beauchcne. 7 1 I had not been much furpr&ed, when I heard publick Prayers, Morning and Evening, on board ourVeffelj but I was fo beyond all Imagination, when I "heard our whole Equipage begin to chaunt the Salve Regina very heartily. In efFeft, ihat Prayer was very fuitable for twenty of our Company, who were killed in about half an Hour, during which we remained expofed to the Can- non Shot and Mulkets of the EngUjhy without being able to board them ; but as foon as we got Footing upon their DecJk we terminated the Affair in a Moment, and for five Men that we loft they had above fixty dispatched, and the reft yielded. Morpain and his Brethren were con- vinced then, that they were not mifta- ken, when they had done me the Ho- nour to fuppofe me endowed with the Qualities requifitc for a Privateer ; for I was one of the firft to feap on board the Enemy, and tlirow myfelf into the midft (rf* the Englijh^ whom 1 did no great Harm to, however, becaufc they, did not give mis dme, xHx^ faluting me immc** ■ 1:8 i Df I m jz The Adventures of immediately with a Mufket-fhot, ac- companied with the Thruft of a Sword, which I received thro* my Body, Thefe two Wounds flopped me ftiort, and hindered me from proving my Valour any farther. We had eight or nine of our People morc^who were wounded, the Enemies having made two or three Difcharges of their Fire-Arms upon us thro* the Scuttles, before they brought too .'» 'i t. K'ii:. J .f [)i\ 'Tis the Cuftom amon^ft the Priva- teers that every one has his Sailor, whom he calls his Friend, his Brother, or his Partner; this Sailor ferves him in his lUnefTes, fits up with him, and takes care of him, and if he dies becomes his Heir. If I had loft my Life I Ihould not have much enriched my Partner, our Shares being very inconfiderable •, the Capture was not worth what fhe coft us. Wc fold her at the f Port de PaiXy in the Ifland of St, Domingo, {^ .,>({ * That 18, Lowering their FUg, as a Sign that they yield. f I his is only a large Viaage upon the North Coaft of the Ifland, but it has a very commodi- ous Port. .* the Chevalier dtHemchcnc. 73 Upon my Arrival in that Country, I was amazed at the Heat I felt there, having never fo much as heard of the Torrid Zone. As foon as I found my- felf recovered of my Wounds, and able to go out, I went to walk upon the Port, where I was informed that a Native of Montreal was eftabliftied fome Leagues from thence, in a very handfome Habi- tation. They named him to me-, I knew his Family, and propofed to my- felf going there, and to pafs fome Days with him, to fee if it was not cooler up in the Country than it was in the Town. Our Captain had me conduft- [Cd thither, after having affured me that it would be above a Month before we iJhould be in a Condition to put to Sea [again. He fuppofed fo 5 but the very next Day after my Departure, having been informed, that an Englijb Veflcl, with a French Prize in Tow, had paffed within Sight of the Port, he informed Ihimfelf of her Route, and immediately ipurfued her, without (laying for me, or 10 much as letting me know it -, fo that returning to the Port de PaiXy in about a Fortnight, I found them gone. Vol. I. £ I i; 74 r 7T)e Adventures of I had heard that they were fometimes two or three Months at Sea, without ftopping at any Port. Befides that, I was not of a Humour to remain fo long idle, I was ignorant whether the Veflel of Morpain was to return to Harbour in this Port. However, I had the Pa- tience to wait there as long as my Mo- ney lafted ; after which my Hoft ad- vifed me to take my Route to the Cape^ which is about fifteen Leagues from thence, telling me there were always fome of the Privateers there •, and that very often there were feveral of them toge- ther came to refrefh themfelves there. r I departed for the Cape \ I had not, I remember, any Arms but my Cut- lafs, nor any Wardrobe but my Shirt and my Breeches, and a little Waift- coat. which had been formerly white as well as the reft, but had got a grey Dye, Svhich I foon made it lofe in the firft Brook I met in my Way. Having whitened my Linnen thus, I continued my Jou:ney, leaving the drying of me to the Care of the hot Sun. Towards the clofe of the Day, I perceived fix Cavaliers, who appeared to be taking r ' ' . ' T .. the bmctimes , without es that, I lin fo long the Veflel ) Harbour ad the Pa- is my Mo- ' Hoftad- the Cape J gues from ilways fome i that very them toge- ves there. . I had not, at my Cur- at my Shirt little Waift- jrly white as : a grey Dye, 1 in the firft ly. Having I continued drying of me n. Towards perceived fix to be taking , . the .i .. the CXfevaSer de Beaiociiene. yg the Air in the Plain. They approached me, and began to queftion me. I told them frankly who I was, and where I was going. They thereupon informed me, tliat it would be very dangerous for me to go my Journey on Foot* That I fliould find feveral Rivers which I could not fwim acrofs, without expoling myfelf to be devoured by the monftrous Fifties *, with which they abounded. I fear no Fifties, Meffieuny replied I, I fwim as well as they do, and they have no Cutlafs as I have. This Anfwer, and feveral others that I made them, infpired them with a De- fire of keeping me with them for fome Time, and doing me Service, as I found lafterwards. The principal of thcfe Gen- tlemen was a Captain of the Coafts, lamed Remouffm^ born a Creolian^ as as his Wife •, and moft of thofe who ere witli him were his Relations. He |x)flc(red great Riches, and his Habita- |tion contained a little Colony of Negroes. Monficur de RemouJ/in invited me Try complaifantly to make fome Stay E 2 with * TM^ Fiihe? ar« caUed Ctiymant, tV ^ mm mm iili!; ^76 The Adventures of with him •, and feeing that I excufed myfelf,— at leaft, faid he to me, remain with us till To-morrow. I can't fufFer a Man of Honour, as you feem to be, to pafs the Night in the open Air fo near my Houfe. It was to no purpole for me to tell them, that bred up trom my Infancy among the Savages, I was accuftomed to lay upon the Ground ; ^my Refinance was in vain. Two of thefe Gentlemen difmounted, and put me up by force behind Monfieur de Remoufftn. I had no need of their Af- fiftance, nor even of a Stirrup to mount, if I had had a Mind ; but I was out of Countenance, and did not know what Refohition to take. They embarrafs'd ' me more by their Civilities, than they . would have done if they had attacked mc all fix at once. When you find yourfelf in an un- known Country, with utter Strangers, you can't gucfs whether their Careffes are a Prelude to the Good or Harm they defign to do you. According to the different People, fome will fuiprize and convey you to Death, by the fame Me- thods that others employ for your hi- fiftance, the Ci^alier de Bcauchene. 77 fiftancc. This is an Embarrafs that I have been often in 5 and to fpeak frank- ly upon this Occafion, I was not with- - out Diftruft. Though thefc People, thought I, fpeak French^ they are per- haps Englijh Men, who defign to lay me in Irons, or put me cnielly to Death -, however, if they would but declare themfelves my Enemies, I fhould kill fome one or other of chem, and I fhould die fatisfied. ' V I believed, however, that there were none in that Country but French and Spaniards^ whofe Intercfts were then united : But tlien I remembered that the Privateers had told me, that notwith- ftanding the Alliance of the two Na- tions, I muft be upon my Guard a- gainll the latter, who would fornctimes poniard a Man whdft they embraced him. • ' -' At fome Moments ! imagined I '' might be fallen into the Hands of Rob- • bers ; and when I fixed upon that • Thought, I did not find they had any great occafion to rejoice at this Ren- counter, fince my whole Trcafure con- ' ) 's E 3 I fiftcd' II:: 1 • yS Tie Jtihentures ^f fifted of about thirty SoW^y which was to have carried me the fourteen Leagues I had to ga The Habitation to which they con- veyed me was at no great Diftance, we foon arrived there : Here, Ladies, here,^ cried Monfieur de Remouffin^ calling his Wife and feme Friends who we»'e with her : Here is a curious Savage that I have brought you. Without going into Canada you fliall fee an Iroquefsy but an Iroquefi that will not frighten you. At the Name oi Iroquefe^ thefe L^adies form- ing to themfelves the Idea of a Monfter . not unlike their Negroes, advanced to view me ; and it was not vv^ithout Afto- nifhment, that they faw a tall, well- jooking Youth, fair and light-hair'd,. as moll of the Canadians are. Though at the Sight of thefe amiable Perfons I was fomething reaffured, and began to think I was with People of Confideration \ yet I addreffed myfelf to them with an Air that was a little too much upon the Iroquefe. But they muft cxcufe me, I was not a very proper Per- fon s 1 ♦ Thirty Sols is about 2/. 6ok upon me as your Brother, and. make yourfclf eafy. This generous and noble Behaviour of die Mafter made me receive the Services of the Slaves without any far- ther Ceremony,, and letting the Negroes 7 ; do * A Kind of Shallop often mado only of th© Trunk of a Tree, efpecially in SotUh America, Thefe Pirogues are very fwift, and fomc thent will carry upwards of fifty. People.. ^ the Chevalier de Beauchene. 83 do what they pleafed, I was foon un- dreffed, waftied, fcrubb'd, and put to Bed. I may iay with Truth, that the next Day, and ^1 the following, Lwas treated like a perfcft fpoil'd Child . Both the Ladies and Gentlemen endeavoured who Ihould carefs me moft, and who (hould be moft obliging to me; this made me fenfible of the Difference there is between the Affiftance that can be ex- pefted from Savages, and what an un- fortunate Stranger finds from a civilized and a humane Nation, as the French are in general, and particularly in the Ame^ rican IQands. Not being accu domed to the excef- five Heat of the Climate, I was general- ly left with the Ladies, whilfl their Hufbands mounted on Horfeback, and made their Patrole upon the Coafts. . The Habitation was a perfeft Seraglio to thefe unfortunate Women •, they faw none but their Hufbands, and with them they had Rivals in their NegrefTes. Some of Madame de Remouffm\Kc\MQns^ who perceived it but too plainly, complained pretty loudly ; but they had to do with Gv.ntle- »• «, ^ ^i^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 4^ 1.0 ■» m ■2.2 £ lit ^^ 1.1 ■ 40 lli2ilU4iJi& ^ ^J» 0^ Photographic oClBOCSS CarporatiQn 4l^ 4^ n WHT MAM STRUT WIMTM,N.V. USM '4^ i t 84 7%e jidventures of Gentlemen who did not give themfelves much Concern upon that Head. > One of thefe negk<5ted Spoufes, who Iprefume fufFered with more Impatience thah the reft this AUenation of her Rights, caft her Eye upon me by way of Reprifal. She made me all the Ad- vances that a Woman of Fafhion can make, who is carrying on a Defign fhe is aihamcd of •, but I was then fo uninr ftrufted in that Article, that Ihe muft have fpokc extKmely plain to have made me underftand her : She would often take me afide, and prefs my Hand in her's •, and looking very languifhing upon me, pity me for the Inconvenien- cics I felt from the Heat of the Climate j flic fighed over the Wounds I had re* ceceived in attacking the Englijh Ship, and exhorted me tenderly not to expofc myfelf thus any more. Is it not a Pity, faid (he to me, fo young and fb amiable as you are, that you have embraced the moft dangerous, and moft toilfomc Profefiion. Should not you rather chufe to remain with us in this charming Soli- tude, than to txpofe yourfelf to fo ma- ny Dangers? I am pcrfwaded, ?iddcd the Chevalier de Beaucbene. 8 5 (he, that you would have a better Tafte than our Spoufes^ and that you would S refer us to the Negreffes. Speak, lonfieur de Beaucbene^ is it not true, that we are better than them ? I confefs to all thefe Queftions, which gave mc very fair Play, I knew how to make no other Anfw^r than 2Vj, Madame j iW, Madame -y Tou are very good indeed^ Madame. ^^ * , Moft of my Readers doubtlefs will fay, that I afted the Part of a Block- head here ; I agree to it ; but fome per- haps may cry out. Oh ! valuable Igno- rance! Oh! too happy Simplicity I W.hat is abfolutely certain is, that if I had vio- lated the LawSr of; Hofpitality, by tak- ing an Advantage of the Weaknefs that teftificd, Monfieur de Remouffin^ was and his Relations, would have been ve- ry capable of puniihing me for it. How- ever that might have been, now, when I recal this Adventure to my Memory, the only thing I reproach myfelf with, is my having feveral Times afterwards re- pented that I was fo honeft a Man* . The 86 ^e Adventures of Th^ Lady* who had ib unprofitabiy tried her Power upon me, did not fail to tell the others, that fhe believed me infenfible to Love. They all thought the fame Thing of me. Some of them laughed at it, but fome of them iaid very fcriouQy, *Tis a Pity. This ap- peared a great Defedl to them in a Youth of my Figure \ they talked of it to their Hufbandsv at laft the Report Ipread amongft the Negroes, i^nd I foon be- came, without perceiving it, the Dif- courie of the whole Family. For the Punifhment of my Sins, a curfed Negrefs, who fcrved Madame dt Remouffin as her Woman, ofibred to revenge the Ladies of my Infenfibility •, fhe boafted that fhe (hould be able to give me a Tafte for the Sex. All the Company applauded this Enterprize, which appeared worthy of Reward ; four Gentlemen promifed each of them a Louis d*Or to the Undertaker if fhe fucceeded. Oh ! People of this World,, how difficult is it for Innocence to be prefcrved long amongfl you ! ft # . The the Chevalier de Beauchener 87 The Negrefs loft no Time j that very Evening, this Minifter of Satan behav- ing to me as fhe thought iiuced to a. Savage and a Privateer, (he came into* my Chamber in the Night. Mbnfieur de Remouffin and his Friends were liften- ing at the Door. She approached the Bed very impudently^ and addrefling her Speech to me^ Monfieur, the Cana- diarty faid Ihe to me, I have perceived that you are in Lxjve with me, and I fliall not let you languifli any longer. This audacious Preface,, if I had been thoroughly awake, woujd have been more likely to affift my Virtue than cor- rupt it. I fliould undoubtedly have re- pulfed the Carefles of this impudent Wretch, whofe Deformity I knew; but I was half afleep, and by confequence have but a very confufed Idea of the Re- ception I gave her. In the mean Time the Gentlemen, who fuppofed they had not given their Money for nothing, were inceffantly teughins amongit themfelves at the Trick they had played me. The next Day, whilft wc were at Dinner, they begt^n to rally the Ladies, upon their not 88 The Adventures of not having found out the Art of pleafing their Gueil. Really, Ladies, faid Mon- iieur de Remoujfin to them, I think you ought to have fpared us the Trouble of finding out Amufements to detain him in our Habitation : It is a Shame for you, that your Charms alone had not the Power of rendering it agreeable to him. What confoles us, replied Madame de Remoujfin laughing, is that the Heart of the Chevalier is acceflible only to Glory ; *tis a'Conqueft denied to Love. If he is infenfible to our Worth, added ano- ther of the Indies, at lead he does not do us the Injuftice to prefer fuch Mon- fl-ers to us as your Miftreffes are. You have too bad an Opinion of the Chevalier, faid one of the Men, I judge more favourably of him. I will lay any Wager that thefe Monfters don't dif- pleate him, and that he gives, as we do, •,«he Prize to the African Venus* No, •that I don't, cried I, in an abrupt Tone ! I muft have loft my Scnfes and my Eyes, to be capable of making fuch a Choice •, and I cannot believe that any Man in the World can think fuch odious Creatures agreeable. You hear him. Ladies, the Chevalier de Beauchene. 8 9 Ladies, refumed Monfieur de Remoujfm^ you ought to think yourfelves obliged to the Chevalier for what he fays here ; for he only fpeaks thus out of Complaifance and Connderation for you. No, Mon- fieur, replied I, I think I ought to know my own Mind bell ; and once more I declare, I don't love thofe infernal Beau- ties, nor never fhall love them. At this Reply Monfieur de Remouffin calling to the Negrefs who had feduced me, — Approach AngoUtta^ faid he to her, come and confound the Chevalier. Tell us the Truth, Child, and you (hall not have the leaft Harm done you ; but if you diffemble it, I will have you tied to a Poft, and have fifty good Ladies applied to you : What pafled laft Night ' tfetween this Gentleman and you? Upon this AngoUtta^ in a trembling Voice, made the Recital of her Nofturnal Ad- venture, and laid a great deal more than was true. The Ladies, who knew the Nymph to be a Perfon ac- cuftomed to play fuch Parts, would not do me the Honour to believe me, what- ever I could fay to them, to pcrfwade them that the Negrefs had related a Fie- 90 716^ Adventures of - -. Fiftion. My Etnbarrafs, the Surprize of the Women, and the Laughter of the Men, formed a Scene that was not un- entertaining. As to me, I had no In- clination to laugh, I could willingly have ftrangled the impudent Devil that was the Caufe of my Confiifion. If I had had the moft inexcufable Fault to re- proach myfelf with, it might have been thoroughly expiated by my Shame. I was two or three Days before I durft look the Ladies in the Face ; and this Jeft was the Occalion of an Accident that gave me an Ulneis, of which I muft have inevitably died, but for the extraordinary Care that was taken of me. Not being able now to refolvc upon keeping the Ladies Company, wnen their Hufbands were abfent, I walked about by myfelf in the Grounds. In my Walks I gathered Oranges and eat them, and eat (b great a Quantity one Day, that in the Night I had a Fever, with a dreadful Flux ; my Stomach too began to fwell, in the manner it docs with thofe who firft come from Frana into the Iflands : When they perceived it was the Dif order which is called in that . Coun- ^ranti into leiJialifr de Beanchene. 9 1 Country^ The Stomach Illnefsy they broug^tJme two of the ftrongeft Ne- groes, wno ialfing me under the Arms, mador me walk by force, and forced me . along through very rough Ways, andv up fevcral Hills. Without this toilfome Exercife, which is the only Remedy in » this Difeafe, the Patient tails involun- ? tarily into a Dofe, during which his* Legs and his Body fwell, and he feldom recovers it. ■if- ^■■ ' Tt^\- J" Befides the Negroes who walked me about all the Day, there was obliged to ' be others to watch me in the Night» and they had as much Empk)yment a&> the firft. They were obliged to hold » me down by Force, and fometimes to ^ lie me ; or I fliould have wounded, of perhaps killed myfelf, in thefe Excefles, which were generally very violent In my Delirioufnels I was boarding a Ship^ and prefently I was hunting with the Iroquefe. At the Elnd of one of thefe Fits, being come to myfelf again, I per- ceived the Negrefe Angoletta fitting by my Bed. In my firft Movement of PalTion I was tempted to feign, that the Fit was not yet over, and to fcize upon 5 ^i her^ 92 ^e jidventures of her, and revenge myfelf fufficiently for the Trick flie had played me. I had even already begun to cry out, in the Iroquefe Language, Ihetiaih. beghein kahoonrai^. kaboonrai^ acifiab * ; but re- marking that the poor Wretch was very afliduous in endeavouring to help me, I could not refolvc to return her Services fo ill. The Negroes, who were watching all Night with me, were incapable of work- ing in the Day, which was a Prejudice to Monfieur de Remouffm, Happily my lUnefs was of no long Duration, and by degrees I jwcovered. Penetrated with the Attentions and Goodnefs of my Hoft and Hoftefs, and the Kindncfs of their whole Family, I believe I fliould have renounced the Sea for ever, to live al- ways with them, if Morpain had not cpme to anchor at the Port de Paix. He fent fcveral Privateers to enquire af- ter me i I was too near the Town for his Enquiries to be in vain ; befides, nothing was more talked of every where than the Iroquefe of Monfieur de Re- mouffin. Two of my Comrades, there- fore, • That is, To Arnu^ Brethren^ to Arms, the Chevalier de Beauchene. 93 fore, foon arrived at his Habitation, and appeared tranfported with Joy at feeing me again. lY Tho* their Arrival was not very agree- able to the Family, fince they came to force me from them, yet they were very well received. Such was the Kindilefe that had been conceived for me, that my Departure afflifted them all •, I can- not think of it ftill without being mov'd. No Creature would bid me adieu. Mon- fieur de Remoujfin only had the Courage to fee me depart. I protefted to him, that I would never forget what he had done for me : I told him, that I had no» thing to offer him but my Sword, but if he (hould ever (land in need of that, or of thofe of the whole Ship, I begged him to depend upon them : That I Ihould all mv Life think it my Duty to (hed the \m Drop of my Blood for him. What I exaA from you, my dear Chevalier, iaid he, with his Eyes filled with Tears, is never to forget me, and to let us hear of you as often as it is poffible. I wifh you never may have Occafion for it, added he, but whatever is your Fate, look upon my Houfe al- ways 94 ^^ Adventures of \ ways as your own : Pronouncing thd% Words he embraced me tenderly, aiid we parted. To compleat his Genero- lity, he had me conveyed to the Port - de PaiXf with foui- Horfes ; one loaded with Linnen and Cloaths for my own \ Ufe, and the others with Oranges, Wine, c Brandy, and other Refreihmems for our ^Veflel. ... Jrmed me, almoft all which he V and that \ for brave 1 1 had not my Share ptures that pretty con- ic furpriz- ed the Chevalier de Beauchene. 95 ed to find myfelf rich fo fuddenly. I thought that Heaven had fent me all this Wealth, that I might teftify my Gra- titude to Monfieur de Remouffin. I made an Exchange of fome Moveables that had fallen to me, for a Gold Watch that fell to one of my Companions : I put it into a fmall Bafket, under a Rouleau of twenty Louis dOrs^ and fent it to Monfieur de Remouffin by a Tradefman, who I knew did all his Bufinefs at the Port, and who took care to inform him of all that pafTed there, . .: . . - • ^ rl I had charged my Commiflioner to fay we were departed, and that he had feen us at a great dif^ance from the Port before he left it ; but he did not obey me. For he brought me back my Bas- ket the fame Evening, with a long Let- ter, in which Monfieur de Remouffin re- proached me for this Procedure, which made him fear, he faid, that I had not received the Marks of his Friendfhip with the fame Pleafure as he had given them. He fent me word, however, that not to refiife every Thing, he had accepted the Watch. This was true ; .,::>;. bUt I; :"f! m in ■I ■ 96 The Adventures of but he had put in the Place of it five and twenty Louis (TOrSy and that was more than its Value. In fine, it was writ in the Book of Fate that I (hould have all the Obligations upon Earth to this worthy Man, without ever being able afterwards to teftify my Gratitude to him ; for in all my Cruizes upon the Sea, after that time, I never had an Op- portunity to harbour at the Port de Paix^ though I wifhed it exceflivcly*. .^ ^ Four or five Days after I had rejoined MorpatHj his Veflel was in a Condition to depart. We went to cruize upon the Coafts of Jamaica^ and took feveral Prizes during the five Months that we remained there. We fold the laft at Petit Goave^ of which the Count de Choifeuel was then Governor. It was a Veffel loaded with Madeira Wines ; which was a very agreeable Capture, both to the Governor and the wholjc Coun- try. We were obliged to lay by feveral Months to refit our V eflels, which were 3, but * When 1 arrived H NMnt% in 171 2, I was informed by fome Natives of St, Domingo^ that he was then lately dead : I regretted him more than J ihould have done a Father. the Cievalier de Bcaucbene. ^7 liut in a bad Condition. During that Time, Monfieur de Choifeuil^ to occupy -us, refolved to let us make fome Cruizes under an old celebrated Privateer, who had retired from the Sea to live peace- ably in a rich Habitation whic^h he had not far from P//// Gaave. This was the famous Montauban^ who in the late War had conveyed into Bourdeaux fire Englijb Prizes that enriched the whole City. \ * 4 1. » it v; MonTicvr de Cborfeuil found it diffi- cult to perfwadc MoHtauhan out of his Retreat; either becaufe this Privateer now wifhed only for Repofe, or that he had a Foreboding of what was to hap- pen to him. However, he ftifFered him- felf to be perlwaded. He accepted the Commiffion, together with a handfbme Frigate of fourteen Guns \ Monfieur de Choifeuil^ who had her in the Port, made him a Prefent of her. She was called the Nem ; we no fooner knew that Mon- tauban was again to put to Sea, but we almofl: all engaged ourfdves with this Hero of the Privateers. We fet fail to the Sound of Trumpets, and with a Difchargc of all the Cannons of the W Place. 98 ^he Adventures of Place. It feemed as if we were certain of Viftory. ^ - Upon our Route towards the Ifland of Jamaica^ pafling within Sight of a little Port called la ^ayede St. LouiSy we difcovered a Spanijh Veffcl which had harboured there to efcape an' £»^- lijh Man of War, that had given him chafe for two or three Hours. This Spanijh Ship was of forty Guns, and very weak in Hands, though fhe was loaded with Piaftres. They did not indeed think they (hould have made their Voyage alone, having been driven from their Convoy by a Storm. The Captain fent to demand of us, if we would efcort him to the Havannay of- fering us for that Service whatever Sum we pkafed. We anfwered him, after Jiaving held a JittleXouncil upon it; that a Voyage to the Havanna ytouXA: carry us too rar out of our Way, and put us out of our Defigns, for the Execution of which we had a Time prefixed*, that we were going to cruize upon the Coafts of Jamaica^ and all that we could do to ferve him, was to conduft him to ' i , IV the- the Qfevallet de fieauchcne. $0 the Port of Santyago^ upon the Cbafl: of Cuba^ or perhaps to Santo SptrUo, The Spanijh Captain accepted our Offers, and Montauban^ who was well known by moft oi his Crew, fwore up- on his Honour, that till they were in a Place of Safety he would never quit them, but to porfue any of the Englijh^ whom Chance (hould throw in his Way j and that in this Cafe he only exadlecC from them the Complaifance of waiting for us, promifing that he would rejoin^ them after our Expedition was (inirhed^ The Spaniards charmed at having us for the Defenders of their Piaftres, failed^ briflcly along in our Company, giving us a dioufand Demonftratlons of Grati- tude i and to en^ge iis the more to be faithful to them, there paded not a Day but they regaled us on board them ia our Turns* One Night the Mifty Weather had* driven us from them a confideraWe Way,» and the next Day at Ten o'CIock in die Morning, when we faw them again, we remarked tliey were not twice the Dif- lance of a Cannon-Shot from an Eng^ F 2 m Ipo . ^^ Mventures of , ^ /^Frigate of fix and thirty Guns. When we had rejoined the Spaniards^ they told us they had made a Feint of coming up with the £»g^//^ •, but that in reality they had no Inclination to it. • As to us, we did not make fo many Ceremonies •, we purfued the Englijh Veffel, and came up to her in a very Ihort Time, though flie was a good Sailor. I muft do the Spanijh Captain Juftice : He did all that was pofllble to follow us, and run the Hazard of the Combat with us. We had on board four Spaniards^ with whom we had paffed the Night at play. At firft they were not idle Speftators ; but they foon became fo when they faw in a Moment twenty Plrivateers upon the Deck of the Frigate, difpatching the Englijh with fo much Vigour, that without being fup- t)ortcd by our Brethren, or the Spanijh Veffel which had drawn near, we foon <;onftrained them to bring to. The four Senior Cavilieros who were on board us, told their Captain after the AfUon, that wc were Devils and not Men. The bed Part of our Prize confifted of one hundred and fifty Negroes, whom we * fent »» »-• « ^#^ . » * • the Chevalier de Beauchene. i o i fent to be fold at St, Louis, though wc received no Profit from them, fince we never heard any more cither of them or the Veffel that carried them. ' '■ ■ vt As we had (hewn the Spaniards our Manner of Attacking, we had not long after an Opportunity of convincing them, that a Parole of Honour is not lefs fa- cred amongft the Privateers, than it is amongft politer Soldiers. One Day one of our Companions, whofc Name I have forgot, having heated his Brain by Drinking on board the Spaniards told us, when he returned to our Veffel, that if we would follow his Advice, we might make our Fortunes at once, with* cut expofing ourfelves to the lead Ha- zard. Upon this we afked him in what Manner ? By carrying off the Spanijh Veffel, replied he, that we arc cfcort- ing. We will retire with it to Bouca- tor, after we have difpatchcd the Crew. Montauban at this Difcourfe looked fixedly upon us all, as if to read in our Looks what we thought of fuch a Pro- pofition i and though there was not one F 3 among 2oa 735^ Athentuns ef among us that did not appear incenfed at it—Gentkmen^ £iid he to us, I give you up the Place you have entrufted me with, if i muft be a Witnefs of this Treafon's being propofed with Impuni- ty i fct me a-fhore only upon the firft Coaft, *tis all the Favour I beg of you. 