Three Early Modern Utopias: Thomas More: Utopia / Francis Bacon: New Atlantis / Henry Neville: The Isle of Pines

by Thomas More

  As we drew near land, perceiving no safety in the ship, which we looked would suddenly be beat in pieces, the Captain, my master, and some others got into the long boat thinking by that means to save their lives, and presently after, all the seamen cast themselves overboard, thinking to save their lives by swimming. Only myself, my master’s daughter, the two maids, and the negro were left on board, for we could not swim; but those that left might as well have tarried with us, for we saw them, or most of them perish, ourselves now ready after to follow their fortune. But God was pleased to spare our lives, as it were by miracle, though to further sorrow. For when we came against the rocks, our ship having endured two or three blows against the rocks, being now broken and quite foundered in the waters, we having with much ado gotten ourselves on the bowspright, which being broken off, was driven by the waves into a small creek wherein fell a little river, which being encompassed by the rocks was sheltered from the wind, so that we had opportunity to land ourselves, (though almost drowned) in all four persons, beside the negro. When we were got upon the rock, we could perceive the miserable wreck to our great terror. I had in my pocket a little tinderbox, and steel, and flint to strike fire at any time upon occasion which served now to good purpose, for its being so close, preserved the tinder dry. With this, and with the help of some old rotten wood which we got together, we kindled a fire, and dried ourselves; which done, I left my female company, and went to see if I could find any of our ship’s company that were escaped. But [I] could hear of none, though I hooted, and made all the noise I could; neither could I perceive the footsteps of any living creature, save a few birds and other fowls.

  At length it drawing towards evening, I went back to my company, who were very much troubled for want of me. I being now all their stay in this lost condition, we were at first afraid that the wild people of the country might find us out, although we saw no footsteps of any, no not so much as a path, the woods round about being full of briars and brambles. We also stood in fear of wild beasts. Of such also we saw none, nor sign of any. But above all, and that we had greatest reason to fear, was to be starved to death for want of food. But God had otherwise provided for us, as you shall know hereafter. This done, we spent our time in getting some broken pieces of boards, and planks, and some of the sails and rigging on shore for shelter. I set up two or three poles, and drew two or three of the cords and lines from tree to tree, over which throwing some sailcloths and having gotten wood by us, and three or four sea-gowns which we had dried, we took up our lodging for that night together. The blackamore being less sensible than the rest, we made our sentry. We slept soundly that night, as having not slept in three or four nights before, (our fears of what happened preventing us), neither could our hard lodging, fear, and danger, hinder us, we were so overwatched.

  On the morrow, being well refreshed with sleep, the wind ceased, and the weather was very warm. We went down the rocks on the sands at low water, where we found great part of our lading, either on shore or floating near it. I, by the help of my company, dragged most of it on shore; what was too heavy for us [we] broke, and unbound the casks and chests, and, taking out the goods, secured all; for that we wanted no clothes, nor any other provisions necessary for housekeeping, to furnish a better house than any we were like to have; but no victuals (the salt water having spoiled all). Only one cask of biscuit (being lighter than the rest) was dry: this served for bread a while. And we found on land a sort of fowl about the bigness of a swan,* very heavy and fat, and by reason of their weight could not fly. Of these we found little difficulty to kill, so that was our present food. We carried out of England certain hens and cocks to eat by the way. Some of these when the ship was broken, by some means got to land, and bred exceedingly; so that in the future they were a great help unto us. We found also, by a little river, in the flags, store of eggs, of a sort of fowl much like our ducks, which were very good meat, so that we wanted nothing to keep us alive.

  On the morrow, which was the third day, as soon as it was morning, seeing nothing to disturb us, I looked out a convenient place to dwell in, that we might build us a hut to shelter us from the weather, and from any other danger of annoyance from wild beasts, if any should find us out. So, close by a large spring which rose out of a high hill overlooking the sea, on the side of a wood, having a prospect towards the sea, by the help of an axe and some other implements (for we had all necessaries, the working of the sea having cast up most of our goods) I cut down all the straightest poles I could find, and which were enough for my purpose. By the help of the company (necessity being our master) I digged holes in the earth, setting my poles at an equal distance, and nailing the broken boards of the casks, chests, and cabins, and such like to them, making my door to the seaward. And having covered the top, with sail-clothes strained and nailed, I in the space of week had made a large cabin big enough to hold all our goods and ourselves in it. I also placed our hammocks for lodging, purposing (if it pleased God to send any ship that way), we might be transported home. But it never came to pass, the place wherein we were (as I conceived), being much out of the way.

  We having lived in this manner four full months, and not so much as seeing or hearing of any wild people or of any of our company, more than ourselves (they being found now by experience to be all drowned), and the place as we after found, being a large island, and disjoined and out of sight of any other land, was wholly uninhabited by any people, neither was there any hurtful beast to annoy us. But on the contrary, the country so very pleasant, being always clothed in green, and full of pleasant fruits, and variety of birds, ever warm and never colder than in England in September. So that this place, had it the culture that skilful people might bestow on it, would prove a paradise.