'Why fhouM you quit us, Monfieur^ replied we all, is there any one here that approves this Perfidy that gives you Horror? *Tis for that bafe Wretdi who was capable of conceiving fuch a Thouglit to feparate from us ; let him go and feek his Accomplices eJfewhere. We deliberated immediately upon the Treatment we flioiildgive this Wretch, aod it was agreed that we (hould im- mediately Jet him a-lhore without delay ^ we even fwore, that none of us would ever after receive him into any Privateer Ship. We fleered direftly to the Coaft of Cubdy and four Men putting him into the Shallop, carried him a-fliore dirc6tty at the Cape de la Croix ; where lie was left armed only with his Cutlafs, and without any other Provifions than thofe he had in his Stomach. • w - 1 --<•«> The the Chevalier dtBemchcnc. 103 The Spaniards y far from fufpefting the Reafon why we iifed our Companioa thus, interceded ftrongly for him. They prcffcd us in vain to inform them what he had done. They were not intnifted t'dl they came within fight of the Port, when Montauban himfelf told it in con- fidence to the Captain at their parting ; not having thought proper to teJl it him before, left it fhould. give him fome Difguft. The Spaniards^ to whom their Captain revealed this Secret, made us much more confiderable Prefents than what we could have cxpeftcd from them *r and were fo fatisfied with our Procedure to the traiterous Privateer, that they ipread the Report of that At- tion through all the Iflands with infinite Praifes, as if an honeft Man could de- fcrve Applaufc for barely doing his Duty. I \ We continued to cruize upon thcfe Seas for above two Months longer ; we had during that tunc many leifure Mo- ments, which we ufed to fpcnd in our ufual Diverfions of Drinking and Gam- ing, and fometimes in hearing Montau- F 4 han ! ! 104 The Advenfurfs of tan relate what he knew of the Pri- vateering Hiftory of the late War. The Relations he gave us of it enchanted us *, amongft the reft, we took a parti- cular Pleafure in the Detail of the Fights he had been in, in which he had per- formed Prodigies of Valour. Gentle- men, faid he to us one Day, whilft I was at the Head of a Set of brave Pri- vafeers like you, I can affure you there did not pafs a Year in which I did not fee almoft my whole Company renewed. This muft not furprize you -, for you may lay two to one, that a Privateer never complcats three Campaigns. Therefore, my Friends, purfued he, I advife you by my Example to fet yourfelves Bounds, and to retire as foon as you have got any thing. When I re- call to Mind all the Dangers to which I have been expofed, I look upon mylclf as a Man fingular in my kind, to have been fo fortunate as to preferve my Life till now. After what I have told you, you will blame me, perhaps, for making this new Enterprize with you •, but Mon- fieur de Choifeuil has an abfolute Power V '^ a over the Chevalier de Beauchene. 105 over me : He intreated me to give him this Mark of my Confideradon for hini ; and I could not refufe him. It was not Avarice mod certainly that made me quit the Pleafures and the Eafe I enjoyed in my peaceable Retreat ; and it was ftill lefs with a Defire of rendering my Name more famous, that I came to con- front once more the Dangers attend- ing fuch Campaigns \ they are like Mar- riages, once is fufficient to run the ri(k. If you are fo fortunate as to bury two Wives, you will certainly make a Widow of the third. I relate this Dit courfe of Montauban^s^ that the keader may obferve, that we have (bmetimes a Foreboding of thofe Misfortunes that are to happen to us. Wc met not long after with two Eng- lijh Ships, one of four and twenty, the other of (ix and thirty Guns. It was Rafhnefs, or rather Madnefi, to pretend to attack them. Neverthelefs an Attack was unanimoully refolved upon, nothing Teeming to us able to rend the Ex- perience and Courage of our Chief 5 -who on his Side forgeting the reafonabk F 5 things "»r io6 Tie Adventures of things he had told us^ was the Perfbnr who teftified the moft Impatience to tome to Aftion. The Englijb &w us t>eaf lip to them withoutjany Concern^ and nmde Us find that they knew very %^ -kow to deal with the Privateers. [We perceived it by their Working, and th^ Care they took to make it almofl: lttip0BiBle to board them, by puttii)^ out :iStoom*, with which mey were provicled. Added to tWs, that their ^jpS tiinderftood each other as weB as )f the fame Captain had commianded theitt: When we rinade our Efforts to Tb'pard one, the other gave us a Volley ttf all her Artillery. Their Fire-Arms h^rai(s*d us extremely, and were fo fii- peftoY to ours, that they had three hun- dred Mufket-fliot agairift our fifty. * Cur Chief feeing -plainly then that we had aded like Fools in engaging ourfelves in this Combat, redoubled his Courage ^ Thefe ait long Pieces of Wood, as Ends xtf A^afts for Example, laid acrofs •oipon the JMIcB Df iShips, wMch advancing confiderably 4iut on each Sitte, prevcntanx olJier Vci&linjyBi. apjproaching them. e Perlbnr ience to i few us Concern^ [lew very rivateers. ting^ and it almoft f puttii)^ hey were that their as wdl as mmanded EfFortsto IS a VoHey ?ire-Arms vere fo lu— three hwA- fifty; --^ then that Joubkd his Couragp bod, as Ends Dfs •oipon the r corittderably Courage to furmount all thoie Obftacles which prevented our Viftory . He foam'd jfifith Rzgl^r and ^finding he was come at iflft to lus diird Wife, he would have Jet us ail peri/h,^ if liappily for us he had not been killed with a Cannon Bul- let, after a defperate Fight of half an Hour. I was inu:pediately chole Cap- pmy not to continue an Engagement fO' ^ifagreeaj^le to us, but to fave die reft nf oi|r people, who were reduced to fifty Meflj moft of them being wound- ed and unable to defend diemfelves. -ly . .- . -*-> Jo this Manner the Dignity of Cap- tain was conferred upon me for the firft Time, with exprefs Conditions that my firft Order fhould be to make a Retreat ; and that my Authority fhould extend no farther than to recondudb to Peiit Coave ovac fhattered VeiTel, with five ai^ twenty maimed,, and the feme Num- bjST of Mg Manner : 'The Fbg io8 ^e Adventures of ^ and Pendant are brought half way down the Maft, and by that means drag along the Sea; the Veiiel is ftrippM of her Streamers, and her Cotours ; the Work^ ing her along is performed: in deep Si- lence and very flowly, and every half Hour a Cannon is let off. This in- formed Monfieur de Choifeuil of the Death of the unfortunate Montauban,^ before we arrived in the Port. The Governor, I muft do turn that Juftice*, wept exceffively for the Lofs of that brave Man : He could not forgive hinv- ielf, for haying drawn him from his So- fitude to rnake this unhappy Campo^n. He was touched alfo with our Misfoi^ tunes* ' .,^\ jr.. I think I ought not here to forget td foeak of a Cuftom eftabliflied amongft Ukt Privateers V When they have toft ' their Captain in a Fight, they fdl the. Veflel, and aK it cpiltains, even ^ the Arms, for the Subfiftanee and.Cuieof the Wounded, and to pay what is af- figned to every one for his Wounds. This is the Regulation upon that Header Two thoufand Livm are given to a Fri^ vateer the Chevalier de Beauchene. 1 09 vaceer for the Lofs of an Arm^ a Legt an Eye, an Ear, a Nofe, a Thumb, or even a licde Finger % in Ihorr, for any Member ; and if any one remains dis- abled by his Wounds, he has a Right to be received on board the firft Prt* vateer^s Vellel that appears % where, though he is of no Ufe, he has an equal Share with the reft. ^be End of the Fii^s/r Book.. THE r •^ Jj 'ri ■ ' ■ n ■ fctk# fit-All it J. 4' > * #*■' ♦W'.r''i. |l ^*ii>., t ,;■.', ^.IkA. >' -^ ' .fiTk r;. J fitiv? our*- >* ,•' n '^ '- ;• / ' i' •■ # 4^ « .■^■- - .i> *v?.r^'- . ** f 4.. "V * ,<■ \ «* ' -^ui* i * » K^ a* THE • ' - rf i .*.* t: ^-- * ..-1 , ; ., V- ., •: .i i-' \y". <.i .» ^i. • IDVENTURES , ' ^* i.-.- ^O P THE -r *.- Gievaiier de Beauchene. .\ • .*" m- \ :;:*Xii BOOK IL "f 'i >« : * fi&^ CbevMlier de Beauchcne r^i{/Z^ /^ 4^^^ of the Pojl of^ Captain. He goes again to Sea with feveuty-five Privateers, Tbey meet with four ^QgUih Veffeh^ who ufe them very roughly. S'he Chevalier goes to St. Domingo, to join fome French Pri- vateers there. The gallant Adventure vf a Rochellor, one of his Companions. They go to cruize upon the Coaji of the CarraccaSa and with a Veffel of eight Guns^ E BirT r 112 The Adventures of GunSy take two Englifli Ships^ one cf four and twenty ^ and the other of fix and thirty Gnns. They return to St. Domingo, where they fhare their Prizes^ and fall into all manner of Debauchery. They put to Sea again, ffhe Hifiory of a Philofophical Priva- teer. They attack a Ship of fix and forty Guns and three hundred Men^ and take it after a hot Refiftance. But they have no fooner gained that Prize than fhe is taken from them by an Englifli Man of JVar^ of fifty GunSy and a Frigate of fix and thir- ty ^ who make them Pr i finer s. They are firjl fent to Jamaica, and from thence to the Prtfons of Kingfaic in Ireland. A Detail of the Miferies ^- they are made to fuffer. They all die * except the Chevalier^ who finds means • to efcape. He goes to Cork, where *♦ be has the Happinefs to find a Widow ^ who out of Generofity does him Ser- •; viccy and who engages an Englifli ' • Captain to fit him a-fhore in Hifpa- niola, from whence he goes to Petit Goave. Ihere Monfieur de Choifeuil gives him a Veffel and ninety Men^ ^" with which be has the Boldnefs to go t-n^'O and 'tfO-K' Hl^ti.^ the Chevalier de Beauchene* 113 and cruize in Sight of the Ports of Jamaica, to revenge bimfelf upon the firfi Englifh be can take^ for the Cruelties exercifedin Ireland upon bim- felf and bis Companions, He takes an Englifh Sbip^ and treats tbe Crew moft barbaroufly. He has a Bifpute with tbe Governor and Citizens of tbe 7 own of Canary. He attacks another Englifh Shipj in which he finds two French PrifonerSy one of whom is his Acquaintance. . . ' .. . . .. , . I . • • • * I « 1 ' .1' r ONSIEUR de Cboifeuil, after having teftified his Regret for Montauban^ of- fered us another Veffel, na- med the St. RofCy which had been taken from the Spaniards by the Dutchy and lately retaken from them by the French. We accepted the Offer ; but the Company was to be formed, which took up between two and three Months. At the Expiration of that Time we found ourfelves feventy-fivc brave Fellows, and we immediately fct fail. . ovr They s ii4 33^ Adventures of .v * They all exliorted me to keep the Place of Captain, which had been given me after the Death of Montauban, I refufed it, not finding that I had Expe- rience enough to acquit myfclf well of fuch a Poll, and upon my Refufal they chofe a Canadian of Quebec^ called A//- «^/, a good Seaman, and equally pru- dent and courageous. _ . _ , < » S.>j\'.'-JA "^ < 1 . When we were over-^gainft the Eaft Part of the Ifland of Cuba^ of which we had begun to difcover the Coaftsy Sve perceived a Brigantinc of fourteen Guns ; tho' the Sea was rough we gave him Chacc a confidcrable Time. If it was dangerous for them not to draw in their Sails, it was no lefs fo to wait for us, therefore they crowded all the Sail they could, yet notwithftanding we drew nearer them, and were almoft within Cannon-fhot of: them, when a moft dreadful Guft of Wind overfet them be- fore our Eyes. All their Company pe- rilhed excepting three Perfons, who chofc rather to fall into our Hands than into thofe of Death. .ii^^ W© ^M.i'tf.,. the Chevalier de Beauchene. 115 We were fo provoked to fee our Prey thus raviflied from us, that wc fet forth our Fate with all the Ener- gy of Privateers, and in the moft ex- preflive Terms ; I believe, in our Ill- humour, we fliould have fufFered thefe three Wretches to fink without condes- cending to.fuccour them, if we had not had a Curiofity to know the Value of what we had loft. We faved them then with that Intention, and it may be guefled how great was our Defpair, when they told us that their Captain was the famous Charles Gandiy a Mulattoe of Jamaica^ who had been trading upon the Coafts of the Carraccas, and was re- turning with a hundred thouJand Piaf- tres, upon the Account of a rich Mer- chant. The Lofi of this brave Captain was of more Confequence to the Englijh than that of the Money, tho* the Sum was fo large. ;/»Li3" After this, we paffed three or four Months without meeting any thing but a large Fifhing Bark, which we took \ we afked the Mafter for News of Pa- nejion^ a Town in Jamaica, He told us he knew none, tho* he made feveral i. , Voyages ii6 The Adventures of Voyages there in a Year -, He was a Man benveen forty and fifty, who, with three of his Sons, and two Servants, carried dry'd Fifh thither. We were tired of waiting fo long in vain, for an Opportunity of taking fome good Prize, and it came into our Captain's Thoughts to make ufe of thefe People, to know if there was any thing to be done -, he detained the three Sons of the Firtier- man, and giving him fix of our ftouteft Boys, he obliged him to go to Panejion^ aflTuring him that the Life of his Chil- dren depended upon his Behaviour j that he need only load himfelf with dried Fift, enter into the Port as ufual, and in- form himfelf privately whether any Vef- fel was going out, or whether any was expefted in veryfoon. You need only, added Minef, execute punftually what I have told you, and when you come to give me an Account of your Commif- fion I will deliver up your Sons. But take Care what you do ; if you attempt the lead Trealbn, we will hang them before your Eyes at our Yard- Arm. *■ ^ The Fiftierman proved a good Father, he performed what was required of him CO was a 0, with ervants, re were 1, for an )d Prize, 'houghts to know ane •, he e Fiftier- ir ftouteft Panefton^ his Chil- iour i that /ith dried lU and in- r any Vef- r any was leed only» lally what lU come to Comn^if- ons. But )U attempt lang them -Arm. >od Father, [red of him to the Chevalier de Beauchene. 1 1 7 to Perfeftion ; but indeed, befides the Menace that was made him, two of our Boys, armed with Poniards and Pillols, had fecret Orders to obferve him clofely, and kill him, if he made the leaft. fuf- picious Step. They brought us Word, that five Englijh Ships, the largeft of five and twenty Guns, and the others of half as many, were preparing to fet fail for New-England^ and that they would leave the Port fpeedily ; we waited for diem in eflfeft only eight Days ; on the ninth we perceived them, and we re- marked there was one who was a flow Sailor, and very diftant from the others. Our Captain immediately propofed to us to attack that, faying, that when we had made ourfelves Mafters of it, we might make u(e of it againft the other four that accompanied it : This was the moft prudent Method, but we would not follow it •, we feared left the four Veflels that were together fliould cfcape, whilft we purfued that which was alone ; befides, the firft was near- eft to us, and our Hands itched to come to Blows. The Captain in vain remon- ftrated to us, that that Ardour of Fight* 1x8 n:>e ASventtires of ing, which generally is unaccompanied with Difcretion amongft the Privateers, hinders them from weighing all Circum- ftances, and generally draws upon them all the Misfortunes they meet with. In a word, it was to no purpofe for him to Ipeak Reafon to us, nobody was of his Opinion. At length, when he law that we all required that he Ihould conduft us to the four Veffels,— Gentlemen, faid he to us, I will lead you on immediate- ly, tho* it is purfuing your Courage more than your Prudence, You burn with Impatience to come to Aftion \ you will fee one from which I can't pro- mife to bring you off with Safety. » - Tho* the EngUJh were fenfible that we defigned to attack them, they con- tinued their Route as calmly as if they had not perceived us -, they did not feem to think of us, and yet they were taking proper Meafures to make us repent of our Temerity. They knew that, ' ac- cording to our ufual Cuftom, we fliould immediately attempt to board them *, they prepared themfelves for it, and when we were within Cannon- (hot, their largcft Frigate prefented herfelf; we •V imme- te«»>^ ipanieu vateers, :ircum- on them H. In a : him to as of his ; faw that [ conduft [nen, faid imediate- Courage You burn , Aftion i can't pro- fety. > the Chevalier dcB^znchene. ii^ immediately grappled with her, and leaped haftily upon her Deck, which was exaftly what they defired ; and we found their Company fo ftrongly re- trenched between their Decks, that it^ was impoffible for us to force them... fl T?^ U • Befides this, they had taken the Pre- caution to faw off the Bar of the Helm, fo that not being able to fleer the Ship, we remained there above half an Houi', expofed to all their Mufket- Ihot, fome of us employed in endeavouring to break open with Hatchets the Retrench- ments tJiey had made, and others bufied in returning, by a very inferior Fire, that which was m.ade upon us from the three' other Veffels, which pafllng continually* by us, gave us Broadfides loaded with broken Bullets and old Iron, which kil- led us as many Men as they could have wilhed. We were conftrained to return^ on board our own Veflel again, to cut^ our Grappling-Irbns, and to retire ; we were in fo bad a Condition, that there were not fifteen of us capable of working the Ship. The Privateers arc People fo dreadful to the Merchant-Ships, tnat as much difobled as we were, yet we kept our ^ I 120 Tie Adventures of :" our Enemies in Awe ; they feemed ftill to fear left we fhould have a Mind to return to the Attack, and returned Thanks to Heaven to find themfclves free from us-, tho* if they had purfuedus, and but one of their Ships had harrafled us for a quarter of an Hour, we muft have been obhged to yield at Difcre- tion. This fecond Difgrace brought us fo low, that Monfieur de Choifeuil loft all Hopes of ever recovering it. The Vef- fel was again fold for the Benefit of the Wounded, in which Number I had the good Fortune not to be included. Our continued Misfortunes gave no Perfon. any Defire to aflfociate with us, and we were forced to remain idle, and wait till fome Ship of the Privateers came to an- chor at Petit Goave. This was a me- lancholy Incident to a Man fo impa- tient as I was ; I was, nevertlielefs, re- folved to do as well as my Companions, when feveral French Privateers, who were at St, Domingo^ wrote to me, that if I was willing to come to them, they would procure me a Veffel that carried eight Guns«' of which the Governor of *- ^^ - • ' the w>> med ftill Mind to reuirned lemfclves arfued us, harraffed we muft at Difcre- ught us fo uil loft all TheVef- ac&t of the »r I had the adcd. Our no Perfon. us, and we and vr^t till came to an- 5 was a me- m fo impa- erthelefs, re- Companions, iratecrs, who » to me, that ithem, they I that carried Governor of the the Chevalier de Beauchene, i ^ i the Place, an affable and a generous Spaniardy had promifed to make, tbeo^ . aPrefent, when he found they were a fufficient Number to put to Sea. I could not have receivea a more a^ee-? able Piece of News •, I imparted ft to my Comrades, but there were but four who would follow me, tho* there were eighteen or twenty capable of the Ser- vice. •i. » M >■ •ja L The Realbris they ^ve to &it con- trarv were, th4t aU the French who had trufted in this manner to the Spcmards^ had fooner cm* later always repented it. We made a Jeft of their Diffruft^ and they of our Security ^ we pre^hed to one another, and our Difcourfes were as fruitlefs as the Sermons that are preach* ed at Court againft Flattery and Difli- mulation. I took my Party then, the four Privateers who were in die fame Diipofmon with myfelf, and we all five prepared for our Departure actois the Country. . _ ^ rXi.k'%'u: m^-rm^ '. r f i The Evening before our Departure we informed our Hoft of it, that he might inftruft us in the Route wc fliould Vo/.. I. takt\ 122 TJ^ Adventures of take, and that at the fame Time he might take our Notes for what we ow- ed Tiim i for in that Place every Priva- teefr has Credit in thofe Times: They lent him freely whatever he defired, and thofe Debts were paid preferably to every thing elfe upon the firft Prize that was made, even if the Debtor happened to be killM. A young Boarder in our Auherge aiked us in the Evening, i^x would be agreeable to us for him to join Company with us, together with a Friend of nis, who was juft arrived from a large and rich Habitation, which his Parents had at fome Leagues Diftance from thence. We both defign, added he, ttj repair to the Spanijh-^own^ and, to perform this Journey without any Hazard, we addrefs ourfelves to fuch brave Men as you are, and defire you to fuffer us to be in your Company. 'J . . , ^ Befides that, he captivated our Fa- vour by his Compliment, he offered to defray our Charges upon the Route, and even to take Guides at his own Charge and Expence. This was a certain Me- thod of obtaining our Confent, and we could not refufe it him. As he hmted to rime he :we ow- :y Priva- : They rired, and irably to Prize that happened er in our ing, iUt )r hirii to her with a rived from which his s Diftance gn, added town^ and, ithput any res to fuch defire you mpany. ed our Fa- le offered to Route, and 3wn Charge certain Me- fent, and we ^s he hinted to the Cbevatier 6&Be9LVithtTit. 123 to us that he and his Friend wi(hed to depart privately, and that we ourfelves had the fame Intention, to elude the In- fiances that Monfieur de Choifeuil might have mad^ to detain us, we agreed with the young Man, that we would depart the Night following, after Sup- • <■ Our Hoft told us in private, that he did not know his Boarder, but that hi^ Friend was a Creolian^ the Son of a rich Family, and had been brought up at PariSy from whence he had not been returned above two Months ; that he was upon the Point of marrying a young Lady with a very great Fortune, and that yet this young Man feemed to ex- prefs more Averfion than Love for her. We faw the Creolian arrive the next Day ; he was mounted upon a good Horfe, and had behind him a large Va- life, full of all the Money and Jewels he could carry off from his Friends ; he had fome Trouble to provide another Horfe for his Friend, which retarded our Departure till Midnight. •fit .1**' * G 2 We 124 "' ^be Advmti^ei of We wepc f€aice oiit of the j4ub4rgi l^efore we found ourfelves in a new Elm- barraffi : The Boarder, the Creoimn^s Friend, was a very indiffepent Horfe- man ; he ftagger'd upon his Saddle eve- ry Step he w^t, in fuch a manner that one of us was obliged to .mount upon his Horfe behind and hold him : This, joined to his foft and effeminate Look, made us from that Time Aj^ft what we dlfcovercd fome few Days aften Not tSG kill his Horfe, wWch was not a wry ftrong one, we chofi» out^ d>iie lighteft young Fellow amongft us to do litis agreeable Service, which carried its Rc- compeiKe along with it. This was a little, thin, alerr Rochitler^ whonci we liad named * Touteip Mufihs^ from his being very ftrong, tho* he was not five Feet high. He had a cunning attftil Mind ; he penetrated the Myftery from t?he iirft, and, without making u^ Part- ners in his Difcovery, he endeavoured to make ufe of it. The Heat obliged us to travel more in the Night thin in the Day \ this favmired the Enteiwizc of our Comrade •, tiK Rogue was difap- pcaring every now and then, as if he had I • All Mu/cla. f \ riewEni- Creoii^n*s jnt Horfe- Saddle ev€- nartiier that [lownt upon Lim : This, inate Look, )eft what we affer. Not s not a very tlie ligh«ft I to do Ais irried its Rc- Thiswas a r^ whom ^€ •fey, flotn his ; was not five «nning artful Myftcry ^^ ftking IB Part- e endeavoured Heat obliged Night thdn m I the ET\teinpri2c gue was difap- \ then, as if h; had /^^ Chevalier de Beauchene. 125 had loft his Way, and found us again in a quarter of an Hour. Thcfe httlc Abfences were remarked, and the Friend of the CrcfiUan imagined to be a Wo^ man in Diiguife. But we had no longer any room to doubt it, when one Morn* ing we fouiri that flie had departed over Night with the Rocheller^ the two Horfes, and the Valife, which fhe took care to inform us of by a Billet that (he left for her Lover, and which con- tained thefe Words : u (( cc tt <( cc (C C( cc cc cc (C u cc " I have refleftcd, Monficur, that, being a Minor, you could not with Confcience marry me contrary to the Inclination of your Parents. 1 lup- f)ofe alfo, you arc tired of travel- ing with mc by this Time, there- fore to do you a Pleafurc I take an- other Guide. I ought to do thi^ if it were only to reftore you to your Family, who arc now lamenting your Lofe, and to the Perfon who is dcftined for your Bride. Adieu, Monfieur, never think of looking after me, I have loft my Way now in earneft.** G 3 Thi<^ ,a6 rbe Adventures of _ W« was more f"'«bk t°rj^^ J^^^ than the CrecUan. . "/J^'^^^^ed this Letter from her, ^hat m b^ ^ all the Honour of the A«ion^ Scruple of taking to h« own _ this generous Care of obhgng a ^^^^ ,y he was «n^qr"«^^^^^^ fay upon every one had ^^^^^^^, Jughter the 0'f°}i,,^rs^(ilr^cn^ of Com- foon gave Place to ^^^,^j paffion, which w^ coui difcovering. The young Mao.to whom to K^^^ wasaddreffed «foonas^eread^.^^^ came mononlefs with Alto ^^^^ tl«n ^" °f ?/jf ' h^Sout into a Situation mtoF"ryn ^^ _ j^^ Fit of D*^fl?=^ ''/S' fcif with his own would have k'lj=«i h»^»^" J^„j,d him -, Hands, it we had not prc^c ^^ he told us afterwa ds, tha^^ ^^^ h, folved to follow ";. °M5w;etch,and might rejoin tlMsun^htul w ^^^ load her with Repro^'^^s. .^^^^ Laughter. ti.Lucretia routenMuf- ler Purpofe le Rocheller exaftcd this might have \, making a ,wn Account ^ing a Fami- [h. In fine, to fay upon our Laughter ents of Conri- d not avoid ^r ,om this Billet he read it, be- ^ftoniihment •, fing from that urft out into a uched us •, he f with his own rcvcnted him •, lat he was re- Foot, that he 'ul Wretch, and s. After that, yield- the Chevalier de Beauchene. i 27 Yielding to the Foibie he had for this Creature, he melted into Tears, and lobbed with fuch excefliye VioleftceJ^ that tho' we were Privateers, yet he moved us to CompafTion. n'»a /r This Tragi-comic Scene paffed in a Habitation where we had flopped, ' We employed a whole Day there in ^on|bl- ing him, and in exhorting him to ieturn to his Parents. By degrees we fofte^n*d his Grief, and he yielded infenfibly to the Force of our Reafons : We afked him in what Part of the World he ha(^ got Acquaintance with this ungrateful "Wo-?, man, who did not deferve his T^Vs.^ To fatisfy our Curiofity he toli qsj not without many Sighs, that (he Wai br- Pans ; that he had loved the pk^fiil6ti$ Wretch from the firll Moment* He IfiaJ- feen her there, where (he was kept by a Maltotier * ; that he had attached hini- felf to her, and that, after having (jpeht immenfe Sums, to alhire her from her Man of Bufinefs, he had fucceeded iri it. It coft me as much, faid he, to de- termine her to follow me into this Coun- try J and, to finifh my Hiftory, I was G 4 ^ now • A Farmer of the Taxes. 128 ^e Adventures 9f now goii>g with this Inconftant to the l^anip Town, only that I might marry ftjefp in fpite of my Parents, who deftine toe fpjf another Pcrfon. When we faw the Creolian begin to be difpofcd to return home, we joined all>^e Money we four had amongft: us, tp what he had left in his Pocket, in order tp.hire twoGuides, one to conduft i^un by fmall Days Journeys, and the ot;licf to go before, and ad vertifb his Fa- mily to fend a Horfe to meet him. Indo- uig, tj)|s generous Aflion, we never confi- dere^, that it was cutting oiF our own Iti^sm to five ^notierMan*s > as in efffedt. Cur want of Monkey, we were obliged to feeci lil^e, tnc antient Hermits, upon the i^ruits of Hjivt pelarc lor tht relt of our Journey. As mi drew near St, Dcmif^o we faw fcve^il of the French Privateers, who cawiCj to meet us, and who appeared very well pleafcd at our Arrival. The EMcbeller was amongft them ; as 'foon as lie could Jpeak to us in private, he confe^ed to us all that we knew before, without informing us what was become of the arry ftine n to >med t us, t, m iduft i the is Fa- ll do- confi- own pffeft, god to )f our the ChevaUer dc Eeauchene. 129 of his Parifian Nympfa, dcfirmg us to keep the Secret, which we did, tho* he did not deferve it. He had indeed Reafbn to fear his Adventure's being known ; they might have cafily forgiven him the Rape of this Helen \ but the VaHfe carried off had an Air of Rob- bery, that wouH have been prejudicial to his Reputation. .Vli** V#-J f »»M-A«*»'^ J' k^l4 !-• r i\ The Governor of 5/. Domingo^ who expefted us with Inrpatience, honoured us with a very gracious Reception, and me in particular ; he gave me twenty hrdivt Spaniards to command, together with fixty French Men, whom he had aflfembled. To return the Efteem that he teftified for me, I uied fo much Di- ligence that I made ready and fet Sail in lefs than a Fortnight. I return now to our Rocheller : I was very much fur- prized to fee his Parifian on board with him, whom he made to pafs for a young Brother of his, that he was will- ing, he faid^ fliould learn his Trade be- times. • • •'* The poor Privateer was taken in a^ ^ell as the Creolian ; he bccamq diftratft- G 5 ' • ' /edly Ii '! 130 The Adnjentures of cdly in Love with this Creature, whom he was teaching the whole Day to fence and ufe a Mufket, tho' we all advifed him in private to leave her in Quality of Surgeon's Boy or Apprentice. This Advice was not to his Tafte, for he was fo monftroufly jealous of her, that he would have her always in his Sight ; he fufFered miferably when he law her . Ipeak to any body, and efpecially to thofe who, like us, were in his Confidence in fpite of himfclf ; his Jealoufy made him pafs many uneafy Moments. One Day whilft he was at Play, having perceived that his young Brother was gone out of Sight, he could not conceal hisDiforder, and from that Time, tho' it was his darling Pleafure, he never gamed agahi ; but indeed there happened to us, in about a Week afterwards, an Adven- ture which cured him radically of the Paflion he had for ilay, as well as of his Jealoufy. In cruizing upon the Coafts of the Caraccas we met with a Veffel of four 4end twenty Guns, which we looked upon immediately as a Treafure that was our own, as it could not poiTibly efcape for whom :o fence advifed lality of This for he .er, that i Sight i faw her to thofe dence in lade him Dne Day perceived i\e oiit of Diforder, was his cd again i to us> in Adven- of the /ell as of y Is of the el of four looked •e that was bly efcapc for the Chevalier de Beauchene. 131 for the Calm that then reign*d upon the Sea. We foon joined it by the Affift- ance of our Oars, and having grappled with it, we obliged them to ftrike in lefs than a quarter of an Hour, with the Lofs of fix only of our Men, iniwhich Number was the unfortunate tf^w/^^ MufcleSy by his own Fault. At the Boarding he leaped with us uporvthe Deck of the Englijh Ship ; his Miftrcfe, hurried along by the Crowd, found her- felf obliged to do the fame, and not be* ing ufed to fuch an Eicalade^ (he drop<^ ped into the Sea. The Lover feeing her drowning, was haftening to her. Aft fiftance, but one of our Men flopped him, threatening to (hoot him through the Head if he drew back * j the Ro^ cheller^ drove on by the Excefs of his PafTion, defpifed the Menace, and re- ceived that Inftant a Mufket-fhot in his Head. Thus pcrifhed tliis unhappy Wretch, for having abandoned himfelf to a Paflion that is Folly in all Men, but Madnefs in a Privateer. -I •i'* y We • In an Adlion the leaft Roy has a Right to /hoot any Privateer that draws back one Step. 132 '^3%^ Ad'Oenturts of * Wc iv€jrt very well fiutisfied with our Enterpmc; I piit twenty of my Ptople on board the Engi^ Vefiel, and the greftteft Pwt tjf tfie Priibners ioto the Hold ®f my own. Wc were convey- ing owr Cdi3ture as in TriumpJi, wbcHt fwfi tlifcovOTd inothet V«flcl> which nuakiiig its Advantage of a imtXi Gate ©f Wind which th^n arofe, bore down upon us with crowded Sails. Our Prl- (iytttt% had tdd us that they were in Company widv another Ship of fix and thirty Gttns, whidi they h^ been fepa* raced from about two Days before oy hazy Weather, I did not dovtbt but Ihb VefTel was that which they had fpdoe of; and what agreed with my Con^ jei^ure was, that it feemed to me as if this Veflcl jteovc to rejoin the othcf. I immediately made them bring too all the Sails, becauie their Figure, which was particular, would foon have made us known. I firt up alio an Englijb Flag, and left our Prifoners fliould re* Yolt during tiie Combat, we laid them aH in Irons. Befides all this, I made my Route flowly towards Jamaica^ and the Englijky dcGoiv^d by thefe Appear- vith our ^People and the ioto the coftvcy- 1^ \ghkh mall Gate MTC down Our Prl- ^ were lA of fix and been fepa- before by d0«bt but they had di my Con- o me as if icothct. 1 ^g too all rurc, which have made an Englijh •s fliould re* re faidthcm lis, I made ^amaica^ and hefe Appear- ^ aoces^ the Cbevah^r de Bcauchene. 133 anCes, caoie within Cannon-lhot with* out ^ing out their Miftake. Then ^)reading at once all our Sails^ and hotfting the Colours of Fr^ma upon bodi our Velfels, wc came fo h«ftily i^ on tiieirs^ that we grappled with them» and boarded them before they knew whom they had to deal with \ but in re« turn, as foon as they perceived it, tliey made incredible Efforts to repulfe us. They were firong in Men^ by confe- qtience they made a dreadful Slaughter amongft us. Nay, they would per* haps have made us retire in i|)ite or all our Courage, if our Companions, who were upon the Prhse Veffel, had not al- io thrown out thdrCrrappling^Irones, and kaped upon die Quarter-Deck, after halving given them three or four Broad<» fides with their Cannon. The Englifi^ attacked on both Sides, tould not hcJd eut much longer, and were obliged to yioldy tho^ they were ftili above three to one. We had however, upon this Occa- fion, about five and twenty Men killed and wounded* When we arrived at . , St. \\ , 134 7lje Adventures of W. Domingo^ we went to give an Ac- count of our Campaign to the Governor, who was extremely furprized to hear what we had done. He could not con- ceive how fifty Men could be capable of taking two hundred, and of carrying off, with aVeffel of eight Guns, one of four and twenty, and another of thirty- fix. As to the Profit which arofe to us from thefe two Prizes, it was fo confi- derable, that, exclufive of what was of a Nature to be divided amongft us, as is cuftomary, I remember that the Admi- ralty, for their Dues upon the reft, had near fifty thoufand Crowns. It will be imagined, doubtlefs, that after two fuch lucky Hits, fifty Priva- teers will be turned into fifty creditable Citizens, and live eafy and happy for the reft of their Days. Excufe me, thefe are not their Maxims : We paffed fix or (even Months in St. Domingo^ do- ing what fifty young Mufquetnires would do amongft the^itizens of a Town fur- rendered it Difcretion. Gaming, Balls,' Treats, Quarrels, Riots, thefe were our whole Bulinefs. When a Spaniard ^XQltnA- cd to tuke it ill that we gave a Serenade to bis the Chevalier de Beauchbne. 135 his Wife, and had not the Civility, to open the Door to us, we went in at the Windows. There was every Day fome Father, or fome Hufband, bringing his Complaints to the Governor. On the other Side, thofe who had neither Wives nor handfome Daughters, and who found their Account in our Diffipations, inte- refted themfelves for us, and Ipoke in our Favour ; they did not trouble them- felves about what Ravages we made ii! the Night, provided that they could fell Us in the Day, for a Piaftre, what was not worth a Shilling. Our Liberties, however, were carried fo far, that the Governor, after having in vain defired us to be more reafonable, found himfelf obliged to forbid our bear- ing Arms within the Town; neither would he have gone fo far, but for an Infult committed by a Privateer upon one of his domeftick Officers, who had a Nofe of an excefllve Length. Thy Nofe fliocks me, faid the Privateer to him as he met him in the Street, I am relblved to pare off the Superfluities of it with my Cutlafi. Allons, my Friend, draw your Sword. The Officer, who was 136 S& Aiventwei of^vh was a SpanisrJy ^fmded hfe I^lc Kke a Man c>f Courage ; bwt Tjot being wil- Jing to be reduced to preferving k agam itt die fiime Manner, he complaimed of ic to his Mailer, who caufed an Order to be publifhed, by whidi the Privateers were fortrid bearing aiy Weapons in St. * We obcyM, And appeared federal times before tfee Governor unfarm*d, and, Bke a good forgiving Matter, he thanked m at iirft for tihc Rcfpeft we had for his Orders ; but when he heard that we had our Swords carried after us by our Men, as the CamJims of Mon&eor de Tier- wiWs Company had done in tihc feme Cafe at RocMky he Was irritated ex- tremely at us. He again commanded that no Privateer ftiould bear Arms with- in tJtc Town-, and added, that if any one ca«fed them to be carried after Wm, he fhp\M be punched for it by an Itn- prifonment of fix Months ; fo that he put it out of twr Power to fight in the Town, unlefs it was at Boxing. ■ •♦ ' • This juft Severity of the Governor produced two differentEffcfts > the Citi- zens the Chevalier dtBesMch&^e. 137 zens began not to fear us (b much, and the Women to love us more : Our Vef- fel became the Scene of gallant Feafts ; and thofe Women whom we could not fee before but by taking their Apart- ments by Aflault, in their Tum^ now leaped out of the Windows to us, ra- ther than they would be wanting in the Ceremonial of Politenefs, and not repay our Vifits. As for the Spaniards^ being irritated that, without being defired, we introduced the French Liberty and Po* iiteneis with fo much Succef$ amonj^ their Wives, they difembaraflcd them- felves in the Spanijb Manner of all thofe among us that fell into their Hands in the Night. We loft ki this genteel Man^ ner foiw or five dF cwr moft gallant Pri* vateers, and thofe who were reckoned the Petit Maitres of our Troop. jt As we knew the Intrigues that had been fo fatal to them, we refolved to revenge their Deaths. We could not do this in the Town without an open Rebellion, and we were too fmall a Number to dare to rebel We judged therefore, that we muft endeavour to draw a-board thofe whom we fulpefted of iv-'.. '^' 138 Th A(henfures of of having affaffinated our Companions* The better to (deceive thefe Aflaffins, we ccaied to complain of the Misfor- tune of our Brethren, and afFefted to ap- pear fatisfied. We even faid openly, that thofe among us who made a Dif- order in the Town, contrary to the Or- der of the Governor, made themfelves dcferving of any Accident that happen- ed to them. Upon thefe Difcourfes the Citizens thought us more fearful and left terrible than we were. They ima- gined, that finding ourfelves reduced to the Number of five and thirty French^ we thought it more proper to fpeak fmoothly than to rhodomontade. They were in another Error alfo : They thought the Spanijh Privateers had no good Underftanding with us \ and yet they were the Men who delivered up to us four of the Hufbands whom we looked upon Privatcericidcs ; and this was the Stratagem which they made ufc of to bring them to us a-board an Eng- lijh Veffel that we had taken ; they pro- pofed to them to conduft them thither towards Night, telling them that we fliould fell them very cheap a confidcr- ablc Parcel of Jewels, which we de- figncd inions* raflins, vlisfor- l to ap- 3penly> : a Dif- the Or- mfelves happen- irfes the ful and Ley ima- luced to Frencby :o fpeak They ; They had no and yet vered up \rhom we and this made ufe . an Eng' they pro- m thither that wc confidcr- 1 wc dc- figned the Chevalier de Beauchene. 139 figned to difpofe of fecretly in order to defraud the Admiralty. Thefe honeft Gtntlemen, who de- fired no better than to join with us in this clandeftine Commerce, gave eafily into the Snare ; and when we had them in our Power, we put on a magifterial Air, and interrogated them in Form upon the Murders committed in their Quarters, and which were imputed to them. It was in vain that they pro- tefted their Innocence •, they had to do with Judges who would condemn them before they were heard. We had no- thing to debate upon but the Punilh- ment that we (hould make them fuf- fer, when perceiving amongft them a little obftinate Man who had a very handfome Wife, whom he had hither- to rendered always inaccellible to us : Meflieurs, faid I to my Companions, if thefe other three Padrones have Wives as pretty as this has, I am of Opinion that we (hould give them their Lives, provided they fend for them to us im- mediately J and I propofe that they (hould meditate upon dieir Sins in the . Bottoih I I 140 ^Fhe Adv^ntufes &f Bottom of the HoU, whilft we fup with their Ladies. .1.. :ij,.^ 4.*.. ^ki. So pleafant an Idea of Vengeance made the whole Company jaiigh, and faved the Spaniards^ who but lor this would infallibly have gone. We gave ever then all Thoughts of JSilood&ed. We reaibned only upon the Sentence that I had pronounced, and every one having voted, it was refolved. tliat to avoid Inconveniencks we would go our* fdves, provided with good Pfooirations under the Hands of the HuHMndS) and fup with tbeir Wives in private to avoid all 3lcandaL We took an ill-natured Pleafure in feeing the different Grimaces that theic four poor Wretches made when they figned their PFOcurations. Tliofe who were the moft jealous, re-* joiced us by the mortal F^ars that were painted upon their Countenances. All this howevier was no more than a Jtft.: We went to Supper at our Inns, bound- ing our Vengeance only by detaining the Hufbands all Night in the Ship, and making them imagine that their Procu-^ rations bad not been ufelefs. We had made Acquaintance with fo many other Ladies, fup the ChevaKtr St Bcaucficne. 141 Ladies, diat k is no wonder we had not the Oariofity to go after thcfe ; who, when they few their Hufbands again, whom we tobk care to lend them the nejct Dtty, I believe, had no little Trou^ blc to perlWade them that they had rc^ ceived no Damage but this Fright. Whilft we lead this dcKghtful Life . at ^. Bsmifigo^ foending our Tpcafure witlh as nKich Hafte as we'had* gained it, there arrived from Petit Goave a, Rein- fofcement of twelve Frtndf Privateers, ' w^ forced us from the Arms of Sloth . ar- VohipHioufnefs. We abandoned 01^ rieafore abruptly to make ready for the Sea, and we fct fail with as much Ardoiir as if we were certain that wt were departing only to return with new Conquefts. Iniquity and Vice ftupify the Mind. We did not conlider, that having fpent fo much Time in De- bauchery, MTC were now perhaps ninnmg eagerly to meet thofe Chaftifcments that Divine JuflScc had prepared for us. Amongft the Privateers who came to us from Petit Coave^ there was one of a ChariiAer very new m diat PVo- feflion. 142 TZ^ Adventures of feiTion. He was a perfed Philofopher, a meditating Malebrancbift^ who had tiever feen a draMoi Sword, and knew nothing of Gunpowder but by the Ex- periments he had made upon the Elafti- city of the Air that it contained. What ¥^11 appear moft fincular is, that we were wonderfully pleafed with him, tho* he could neither fight, nor game, nor fwear, nor drink. . We all liftened to him with Pleafure, efpecially when he talked Phyficks, and explained to us the Caufe of Eclipfes, of the Winds, of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, and of all the furprizin^ Phcenomena of Na- ture; which he did, confining himfelf as much as poflTible to common plain Exprefllons, luitable to the Capacity of his Audience. .^ His Converfation delighted us. I (hall never forget the Difcourfe he made the firft time he related to us by what Chance he was thrown among us. He could not think of it without making Exclamations that diverted us. I feem to have been bom, faid he to us, to fhcw the World the Caprices of Fate. After havbg been from my Infancy till this lad icw Ex- afti- rhat we tho* nor d to n he us Is, of and fNa- imfelf plain ity of s. i made what . He laking 1 feem us, to ■ Fate, icy till this the Chevalier de Beauchene. i 43 this Time, as it were buried in the Stu- dy of Philofophy, behold me now re- duced to wander on the Sea, not as a curious Naturalift, but in the Quality of a Privateer : What a ftrange Metamor- pholis ! Neither is this any more than the common Caprice of my Stars, which I cannot my felf comprehend how I could give way to. He ftopp'd here, and ieemed unwilling to proceed any farther. We defired him to explain himfelf more clearly, and our Intreaties were the more earned, as the Privateers who had brought him from Petit Goave^ and who knew his Hiftory, laughed immo- derately at his Silence ; which made us imagine that what he concealed deferved our Attention. Our Prayers were not in vain, he began his Speech again in thefe Terms : You fee, Gendemen, that I don't willingly run on in fuperfluous Dif- courfe, and that I am poffefs'd of the Gift of Taciturnity. But you do not know me yet. 'Tis pity that you can- not contrive a Clofet here, at a diftancc from the Noife and continual Move- ment there is in your Veflcl, you would fee .ii 144 ^^ Adventures of fee me fliut myfelf up there for five or fix Days together, without coming out of it -, .ay, without fo much as ipeaking a Word to thofe who brought me my Frcvifions. Siich is my Tafte, in this Manner I have always Kved, and at the feme time have always been rec- koned the moft unfociable of Mortals, a Hater of Mankind, and ftill more of Womankind. Yet, Gentlemen, can jrou bdieve it, I have banifhed myfelf into this ntiR World, only to avoid one whom I married in one of thofe unfor- tunate Moments when the Philofopher yielding bafely to the Animal, notwith- ftanding his Phifofophy, let himfelf be captivated undier the Yoke of Hymen. In a City of France^ not very diftant from Varis^ I took to Wife a young Per- fon extremely amiable, but at the feme time extremely gay. I was not four Days before I perceived that I had played the Fool, and that I had embraced a Coo- dition very unfiiitable to me. My Wife, through an Excefs of Afiiduity and ConrttJaifance, became my Tormentor. She toUowed me without ceafingj, load- cd[ me with Carelfcs, and did not leave ' '^ me tie Chevalier de Beauchene, 1 45 me to myfelf a Moment, Was I. read- ing in my Clofet, fhe would come in fearch of me Singing and Dancing ; tear the Book out of my Hands, and tell me with a Laugh that (he was worth all the Volumes in my Library -, fo that to read at liberty, I was obliged to go out of the Town, and to retire to a Friend. In fine, Ihe loved Society as much as I did Study and Retirement, From the Moment it was Day with Ma» dantj the Houfe was an Affembly till it was Night, It might have been bear- able however, if not pretending to take it ill that my Wife lived in this Manner, I had on my Side had the liberty to live after my own Fancy ; but No, (he re- folved that I fhould follow her's j (he would reform me, fhe faid, polifli me^ and above all hinder my Reading from doing me harm. How you are altered ! fometimes flie would cry out ; *ti$ this Reading that deftroys you -, I muft burn all thefe odious Books that ruin you en? tirely. . ' It was in vain for me to be enraged at myfelf, and curfe my Marriage, my giddy Spoufe obliged me out of Com- H plaifancc 146 ^.e Advetftur^s of plaifance to do every thing that fhe liked. However, after ibmc Months Ihe ceafed to torment me, and defpairing of being aUe to alter a hardened, Philo- JTopher^ ihe let me read as much as I pleafed, without difturbingherfelf any further to make me alter my Condudt, and without ever thinking to reform her own. On the contrary, (he redoubled heriExpenc^, and made ib prodigious a TDiminution of my Fortune, in Treats, Drds, Furniture, and publick Places, that in le& than two Tears ;|(he ruined me entirely. I had no other-Refpurce but a Plantation, which my Father had left at his Death, and which was inha- bited by a Man who had fbme Share in it, and who always . deferring to make up his Accounts with me, had not yet lent me any Remittances to Europe. When I perceived then, about five or fix Months lince, tjhat Ihad not enough left to pay a Quarter of wl^at my Wife owed to the Baker, the 9ut- cher, the Cook, the Laundrefs, idc. I departed quietly without bidding Jier Aaieu, to fpare myfelf the T^'o^ble of bearing the Mulick (be would (tave made (he tsihe Luing Mo- 1 as I f any mher rubied igious rreats, Places, ruined fpurce tv had s inha- lare in make lot yet p. ut five ad not f what ic $ut- fcJr. I mg her bleof d b^ve made ^ G&^w&r de Beaucbene. 147 made upon that Occafion ; I endbaiiced for St. Domingo^ in hopes that I (bould live there eafily and happily^ fince I fhould be at a Diftance from my Wife. But upon my Anival, I fouml that the Plantation upcm which I depended had been fold, and that the Villain of a Sel- ler was no longer in the Country. This News ftfuck me lb excefllvely, that^I was vety near repenting that I had lef^ my Wife. This is ^proHing it fuffici- ently. Nothing was then talked of at Petit Goave^ but the immenfe Riches that the French had gained who were at the Spani/h Town. I lodged with (everal of thefe Gentlemen who are liftening to me, I had related my Misfortunes eo them ; they pitied me, and feeing I did not know what to turn myleif |o, they propofed to me to follow them, il ac« ipepted the Propofition; and I ihould applaud myfelf for it, if I did not fear that I ihall appear a Brother unworthy of you. For, in fine, ,1 have no very warlike Heart ; I am fenfible of it. :I <:annot hear a F^zil IhotpfF without trcmUing, -V • Ha This 148 - 7J^ Adventures of ' This new Privateer if we may give him that Name, becaufe he was amongft Us, here finiflied his Hiftory. I endea- voured to give him Courage, and told him that he would be much fooner ufcd to the Ways of the Privateers, than he had been to thofe of his Wife j and that when he had been two or three Times at the Stem of a large Ship, expofed to the Whizzing of Cannon Bullets out of their Chace Guns, he would not be afraid of a Mu(ket-(hot : However, I added, that if he chofe it he might keep in the Steerage at firft, and fee us fight without entering into the Party, till he was ufed to Mufquetades and Cannon- Ihot. We were much more impatient than he was to meet fome Veffel which might give us an Opportunity of (hewing him in what Manner we defigned to inure him to ftand Fire. This did not hap- pen however till near two Months after. One Morning, as we doubled the little Ifland of Tortoifes^ there prefented it- felf before us an Englijh Veffely to which we made up without Hefitation. The Ipaptain who commanded it would have thought give »ngft idea- told ufed m he ithat rimes fed to DUtof lot be ver, I Lt keep s fight till he annon- nt than i might ng him to inure lot hap- hs after, the little :nted it- :o which I. The uld have thought the Chevalier de Beauchene. 149 thought himfelf diflionoured by endea»» vouring to avoid us. In efFeft, he faw only a fmall Veffel of eight Guns, which he did not think would be ra(h enough to attack one of fix and forty Cannon and three hundred Men. He did not know the Privateers. The Mafter and his Mate who knew what kind of Peo- ple we were, had a very hot Difpute with him upon this Occafion, as they told us themfelves after the Aftion. The Mafter remarking that we drew ftill nearer to them, advifed him to pre- pare for an Engagement. Don't trouble yourfelf about it, replied the Captain, can you be afraid of a Sloop that I could hoift up whole upon the Deck? It may be a Sloop if you pleafc, replied the Mafter fomething affronted •, but this Sloop contains perhaps a hundred Men, whom you will fee leap upon your Deck to (pare you the Trouble of hoifting them there ; and if ybu don't take care, they may throw you and all your Crew overboard, as numerous as you are. iv> After a long Debate, the wife Pru- dence of the Mafter got the better of the too great Confidence of the Captain. H 3 They 150 "TZir Amentura tf Xbeyipvspaied' themfelves a gocxl Re^ tMnchrienc^ after which they were fo compki&nt as to wait for us^ fultyre^ iphred to prevent us from boaraing them^ or at leaft to make al) the Efforts they were capaUe of ; the Sea was very rOughv and the firft Broadfides of their Gannon did us no other Harm than fnghting the Philofbpher ; but foon af- terwe were ahnofl: entirely dripped of our Saik and Tackling ; (o that if we had not feized the Opportunity that a Guft of Wind gave us, of fattening our GrappIing-Iro*ns upon their Stem, we /bould have been utterly difabled. Their Gannon' then became ail ufelefs to them, except their two Chace-Guns, and even thofe they could make no great Uie of; as we fiVed inceffantly into their Portholes. We mounted at length up- on thtir Deck, not without much Dif* ficuky, becaufe of the rolling of the Waves, and through fo dreadful a Fire of Muiquetry, that I loft at leaft a third of my People; we did not begin to breathe again till we came to Adion with ourSabres. U V «*i I i * 1 - Puring geon| empl the Chevalier At Beaucliene. 1 51 During the Time that we fought, they with their Swords and Spontons, and we with our QitlafTes, Chance brought the Capt^n and me, without knowing each other,* to combat together. Wfc fixed upon each other ; I frankly cohfefs that I never met with fo (launch a Game^ fter; Fatigued with his parrying all my Strokes, I began to faint, and gave him thofc that were lefs fevere, and I fi/uod that I was finking under his, when in a Moment he had his Thigh Iwoke with a PiftoHhot. Not being able to lap* port himfelf, he meafured the Earth, or rather the Deck, with his Body, and his X a*4 ttie niivlinw Zl'iZ,. was lOjiowca oy mine ; fo much was T weakened by the Gun-fliots I had received, and by the Blood that I had loft. In the mean time my Comrades preflcd the Englijh io clofely, that they obliged the)::^i to rctir >i between their Decks, where »Oidin t, them withGranades and Powder-Homv, diey conftrained them to ftiikc their Flag, V - r * \ ... y . . . . , . ^ * I was under the Hands of the Sur- geon, who feeing me in a deep Swoon, . employed all his Art to bring me m H 4 my- 152 ^e jidvenfur^s of myfelf again; and when he had fucceed- ed in it, I alked him, if we were con- quered, or Conquerors. He informed me, with a Joy that the Idea of a great Fortune infpired him with, that the Englijh Veffel was our own j that (he was returning from Angola \ that her Ballad was Elephants Teeth or Ivory, and her Cargo five hundred and fifty Negroes, and a confiderable Quantity of Gold Duft. We could not certainly have taken a richer Prize -, my Com- rades applauded their happy Fate, ex- prefling their Raptures in the loudeft Tranfports of Joy. But, alas! their Happinefs was of fhort Duration : They had not Time fo much as to take an Account of their Treafure. Fortune de- prived them of it very abruptly ; it was theirs only from Eight in the Morning till Eleven, and they paid dearly for that Ihort Enjoyment. In endeavouring to riake the ^ay ie Sf, Louis^ which was the neareft French Port to the Place where we were, we run direftly in the Way of the Jer- fiy^ an Englijh Man of War of fifty Guns, that was ftationcd upon the Coaft. ^— ^^ * This the Chevalier de Beauchene. i yj This Veflel was cruizing upon the Coaft of Hifpaniola^ with a Frigate of thirty- fix Guns. Our Vcffel was fo fliatter'd, that we had not fo much as a Thought of endeavouring to efcape them, and yet in our Defpair we prepared to defend ourfelves. I made myfelf be carried upon the Deck, where not being able to (land, nor even to fit upright, they laid me in fuch a manner, that having my Arms at Liberty, and my Head a litde raifed, I could (kill flioo t off a Fuzil . The fifteen Men who condufted our Prize were at firft tempted to fet fire to the Powder and blow up the Ship •, but remarking that we prepared for an Engagement, they did the fame. I had only five and twenty Men left with me, including the Philofopher and the Wounded. # The Jerfey firfi: made up to us, and perceiving we were fo weakly mann'd, attacked us without waiting for the Fri- gate. The fifteen Men who were on board the Prize Ship, being fcarce fuffi- cient to work her, appeared of no great Confcqucncc to them. They faftcned only 'ipon our Veffel, and as they per- ceived that, being too weak to venture H 5 to r J4 A ^^ A^Qentum of to board them; . out of Neceffity we wtre forced ' to> reiblve upon keeping in our own Shipv they did not fail to regulate them&lvcs thereupon. To difpatch us more Speedily they loaded their Cannon with Caief fhot, and provc^ied at us, that notwitbftanding all thefe Precaudons^ we did notiubmitto ftrike; they run upon us every Moment with dieir heavy Snip^ that brdce us all to Pieces; and they would inevitably have funic us, if we had not prudeatly determined, to fur* render-. The Captam found our Prize hadi been very roughly handled; and piqued- at the Refiflance we had dared to make- with fuch unequal Forces^ he treated us. very harfhly,, ooth in Words and Ac- tions. He laid us in Irons notwith- Aanding our Wdunds,. and left us the reft of the Day without fufFering them, to be drefTed. By this Ufige feveral of my Companions perifhcd,whofe Wounds would not elfe have proved mortal. Confidcring^ however, the next Day that we were reduced to no^ above twenty Men, he pernutced aur Surgeon to take cacer cane* care of us, and three Pays after took off - our Irons. It was only becaufe we feJ! into her Way that the Jerfey took us, flic ci- pefted that Fortune deHj^ed her for gteater Favours. They continued tO; cruize to the North of Hifpaniola^ drag- ^ng us after them as in Triumph. Wc earneftly wiflied that they miglht meet with fome large French or SpanifiMeC- fel, that we might revolt during the Engagement ; our Prayers were not heard, and the Jerfey mzAt no other Capture*, they remained, however, fa long at Sea that their Water failed them, and they were obliged to fend their Sloops afliore in the Night to procure more. The Sight of our own"Coafts gave m' fo furious a Defire of ftriving to fliake off our Slavery, that it was impoiTible to refift it. One Evenino, by the Moon- light, having perceivea the Cape Tibu- ron^l undertook, with three other PH* vateers as enterprizing as myfelf, to fave ourfelves by fwimming thither, tho* it was ■ i ii Mmu, i n 156 ^e Adventures of was above a League diftant from us. We fliould perhaps have fucceeded in this dangerous Undertakbg but for an Accident that happened to us. One of my three Companions, who was my greateft Intimate, and a very bad Swim- mer, infifting upon being in the Party, was foon exhaufted ; we were not above a Quarter of the Way when he called out to me •, I went to his Affiftance, and he leaned upon me for a few Moments to reft himfelf ; after which he began to fwim again, but finding plainly that he fliould never have Strength to reach the Cape, he thought it more proper to put on bis Chains again, than to break them foolilhly by drowning himfelf; he cry 'd out then for Affiftance, and difcovered our Flight. They immediately fhot offa Gun, to advertife the Sloops which were afhore to come and take us, which they did, not withput regaling us with fome Strokes of their Oars, by way of Pre- lude to the Sufferings we were to un- dergo. They put us again in Irons, as foon as we were on board the Jerfey^ and conveyed us in that Situation to JamaUa. There U.'il* ft the Chevalier de Beauchenc. 1 57 There we were delivered up to an old bald-headed Governor, who had the utmoft Averfion to the French^ tho* he was a French Man himfelf. He order- ed us to be confined three Leagues from Kingftotty in aPrifon where they ufually put their deferting Negroes. Eight Days ' after, he fent for us to exhort us to ferve againft the French^ offering me in par- ticular a larger Veffel than that I had loft : We all anfwered him without Hefitation, that we were born under the white Flag, and under that we would die. Irritated at our Anfwer, which appeared a Re- proach to him for having turned his Coat, he gave Orders very charitably that our Provifions fhould be diminifh- ed, and that we fhould be recondufted toPrifon through Ways full of Briars, and of a kind of Thorns, caird Aaquettes^ whofe fharp Points tore our naked Legs, and run into the Soles of our Feet. As foon as we arrived at the Prifon we were obliged carefully to pull thefe out of one another's Feet j for every Point that was left in the Fleih would have formed a painful Abcefs, .a The 't.-' ' r . '.>.' The Defigh thb Renegado had form^ ed» of conftraining us to betray our Country as he had done^ procured us fa often the Honour of going in this man-^ ner,. to pay our Court to him at King^- fion^ that our Wounds were no fooner ' healed but they were renewed. Befides this, the Soldiers who conduced us, glad' to find themfelves authorized to ufe us/ rbughly, tormented us a thoufand Ways, bting peifwaded it was a Pleafiire to the Governor, During the Space of fix Months that we remained in this horri- bk' Place,, five of our Comrades, in which Number was the Plilofopher, fiink> uhder the Miferies they made us fuffef. Thcfc unfortunate Prifbners contributed themfelves after their Deaths to augment our Pains, fihce they forded us to let them confume before our Eyes, without permitting us to cover them with Earthy, and to give them at leaft that poor In- terment Ml »r r . The firft, whofe Death put an End to' his Mifery, was called the Baron. It^ was faid that he was the Son of a Mah-^ of Diftindtion in France^ who bore that: Title i I do not remember what Fami- the Chevalter de Beauchene. 155? bf he was of, foe I never heard his Name pronounced but once- This un- happy Companion of our Misfortunes: bad no iboner given the laft Sigh, than he was ftretched out upon four Poles,, arid cxpofed before the Door of the Pri- fon. We had no Trouble to drive the Beaft^ and Birds of Prey from his Bodv,, the poor Wretch having only a Skmi ftretched over his Bones, and the Heats. of the Climate foon made a Skeleton of him. hdto It^ Vlam that ami- The Cruelty of the Governor did not fucceed according to his ExpeAation y he could never force us to imitate his Bafenefi. This obliged him to lend us ta England^ with a Fleet of forty Merchant Ships which were going thither, under the Convoy of four Men of War. As to us,, we were landed in Ireland^ and i)Ut in the Prifon of Kingfal'e^ where we bund Company enough of our own Na^- tion» there being then fifteen hundred Fr^»^ Prifoners there. By changing our Prifon we only changed our Tormentors, with this Dif- ference, that thofe of Jamaica ufed us i6o The Adventures of ill to make us enter into their Service ^gainft France^ but thefe of Kingfale did it only to entertain themfelves, and fa- tisfy their natural Barbarity. The Sol- diers and the Goaler, named Mafter Pi- fer^ and who might with Juftice have been called Mafter Villain^ feemed to have nothing in View but to dilpatch us filently and by degrees. Befides that, he apprehended a Reprizal ; he dreaded left the Queen Ihould be informed of his Behaviour ; for he was thoroughly fenfible that that Princefs, whofe Nature was humane and generous, would have caufed him to be punifhed exemplarily, if fhe had known to what a Degree he had carried on his Barbarity^ ■.f-t^' *Tis certain that their higheft Recrea- tion was to fee us fuffer. Thefe Devils entertained themfelves by making us fight for a Piece of Meat or Bread, as they would their Dogs. Thofe amongft us who bore our Sufferings in Silence, without being able to fubmit to give thefe inhuman Wretches a Diverfion fo worthy of their Brutality, were not the leaft to be pitied, fince they let them perifti with Hunger, as they were Cow- ards, the Chevalier de Beauchene. 1 6 1 ards, they faid, that did not deferve a Subfiftance. They loaded them with Blows every Morning, when they made us pafs in Review to take an Account of us, and in the moft rigorous Weather they would neither allow them Straw nor a Covering -, whilft thofe who fought heartily, that they might have the Ho- nour of contributing to' the Diverfion of our Sovereign Lords, Mailer Piper and the Soldiers, were fomething better treated. y :' I faw feveral of my Companions perilh thus miferably, who, as they were dy-^ ing, conjured me and the other Priva- teers to revenge their Deaths, if we had ever the Happinefs to be delivered from this terrible Imprifonment. Our Execu- tioners had eftabliftied a Law, which fliewed plainly the great Pleafure they took in thefe Speftacles. The Condi- tions of this Law were, that he amongft us who fought' againft all that prefented themfelves, and remained the Conque- ror, (hould be called the Cock of thePri- foners ; and to render this honourable Title ftill more to be defired, they an- nexed to it the Right of (haring out the Portions r65z *tlS^ A^entufes of Pordortsof all thrcunes ; but we had not Virtue enough to be capable of fuch an Effort. , 7-; w , - 1 . / ■ ^ Amongft the reft of the Prrfoners, there were fome of thofe Beggars by Pro- feflion, who not having been able to forget their firft Trade, tho* they had carried a Mulkct, were fo continually fatiguing every body who came to the Prifon with their Lamentations, that they were always catching a few Half- pence, and by this they found means to prolong their Mifery. One of thefe Wretches feeing me at the Extremity, and by confequence incapable of defend- ing myfelf, came to mc, reproached me with the Death of his Relation, the BMaignCi who had indeed taken it in his Head to die after our Combat, and be* fan to ftrike me with his Feet upon my 'ace, and ftamp upon my. Br&ift} I muft have been very ill indeed, fmcc I had not even Strcngai enough to fwear at J)im« I n't! mers, rPro- )le to r had nually o the , that Half- sans to : thefe cmity, lefcnd- iMmc n, the it in his ind bc- x)nmy Imuft I had wear at t&e Chevalier dGBtmch^ne. 167 I was fenfible notwithftanding, and I heard my Comrades, who found them* felves too weak to be able to aflift me» alking one another if there were none amongft us ftrong enough to rife, and knock down this Wretch, I had been always before ignorant of what it was to be patient, andl had a painful Trial of it during the reft of the Day. I never in my Life prayed fo fervently as I did then ^ I only defired tx) be reftored to Health for a quarter of an Hour, but the Motive, of my Prayer did npt ren- der it woriiy of being granted, neit^^r was it. ^Towards Night I refolved to take ibme Nourifhment, if I may give that Name to about half an Ounce of Bread Crumbs fteeped in Water : this, how- ever, proqurpd me a Sleep of three or four Hours, fo that die next Morning I ima^ned I had Jilipoft recovered iw Strength. About Ten o'Clock my E- nemy, who, I fuppofe, had bre^afted upo^ fome Alms that had been givcA hii^, ]aid doiyn upon the Sjtraw not far frotfi me, and fell afle^p imniediateiv. I felt a fecret Joy^ and diipofin^ myielf, . with* 1 68 The Adventures of without the leaft Hefitation, to difpatch this poor Wretch, who offered himfelf to my Vengeance, I began to drag my^ felf towards him, rolling along with me my Bolder, which was the only Inftru- ment I could make ufe of to fucceed in my Defign : When I was clofe to my Viftim, I implored inwardly the Affift- ance of Heaven, as if I was preparing for the mod worthy Aftion upon Earth, not doubting but the Lord would ftrengthen my Arm, as he had done that of JuditV%, But tho* the Stone did not weigh above (even or eight Pounds at moft, yet, when I endeavour- ed to raife it to knock out the Brains of my Enemy, it feemed to me as heavy %% the Rock of Syjiphus. What a Mortification to me, to find my Expeftation thus fruftrated ! What, faid I to myfelf, after having a hundred Times raifed from the Ground Weights of two or three hundred Pounds, I can't now lift up one of feven! O Heaven! muft my Weaknefs thus betray my Re- fentment! I was fo touched with this Thought, and felt my Heart preffed with fo lively a Senfc of Sorrow, that I could \dmy t,faid ndred eights [ can't aven ! lyRe- h this preffed that I could the Chevalier de Beauchcnc. 169 could not forbear burfting out into Tears. It was for the firft Time in my Life that I had ever iTied any. My Companions on their Side attentive to my Aftions, having perceived that I had only made a ufelefs Effort to re- venge myfelf, could not reftrain theirs.-. So moving a Scene fiirprized the Goaler,' who was then coming in : He alked us why we were in fuch Afflrftion ; and- when he had heard the generous Caufe of my Defpair, for I made no Myftery of it to him, he told me with a com- panionate Air, that he would take Care of me, for he loved a Man of Cou-' Mafter Piper by this worthy Pity dif- covered ftill more his inhuman Nature ;' imagining he faw in my Procedure all the Barbarity and Fiercenefs of his own Compofition, he could not forbear in- terefting himfelf for a Man who fecmed to fympathize fo nearly with him. In two Hours after, he gave me ftrong Proofs of it *, they brought me from him a Porringer of Broth out 01 las own Pot, with a little Piece of Beef upon it, I drank a litde of the Broth, I and 170 72>^ Adventures af and fucked in fome of the Meat, after having given a Share of it to my Cont- rades, of whom there were two who refufed to eat, that they might be the fooner, they faid, deHvered from their Mifery i and indeed one of them ex- pired the Night following, and the other was found two Days after choaked with Earth and Dirt that he had fwal- lowed. ;*\ '>.-!.'i 'J J, ;,..>♦ -'"/' As to me, given up to the Maxims of the Savages, which I had been im- bued with from my Infancy, I hardened ipyfcif againft my evil Fate. I breath'd only Vengeance, and would not have eat but to enable me to fatisfy that Paifion. I took an Oath to my unfortunate Pri- vateers, that I would not leave their Miferies unpuniflied, protefting to them, that if I yielded to the Care the Goaler took of prcferving my Life, it was folely with a Defire of revenging them : An Oath which 1 kept but too ftriftly afterwards, for the Punifhment of the Sins of the firft Englijh that fell into my Hands. I now implore the Pardon of Heaven for it •, but I n^ft fay I became cruel only by their Example. *Tis well ... . known. Jcno^ my] ever, risked to me to affif not ha Efteen them ther. . the CS^evatier de Beanchcne. tyt known, that before this I always treated my Prifoners with Humanity. ■ - •/ :- • - !■■ ' » • - I .. . . i ' Though I had drawn upon myfelf the Compaflion of Matter Piper^ the Regard he had for me did not go fuch lengths as to procure me a Cordial, or any reftorative Aliment •, his Generofity did not extertd fo far neither •, and what he called keeping me well, was only not letting me die for Hunger. How- ever, ! fliould have been very well la- tisF.ed with him, if he would in regard to me have carried his Charity fo far as to afTift my Companions ; but they had not had the Happinefs to acquire his Efteem in fo worthy a Manner, i faw them ail perilh at lengd* one after ano- ther. I had more than once remarked, that thofe amongfl: the Prifoners who under- ftood any Trade, and whom the Townf- men of King/ale came to fetch in the Morning and brought back at Night, after having m ide them work all the Day, were the lead miferable. If they led a hai-d and painrui Life, they had tlie Confolation of eating as much as I 2 they ,-4 7i&^ Adventures of ■ Vrforkman, that l wa ^ ^^ „- Fortune, winch ^f "/f^ i^„to very bad Hands. A ^»i" ^ ^. expreffed '^V? '' :T af ^Jas " ckLed a a Delire to go. " ^o^kmen more f-^ Vn^urf of ^bulg them, than for the P\^"^^^ jj 1 was no fooner to make them worK. x ^^ S^"H:^d^S Tone of Voice, and a moft brutal Look. •^ tr. save me immediately the Barrel He gavi- ' ^ r^ ,j It handily ^f^!i:l?Wm to finlno fault with r'lnSed'l-asmarvellou^^^^^^^^ - roinduft.7bytheSjgh^oagr;^^^^^^^ tie that was "P°" ^if' gnio,w, Cab- f^" ^ ^Tcr^L of Bre?d. All this the Chevalier de Beauchene. i 73 cious Time, arrived ; and to raife my Felicity to the Height, inftead of giv- ing me my Share only, as I expefted, they did me the Honour to fufFer me to put my Hand into the Kettle, without forefeeing the Confequences of it ; for perhaps they might have given me my Portion, if they had guefs'd at the De- ftruftion I was going to make. How- ever, the Gunfmith, his Wife, and his Daughter, far from teftifying that they repented their having left me at liberty to eat as I pleafcd, fcemed to be diveiL ed with feeing me devour all that was in the Kettle. The Daughter of the Gunfmith, above all aftonifhed at my Appetite, faid to her Father : Certainly this Man is not made as we are, he muft be hollow down to his Feet. He has eat twice as much as we have done, put it all together. Very true, replied the Mafter ; and I fuppofe he defigns to work in Proportion •, otherwife we fhall not be Friends, ^ .. . Such was my Defign indeed. I was too fatisfied with my Entertainment, not to be induilrious at my Work. I wiih'd* to prefervc fo good a Bufinefs, and to ^" I 3 make 174 ^^ AdventuTis ef nuke my Court the better to my Ma- ft£x» I wouM wiUingly have itripp'd to my Shirt if I l^d had one -, but I had long had nothing left but a poor wretch- ed Linnen Waiftcoat^ whK:h Modeily iprbid me to throw off. I fet to my Work then very gayly, and for a Quar- ter of an Hour Things went on very well. I only felt my Arms a little more heavy than they were before Dinner. I was fo filled with the Repafl: I had mack^ that I flood in need of a Nap of three or four Hours, to put me in a Condi- tion of working as I ought to have done. It was with much Trouble that I kept my Eyes open, Sleep unfortunately ftolc upon me by Surprize. In vain I made ail poffible Efforts to rouze my Senies, he Ijpread his gentleft Poppies round me^ the File dropp'd out of my Hands^ and i fell afleep as I flood. ji-* The Gunfmith, who obferved me, not finding his Account in thefe fleepy Fits, roufed me the firft Time with lo terri- ble a Voice, that for a Quarter of an Hour I overcame my Inclination to 4t \ but the God of S]<^ep had too iftrongly fcizcd upon his ttey> fi) eafily ^ to the Chevalier dtBc^uchcne. 175 to abandon it, and I again yielded to his Power. Then, the Mafter employ- ing a more efficacious Method to awake me, applied a moft dreadful Blow with his File upon my Shoulder-bone, which wounded me feverely. There needed no more to diflipate my Sleep entirely, and roufe my Fury againft the Gun- fmith i that Inftant I diicharged fo fierce a Stroke upon his Head with the Barrel of the Fuzil that I was filing, that he flood in no need of a fecond to fall mo- tionlefs at my Feet. As foon as I faw him upon tlie Ground and weltering in his Blood, I left the Houfe, and took my Flight, without knowing where I (hould find a Refuge -, but I did not go far before I was Itopped by a Crowd of People that purfued me, and who gave th ni- felves the Trouble to carry me bac'c to Prifon. Whilft they were conducing me thither, I recoUefted that the Gun- fmith, when he pefcnted me to his Wife in the Morning, h^d told her with a difcontented Look, that Mafter Piper did juft what he pleafed •, and that this Mr. Goalcr would fend five or fix Work- I 4 men .1 it '^/ ■ .1 176 The Adventures of men to fome Tradefmen, whilft he >eould grant but one to another, and that with an Ill-will. Upon this I laid the Plan of the moft audacious Strata- gem, I had the Affurance to tell Ma- iler Piper^ that it was upon his Account I quarrelled vith the Gunfmith, and that this wretched Mechanic had faid a thoufand impertinent Things to me of Jiim, which I could not bear. , , . Our haughty Keeper took Fire upon this falfe Report, and forbid me to be laid in Irons, faying openly, that the Gunfinith had been treated as he de- ferved. When I faw that the Coaler gave credit frankly to what I had faid to him, I began to give him a Detail of the infolent Difcourfes this Artifan had held about him, and the Anfwers I had made him. But not finding him- feif pofleffed of fo much Patience as the Length of my Recital exafted from jiim, or elfe fearing to hear fomething jtoo near the Truth, he impofed Silence ^tipon me : *Tis enough, my Friend, faid he to me, I am fatisfied with thee : I fhall acknowledge the Zeal thou haft (hewn for me by punifhing a perfidious . I Neighbour, faU the Chevalier de Beauchcne. 1 77 Neighbour, whom in a proper Time and Place I fhall make repent of it. M^\ \!i->..Wi.\. u tn'.^^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ■1.25 Itilll 125 IJi& [|][|lilr:il c\ ^Sdmoes CorpGFatiQn SI WHT MAM STRUT WIMTn,N.Y. 14tM (71«)I79-4S0S \ i\ 178 The Adventures rf Defign I had formed of repairing to Cork^ from whence I was not ignorant that Veffcls often departed for America. At Sun-riie I got into a Wood, where J refted my&lf till it was Noon. I left diere the Soldiers Coat that Maimer Piper jhod fo generoufly made me z Prefent ^i^ and was a litde mortified to lofe it thus ; but after having coniidered that jt might miake me known, I made a Sa- crifice of it ta my Safety. I began my Joomey again, and never flopped du- ring the remainder of the Day. , I The Fear of falling into the Hands of the Conftables, hindered me from following the High-roads, which occa- vfiooed ray going fix times the Way I needed to have done, if I had had :nothing to fear. At Night I fuppM on feme Cabbages^ that I had picked ujp as I paflfed by a Garden. I eat the Infiides CI them, and made a Bed of the largeft Leaves. Such unwholefome Nourifh- jmem, and the Fatigues of fo long a Jfaieh» rendered me fo we^, that the third Day, not being able to walk any longer, I was obliged to lay down in a Meadow, which ferved me for two Uies> to lc> to reft me, and for my Subfiftance. But indeed my Stomach, unufed to fuch Meat, foon difchargedk; and I remain- ed with an Inanition which mull have been infallibly followed by Death, if a <:haritable old Man, adverti&d by fome Children who had fcen me eating Grals, had not come to affift me with two other Pcrfons, who conveyed me to a neigh- bouring Village. #>' They laid me at firft upon (bme Straw in a Barn, where a Man of a very un- common Stature, who ieemed to me only to be a Domeftick^ drew near to me. He aueftioned me upon my Re- ligion, and being convinced by my An- fwers that I was a Catholick, he imn;)e- diately made them carry me into a little Chamber, where having repaired as Toon as they had put me into Bed, he ap- peared to interell himfelf in my Pre- servation. The firft thing that they did, was to clear me, by a ftrong Emetick, of all the Herbs that I had eat. This Re- medy, though a very falutary one, ^ haufted the litde Strength I had left, and 1 remained motionlefs for a Qiiar- ter of an Hour. The tall Man bcliev- - f' ing i8o T})e Adventures of ' ing that I was going to expire, ordered ,all who were in the Chamber to with- draw, then coming clofe to my Ear, he •told me, with a loud Voice, to implore the Pardon of God, which I .did men- tally, not being able to pronounce one Word-, I heard that he gave me the AbfoJution, after which he retired. . , Upon his Retreat, feveral other Per- fons came in with Milk, of which, by tormenting me, they forced me to fwal- *. low fome Drops : This being done, they thought proper to leave me to take fome Reft, and certainly by that they faved my Life ; for I fell into a profound Sleep, which lafted five or fix Hours without . Interruption, and the next Day I found myfelf out of Danger : I expefted then to have feen again the tall Man that I have fpoke of, but he never appeared . again. I judged that it was fome Prieft concealed in the Family or the Neigh- bourhood : Nay, I do not yet know . whether it was not a Bilhop, who, like Igfcofe of the Primitive Church, had no T^'rain nor Equipage, but his good Works, and his Virtues. What makes me imagine it was a Prelate was, that £ after the Che^alierdt Beauchene. 1 8 r after he had abfolved me, and exhorted me to offer my Sufferings to the Lord, if I am not miflaken, he gave his Blef- fing to the Hoft, who was alone in the Chamber with us, and who fell upon his Knees to receive it. I fay, if I was not miflaken, for in the Condition I was then in, I could fcarce depend upon the Tcf- timony of my Eyes. a After fbme Days, I felt myfelf per- feSly recovered •, then the good Peo- ple, to whom low'd this Obligation, to compleat generoufly the fulfilling all the Duties of Hofpitality, put me into the Road to Corky with fix Shillings, a good Suit of Cloaths, two new Shirts, and a little Bag, in which there was much more Bread and Salt Beef than I could ufe before I came to my Journey's End, flnce I had but four Miles to go. ^ I was too unfortunate to be able to preferve all this any Time ; I had not walked three Quarters of an Hour before I met two Conflables. They wouj^ perhaps have kt me pafs by, without faying any thing to me, if the Dread of returning to Prifon had not made me quit i82 ^be Adventures of quit the high Road, and run towards a Wood, which was at a fmall Diftance from it. By this I rendei^d a^yfelf fut peftcd ; they judging that I fled from them, and that it was not certainly with* out a Reafon : They foon overtook me> and fummoned me to yield to them ^thout Refiftance. If I had had equal Arms, I fhould eafily }%Vjc put them to Flight, or conftrained them to afk for Quarter ; I endeavoured to defend my- ielf, however, as much diiarmed as I «was, but I got nothing by it but Blows. They were the ftrongeft Party^ They carried me to the Houfe of a Peasant, where they tied my Hands and Feer,. and gave me in Charge ta the Mafter of ^the Family, till their Return from an ^Expedition they were upon. They re* ccomrnended to him to^^tch care'fully over me, under Pain of being impri- fbnedforme, aflfuringhim, on the con- trary, that he (hould be well paid for his Trouble, if he did not let me cfcape. TJiey even promifed him all my Spoils, ^ Ac better to engage him to keep m« ^fccurely. ^^ .♦ ^ *■ ■,.-i *'», J ii- The W .;»• tbe€bevafferdtBe2ix}chcne. i8j ^ The Countryman was enchanted with this Fromifcy and looking upon my Cloaths as a Treafure that already be- longed to him, he took the Precaution,, left I ihould fpoil them in the Night, to ftrip me of them before-hand, and put me on an old ragged Suit of his. Ta thiseffed, he, with four or five others,, began to aA the Parts of my Falels de Chambre^ he untied my Hands, and. made this Exchange even to my Shirt included. I fufiered all with admirable Patience; and my Goaler was fo Satis- fied with my DocUity^ that he liften'd to the Prayers I made him, not to tie me ib v^iy ftrakly, that I might be able to lay down and fleep. When I had fupped opon the Provifions I had in n^ Knap£u:l4 I threw myfelf upon fome . Straw, where^ out of Cuciofity fearch- ing in the Pockets of the ragged Habit they had put me on, what was mjr Tranfport at finding there a Knife,, which they had not been fo careful as to f emember. I foon knew what Ufe i could make of it ; it ferved me very re^^^ dily to cut the Cords with which I was tied, and as foon as I had Reaibn ta think that the Pcaiant and his Family were 1 84 ^^ Adventures of were afleep, I went fbftly out of the Houfe, fully fatisfied at coming oflF with the Lofs of my Cloaths. ■„..,^. I again took the Road to Cork^ where I arrived early in the Morning ; but not chufing to enter the Town in the Equi- page that thefe Peafants had put me in, I paffed the Night at the Port, which I examined with great Attention. I re- marked feveral Sloops that it would have been eafy for me to have carried off, if I had had Companions, but I did not pretend to undertake fuch an Enter- prize alone. When I faw the Night approach, I retired to a kind of Farm, at the End of the Suburbs. I fought for a Place there where I might fleep under Covert, and conceal myfelf. I perceived a little Stable open, at a Dif- tance from any Houfe, and I went into it foftly . * ; I had fcarce fet my Foot in it, before I heard two Animals grunt, as if to ad- ^ vertife me that the Place was taken. If I had had to deal with reafonable Crea- tures, I ihould have employed Prayers and Civility, to obtain a fmall Share of •w .^« their the Chevalier de Beauchene. 185 their Lod^ng ; but finding myfelf un- der a Neceflity of placing myfelf with- out their PermifTion^ I advanced towards them, taking care, as much as polTible, not to incommode them ; however, with all my Complaiiance, I had the Misfortune to tread upon one of their Legs, and the Pain that he felt made him rife in a Paffion to go out. I immediately feiz- ed upon his Place, and did not reftore it to him when he returned, after having ftaid' a Quarter of an Hour at the Door i neverthelefs he ftretched himfelf by me, after which we were very quiet, and continued good Friends for the reft of the Night. I paffed the following Night in the fame Lodging, but as I had eat nothing fince my leaving the Peafant's, Hunger began once more to affeft me ; in vain, for to refrefti myfelf, I drank. abundant- ly of a fine clear Stream, that run about twenty Paces from the Farm ; this only appeafed my Stomach for a Moment. At length, unable to fupport this any longer, on the third Day I came out of my Retreat, to fee if any one would x>ffcr me a Morfel of Bread. I walked 1 86 ^e Adventures (yf a conndetabteTkne upon the PoFtjWhere, notwithft^ding the dreadful Hunger that tormented me, I took a Pfcafure in con- Ikfering th« Veffels that prefented theni- ielves to my View ; and I did not fee one under Sail, without repreientin^ to myfelf what I would do if it was mine. I had an Air that infpired Compafllion, and I perceived plainly, by the manner in which feveral People looked upon me, that they would willingly have giv- en me an Alms, if I could have brought ipyfelf to demand it of them, but that my Haughtinefs abfolutely prevented me from fubmitting to. I was not, however, any longer the Mafter of my felf, when a Maid-Servant came and threw out, almoft at my Feet, a Bafltet- fiill of the Rcfufe of the KitchScn, among which I remarked fome Remains of Roots and Cabbages, that tempted me to fuch a Degree, that I feized upon them widi the moft excefllve Greedinefs. Two Quakers, who by Chance paffed %y me at that Moment, were Witnefles of this Aftion, and penetrated with the Mifery to which they were fenfible I muft be reduced^ and willing to accommodate •» / the.n?.,- the Cb^atier deBcuOchtnc. 187 themfelves to the Shame which prevenD- ed me from holding out my Hands to the PalTengers, they each of them tbrc\r me a Shilling, without ftopping to fpeak to me, left it fhould ^ve me Pain. I made them a low Bow, and gathered up this Charity, with which I went into a poor Eating-Houie, where I made myfclf amends for my long Faft ; after this, retiring to the Farm, I regained my Stable, i vi J' 5 ? ■ •'.«*'.• I did not pafs this Night in fo much Tranquility as I had done the preced- ing, the enormous Repaft which I had indulged myfelf in baniflied all Peace and Concord ; for in a few Hours after I was laid down, a burning Fever feized upon my Blood, and threw me into a Delirium. Contrary to the Laws of Hofpitality, I began to fight and ftrike my two Hofts, crying out, as if I had been in a Battle with my Savages againft the Engltflf. My Reafon fomctimes rc-^ turned, and whilft that aflifted me I kept Silence j but as foon as ever it forfook me, I began again to cry out and ilruggle. I fuppofe I went on thus for the whole Night, and during my Deli. • ft .-^■: 'i88 ^e Adventures of Delirium feveral Things happened that I had no Knowledge of: All that I can fay is, that in the Morning, when I re- covered the Ufe of my Senfes, I was not a little adoniflied to find myfelf in the midft of a Dozen Women, who iaid to one another, ^be Man's a 'dying / ^he Man* 5 a dying I From the Stable I had been conveyed to a Chamber toUerably furnilhed, and put into a very good Bed. I learn'd that I owed this charitable Affiliance to an Englijb Lady, the Widow of Mr. EckfoHy an Officer of Cork^ who had been killed in the laft Campaign. This La- dy had been educated 9t London by a French Woman, who had inlbired her with a Klndnefs and Benevolence for the Frencby of which (he then gave me a Proof. She affured me, that with her I was in perfeft Safety, and promifedto procure me a Paflage over into France^ as foon as my Health was thoroughly re-eftabh(hed, and, at the fame Time, '^furnifhed me with Lirtnen and with Cloaths. This charitable Lady might bcftow all thefe Favours upon me with impunity ; my Figure prefcrved her Cha- 1^ the Chevalier de Beauchene. j 89 Charaftcr from the leaft Imputation of Scandal ; I was fo filthy, fo pale, ib meagre, and fo hideous, that I had more the Look of a Speftre than that of a M««^4^ ^'mt^^-* I V «!■ 3iU I remained above two Months with Mrs. Eck/ofty who, to avoid the Re- proaches of a Nation fo much at En- mity with our*s, made me pafs for a Re- lation of the French Woman who had brought her up. During that Time I recovered my Health intirely. Then my generous Hoftefs, who was fenfible that, notwithftanding the Intereft (he took in my Fate, I fhould never enjoy a peifeft Tranquility of Mind whilft I was in Ireland^ was the firft to fearch an Occafion of conveying me from thence. She put me on board a Ship bound to Jamaica^ the Captain of which engaged himfelf to fet me afhore in Hifpaniola^ where, as I faid, I had an agreeable Eftablilhment. I took care upon the Voyage, not to tell the Englijh who I was, and upon what Defign I went to the Antilles. If the Captain had known me, notwith- ftanding §9^ 93^ jddveetures j^ ffamding the Promife he had given to Mrs. Eckfon^ he would have fent me to the Bottom of the Sea, to finifh a Life there^ which I pnly preferved to make the moft cruel War againft his Nation. When they made the Cape Itihtirmy as they ufualiy do in g(Mng from Europe to Jamaica:^ he put me in- to the Sloop, and ordered me to be fet afhor-e. From rhence going from one Plantation to another, I reached at length to Petit Goave^ where Monfieur de Cbeifeuil was extremely furprized to fee me again. He could not, without fhivering with Indignation, hear the Recital I made him of the rigorous Treatment I had re- ceived at Jamaica^ and in Ireland. I painted it to him in fuch lively Colours, chat he applauded the Impatience I tefti- fied, to revenge myfelf and all the un- happy Wretches who had perifhed in this long and cruel Slavery. Whilft I was in this pious Difpofition, he gave me a Veffel, called the Brave^ and for Afib- cia^es ninety Men, whom he found means to aflemble in lefs than a Month, • • . ' and the Chevalier 4t'Bcs^}dstnc. i^r md who were all highly proper to fe- cond my Intentions. 1 foon put to Sea with thefe Compa- nions. 'It was now above two Years fince I had had a Cudafs at my Side; I burn'd with Impatience tomatke aTrial upon the Englijhj whether I ftiU knew how to make ufe of it. Inftead of wait- ing for an Opportunity, whi you are thinking inceffantly of your Return into France ; you count all the Moments whilft it is delayed. Do not think that a Crime in me, replied he fighing. I K5 had 202 The Adventures of had formed a happy Union in my own Country, which I had fcarce tafted the Sweets of, when an abfolute Command obliged me to return into Canada^ and from thence I fell into thofe Chains which you have broke. You ought to pardon me the Impatience I have to go and dry up the Tears of a Mother, and of a Wife, who are both infinitely dear to me. He was almoft in Tears as he pro- nounced thefe laft Words, and as there was not a Privateer but had conceiv'd an Affeftion for him, we were all fenfible of his Grief; not to irritate it, we left him to refleft at Leifure upon the Re- njembrance of his Family, yet we had j^l a Curiofity to bear the Recital of his Adventures, and I in particular* There- fore, the next Day, feeing he had reco- vered hiis ufual HUmour, we conjured him to relate to us the Hiftory cf list Life. Gentlemen, faid he to us„ you demand a Detail of me, which will prove a very long one -, you will certainly re-, pent of your Curiofity, if I have the In-» diicretion to iatisfy it* The: tbe Chevalier de Beauchene. 203 The more Monneville excufed himfelf from fatisfying our Delires^ the more we prefTed him not to rcfufe us that Plea- fure. All my Companions and myfelf perfifted fb obftinatcly in our Entreaties, that he at length yielded to our Requeft. The Privateers formed a Circle round him upon the Ship, and he began his Hiftory as it is wrote in the following Book. Tbe End of the Second Book. ^*- . f « THE ^^ v^ •"^ " ' i. .. ■*.! AI »«i ■■ Ch *A Monn tbt\ of M( of csh cm of\ of\ THE ADVENTURES O F T H E '■.n Chevalier de Beauchene, m . \ BOOK III. Monncville relates the myfterious Hifiory of bis Birth. He is brought up till the 4ge of twelve under the Dijgui/i of a Girl in the Cajlle of the Baron du Mefnil, with Lucilia the file Heirejs of that Noileman. A Financer^ ae- ceived by the Drefs of Monnevillc, carries him to Paris, under the Pretext of placing him with a Lady in quality of her fFbman ; but having other Views upon thisfalfi Peafant^ he places her if$ 2o6 ^e MueHtures of . in a Convent as a Penjiorier^ fpares nothing for her Education^ and at lengih propofes to marry her, Monne- ville, to avoid his Import umtieSyfearches and at length finds Means to leave the Convent, He puts on the Habit of a . Cavalier^ makes a Conqueji of art Ac* trefs^ and becomes Clerk to a great Man in the Re^enues^ who endeavours to marry him to his Daughter by force. Monneville refufes to confent to it. Upon his Refufal he is arrefted^ con- veyed to Prifon^ and the next Day fent to Canada. N one thouland fix hundred and fixty-feven, after the Death of Philip the IVth, King of Spain^ Louis the XI Vth, refolving to do him- felf Juftice> and maintain the Rights he l^}dSf the Queen, Maria Therefa of jMtfhiay his Confort, over fcvcral Do- mainis in the Low Countries^ put him- fclf at the Head of his Troops, and marched into Flanders with a nfioft ihin- ing Army. the Chevalier de Beauchene. slojr The Count de Monnevilley who had diftinguiftied himfelf in the former Wart^ would not fail of attending that Mo* narch, and was accompanied by his two Sons, who had juft fini/hed their Exer- cifes at Paris^ die eldeft being {twcnr teen, and the other only fixteen Years old. He wilhed that fighting by his Side in a Company of Horfe which he commanded, they might fee, that if tht French NokleJJe always perform Pro- digies of Valour, they are ftill more in- vincible when they combat under the Eye of their Sovereign. The Siege of Cbarleroy was the open- ing of the Campaign, and our two young Volunteers had the Happincfs to figna^ lize themfelves by fome Adions of Va- lour, which Monfieur de Turenne himfelf did not difdain to honour with his Praife. He did more, he told the Count obligingly, that he ought to moderate their Ardour, 'till Experience had in- formed them that there was more requ^^ fitc to form an Officer befidcs Fire* and Impetuolity, . ' -* * 2o8 Tie jidventures of Douoj^y Toumayy Lifie and Oudenarde^ thefe Cities allfubdued in the fame Cam- paign, made the Treaty of Triple Al- liance publick, which was concluded be- tween England^ Holland and Sweden, The Count, who obfervcd his two Sons during all thefe Sieges, perceived with Pleafure that they were bom for the Field, and forgetting the Counfel of Monfieur de Turenne^ he procured them every Occafion of inftrufting themfelves in Danger. He every Day put their Courage to the Teft, without confider- ing that they were too young, and too delicate to fupport, unhurt, all the Fa- tigues to which he expofed them. This exhaufted their Strength to fuch a De- gree, that they fell ill, and were unable to mount on Horfeback. Their Father feeing the Neceffity they were under of Repole, obliged them to quit the Army, and fent them to his Eftate, where he propofed foon to re- join them, and to pafs with them great Part of the Winter Quarter. He flat- tered himfelf with a deceitful Hope: He did not confider that he ferved un- der a King who made no DiftinAions of the Chevalier de Beauchene. 209 of Seafons where Glory was concerned. Louis marched towards Pranch-Comte in the Depth of Winter, and in a fmall Time made a Conqueft of that Pro- vince > but the Siege of Dol proved fa- tal to fereral Officers of Diftinftion, and amongft the reft to the Count de Mon- nevilky who received a Mufquet-Ihot, of which he died. Whilft the Father expired before Dolj his eldeft Son was drawing near his End at his Eftate : A languifhing Difbrder accompanied by continual Pains, that were occafioned by an ill-cured Wound, carried him off in a fmall Time, not- withftanding all the Remedies the Che- valier his Brother could procure for his Recovery. The Chevalier, who had the fincereft Friendfhip for him, was ftill more affliAed for his Lois, whea he learned the unhappy Fate of his Fa- ther. This News railed his Sorrow to the Height. Though by lofing thefe two Objefts that were fo deai- to him he was become the Mafter of his own Fortune, which indeed was^ not very confiderable, he could not comfort him- fclf for thefe two fatal Events s retired within 2IO The Adventures of within his Houfe he lived fo dejefted a Life, thiat he muft have killed himfelt with his Chagrin, if the Marquifs de Gnnderon^ his Neighbour, hdd abandon- ed him to his Melancholly v^but that humane Nobleman, in order to dilTipate it, drew him to his Seat almoft every Day, and detained him ther^ as long as he could poflibly, by Amufements which infcnfibly moderated his Afflic- tion. The Marquifs had a Daiighter of al^ut Thirteen, ah only Child, extreme- ly hartdfomt*, and who was to be one of the richeft Heiitflfes in the Prgvince. Me loved her tenderly, «iid educated her with the Care* of a (jovernor as well as that of a Fathef : Hiftory facred and profane^ F^ble, Geography, Heraldry, ftvefy thing that cduld contribute to ren- der a Vtvfoti accdtiipliflied, he taught her hinifelfj as he Was highly capable of doing. In a WOrd, his whole Bu- finefs was her Education. My Child, feid he to her ofteh, cultivate your Mind whilft you are young, an<^ aj- quirc thofc Talents that may make yoa re(pclied the Lover ; you fliall hear of my Death be- fore yoa are id the Arms of another. VV^hat can be done to prevent this Mis» fortime? re&med the Lady. Speak; I am capable of undertaking every thkig loprelcrve myfedf for you. ^ ^^^ J, This Difcovrfe was inieniibfy follow- ed by ^n Infinity of the ianae Kind, and you may judge, that thele Lovers find* log then^elves without any Witnefles, confulted only their Lo^e in the Re- Ibludon they fhould take. MomtevilU could^only think of one, which his Mi- ftrefs had the Weakneis to approve, and the Extravagance of which fhe foon af- ter had .Opportunity of repenting at Id- furc ; tor the very next Day, as the Marquib was at Dinner, he received a I^etter from the P^fident, which con- tained tl^fe Words : *« My Son conveyed himfclf (ecretly ^* from hence this Morning, in order to ^ return to Paris. He wrote to me at «« the iirft Pofthoufe a Billet, by which I* he declares to me, that he renounces a a Made- 1 ^ M ^^ wl ** fui ** thfi ** m ** An ^ wh **Tan ** trc •* ahi <6 C€ acG mtH theCSfevali€rdc.Sedxu^tnc. ai^ ^ Mademotfelle Je Gander tm ifortver, ^* whofe fatyrical Wit is not in the Icaft ** fuitable to his Inclinations ; and adds, *^ that if I pretend to conftcain him to ** marry her againft his Will, he will ^^ ibat himielf ttp fdr ever an a Retreat ** where he (haHi ibe free from the Ty- ** ranny of Paternal Power. I am «- ^ tremely mortified at fuch a difagrec- ^* abk Accident, and conjure you to *^ ^accept the hjLimhleft Exaiies I can *< make for the Procedure of inySon.^\ ,41 ,.jii 'If this News at firftigave anExcefi of Joy to our Lx)vers, Inquietude was not long before it mingled its BitxancA with their unguided Pleafures. Matie- moifelle de Ganderon began by Degrees to perceive that flie had had too tdadx Complaiiance for the Count, and repre- fenting then to herfetf, that the Q>ndi« tton (he was in would much fix)ner a- cite the Anger than the Pity of the Mar* ^quiis, ihe orepented, but too late, of her Imprudence. This Ilefle&ion, wSuch &e ought to have made before, put her under a Neceflky of finding ibnie Ex- pedient to conceal from her Parents the .Knowledge of a Fault, whi^ flie then La wilhed it" it • l.rtii , m i 220 ^e Adventures of wiflied (he could hide from her pwh Remorfc. She held a Council upon this Head with her Lover, who fliared her Alarms, judgin^^^ as (he did, that it was of the highefl Importance to them both, that the family Ihould be ignorant of their Indifcretion. To this EfFeft it was a- greed that the Lady ihould appear me- lanchoUy and dejedted, which fhe could very eafily do in the prefent Conjunc- ture ; that fhe fhould avoid all Compa- ny, and that under the Pretence of the Affront (he had received from the Son of the Prefident, (he (hould defire to retire into a Convent for fome Months. She performed her Part extremely well. She affefted to be highly piqued at the Behaviour of the Son of the Prefident, teftified an extreme Defire of entering into a Monaftery, and her Demand; which patTed for a noble and generous Refentment, was eafily granted. Monfieur de Ganderhn writ to a Relation he had at Paris^ to defire her CO chuie out a Religious Houfe in diat great City, where lus Daughter mi^t acquire emcly liqued >f the Dcfirc , and noble eafily writ CO fire her in that niig^t acquire the Chevalier deB62L\ichenc. 221 acquire thofe little Qualifications which were wanting in her Education, and which could not be procured in the Pro- vince. The Lady at Paris gave him in Anfwer, that (he would with great Plea- fure have taken that Care wpon her, but that being juft upon departing, to pafs two or three Months in the Country, (he conjured him to defer this till her Re- turn, affuring him, that Ihe would let him know the very Day of her Arrival zt Paris, . This good Lady kept her Word iw exaftly as if (he had divined that there was no Time to lofe. The Marquifs and Madame de Ganderotty who law their Daughter langui(h with Impatience and Inquietude, dreading left it fhould make her ill, made her depart imme- diately, under the Conduct of an old Governefs, who had brought her up from her Infancy. They carried her in their own Equipage to the nearcft Town, where they had befpoke two Places in the public Coach, and having bid her adieu, mixed her Tears with thoie that bathed her Face, and returned very dc- jeftcdly to the Caftle. L 3 1' Two ZM S^ jidxieniurt$ of Twa Dayjr before thisSeparation, &t Count and his Miilre& had Goncerted ¥rhat fhodd be done during thsiii Ab«> &nce, and: the Lady had advifed her Lover to be more aflTiduous than ever to her Parents, for two Reafons ; the firftv to banifh all Sufpicion ; and the fecond, that he might the more frequent- ly; be in. a Place which would make him remember her. Now, Gentlemen, in a Moment I fhall appear upon the Stage ; you ex- pcdttd it no doubt,^^ and I read in y-our Eyes, that you will not be* in the lead furprized to hear what I am going to re^ kte to you., Mademoifelle de Ganderon nmdc this Journey to Paris only for my Sake ;. fhe was willing that I fhould re- ceive my Birth in that Centre of all the Heafures, that can be taAed in this lower Worlds ia that Chaos of myfterious Intrigues, ib favourable to clandeftine Marriages. MennevilU was interrupted in this Part of his Hiftory by all the Privar teersi who were eager to make him their Compliments upon the ftolen Ten-* dernels the Chevalier deBtzxjchcne. 2t% demefi of which he was the worthy Pledge. We embraced him in our Turns, protefting to him, that we look- ed upon it as one of the greateft Favours of Fortune to have the Happinefe of pofleffing in our Veffel a Child of Love. He received our Rallery agreeably, and joined in it himfclf ; after whi,ch he re- fumed his Difcourfe ia this manner : To return to Mademoifelle de Gande^ ron^ who I may from this Time call my Mother, flie happened to be alone in the Coach with her Govemefs, and fhe was not very forry for it, being more able to refleft upon her AflFairs ; flie flattered herfelf, that (he fhould fcon find Acquaintance at Paris^ and that (he might eafily gst fome difcreet Per- fon there, whofe Afllllance would be of die greateft Ufe to her. But, whether ihe had been miftaken in her Calcula- tion, or whether the wretclied Coach (he was in incommoded her, or, in fine, that I finding myfelf not much at my Eafe, in a Body preifed by too ftrait Stays, thought proper to precipitate my leav- ing to clofe a Prjfon •, tne Lj|dy, how- ever, "towards the End of the fecond L 4 Day's 224 ^^ Adventures of Day's Journey, was attacked with fome Uueafineffes that gave her a Prdage of my approaching Birth. ' A little Village, fituated as if on pur- pofe in the Middle of the Plain, for the Convenience of Travellers, was de* ftined to have the Honour of being my Birth-Place. The Hoftefs of the Inn was a young Woman, who had been married about a Year, and had lain-in of a Daughter not three Days before. Ma- demoifeUe de Ganderon immediately went tp her, and, Aiding fome Crowns into her Hand, difcovered the Secret to her. The Hoftefs, gained by this little Libe- rality, offered willingly to ferve my Mo- ther,, and acquitted herfelf of it with great Dexterity. She ordered her a lit- tle Chamber clofe to her own, and placed the Governefs in another, at a confider- ablc Diftance. After having taken this Precaution, flie fent for her Midwife, whom my Mother brought over to her Intereft in the fame manner as Ihe had done the Hoftefs. not an Brej It wa? Time that fhe fliould have Af- iiftaiKe, I never ccafed playing the little Devil ^ ^7t the Chevalier deBe2iUchcnt. 225 Devil till I was at Liberty; I fliould then have fpoil'd all by my Cries, if they had not been taken for thofe of the Daughter of the Hoftefs. I had the good Fortune to cry alone, the other Child not being tempted to enter into the leaft Duet with me. This Delivery was moft happy, tho* they did not invoke the triple Divinity of HecaU -, and the Midwife, who ftaid the whole Night with my Mother, ex- haufted all her Art to put her in a Con- dition of fupporting the Motion of the Coach. To gain fome Hours Repofe, they told the Coachman in the Morning that Mademoifelle de Ganderon was in- dilpofed, and begged him to defer his Departure a little. He would have been infenfible to that Requeft, if it had not been accompanied by a Piftole, and an Order to provide liim a handfomc Breakfaft. This made him have Pati- ence, and gave my Mother Leifure to prepare for her Departure with lefs Pre- cipitation ; yet the Efforts llie mufl ufe to rife, and to drefs herfelf, one Oiould have imagined, would have occafioned the Death of a Pcrfon of fo delicate a L5 Con- X t2& Tfc Adventures of Ganftitution. Biit wc fee everjr Day in fiich Cafes flirprizing Inftances of Gou* rage. iL Before ffie began her Joamey agaia ftc went into die Chamber of the Hbf- tefs, and having again required Secrecy of her, flie drew out of her Pocket a Purfe in which were thirty Louis d*Ors, which Ihe eafily perfwaded her to ac- cept. Take this Money, my good Friend, &id (he to her^ as a Pledge,, till you receive further Marks of my Gratitude, and ©f that of a young; Gentleman whom you wilLfoon fee here- Look out a Nurfe for my Son, 1 con*- jure you, and don't let him go out of your Knowledge. Afterwards, having defired Ink and Paper, fhe writ fome Lines upon a Sheet of it, which (he fealed with her own Seal, and gave it to the Hoftefs, faying to her. You muffi ddiver this Billet to a Gentleman wha, will come here, and who will flicw you another Letter writ by the feme Hand and ftaled with the fame Seal. When fhe had Qjokc thus, flie defircd to fee me^ and after having kifsM me fighing^ fire went into the Coach with the Help- of givei tny Vhet Che caf the Cbevaffer d^BtMchtne. Z2j of the good old Govemefi, and placed herfelf in hch a Manner that (he was almoft laid down. They arrived late at the Place whet€ they were to dine ; flie only took fome Chicken Broth without coming out of die Coachy and five or fix Hours of Repofe, which (he enjoyed the following Night, gave her the Straigth to prefent herfelf the next Day ta her Aunt, who feeing her pale and difordered only attri* buted it pioufly to the Fatigues of the Journey. I doubt not. Gentlemen, but this Relation of my Mother's brbgjng nte into the World, feems to you to entrench a little upon Probability. It does not appear pofiible to you, per- haps, that this Scene (hould pafs in an Inn without the old Governels having the leaft Knowledge of it. But I have given you the Detail as I had it from my Mother, who did not fay to me whether the Duenna was or Was not in the Secret. t 11 The Joy of being free from fo criti- cal an Affair, was of no fmall Af- fiftance towads: i^edily rc-eftabliihing r 228 V ^e Adventurer of the Health of Mademoifelle de Gander on^ who did not ftay long with her Aunt, and infilled upon being placed as aPen- fioner with the Religieufes, She was condufted to a Convent that was in the Neighbourhood, and the old Gover- .nante was fent back into the Province, ^cording to the Orders given by the Marquifs de Ganderon, My Mother, before her Retreat, did not forget to write to the Count de Monnevilky by the Adrejfe t\i2Lt they had agreed upon. She fent him Word to repair immediately to the Inn where flie had left me, and in- formed him of what he was to do to procure a Sight of me. \ • * • ' ' t f 1 • I » * . ^ .• . . My Father, impatient to hear from his Miftrefs, had no fooner received her Letter, then he departed, and went to the Place which flie had direfted him to. He defired to fpeak to the Hoftefs, and having made himfelf known to her for the Cavalier who had the greateft Intereft in what paffed there upon the Night that gave me my Being, he de- fired her to relate to him all the Cir- tumftances of that Adventure ; which ihe had no fooner finifhed, than he in- formed this ] gone !| Jiften Intcn I boJte( sr- ce, the ler, to the She y to . in- o to from iher [\t to I him )ftefs, :oher •eateft >n the iie de- .- ir- v^hich he in- Formed the CbevalierdcBe&xxchcne. 229 formed himfelf whether I was ftill alive, and where I was, teftifying an extream Defire to fee me. The Hoftefs then refuming her Difcourfe, faid to him : Monfieur, I am going to truft a Secret of the greateft Importance to you, and I conjure you moft humbly not to dif- clofe it. My Father promifed her he would not| and fhe went on in this Man: ner; «*a* V'^-' Madam, your Spoufe, when (he left this Place recommended to me to take great Care of her Son, and not to fuf- fer him out of my Sight. Whilft I de- fired the Midwife to find me out a care- ful Nurfe, I kept him in my own Bed the whole Day and the following Night. I know not what Uneafineis I had in my Sleep, but it is too certain that at my Awaking I found one of the Chil- dren dead by my Side. Oh! Heavens! cried the Count, trembling, my Son is gone ! He lives ftill, replied the Hoftefi, liftcn to me, if you pleafe, without Interruption. I rofe immediately, purfued (he ; I bolted the Door, and returning to the Bed ii> "* III ■la jx* ^ , f J u- -as mv «wn Darter me fincc my o«nSJ^^, y^ ^nd by her Death I *f "^ " Refolution with- her Father. 1 took my«^ ^^j^ j^ cut Hefitation. I ''""^ and I took Tcellar that wj n^ "^f^J^ my your Son "\5? /^n ie came to in- Lnfidant ^^^^^S Snd a Nurfe. ?""r\*Se Confidence to her, and 1 made a t'^^ p._fon unknown had ttld her that » J|2 J away the lit- come fecrctly and fctth^ '^ pother. tic Boy by O'*^^". ,5S^fee this Child Thus, Monfieur, *Jded Jic, tna ^^ whom you fc*=» *^/^°at leaft he s Daughter, is Y"'^^^"* ii Charge of Ae Ladf s who ^^^^'J^Count^ook him. At thele w oru ^^^_ me in his Arms,. and ^vem ^.^ fendCareffes, '"°f»?/^ith which Tears that witneffed the joy w his Heart was penetrated. - He remaned -^"Jj-^^^te ^oricg vhich he ftequently «« ^^^^ to My by loi fitfi- din took I my o inr urfe» , and . had lelit. other. Child L\ my t he !S Tge o£ t took Lthou- :e with ^ which d Days, ide die Hoftcfe the Oievali^r dtBtSLUch^nc. 231 Efofl'ers repeat die melancholly Manner of my Birth, and loaded me with his Carefies. At length, when he departed ki order to return home, he made this Woman a Prcfent of all the Money he had with him, recommending me flxong- ly to her Care, and went from me with &r leis Speed than he came. When he was returned to his Eftate^ he defigned immediately to have in- ftrufted his dear Miftrcfs, in corered Terms, of what had paffed between the Hoilefs and him ; but a fecond I^etter which he received from my Mother pre- vented him. She forbid him abfolutely to write »to her, having been informed at her Entrance into the Convent, that all Letters addrcffcd to the Penfioners were flopped and fent to their Relations.^ To make ufc of this Advice, which in efFcdl was not to be neglefted, he gave up his Commerce of Letters, with the pteafing Hope that Mademoifelle dk Gatfdcron would not long be ieparated from him.. ' ■ : ^- ■ *. --■- ■».:-■- * > J** > .■ * ■'■ He came more than once to lee me durbg the Ml Year,, under the Pretext 232 The Adventures of of an ASair which he faid he had with a neighbouring Gentleman. He re- mained in the Inn feveral Days, and whilft he was there he had me continu- ally in his Arms. I was weaned pre- sently, becaufe my young Nurfe did not think herfelf obliged out of Kindnefe to me, to excufe herfelf from giving her Hufband frefli Marks of her Fer- tility. I had a rofy Complexion, a healthful Look, and every Body made her their Compliments upon my Beauty. This good Woman had a fecond Child who lived no longer than the firft, and three Weeks after fhe was hired to be the Nurfe to one of which the Baronefs du Mefnil was ready to lie in. The Baron was a Nobleman who had a Caftle clofe to the Village, and who about nine or ten Months before had married a young and rich Heirefs, with whom he had been in Love for fome Time. I went with the Hoftefs to refide at the Caftle du Mefnil^ and we left the Hoft her Hufband at the Inn. We were fcarce arrived at the Baron's, when the Baronefe brought into the World the Chevalier de Beauchene. 233 a Daughter, with whom I was brought up. There happened at that Time a con- fiderable Change in the Cadle de Gande- ron. The Marchioncfs died, and this Event was the Occanon of the Mar- quifs's taking the Refolution of leaving his Daughter in the Convent, till he found an Opportunity of marrying her according to his Views, that was, to a Gentleman of a confiderable Fortune j for he was not a Man that would have accepted of the Count de Monneville for a Son-in-Law, whatever Eftcem and Friendfhip he might have for him. My Father and my Mother, who were fully fenfible of the Sentiments of Monfieur de Ganderon upon that Head, expefted their Happinefs only from the Favour of Heaven. Things were in this Situation, when they were informed in the Province that Spain had joined itfelf to the Emperor and the Dutch againft the French, All the Noblefle, eager to fly to the Af- fiftance of their Country, put themfelves in Modon. My Father, the Son of a Man 434 ^^ Adventures of. tAsLVt who had acquired lb much. Rcpu* ration in the Field, could not difpcnfe with himfelf from preparing for it. The Shiallneft of his Fortune not permitting Bim to have a l^lendidi Equipage, he departed with a Valet de Chambre and a Footman. He firft took Leave of the Marquiis, and then took a Turn to the Village where* I was, in order to fee me. Hfe managed fo well, that he had a pri- vate Conference with my Nurfe. She told him upon what Footing I was at the Caftlc dii Mejhii \ and Ihc appeared to Yvaxi to be fo attached to me, mat he felt Himftlf confoled by rt for the Ne- ccflity he was under of Fearing his Son, perhaps^ for a confidcrablfe Time. Af- ter having made her a Prefent, to en- gage her to redouble her Cares for my linall Pcrfbn, he rep^ed to the Army, or rather to RheimSy where they were to aiTemble under the Command of Mon- ficur de Turenne. The Marquifs de Bourkmont^ who knew and loved my Father, was cx- tr mely plcafed to lee him again, and received nim as a Volunteer in his Re- giment. He prcfcnted him to the Ge- neral, the Chevalier dcBcsiUchcnt. 22$ neraH who remembering Mm, took a Plea&pc in occupying his Courage, bf employing him in feveral Sieges that were formed in the Territories of the Marquifs di Brandenbourg ; and which were carried on fo vigoroufly, that that Prince, in alarm at it, retired intx) the fertheft Part of Germany and demanded a Neutrality. The Certitude that the Count had that Valour, would never want a Pe- eompence under fuch a General as Mon- ficur it^ 'I ''renne\ and the flattering Hope ef acqi v'^g fo much Gtory as might make him ^>pear to the Marquifs de Ganderon wormy of his Alliance, forced him upon furprizing Adtions. *Tis thus tjiat in all Times, and in all Conditions^ Love has been feen to produce noble Aftions ; and the Defire of pleafing the Sex, has formed many valiant Warriors. The Count de Monneville^ in an Expe* dition in which the Marquifs de Bourle- tnont was killed, fignalized himfelf by Aftions which you yourfclvcs would have admired. Gentlemen, as much accuftomed as you are to Enteiprizes of Temerity. But at length the Count was ■'I 236 The Adventures of was taken Prifoner, and did not re- cover his Liberty till aft^r the Peace ot Jfimeguen, Since my Nurfe had been the lame to the Daughter of the Baron du Mefnil^ inftead of loving me lefs than before, ihe feemed to have ftill more Tendernefs for me. The Baron, on his Side ex* tremely fatisfied with the Care of this Woman, to teftify his Gratitude to her, made me a thoufand Careflcs, and fcarce made any Difference between his own Child and me. He permitted her to call me Sifter, and all the Domefticks, after his Example, ufed us alike. Far from abufing the Civilities they were fo good to let me /hare with Lucili^^ which was the Name of the Daughter of this Nobleman, I ufed my utmoft Afliduity to gain her AfFcftions j and I fucceeded in it fo thoroughly, that in our httle Sports, fhe took it ill that I cxpreffcd fo much Deference for her, and conftrain'd her by my Relpeft. My pretended Mother, who was no nearer to me than to' Lucilia^ perceiving the Attachment I had for her, propos'd to r were Mcili0y ughter utmoft , and 1 that in 1 that I or her, ) was no Tceiving proposed the CbivalierAt Beauchehe. 237 tfo herfelf to watch over us. Our Fa-^ miliarities, tho* innocent, yet they gave her an Alarm; fhe fear'd left Chance ihould difcover my Sex, which was yet unknown to myfelf ; and, in this Fear, Ihe never ceafed preaching to us of the Duties of Modefty, which made fuch ftronglmpreflions upon our youngMinds, that we concealed ourfelves carefully from each other upon the flighteft Oc- cafions. In a word, I was continually in her Sight durmg the Day, and I lay with her in the Night. )q i* i ^'.,M.i- ii'vi4>»i Our Love augmented fafter than the Number of our Years, and when I re- collect fome Pailages of my Infancy, I conclude that this Paffion knows no Age that cannot feel its Power. My Nurfe had accuftomed me to kifs the Hand of ,the Baron when he gave mc any thing; I obferved the fame relpeft- fiil Ceremony with my httle Sifter, who was fo perfwaded that I took a Pleafure in it, that when I had been punifhed, or received any other Chagrin, ftie would come to me with the greateft Eagcmefs to give me her Hand to kifs. Thirty Years have not effaced from my Memo- 'y I ' 8 'The Moentum 4 tKndand fuch Tnfic*, that piw^ ly a thoMiana J"" , hearts were Smod^uv^. Sr,^d would one formed tor cacn ou , j^^^^^ «^y ^ "™S ^ fo ffiE^«i«^d- rg"£S;.3^oto«r^aJe,whichl.cei« IIS afunder. iir J --0 -otJieft Ycais in this man- ■•'^'^ *". ^A ^e fcice ray Nutfc had h«»^®f tl V^frdhimtobedcad, Father. She fupF^fc^ ^mt^ jj^ and yet ^^^^f^^ fo' Sc ; 'tis true, the Kindnefs (he ted tor ^^ . h,, S^ "to hira this E^or. out of the Cattle. ^^^ ^^ not «- tom, to (hoot aJ^ViS ; wten ^^ I may dead, ninifli itrue, re her as if I itai I oreihe dsCuf- not le- vtenhe tatftt- in the GkevaJi^ dtBc2}Sidi^ne. £59 in the Way, yet it was remai4c'd tkat Jie brought in two Fuzils. He put one of them into his Clofet, and going out again with the other that Inftant, he laid thdt he fliouid not come home to Sop* per. He did not return till very kteg without faying where he had been; and when he was in his ApartmenK^ contrary to his ufual Cuftom, he would not per^ mit his People to undrefs him; this gave the Domefticks Occafion of Con* jedure, and their Imagination had ftiU a ^eater Scope the next Morning, when they faw fome Spots of Rlood upon his Linnen, which he had not perceived himfelf. Every one made his Reflec- tions thereupon, and imagined what th^ thought proper. .1. jf Two Days after this, the Hufband of Che Nurfe came to her in the Caftle, and told her in private that he was uneafy^ that the Gentleman had not laid at the Inn thefe two Nights. What Gcntfc- man ? replied his Wife with an aftoni(h« edLook. The Gentleman, retitfn*dhe» who came lb often to us five or Qz Years ago. That fine Man, whofeem* ed to love us fo much !-— -*ft not thou remem- ] 24^ " TJtf Adventures of temember ?— ~with his Laced Cloaths, who was always giving fomething to our JitdeGirl? My Nurfe, by this Defcription, eafily knew the Original, and preffed herHuf- band to tell her why he was uneafy upon that Gentleman's Account. It is be- caufe this honeft Gentleman, faid the Hoft, came to the Village the Day be- fore Yefterday, and alighted at my Door. He afked after your Health, and after the Child's ; and afterwards taking my Fuzil, he went out of the Inn, faying, he would take a Turn in the Wood by the Caftle, after which he would retura to fup and lodge with me ; but I have never feen him fince, and yet his Horfe is ftill in my Stable. You will eafily conceive the Impref- fion this Difcourfe made upon my Nurfe. She trembled with Horror, and let her- felf be prejudiced with 'the moft dread- ftil Forebodings. She charged her Huf- band to inform himfelf privately if no Perfon had feen this Gentleman, whilft, on her Side, (he made the fame Enqui- ries. All their Refearches were in vain. At mptef- Nurfe. let her- dread- erHuf- 7 if no whilft, Enqui- in vain. the Chevalier de Beauchcnc. 24 1 At the End of three Days, as the Hoft had not appeared at the Cattle, his Wife, impatient to know whether he had heard any thing of the Gentleman in queftion, refplved to go to the Village, and dif- courfe with her Hufband concerning it. Lucilia and I accompanied our Nurie, the Way not being fo long but we could go it with Pleafure, I remember it ftill perfeftly well ; we walked before her, my Sifter and I drawing a little Cha- riot, which one of the Domefticks had made for us. When we were in the midft of the . Wood, which feparates the Cattle from the Village, the Nurfe made us take a crofs Foot-path to fliorten the Way ; but, after having gone about twenty Paces, two little Dogs that were with us ttop- ped of a fudden, and fell a barking as if they had feen fome other Animal. This frighted Lucilia and me, and we run to be fecure, under the Wing of our Nurfe, who advanced towards the Dogs, to fee what made them bark, and even howl fo dreadfully -, flie remarked, that a litde. Heap of Earth newly removed, trod down vTith the Feet, and covered with Vol. I. M Bulhps, 242 Xbe Adventures of Buflies, was the Caufe of this Howl- ing. She was frightenM in her Turn, and as the Lofs of the Count had already filled her Mind with tragical Ideas, feme Drops of Blood, which ftie perceived upon die Stones, increafed her Sufpi- cions, which fhe immediately made hafte to impart to her Hufband. He did not think them ill-founded, ajid could not delay the enlightening of them •, he came with us into the Wood, under the Pre- text of condufting us to the Caftle. His Wife fliewed him the Place where the Dogs had flopped, and upon which they again began to howL Then the Hoft gave feme Sti'okes with a Mattock, and he had not gone above half a Foot deep when he difcover'd the Body, and knew the Cioaths of the Gentleman for whom he had been in Pain. The Nurfe doubt- ed not but this Murder was the Work of the Baron, and that that Nobleman, whdfe violent Nature (he knew, having met this unfortunate Gentleman ihooting near his Callle, had imagined it was an Infiik to him, had ftiot him with hisFu- a^}, and afterwards buried himu The Hoft theChevaBerdtlieBxtchcnc. 245 Hoft was of the fame Opinion i but far from being willing to cxpofe himfelf to the Refentment .of the Baron, by nub- lifliing this ESfcovery, he refolved fami- ly to keep it fecret. He covered the Body again with Earth, and put the Bulhes upon it as they were before, whilft his Wife carried back Lucilia and I to the Caftle. She returned back again immediately, rejoined her Hufband,. and went with him to the Inn, to fhut them- fclvcs up, in order to fearch the Valifc of the alTaffinated CavaKer. \ They found no Money ;' there was no- thing in it but Papers, a Memorandum of the Debts he had contrafted in Ger- many^ fome Letters of Mademoifelle de Ganderoif^ and amongft the reft, that which (he had charged my Nurfe with, to be delivered to my Father. I have fince feen them in the Hands of my Mother, to whom this good Woman, when flie found herfclf dying, reftored them, at the fame Time informing her of all the Circumftances that I have now related to you. M2 Wc 1^44 ^^ Adventures of We once more interrjpted Monneville in his Part, to deplore the Fate of his Father ; which hjrniflied fome of the more ferious Privateers with an Oppor- tunity of moralizing upon the Inftaoility of human Happinefs ; but the reft hav- ing no Tafte for moral Refleftions, like Men who were prepared for every Event of Life, preffed Monneville to continue his Hiftory, which he thus refumed : I loft my Father, perhaps, at a Time when he came to join me never to part from me again. His Death did not al- ter the Attachment that my Nurfe had for me ; all the Change that I found in her Behaviour to me was, that (he feemed ETiore melancholly than before, and fome- -times, without even fpeaking to me, fhe would let fall fome Tears as Ihe looked upon me. She often recommended to me to apply myfelf to Reading, and ftill more to Writing, without telling me the particular Reafon fhe had that I fliould write well. I was, however, not long ignorant of it ; for fhe^ being be- ing become a Widow in about flx Months after the Death of my Father, one the Chevalier de Beauchene. 245 one Day took me afide, and fpoke to me in thefe Terms: ^ My dear Child, tho* you are ftil! very young, I find you fo reafonable, that I (hall no longer delay making you a Confident of what regards you alone, but upon which the Happinefs of us both depends. My Hufband, wiu? by his Death has left me without Support, hath prevented me from doing what 1 could have wifhed for you. and from teftifying to how great a Degree I lore you. The Proteftion of the Barcri is the only Refijurce that is left me^ and not only you will make me ioie that, but you will expofe me to receiving the moft rigorous Treatment from tliat No bleman, if you do not follow the Ad- vice that I fhall give you. He will pu- nifli you alfo with me, we 'nuft there- fore, by a prudent Conduct^ prefen/'e his Favour ftill^ome Years longer. This obliges me to reveal fe'i'eral Things to you, of which this !*: tiie principal : You are not a Giri. I have watched fo care- fully over you, that I am certain you were ignorant of it till this Moment. *Tis to conceal your Sex that* I defire M 3 - you ■i. ". 246 The JlJventures oj you to ufc your utmoft Care -, *tis that important Article that obliges me to place fo great a Confidence in you, not- » withftanding your Youth. I have now, purfued fhe, informed you that you are not a Girl, know allb, that I am not your Mother, and that you did not lofe a Father in my Huf- band. I cannot now teJi you any far- ther i if you can preferve the Afylum we have in the Caftle, I (hall difcovcr to you the Remainder, which it is not yet Time to inftruft you of. Confider, my Child, whether you find yourfelf capable of making ufe of my Advice. If yoii are willing to fecond me, I confent to take Care of you till you can do with- out me. If, on the contrary, you give me Reafon to fear that your Imprudence fliould draw upon me here fome unhap- you. I fli^dl be obl'g^d ;u ioanuon My Nurfe, as (he held this Difcourfc to me, remarked that I was extremely aftonifhed at it ; Ihe felt herfelf ftruck with a Movement of Compaflion \ fhe held out her Arms to me all in Tears \ I th Chevalier de Beauchene. a47 I leaped about her Neck^ and promiied her abfoluteiy to do whatever Ihe de- fired. She was fo little miftaken in the Opi- nion (he had of my Difcretion, that from that Time fhc was obliged to chide me, to conftrain me to take any Diverfion with Lucilia. I was no longer that lit- tle Siller who was always ready to laugh and play, the Difference that I began to find there was between her Situation and mine, took from me at once that Gaiety which ufed to entertain her. The Tendemels I had for her was not diminifhed, but it became more timid and more refpedlful. Three Months after the Death of the Hulband of my Nurfe, a violent Lif- eafe carried off fuddenly the Bironefs du MefniL It was no fooner known that the Baron was a Widower, than the greateft Heirefles in the Province were offered to him. The Marquifs de Gan- deron was one of the firft that wilhed his Alliance, *, on his Side, the Baron du Mefnily (to whom a Gentleman, a Friend of the Marquifs's, had fpoke of this Affair M 4 as 'Tin .1;:! 248 ^he Adventures of as from himfelf) thought the fole Heir- ek of Monfieur de Ganderon fo advan- tagious a Match, that he immediately went into his Equipage, together with their common Friend, to go and de- mand her in Marriage of the Marquifs. The Negociation was foon terminated ; thefe two Noblemen eafily agreed upon every Article, and concluded between themfelves, that they would take a Jour- ney direftly to Paris^ to fee if the Lady was agreeable to the Baron. They foon performed this Journey, along with the Gentleman who had been the Mediator ; and the Perfon of Mademoifelle de Ganderon pleafed the Baron infinitely. He had no Occafion for feeing her twice to become more in love with her than he had ever been with his firft- Lady, and he thought of no- thing but haftening his fecond Marriage. Yet the intended Bride had loft a Part of her Charms, by the continual Uneafi- ncfles (he had been, and ftill continued under ; for hearing no more of Monne- vtlle^ (he fuppofed he muft be dead, and that Thought gave her an Air of Melan- cholly. the Chevalier de Beauchene. 249 cholly, which was a Diminution of the Luftre of her Charms. When the Marquifs, her Father, de- clared to her that he had promifed her to the Baron du Mefnil, fhe endeavoiir'd in vain to befeech him to futfcr her to renounce the World ; he had no regard to her Intreaty, which he only looked upon as an Effeft of the Attempts he fuppofed the Religieufes had made to feduce her. He reprefented to her, with an Air of Authority, that fuch a Hufband as the Baron was preferable to a Monaftick Life, and that, in a wordj, it was a Thing refolved upon. Seeing, therefore, that fhe could only oppofe a vain Refiftance to the abfolute Command of her Father, fhe difpofed herfclf to obey with Docility. She left the Con- vent, and let herfelf be carried in a few Days after from Paris to the Caftle de GanderoHy where the Marriage was cele- brated without any Pomp. Whatever Impatience the Baron had to carry home his new Bride, he had however the Complaifance to ftay a con- fiderable I laie with Monfieur de Gan- M 5 deron ; 250 7^ A(hentures tf deron -, but he at length took Ledve of him to repair to the Caftle du Mefnily where he entered with the Noife of about a Dozen Mufkets, which the Inhabitants of the Village fired, to celebrate the happy Return of their Lord, and the Arrival of the new Baronefs. They were obliged to receive and return the Vifits of all the neighbouring People of Diftinftion, which wholly took up Ma- dame du Mefnil for eight or ten Days. She had not yet had Leifufe to give any Attention to Lucilia^ but Ihe fbon at- tached herfelf to her-, and, far from treating her with the Severity of a Mo- ther-in-Law, (he behaved to her with a Sweetnefs and Tendernefs that ravifhed the Baron. The more my Nurfe contemplated this young Lady, the more fhe thought Ihe refembled her who had been difem- barrafTed of a fatiguing Burthen in her Inn \ (he durft not, however, depend upon her Conjeftures, and fhe propos'd to herfelf a Method of finding out the Truth of them. As to my Mother, it is certain, fhe did not in the leafl recol- left my Nurfe, nor had any Sufpicion of of her being fo^ tho' fhe was not igno- rant, that (he was in the Village where I had taken my Birth. Lucilia^ however, by Accident gave her Occafion to think that Ihe was amongft her old Acquain- tance, and that her Nurfe might per- haps be the very Hoftefs to whom fhe had intrufted me. This Circunriftance deferves my relating it to you. The Baronefi was one Day in her Clofet with a Book, when Z-«a//« entered, followed by my Nurfe and me, and run to her, faying. My dear Mamma, wUl you give my litde Friend leave to pay her Compliments to you i Come in, my Child, come in, faid the Baronefs to me, not thinking (he fpoke fo truly ; the Friendfhip that my Daughter has for you muft afllire you of mine, approach. I advanced towards her, to make a lit- tle Compliment, which I had prepared with the Affiftance of my Nurfe 5 but I was confufed, without knowing why, and remained filent. It would be ridi- culous, perhaps, to attribute to Inftindl this Diforder of my Senfcs, wliich donbtlcfs was an EfFcft of my Timidi- ty. The Baronefs imagined 10, and, to encourage 252 ^fbe jldventures of ^ encourage me to ipe^k, (he afked me how old I was, and if I was an only Child. I anfwered yes ; and my Nurfe entring into the Difcourfe, faid to her with a feigned Simplicity: Alas! Ma- dam, (he will be no richer for it. If my Hulband was ftill alive, (he might, perhaps, hope for fome fmall Fortune. We formerly kept an Inn in the Village for feveral Years, and did not fucceed ill in our Bufinefs -, but I have had the Mif- fortune to lofe him, and were it not for the Favours of MonGeur the Baron, my Daughter and myfelf would be much to be pitied. ' The Nurfe as (he fpoke thus obferved the Baronefs attentively, to fee if that Lady, as (he liftened to her, would not give feme Demonftration that might turn her Doubts into Certitude. My Mother avoided that Snare •, no Altera- tion appeared in her Countenance. With a fteady, calm Look, (he deplored the Fate of the Hoftefs, who imagining that Ihe was deceived in the Judgment (he had made of the Baronefs, ceafed to find any Refcmblance between her and my Mother, After the Chevalier dc Beauchene. 253 After this Converfation, Madame du Mefnil^ being left alone in her Clofet, admired how fhe had been able not to betray herfelf, when (he knew the Wit- nefs of her Shame. This Thought made her blufh and turn pale fuccef- fivcly. If the Nurfe had feen her then, flie would have known what to have de- pended upon. The Difcourfe which my Mother had heard, threw her into a pro- found Reverie. She could not doubt but the Perfon who had (poke, was the fanie Hoftefs to whom fhe had confided the Care of my Infancy ; but fhe was far from imagining, that it was her Son whom fhe had feen under the Habit of a Girl. She judged either that I was dead, or that my Father had taken me out of the Hands of niy Nurfe to be educated elfewhere. To this Refleftion fucceeded another. The Count de Mon- neville is no more, faid flie, fince it is fo long fmce I have heard of* him. The Father and the Son make me equally unhappy. It depended upon herfelf, however, to hear what was become of us both. She need only have difcovered herfelf to 2J4 ^^ Adventures of to the Hoftefe, whofe Difcretion flic had abcady tried : Bm it was impoffible for her to bring herfelf to refolve upon rilqumg this Step. Tho* in her Heart Ihe fek the moft violent Defirc of know- ing our Deftiny, yet her Virtue, that fc- cretly reproached her, continually pre- vented it. The Wife of the Baron du Mefnil thought herfelf obliged to thmk differently from Mademoifelle de Ganderon^ and engaged to facrifice die Diftates of Love and Nature to her Duty i that if flic was unfortunate with the Baron^ it might at Icaft be without her deferving it. She even refohred that the Nurfe ftiould leave the Caftlc, that flie might not have continually before her Eyes a Woman, who recalled to her Memory Images which Ihe found it but too dif- ficult to forget. To give her a hand- fome DifmiiBon, without feeming ta have any Intereft in it, flie engages the Baron to fend her back to the Village again to keep an Inn, with a Sum fuf- ficient for her Eftablifliment in that Way of Life, under the Pretext of recom- penfing her for her Services. Lucilia^ who the CbevaUer dc Beatichene. 255 who had a proper Governds provided for her, faw my Nurfe and I leave the Caftle witii much Regret. I was not Ids afSnfted at our Separation ; but the Cafe was de^ratC) and there was no Reme- tly. The Hoftefi then began to enter into her former Bufinefs, Thou^ (he ex- acted nothing from me but what I couM do with great Eafe, and recommended to me to appiy myfelf to Writing, be- ing perfwaded that with that Reiburce I could never want Bread ; yet I w^ of the greateft Service to her in her do- meftick Affairs. I was worth three fuch Servants as Ihe could keep. But as I advanced in Age I became more me* lanchoUy. I already made ferious R«- fledions, and efpecially one that aSeA- cd me nearly : This was the Mjritery of my Birth ; for my Nurfe, when fhe con- fcffed to me that I was not her Son, had not inftruSed roe who was my Father, and I remained in Uncertainty of my Condition. Sometimes, imagining that (he had faid enough for me to conceive an ad- ^ vantageous z^6 The Adventures of vantageous Opinion of my Family, I had the Vanity to believe myfelf of No- ble Blood ; and, in the haughty Emo- tions that thefe flattering Thoughts in- fpiredme with, 1 burn*d with Defire to be at PariSy cloathed in a Manner fuit- able to my Sex, and to the Nobility that my Imagination had given to me. Whither was not I hurried away by the Chimera's that my Mind was continually ; forming? I flattered myfelf that I fliould no fooner arrive at that City, but I Ihould meet with a Perfon of Diftinftion who would acknowledge me for his Son, and that this Acknowledgment would be attended with the moft perfefl: Feli- city. 'Tis true, thefe agreeable Ideas fometimes gave place to others which lowered my pleafing Expeftations. I rcprefented to myfelf, that a Boy of Twelve or Thirteen, without Friends and without Acquaintance, would be very much at a lofs what to do with him- felf in Paris •, but Hope, fl:ill ftronger than my Fears, always brought me back to the Wifli of being able to try my Fortune in that great City. One the Chevalier de Beauchcnc. 2 ^j One Day there paffed by the Village a Financier^ who flopped at our Inn. He had a handfome Equipage, and a great Number of Attendants We pre- pared him a Dinner in the moft hand* lome Manner we could ; and when the Expence W4s to be caft up, I took a Pen and Ink and drew up the Reckon- ing with an Eafe that furprized him. He praifed my Writing ; after that he confidered me with fome Attention, and finding a Sprightlinefs in my Look, with fome Beauty, he aflced me feveral Quef- tions. I anfwered them in a Manner that amazed him. *Tis a Pity, faid he to me, that fo handfome a Girl as you are, fhould be buried in a Village. Oh ! really, Monfieur, replied I, I am forry for it enough ; but what would you have me do ? I Ihould be glad to be with fome good Lady ; I am fure that I fhould ferve her fo well that (he would love me, and make my little Fortune, If you wifh, returned he, to be placed in that Manner, you need only fpeak. I will bring you into my own Family. I have a Relation of an affable Temper, and an excellent Charafter, you will be very happy with her. I offer to engage her i[ m 258 7Z^ Adventures of her to take you *, and I can affure you, that (he will take upon herfelf the Care of fettling you advantageoufly. I accepted the Offers of the Financier^ with Proteftations of Gratitude, which were accompanied by the Thanks of the Hofteis. Make your Refleftions upon it, you and your Mother, faid he to me, I (hall come by this Village again in a Fortnight. If you are then in the lame Diipofition, and that you make no Difficulty of trufting to the Word of a Man of Honour, whom indeed you do not know, but whofe Probity I hope is writ in his Face, I will carry you to Paris in my Equipage, and behave to yon as ir you was my own v^rmu. 1 u this I made him no Anfwer but a pro- found Reverence •, and he, returning my Rcfpeft, went into his Coach, after having bid us adieu till Ms Return. When he was departed, my Nurfe ^flccd me if I had Rcfolution enough to go to Paris with this Gentleman. Why not ? replied I •, he appears an hpneft Man. Perhaps he may do what he has promifed for me; and when once the Cbevaiier dcBcsiVLchtnc. 259 once I am with a Lady, I will fcek out for foiDc Flace fuitable to young Men, and I don't think but I (hall be fortu- nate enough to find one. The Hoftefs was not very forry to fee me difpofed to follow the Financier. She even drew a good Omen from it of rny future Fortune ; and judging that it was now Time to give myfelf up to the Adven- tures that my Stars referved for me, Ihe very faintly oppofed my Defign. Before it was to be put in Execution, I went to pay a Yifit to Lucilia. I took care not to fpeak^to her of our ap- proaching Separation ; but the Idea of It that contmually occur'd to me in our Converfation, in Iplte of myfelf, drew frequent Sighs from me. I even could not forbear flitdding fomc Teari. iMiilU was moved with it, and attri- buting it to the Chagrin I had at not feeing her fo often as I defired,— Com- fort yourfelf, my dear Sifter, feid fhe embracing me, we (hall not always live at a Diftance from each other. The Time draws near when I am to be placed in a Convent, I muft have a Perfon wiA me^ and will contrive it fo that you fhall be i^' ;d 26o I'he Adventurer of be chofen, and then our Days and our Nights fliall be pafled together. How fenfible was I of this Mark of Tendernefs ! Adieu the Projeft of my Journey to Paris^ adieu the Fhancier, AH the Thoughts of Fortune, that till then had amufed me fo agreeably, did not hold out one Moment againft the flattering Hopes that my dear Lucilia gave me; an 1 1 quitted her, tailing in Idea all the Pleafures of that happy Time that fhe had given me a Proi- peft of. For two Days my Mind was fo filled with this charming Converfation, that I was far from wifliing for the Return of the Financier ; myNurfe perceived it, and aflced me why I appeared fo difgufted with my Journey to Paris, I told her frankly the Occafion of it. Upon which, like a Woman of good Senfe, (he re- prefented to mc, how much I was in the wrong to attach myfelf to Lucilia with fuch Exccfs j that I could not pof- fibly conceal my Sex much longer, and that, in fpite of my Precaution, my Features, my Voice, my Beard, all would the Chevalier dc Bcauchenc. 26 r would betray me ; and that, if I was fo unhappy and fo imprudent as to accom- pany the Daughter of the Baron to the Convent, I fliould inevitabJy ruin her Reputation, and plunge myfelf into the mod dreadful Abyfs. In fine, flie faid fo many Things to me, to bring me to Reafon, that tho* I could not ceafe to love Lucilia^ yet I was fenfible of the Ncceflity of parting from her. . The Arrival of the Financier finifhed the determining me to facrifice my Love, He waj charmed to find me ftill in the fame Sentiments that he had left me. The Hoftefs, on her Side, was very glad to fend me at a Diftance from the Cattle du Me/nil j being perfuaded, that if I remained in the Country, as foon as my Sex was made known, the fcanda- lous Part of the World would not (pare Lucilia^ with whom I had been thus brought up in the Habit of a Girl. The Financier^ therefore, had no Oppofition to furmount for my Departure, which was fixed to be the next Morning be- fore Day-break. I paffed fome Part of the Night in taking Meafures with my Nurfe, in what manner we Ihould hear from 1, U! I 262 tr& AdvMurcs of from each other. I afterwards put on my beft Habk, and made a Bundle of all my Linnen. The Hour of my De- parture at length being come, I em- braced this good Woman, whom Gra- titude had rendered fo dear to me. We both wept exceflivcly, feeling a fincerc Sorrow at lofing each other, perhaps for ever, and yet being refolved to part. The Fmancier^ my Proteftor, after having again protefted to the Hoftefs, that fhe might be cafy upon my Account, (whom he only conveyed to Paris^ he laid, in order to place me in a Situation that might enable me to make the Remainder of my Mother's Life fortunate and hapj^y) he took me into the Coach with him, and we left the Village without being fcen by any Perfon in it. I had no Reafon to complain of his Behaviour on the Road •, all his Dif- courfc was refcrved •, there did not cf- cs^ him any Aftion, or any Gefturt, that I could draw the leaft ill Omen from. He feemed even to forbid his Eyes the Liberty of dwelling upon me. "Tis true, indeed^ I was but a Chi^ld j but tie Chevalier de Beauchene. 263 but there are Men who won't refufe their Attention to a Female, tho' fhe had but juft quitted her Leading-Strings ; neither was my Financier fo difcreet as he appeared to be. As to the reft, he was a Man of a tollerable Figure, and not above five and thirty. Upon our Entrance into Paris^ I was furprized to fee my Condu(5lor Hopped at a Barrier, by five or fix for ry- look- ing Clerks, to whom he was obliged to give the Keys of a Vahfe, which was behind the Coach, and which, notwith- ftanding this, they did not prefume to open when he had condefcended to in- form them of his Name and Quality. Tho' he had adveriifed me before that he flioukl not carry me to liis Houfc, yet I coukl not help being embanaffed when I faw hirn fend away his People, and his Equipage, and take me with him in a wretched Hackney-Coach, whofe Ihattered Afpcft feemM to promifc me no Good. I fear'd left his Intention ftiould be to convey me to fome Place; I don't fay, that was diftioncft, for I ksiew not then that there was any fuch, but to fome I 264 TJ^ Adventures of fome Place that would be dilagreeable to me. We alighted in the Rue St. Honor e^ at the Door of a Houfe, of which he was the Proprietor, and in which there dwelt a Widow, who had formerly been Wo- man to his Mother, and whom his Fa- ther had haftily married to his Steward. That Domeftick, to pay himfelf for his Complaifance, had taken fuch Care of his Perquifites, that at his Death his Widow, who was his fecond Wife, was left exceflively rich. My Proteftor, to whom this good Lady was fometimes very ferviceable, repofed an entire Confi- dence in her ; he put me into her Hands, telling her, that I was an Orphan Daugh- ter to one of his Tenants •, and that per- ceiving I had a great Share of Senfe, he defigned to have me educated in a Con- vent, and to give me M afters there, in order to teach me every tiling that was neceflary for a young Woman to know. He charged her with the Care of chuf- ing the Monaftery, and promifed her, that the next Day he would fend her Money to equip me properly, and to buy the Chevalier de Beauchene. 265 buy every Thing that would be neceffary for me in the Convent. * '%• After this he withdrew, and I re- mained with the Widow, who did not fail to found me ; as (he knew the Fi- nancier better than I did, fhe believed no more than (he thought proper of what he had faid to her, and afked me a thoufand Queftions, to judge by my Anfwers what fhe ought to think of me. The beft was, that inftead of confe/Ting frankly in what manner, and upon what Footing I came to Paris^ I difguifed the Truth, to fupport what the Financier had faid, as much as any Ad- venturer could have done who had acled in Concert with him. V A^ The following Day he kept his Pro- mife : He fent a Sum of Money, which moft certainly was not all employed in equipping me, tho' he fent Word to the Widow that his Intention was, that I (hould have every Thing handfome, and that I (hould be introduced to the Reli- gieufes as the Dauf^hter of a Gentleman in the Provinces •, the Widow took care to gain about half for her Trouble of Vol. I. N laying 99 ■ ill t;' 15 j;i" :' m 11 i|! M ■I 266 TT)e Adventures of laying out the reft. She immediately fet her People to Work, and 1 was ferv- cd with fo much Expedition, that in a- bout five or 5x Days I entered the Con- vent without feeing my Proteftor ag^n, who doubtlefs was otherwife employed, or rather looked upon me as a Fruit which he muft wai' the ripening of. i. I had imagined that the young Ladies, who were brought up in thisHoufe, would take a Pleafure in feeing and converfing with me, upon Account of my being a new Comer; but I was foon undeceived. Having learned that I was the Daughter of a Country Gentlemen not much known, they immediately neglefted me, and I was reduced to the. Company of thofe Religieufes who were charged with the Care of the Penfioncrs. I gave my- , felf no great Uneafinefs about it, and ap- plying wiyfelf wholly to ftudy the Lef- ibns that were alternately given me by a Mufick-Mafter and a Writing-Mafter, I made fo furprizing a Progrefs i \ both thefe Sciences, that in leis tlian fix. Months the whole Difcourfe of the Con- vent was upon my Writing, and my Tafte for Mufick. This by degrees en- the Oirvalier As Htsaxchcnc. 267 gaged the elder Penfioners to humanize themfelyes towards me, and procured me an Entrance into their Apartments. Arc not you furprized, Gentlemen, at the Conduft of the Financier towards me? He had not yet made me a Vifit fince I had been in this Houfe. But, in return, the Widow, his Agent, came to fee me frequently, and our whole Conver- fation was of him. To hear her, he was the moft honeft, and the moft ge- nerous Man that the King had in the Affairs of his Revenues. She aflced me, from himfelf, if there was any thing that I wanted ; and when he charged her with ten Piftoles for me, Ihe deli- vered four of them very faithfully. On my Side, for a Novice, I did not play my Part ill with her. I had the Policy to complain, that my Proteftor did not add, to the other Favour heaped upon me, that of honouring me with a Vifit. Have Patience, my dear, faid the oblig- ing Widow to me, upon that Head ; he will foon be at the Grate to tell you himfelf, why he has till now deprived hinifelf of that Plcafure. W '^ I II rn : fii ^i ! ; mfii N In ( (i!i 1 268 TT)e Adventures of In efFeft, he did not fail to do fo \ \ft appeared one Day in the Parlour, with the Widow of the Steward. He applauded me firft upon the Facility with which I learned every thing that was taught me, and then he told me, that he perceived at the firft Sight of me, that I ftiould foon become a moft accompliflied Woman ; and this it was, added he, which prevented my follow- ing the Defign of putting you into the Service of a Lady. You feem to me rather to be born to be ferved, and Heaven will not permit you to be fo difplaced. No, my dear Child, itfhall be your own Fault if you don't poffefs a fhining Fortune. You muft attach yourfelf to a Man of Fortune and Con- dition who loves you ; in a word, to me. This good Friend, before whom I offer you my Heart, knows that I have only honourable Views upon you •, if I had any other, I fhould not have conduced myfelf in this manner. In- ftead of letting your Virtue take Root in a Houfe where you fee only good Ex- amples, I would have brought you up in the Pleafures of the World, I would hav€ carried you continually to publick Places, l! the Chevalier de Beauchene. 269 Places, and never quitted you till I hdffi triumphed over your Innocence. You will imagine. Gentlemen, that the Financier did not flop here. I le iaid a thoufand other Things to prejudice me in his Favour j and afterwards wifhing to know whether I had any Difpofition to return the Sentiments he exprefled to me, he afked me, with an Air of Tcn- dernefs, whether he might hope that ,} (hould have no Repugnance to unite my Eiifeftiny to his. I made anfwer, that I was too much penetrated with his Goodnefs to me, to be capable of pay- ing it with Ingratitude. He appeared tranfported with Joy at thefe Words, and from thence took Occafion to prefs me to compleat his Happ'neis After which, leaving me with his Agent,' he withdreW|^ in order, he faid, to pic- pare that Moment every Thing for the Celebration of our Marriage. » The Widow, as fhe had agreed upon with the Proteftor, wifhed me Joy upon the Importance of myConqueft, and upon the fhining Figure that I fliould make in the World, when I was the happy N 3 Partner 270 The Adventures rf Partner of fo rich a FinarKier^ who not three Days before had refufeJl 'for my Sake a Woman of Quality, who had been propofed to him. She afterwards advif- ed me to footh him in every Thing, and told me, as fhe was going, that on her Side fhe would ufe her utmoft Efforts to engage him to terminate immediately an Affair of fo much Importance to me. I faw plainly, after this Con verfation, that I drew near the Conclufion of the Play, and that by Confequence I muft, without Delay, think of fome Expedi- ent that might deliver me from the Em- barrafe I was in. For, in fine, I rcpre- fented to myfelf, that if I had the Te- merity to carry Things to the laft Ex- tremity, the Prpteftor might revenge himfelf cruelly for the Deceit that I had put upon him. To dehver myfelf froln this Fear, which feemed but too well founded, I reflefted Day and Night in what manner I could efcape from the Convent ; to this end I examined all the Windows and all the'WaHs of the Houfe, but my Exami- nation concluded only in making me lofe all Hopes of efcaping. I was in this the Chevalier dtBcBMchent. 271 this difagreeable Situation when we re- ceived a new Pcnfioner. She was a young Woman turn'd of Twenty, wlio would not have been received, but that her Mother was related to the Superior. In that Houfe they would not accept of any of thofe young Perfons, who have no other Vocation for a Retreat than'the abfblute Will of their Parents, and who often feclude them from the World on- ly to place their ftaggering Virtue be- hind a Rampart of Bolts and Grates. Our new Companion was named Ca- milla \ I went into her Apartment as it was furnifhing, and I entered into the Con verfarion f he was in with two or three others of the Penfioners. I informed them of a Letter I had received, and by which I was told, that in four Days I fhould be taken from the Convent to be married. As I told them this News with a mclancholly Look, they could not forbear faying to me with a Smile, that if they were in my Place, and re- ceived fuch a, Letter, it would be no Affliftion to them. Camilla made me feveral Queftons upon my Departure j ihe alked me, if my Furniture was to be N 4 fetched ^'v:^l •. ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^./ ^ >. 1.0 1.1 I 1.25 m "^ >tt Uii |22 £f |i£ 12.0 U 1 1.6 :i][|*^ir:ii ^'*^ ^. he whifpered to me : Every * thing the Chevalier de Beauchene. 277 thing is difpofing for a double Marriage to be celebrated fpeedily, I to your Mo- ther, and you to a Convent. In efFeft, two Days after I was brought to t\ii% Houfe. The Count, who can- not now be ignorant of it, is doubtlefs in Defpair. He is paflTionate, he has been with my Mother, and I doubt not in the leaft, but he has fpoke to her in very unreferved Terms. All this muft fall upon me. She came this Morning with a furious Air to the Convent, to give her Orders that I fhould not be fuffered to fee any Body that came. This Command, which cuts off all Com- munication between the Count and me, prevents us from taking Meafures for our meeting again. I am fadsfied that he refolves to carry me ofF«, but I know not by what Methods he can pretend to fucceed in it. On my Side, I alfo ex- ercife my Imagination upon the fame Subjeft ; and if I do not deceive myfelf, you may aflTift me to leave this Place without Difturbance. :i if t!,l| m 7 I promifed Camilla to contribute to her Evafion, provided fhc would give me • 'f 278 Tie Adventures ^ me lier Word that in return Ihe would knd me her AfTiftance to free me from the Hands of thofe who were to fetdi me from the Convent. I only made a Myftery of my Sex, not thinking it proper then to difcover it to her. She appeared tranljported to find me in the fame Difpofition ydth herfeif. WeU then, faid I to her, let me know what Service you cxpeft from me. I have imagined, replied fhe, that the Day of your leaving this Houfe may, become the laft of my Slavery. You fee tlris Nich, added (he, pointing to a fmall Mahogony Cheft, which anK>ngft other litde EHeds had been bought to fumifli my Chamber, I will fliut myfelf up in tt the Day that you remove, you fliall let me be carried to the Place where you are to be conduced, and from thence 1 will eicape to the Count. I applauded this marvellous Inven- tion, not being of an Age to remark the Extravagance of it, and we agreed to attempt the Adventure. This Stra- tagem however was not made ufe of, and my AiTairs in a Moment ^hanged their Appearance. My Widow came h* ' the tbe-Cbevalier de Beaudtene. 279 the i3exc Day to fee me, and aj^ared In filch Emotion^ that I eafily judged fhe had fomething extraordinary to in- Torm me of. I was not millaken in my Conjefture: My dear Child, faid Ihe to me, what I have to declare to you will furprize you extremely. Your Pro- teftor was arrefted Yefterday in the Evening in the King's Name, and con* veyed to the Baftile. I know not what Crime he is guilty of; but it is faid he is a loft Man. However that nuy be, I come to affiire you that I will not abandon you. I wiU be a Mother to you, and give you continual Marks of the Triendinip I have for you. I ibdl come To-morrow to pay your Penfion, and to fetch you from hence, and carry you home with me, where we m^y live peaceably together, till we fee whether your Proteftor can retrieve his Affairs, as it brpoffible he may do, n: twithftand- ing what is laid. This News gave me a fecret Joy. I was tranfported to find myfelf difem- barraiTed for ever from my Financier^ and being perfwaded that I could eicape when I pl^ed from the Widow, I ac- cepted nai m '1 n 2&0 7^e jidventures of cepted the Afylum which flie prefented to mc fo very generoufly, as I imagined. Before fhe came to fetch me, I had ano- ther Converfation with Camilla^ whom I informed of the Change that had hap- pened in my Affairs, by the happy Mif- fortune of the Financier, She made me her Compliments upon it, and told me, that on her Side (he had received a Letter from the Count •, he got it con- veyed to me, added (he, by a Servant whom he gained, and who alone has the Permiffion of fpeaking to me from my Mother. He lends me Word that he has formed a Projeft for nriy Efcape, which he fhall communicate to me (hort- ly, and the Succefs of which he affures me is infallible. v , I teftified to Camilla^ in my Turn, the Share I took in the Hopes that her Lover gave her of fnatching her foon from a Retreat that was fo difpleafing to her. After which, having embraced each other feveral times^ we parted, each taken up with her own little Af- fairs. At length the Widow came ac- cording to her Promife to pay my Pen- ion, and fetch away my fmall Effefts, and the Chevalier de Beauchene. 281 and having taken me with her into a d- rofe de Kernife^ ihe carried mc to her Houfe, where I fupp'd with a well- drefs'd elderly Man. There was alfo at Table a young Lady who boarded with the Widow, and for whom the old Man feemed to exprefs great AfFeftion. He had an Air of Gallantry and good Breed- ing, which notwithftanding his Age ren- dered him paflable. Between Eleven and Twelve he withdrew. When he was retired, the Widow faid to me. My dear Child, I fhare my Bed with my Boarder. I defire you for this Night only to lye with Marianne \ To-mor- row I will have the Bed put up for you that you had in the Convent. %■ ■ .... Marianne was a Chamber-maid, whom the Widow had lately taken into her Ser- vice, with a modeft Behaviour, a pru- dent and referved Air j flie had Youth and Wit, and did not want for Beauty. , We paffed a Part of the Night in con- verfing about the Convent I had been in. Whilft I related to her the innocent Manner in which I lived there, flie figh*d feveral times, and told me, it would have been happy for me if I had been there ftai. i I -? 2^2 lie Adventures of ftill. She repeated this fo often to me, that I had the Curiofity at Jaft to a(k her the Reafon of it, not comprehend- ing why (he pity*d me for being in the World. It is, replied fhc, bccaufe you will be employed here very differently. If I durft tell you all that I think there- upon, you would fee it is not without Caufe that I deplore your Fate. For Heaven^s Sake fpeak more clearly to tatj hiA I to her, you terrify me. Pi^omife me then, replied flie, that you will keep my Secret, and I will con- ceal nothing from you. I protefted to her that fhe might depend upon my Difcretion. Well then, faid Ihe, know that you are here in a Houfe where your Innocoure runs the greateft of Hazards, ^ut of Compaffion I am willing to ad- vertife you of it. The Lady whom you hive fecn is the Miftrefs of the old MaiMier\ with whom you fupp'd. He comes to fee her almoft every Night, and Madam (hares with her in the Pro- fits of her <5allantry. Don't imagine that you was taken out of the Convent with ♦ MalMrer h -one who farmi dw T»xcs, -or •ther Parts of the Revenue niy the Chevalier dtBcs^}cl[icnt. 283 with any other View than that of pro- curing you fome other rich Gallant in the Place of the Financier ^ who has been put into the Baftile, and who was upon the Point of deceiving you by a faUe 'Marriage. I have been informed of all this by die Cook, who loves me. I ^n fearching out privately for another Service, not being of a Humour to be in the leaft pleafed with this. ■■ . . .- ■■''. • . ' ' ■ ' ' • . '^ I returned my Thanks to Marianne for having inftrufted me in all thefc Pkr- ticuhrities, and out of Gratitude I dif- covered my Sex to her. This Confi- dence gave her Pleaiure, and feeing me free from the Dai^er ihe had dreaded for me, willingly lent her AlTiftance to the Defign I bad of chan^ng my Petti- coats into Breeches. I have, laid fhe to /ne, a Brother who is a Broker, To- morrow early I will go and infl-ruA him. I will return immediately here to take you, and I will conduct you to him, where I will leave you. I defire no inore of you, replied I ; as foon as I am at your Brother's I mall think my- fell at the Height of all my Wiihes. A Broker I m ]\ <) 284 ^^ Adventures of Broker, at this inftant, is the moft ne- ceflary Man upon Earth to me. The next Morning, in (hort, Marianne went out at the Break of Day, and after having explained the Myftery to her Bro- ther, came to me again in a Hackney- Coach, which (he ordered to flop at the Widow's Door. During that Time I made a Packet of my Cloaths and my Linnen, which Marianne and I taking with us in the Coach, we drove to the Houfe of the Broker, where I was foon metamorphos'd into a Boy. All my female Equipage, fome Part of which was magnificent, were fold upon the Spot, and with the Money that arofe ' from them I was very handfomly equip- ed as a Man from Head to Foot. How pleafed was I with myfelf, in this long- wifh'd-for Form! A new Knight of Maltha is not more vain of his Crofs, nor a new Bifhop of his Mitre, than I was of my Breeches. At length I de- parted from the Broker's, who having liimfelf hired me ready-fumifhM Lodg- ings, condudled me to them, and re- commended mc ftrongly to the Hoft.- ' Behold the Chevalier de Bcauchene. 285 Behold me now at fixteen, abandon- ed to my own CondUft, and poffefling, for my whole Eftate, a compleat Suit, with a few Shirts, and about twenty Piftoles, which I had received from the Financier during my Refidence in the Convent. My Hoft informed me of a Tavern, where, without being at much Expence, I might eat toUerably well, I went there conftantly to Dinner and Sup- per, and I obferved that nobody came there that was not very well dreffed, Youg People very eafily make Acquain- tances ; amongft the reft I got an Inti- macy with a Cavalier of an agreeable Figure, older than myfelf by feveral Years, and the Devil of a Petit Maitre^ which was exaftly to my Tafte. He was called Monfieur the Marquifs, and was in reality a Man of Condition, In the mean Time, by living at the Tavern, and wandering about in Paris^ my Finances funk vifibly, and reprcfent- ing to myfelf almoft every Hour the Embarrafs I (hould be in when I had cxhaufted my laft Piftole, I appeared fometimes fo melancholly and thought- ful, that the Marquifs perceived it, and • alkcd i*' It ■'MS m i!H a86- The Adventures of aiked me the Occafion of it. I did not conceal it from him, and I confelTed to him that I fhould have great Obligations to any Man who would procure me a good Place in an Office. I can do your Bu(ineis, faid the Marquifs to me ; I know a Partifan * to whom I will Ipeak of you, and I am certain that, out of Confideration for me, he will do you Service, I'ji, •> •ri*. The Marquife did not boaft of an In- tereft which jie, had not ; he writ in my Favour to one who wifhed to be thought of his Family, and who was interefted in three or four different Companies, and the Word of my dear Coufin, repeated in three or four Places of the Letter, did Wonders. As I was the Bearer of the Note, the Partifan received me gra- cioufly, contrary to the Cuftom of thofc Gentlemen, who give their Clerks a very magifterial Reception, and he had no fooner feen my Writing than he ap- pointed me to be under him, telling me, that hic would form my Hand and my N£nd himfelf. He ^ Partifan it the fame as MuUoiier, the CbevalierdtBtAuditne. 2^ He entered me immediately into the common Aifiurs, fo that in about fix Months he trufted the Care- of them wholly to me. In regard to what he called the King's AflSura he- was more rcferved, Thefe wcre-Secrcts to all but thofe interefted in them. Sometimes when I came home I brought him Com- {\linients from his Coufin the Marquifi, tho' I had not feen him, he having ceafed to keep up a Commerce with me. This put him into fo good a Hu- mour, that he run out into DMcouries without End. In thefe Overflowings of his Heart he ufed to initiate me into the fecret Myfteries of his Profeflion. By his Account an Affair was not extraor- dinary when it brought in only Ceni, per Cent. '* 1 4i1 :s a had ap. ling and He If I had been left ufeful to him he might have placed me where I might have made my Fortune 5 but unfortu- nately for me, he had accuftomed him- felf to meddle only with great Affairs, and abandoned the fmall ones to my Care. How many Pofts did I fee him give to People he fcarce knew ; he was fo obliging, that he did a Service to * whoever . SI 288 'The Adventures of whoever was prefcnted to him, and fo difinterefted, that he declared he would neither receive Money nor Prefents from any Perfon, faying, that he was well fa- tisfied with being able to do his Duty. His Lady, indeed,, interpreted this Duty in her own Manner, and made a proper Ufe of every thing ; according to the Places where the Clerks were fent, whom her Hulband procured Employ- ments for, (he defired them to perform Commilfions for her, which produced Plenty and Abundance in her Family, and the poor Commiflioners, out of Gratitude and out of Timidity, never prefumed to fpeak of what they had laid out. As foon as fhe knew the Place where thefc young Bloodfuckers went to learn their Trade of -opprefling the People, fhe immediately informed herfelf of the Commerce of the Place, and what the Ground or the Induftry of the Inhabi- tants produced ; Wine, Cyder, Sweet- meats, Game, Butter, and Cheefes of all Sorts were fliower'd into the Houfe continually. But the Ignorance of a new-made Clerk difordcred all this Ma- learn )ple, the the labi- rcct- of [oufe >{ a IMa. lage- tbe Chevalier de Beauchene^ 2 S9 nagetnent of the Lady's. A young Mail had obtained a Poft at St. Vakry^ in Picardy ; the Patronefe knew that not far from thence they made very celebrat- ed dry Bifcuits, which were known by the Name of Bifcuits of Abbeville^ (he writ^ immediately to the young Man, to de- fire him to fend her a Box of them, tell- ing him, that her Hufband loved them exceiTively, and defigned to make fome Prefents of diem. You will let me know the Price, added (he, in her Let-^ ter, that it may be returned you imme- diately. The too punftual Clerk fent the Bit cuits, and let her know that the Price was ten Piftoles, which he would pay the Dealer as foon as he had received the Money from her, either by a Bill of Exchange, or as ihe thought proper. This Anfwer dilpleas'd the Lady, who termed it Stupidity and Ingratitude, and to teach this Novice what the Pigmies of the Finances owe to thofe interefted in the Affairs of the King, flie got him immediately recalled, and his Place was given to another. This unfortunate Clerk, who had only had a View of the Vol. L O Land \ K it ajjo Ti^ Adventures of Land of Plenty from the MounuiiH not haying had Time to repair his Fault, coutd not pay the Bifcuit-Maker \ biit he dcUver*d him the Letter by which he h^d been comraiffionM to buy theni, and ipftx^ufted him of the Name and Habitation of the Mdtotier at Paris. The Bifcuifr-Makerdeparts for that City, addreffes himfelf dlreftly to the Parti- fan% and demands the Payment of his Bifcyits. The Financier fets him at De-*^ fiance^ aiid even cails him a Rogue. What does tlie Dealer? He proves the fending of the Box addreffed to the Par- tifan^ and its being received in his Name. In fine, he makes fo many Enquiries, that h^ dUcovcrs the very Shop where ten Piftoles were paid down to the MaU tosicr^s I^dy for the individual Bi£:uits. This wa$ the Rock upon which ftruck that Reputation of Generofity which the Financier had acquired, and the malici- ous World believed him an Accomplice in the Behaviour of his Wife. What wajii ftiU more vexatious for him was^ that inftead of payii^ the Dealer to avpid all Difturbance, he let himfelf be fu^rfor it, and gave ^l i'^/j an Amufe- mi E| vill f ment 1^ the Cbrvdlier de Beauchcne. 291 ment at his Expence ; for he could not appear in the Streets, without hearing the Bovs call after him Bifcuits of jibbt^ vilie. I ^^"t He bought at that Time f a Country Houfe near PariSy where he redded al- niofl: continually, with his Wife and his Daughter, as if they had been afraid to (hew themfelves in that City (ince the Hiftory of the^BUcuits. During his Ab- fence I was ch^ged with the Care of his Afiairs, and he had an entire Confidence in me. On my Side, being more fre* quently in a Fencing-School or the pub- lick Walks than in my Office, I was oblig- ed to lay the Burthen upon my Deputy Cletk y a Clerk, who indeed began to en- ter into fome of the Funftions of one, but without ceafing to ferve us at Table, and to exercife at Leifure Hours the Poft of a Footman, till another fhould come to relieve him. How many rich Finafh ders have made their firft Eflay in the fame manner! i "We went, my Companion and my- felf, every Saturday Evening into the O 3 Coun- • 1688. igz The Adventures of Country, and returned early on Monday Morning. We pafled all the Holidays thus, not to fet on the Pot in two Places without Neceffity. We were always well received, becaufe there was no Amufement nor Gaiety in the Houfe but when we were there. As they did not ftand upon Forms in the Country, the Chamber-Maid and the Footman- Clerk eat with us at the Mafter's Table. This by degrees rendered him lefs timid, or rather more enterprizing; another in his Place would have been fadsfied with the Cook, or at moft only raifed his Thoughts to the Chamber-Maid ; but he, more ambitious, formed a Defign of being the Favourite of the Daughter of his Mafter, and acquired a le^timate Right of enriching himfelf at the Ex- pence of the Publick, by being allied to the Blood of an opulent Maltotier. His Conqueft indeed would have been more glorious if he had had any Rivals to difpute it with, and that the Place he had endeavoured to attack had been more ftrongly fortified. The Financier and his Spoufe, incapable of any other Care than that of enriching themfelves^ the Chevalier dc Beauchene. 293 or clfe pcrfwaded that when a Woman will not guard herfelf, it would be in Vain, like Aerifius^ to be at the Expencc of a Tower of Br^s, left their Daughter a delpotick Power over her own Charms. *Tis true, flie had fo fmall a Share of tliem, that it feemed only neceffary for her to (hew herfelf, and her Perfbn mull have difgufted the moft eager Gallant. As to noe, I thought her fo redoubtable^ that I could only have a very barren Gratitude for a thoufand tender Kind- neiTes that fhe expreflcd for me. W hjn I was at the Expence of faying fome complaifanc Thing to her, which very feldom happen'd to me, I got away from her immediately, that Ihe might not perceive the Violence I had done my- felf in it. She made fo many ufelels Advances €0 pleafe me, that at length flie was rir- ^ of atfempting it ; and taking up with the ferviceaDle Clerk, who fhewed her his Paffion plainly by his Looks, fhe oppofed no Cloud to the Embraces of this new Ixion, Whilft he, lefs delicate than me, poffeffed in Tranquility tjie Favours I had difdained, Chance en- O 3 gaged 294 51&^ Adventurer of gaged me in an Advepture very proper to teach a Scholar in GaBantry the hrft Elements of Libertinifrji, I had contrived one Evening to dif- guife myfclf in a Sfanijh Drcfs to go to a Mafquerade. This Drefs ftiited ex- tremely weH to the Fineneft of my Shape, and I was fo perfwaded that I migl)t pafs for a very pretty FeHow, that 1 af- fcfted not to put on my Mafque till I was in the Bail-Room. As foon as I appeared there, fome Ladies began to make Advances tome, I reUTrn'dthenj^ and for a Novice in the WorkL I did not play my Part ill ; my firft Effay w^s a Mafter-pieee, I forced one of the moft fplendid Mafques in the Altembly tp facrifice to ^t Spanijh Idol. Thjs was a Lady dreffed like an Amazon^ and who had tbe Air of a Prince.fs ; Ihe fix- cd her Eyes upon me directly, apd as fhe paffed by me preffed my Hand. 1 judged that, but for fome Argus that accompanied her, flie would not per- haps hive ftopped there, and I refolved to follow her without Referve. She perceived it, and I thought I remarked that Ihc had an eager Defire to fpeak to ^ mc^ i the Chevalier deBeauchene. 295 me, and I was not miflaken. Whilft a Man who accompanied her was gone to fetch fome Oranges and Bifcuits, Ihe approached me haitily, and told me without any other Introdiiftion, that if I was difcreet and capable of an At- tachment, I need only tcii her my Name, and my Adrejfe^ which I did not fail to do with great Eagemefs. At the fame Time I would have, kifled her Hand, which (he held out out to me •, but ihe drew it back haftily, fearing, I pre.fume, that her jealous Guardian might fee that Aftion, and in a Moment iafter (he dif- appeared from the Ball-room^ t. It is impoflible to innagine with what Impatience, and with what Agitation 1 pailed the two following Days. I durft not go out for fear of not being at home at the Arrival of the Mercury of my Goddefs. I ftaid in my Office till it was Play-time. Then I went to the Play, or to the Opera, in hopes of meet- ing therfe with the Pcrfon that I fou^t for," as if I (hould know her again when I had only fcen her in a Mafque. I ex- amined all the Ladies who appeared in the Boxes, and I imagined fometimes O 4 that Ml ! ii «mn II!" il 296 The Ahentures of that amongft the MarchioneiTes, and the Putcheffcs, I had found out the Nymph who had feized upon my Heart. I hoped at leaft that by Ihewing myfelf upon the Stage I fhould make her re- mark me, and oblige her to deliver me from my Inquietude. However, not- withftanding the good Opinion I had of my own Merit, I could not help thinking fometimes that my Amazon, very different from that of Alexander^ perhaps only defigned to make a Ridi- cule of the Spaniard, by forcing him to figh for a Shadow. I had been fix Days in this violent Situation, when a good old Woman, as early a Rifer, though not fo beauti- Jiil, as the Goddefs Aurora^ had mc awakened to inform me that I mud fol- low her where (he had Orders to con- duft me. I defired the old Woman to give me Time to drefs myfelf, and when that was done, behold us bodi that Inftant in the Street. I would have aiked her fome Queftions relating to her Miftrefs : Say nothing to me, Monfieur, jaict flie, and fuffer me to go before you. I -obeyed, for fear of lofing, per- haps the Chevalier dt^^uchcnt. 297 haps by my Indifcrction, a (hining For- tune. By the Way, attentive to every Step of my Conduftrefs, every time that I faw her near a large Hotel, I imagined (he was going to enter there, and I was conftantly miftaken. She flopped before a Houfe, which not agree- ing with the Idea I had formed of my Amazon, did not appear to me proper to be her Refidence. I rather chofe to believe, that it was a Houfe hired to re- ceive me more fecretly. It was never - thelefs there that (he ufually inhabited, and the Magnificence that reigned with- in, foon made me forget the mean Ap- pearance it had without. I croffed through three or four Anti- rooms of an Apartment magnificently furniflied ; from whence I paffed into one where the Cloth was ftill layed, and a Confufion of Bottles and Glaffes made . me judge that the Night had been paf- fed at Table. From thence I was in- troduced into a Cabinet, where I en- tered trembling ; but my Embarrafs was fufRciently juftified by the Novelty of my afting the Part of a Favourite of the Lady*s. My Princefs judging, by O 5 my ^m mil t I 11 298 75&^ Aiventure^ of my timid and confufed Look, that I ftood in need of being taught to know the Worldy was To good as to be will- ing herfelf to take the Trouble of put- ting the finiftiing Stroke to my Educa- tion. At our parting we agreed upon, the Day when we fhould meet again^ and flic made me^ in foite of myfelf, accept of the firfl: Toy that flie laid her Hand upon, amongft a hundred that were upon her Toilette 5 it was a very handfome Gold SnufF-box. M . i ^'' 1 became generous in my Turn, I gave two Crowns to the old Woman who had conduced me thither -, and for my Money I learned from her, that her Miftrefs, to whom I had not dared to exprefi the lead Curiofity, had been an Aftrefs ; that after having fliined for fome Time upon the Stage, flie had retired, and very prudently fatisfied hcr^ felf with ruining a rich Dupe who load- ed her with Prefents ; that this Gallant had pafled the Night with her, with twQ of his Friends, and that they had been obliged to carry them all three from the Table to their Coaches. * '^'^ s. I wa& the Chevalier dc^BesMchene. zg^ 1 was obliged to fink a Iltrle from the high Ideas I had conceived of my Heroine. I might indeed, by the Nfan- ner only in which Ihe had (ketched out this Intrigue, have guefs*d righdy at her Condition -, but there are fo many "Women of Diftinftion, who outdo even thefe Princeflfes in a Debauch, that the Thing was very equivocal. If I loft on the Side of Honour, I was well made amends for it by the Pleafiire of being be- loved by a Woman extremely amiable, and in high vogue. Befides this, fhe fa- crificed to me an illuftrious Rival, a high and mighty Lord, with whom I was not a little proud of contrafling fuch ^ Conianguinity. The Day that we had chofe for our fecond Interview, paffed very agreeably. I returned to my Office with a Gold Repeanns Watch, which I again could not excyic myfelf from accepting. It was the fame in all the other Vifits that I made to this generous Coquet. She always forced me to receive fome Pre- fent from her, and among the reft a Ring> valued at a thoufand Crowns^ which 300 The Adventures of which ten or twelve Years after I gave my Wife as a Marriage Prefent. * In a Commerce of four or five Months, carried on in this Peru^ I en- creafed my Finances fo much, that I began to think I did my MaUotier a great deal of Honour in condefcending to ftay with him. Though almoft all his BuHnefs pafTed through my Hands, he could not fufpeft me of having en- riched myfelf in his Houfe, fince, pro- perly fpeaking, I had the Direftion of nothing but the Paper and the Ink-bot- tle ; it was however from this Houfe, I thought I could neither cxpeft good nor harm, that the Storm rofe which over- turned my riling Fortune, and like a Whirlwind tranfported me into a Fo- reign Land, as I am going to relate to you. The Intrigue of the officious Clerk, my Deputy Brother, with the Daughter of his Matter, though conducted very fccretly, became every Day more diffi- cult to be concealed, and you will eafily imagine why. The Shape of the dear Creature • 1689. the Chevalier de Beauchene. 301 Creature increafed vifibly. The Mother perceived it, and advertifed her Huf- band. They both held a Counfel there- upon, and Aiding one Night into the Chamber of their Daughter, whilft (he flept, they difcovered what they fought for. Poor, and miferable Calijio^ what a Confulion for thee to fee thy guilty Plumpnefs expofed, not to the Eyes of the fcrupulous Nymphs, but to thofc of an incenfed Father and a furious Mo- ther ! Upon the making this Difcovery, the Father raifed his Voice, and addrefled thefe Words to his Daughter in fo high a Tone, that I heard them diftinftly in my Chamber, which was only feparated from that where this Scene ps^ed by a fingle Partition. Wretch that thou art, wilt thou then ruin us entirely ? Was not the unhappy Affair oi Abbeville enough ? Muft we again have the Vexation of giving the World a frefh Occafion to laugh at our Expence ? Thefe Words were followed by a Shower of Blows, which the Mother poured upon the De- linquent, who finding herfelf wakened thus difagreeably, cried out moft dread- fully. Ji 302 ^e Adventures of fully. The Financier^ more pacifick than his Wife, prevented her from continu- ing to abufe her Daughter, and de- manded by whom fhe hadhad the Weak- ncfi to let herfelf be feduced. She he- fitated fomc time before Ihc anfwered, notwithftanding the Menaces they gave her if fhe did not fpeak •, but whether Jhe was afraid that the Meannefs of her Inclination would draw upon her the Chaftifement that they threacned, or that flie was not forry to have an Opportunity of revenging herfelf for the Contempt with which I had repaid a thoufand Ad- vances Oie had made me, and that fhe imagined they would oblige me to mar- ry hi?r, fhe had the Tnfolence to declare thar it was I who had triumphed ovier her Virtue. However aftonifhcd I was at the Im- pudence of this Accufation, I liftened very attentively to the Remainder of a Scene which began to be very interefl- ing to me. I did not lofc one Word of it. The Hufband and the Wife were very liberal to me in Epithets that Hiewed their Refentment. They were only cmbarralTcd as to what kind of Yen-' ;n- tbe Chevalier dcBQSiUoktnt. 303 Vengeance they fliould 6x upon : TJae Wite talked of nothing but knocking out my Br^ns, and cudgelling me to Peath ; but the MaUotier^ lefs hafty and more politicaj, was of Opinion, that to deliver themfclves from fuch a Mon^ fter as their Daughter, it was proper to force me to marry her, and then aban- don us both to our evil Deftiny. If he Eretends, added he, to make the leafi: Leiiftance to our Comman^ he ihall rot in a Dungeon. *' The Hopes that the Accufetrix h^, that I (hould prefer the PofleiHon of her, whatever Rea&ns I had to be dil^ fitisfied'^^th. it, before a perpetual Pri- fon, copfoled her for the filows that ffae had received. She told me the next Day, with an Air of Infblence, that it was by my own Fault that Ihe had been reduced to the vexatious Neceffity of employing a third Perfon to do me a Service in fpite of myfelf 5 that her Pa- rents would never have confented to marry us but for this happy Fault, which an Excels of Love for me had made her guilty of. This might be true, and yet iuch was my Ingratitude, that, withoMt think- i i 304 ^^ Adventures of thinking myfelf obliged to her for her Favours, I very unpolitely took the Li- berty of thrufting her by the Shoulders out of my Office, where fhe had the Affurance to come, and inform me of the Refolution her Father had taken to unite our Deftinies. The Moment after I had this Conver- fation with her, I faw the MaUotier ap- pear, who addreffed a long Difcourfe to me, which he had prepared to exag- gerate the Goodnefs of his giving up his Daughter to an Adventurer, inftead of putting him in the Hands of Juftice, to have him punifhed as a Summer of the Daughter of his Mafter. I anfwered him very coldly, that he was miftaken in me ; that if his Daughter haS made a falfe Step, I had not been the Occafion xf it ; that I thought her more proper to extinguifti any loofe Defires than to create them ; and, in a word, that not having been her Gallant, I would never be her Hufband. The difdainful Air 'Vi{!i which I pro- nounced thefe Words piqued the Malta- iier^ who, doing Violence to himfelf to conceal •r her leLi- ulders d the me of :en to onver- ier ap- fcourfe ) exag- ing up inftead Juftice, rner of ifwered liftaken made Iccafion proper than to Ihat not never I pro- Malto- ifelf to I conceal the Chevalier At Beauchene. 305 conceal the Fury that tranfported him, faid to me as he left me : My little Monfieur, make your Refleftions upon what has been faid, and don't force me to convince you that I have ftill Credit enough left to humble your Pride : I gaVe him an Anfwer, but he did not hear it, that my Refolution was already fixed, and that, very different from thofe idle Fellows who loved to find t;heirWork done to their Hands, I fhould make a Confcience of enjoy ing the Fruits of my Neighbour's Labour. The next Day the Financier afked me, what Was my Refolution upon that which he had propofed to me. I told him, that I could not take any other than that of defiring him to provide himfelf with a new Clerk, and to examine my Books. This then, replied he, is the Conclufion of your Refleftions. I am forry for you. As he finifhed thefe Words he quitted me to go ind employ his utmoft Power againft me, and to re- venge himfelf for a Refufal, the Juflicc of which he was not fenfible of. . .\ . i i 'J hi 366. Hie Atoenfum cf His Endeavours yerc ribt fniitlefs : l' was arrefted twb Days aiftcr in the Street by a Troap of Archers, who fcized upon me in a Moment. It was in vain to tcU' them I had no defign to ni^e the leaftRefiftahce, they fhopk and tofs*d me the more, as every Shake made fomething fall into their Hands, either my Snuff-box, my Watch, or my Mo- ney. iThey afterwards put me into a Hackney Coach, and conveyed me to die Chatdet. fiiefore I arrived tfiiere, I took notice that I had ftill my Rin^ up- on my Finger; happily for me my Guards had not perceived it j tp pre- ferve it from the Talons of thefe Birds df Prey, who arc licenfed Robbers, I contrived with my Teeth to loofen it out of the Collet, and I kept it in my Mouth. Doubtlcfs, what had determined the Maltotier to lodge me fo fpeedily in the Chatelet, was, that he had heard there was a targe Convoy to depart immedi- ately for Canada. In effect, I had not the Chagrin of laying upon Straw ; for that very Night 1 was taken out of Pri- A)ti to be tranfported to ^ebec^ with all . .J. Street feized 1 vain tndke tofsM made cither rMo- nto a ne to :re, t fe"p- 5 -my I pre- Birds :rs, I ren it n my A the nthe there nedi- 1 not } for Pri- with aU found thia wast eat 2* • ^'''" ^ V^agcfortheP°it"rX""sr the Officers who condufted us werf., -i for that Puroofe T hZu ^"f P«d commendedTo them I n^"" ^!" f'" ^hen inftead of i J/i"^?^^ ^''« Foot with a great Numh^ ^\^°.So on like myfejf w^~ If: uH°' ^'»°^e who - amo7gft'l'"p:,^: H--^to ^^^ I mean amonofl- thAk . ™'^^^"» Journey iHlJ^iJ,^ the^'"' ^''« me a PJace in a wSln {^'^"'"'^ redoubtabJe Archei^^^^edtSV^^ bines, occupied each End tTc^ ^"' m Awe. '' *"" '<^ept us * - the End of the THrp« n y *w rjRST Volume, U