  The woods afforded us a sort of nuts, as big as a large apple, whose kernel being pleasant and dry, we made use of instead of bread, the fowl before mentioned, and a sort of water-fowl like ducks, and their eggs, and a beast about the size of a goat, and almost such a like creature, which brought two young ones at a time, and that twice a year, of which the low lands and woods were very full, being a very harmless creature and tame, so that we could easily take and kill them. Fish also, especially shellfish, which we could best come by, we had great store of; so that in effect, as to food we wanted nothing. And thus, and by such like helps, we continued six months, without any disturbance or want.

  Idleness and a fullness of everything begot in me a desire for enjoying the women. Beginning now to grow more familiar, I had persuaded the two maids to let me lie with them, which I did at first in private; but after, custom taking away shame (there being none but us), we did it more openly, as our lusts gave us liberty. Afterwards my master’s daughter was content also to do as we did. The truth is, they were all handsome women, when they had clothes, and well shaped, feeding well. For we wanted no food, and living idly, and seeing us at liberty to do our wills, without hope of ever returning home made us thus bold. One of the first of my consorts, with whom I first accompanied, the tallest and handsomest, proved presently with child. The second was my master’s daughter. And the other also not long after fell into the same condition, none now remaining but my negro, who seeing what we did, longed also for her share. One night, I being asleep, my negro with the consent of the others got close to me, thinking it being dark to beguile me, but I awaking and feeling her, and perceiving who it was, yet willing to try the difference, satisfied myself with her, as well as with one of the rest. That night, although the first time, she proved also with child, so that in the year of our being there, all my women were with child by me; and they all coming at different seasons, were a great help to one another.

  The first brought me a brave boy. My master’s daughter was the youngest: she brought me a girl. So did the other maid, who, being somewhat fat, sped worse at her labour. The negro had no pain at all, brought me a fine white girl. So I had one boy and three girls. The women were soon well again, and the two first with child again before the two last wer
e brought to bed, my custom being not to lie with any of them after they were with child till others were so likewise; and not with the black at all after she was with child, which commonly was the first time I lay with her (which was in the night and not else; my stomach would not serve me,* although she was one of the handsomest blacks I had seen, and her children as comely as any of the rest). We had no clothes for them, and therefore when they had sucked, we laid them in moss to sleep, and took no further care of them; for we knew, when they were gone more would come; the women never failing once a year at least. And none of the children, for all the hardship we put them to, were ever sick; so that wanting now nothing but clothes, nor them much neither, other than for decency, the warmth of the country and custom supplying that defect, we were now well satisfied with our condition. Our family beginning to grow large, there being nothing to hurt us, we many times lay abroad on mossy banks, under the shelter of some trees, or such like, for having nothing else to do, I had made me several arbors to sleep in with my women in the heat of the day. In these I and my women passed the time away, they never being willing to be out of my company.

  And having now no thought of ever returning home as having resolved and sworn never to part or leave one another, or the place; having by my several wives forty-seven children, boys and girls, but most girls, and growing up apace; we were all of us very fleshy, the country so well agreeing with us, that we never ailed anything. My negro having had twelve, was the first that left bearing, so I never meddled with her more. My master’s daughter, by whom I had most children being the youngest and the handsomest, was most fond of me, and I of her. Thus we lived for sixteen years, till perceiving my eldest boy to mind the ordinary work of nature, by seeing what we did, I gave him a mate; and so I did to all the rest, as fast as they grew up, and were capable. My wives having left bearing, my children began to breed apace, so we were like to be a multitude. My first wife brought me thirteen children, my second seven, my master’s daughter fifteen, and the negro twelve, in all forty-seven.

  After we had lived there twenty-two years, my negro died suddenly, but I could not perceive anything that ailed her. Most of my children being grown, as fast as we married them I sent and placed them over the river by themselves severally, because we would not pester one another. And now, they being all grown up and gone, and married after our manner, except some two or three of the youngest, for, growing myself into years, I liked not the wanton annoyance of young company.

  Thus having lived to the sixtieth year of my age and the fortieth of my coming thither, at which time I sent for all of them to bring their children, and they were in number descended from me by these four women, of my children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren, five hundred and sixty of both sorts. I took off the males of one family, and married them to the females of another, not letting any to marry their sisters, as we did formerly out of necessity. So blessing God for his providence and goodness, I dismissed them. I having taught some of my children to read formerly, for I had left still the Bible, I charged it should be read once a month at a general meeting. At last one of my wives died, being sixty-eight years of age, which I buried in a place set out on purpose; and within a year after another; so I had none now left but my master’s daughter, and we lived together twelve years longer. At length she died also, so I buried her also next the place where I purposed to be buried myself, and the tall maid, my first wife, next me on the other side, the negro next without her, and the other maid next my master’s daughter. I had now nothing to mind, but the place whither I was to go, being very old, almost eighty years, I gave my cabin and furniture that was left, to my eldest son (after my decease), who had married my eldest daughter by my beloved wife; whom I made King and Governor of all the rest. I informed them of the manners of Europe, and charged them to remember the Christian religion, after the manner of them that spake the same language, and to admit no other, I hereafter any should come and find them out.

  And now, once for all, I summoned them to come to me, that I might number them. Which I did, and found the estimate to contain, in or about the eightieth year of my age, and fifty-ninth of my coming there, in all, of all sorts, one thousand seven hundred eighty and nine. Thus praying God to multiply them, and send them the true light of the gospel, I last of all dismissed them. For being now very old, and my sight decayed, I could not expect to live long. I gave this narration, written with my own hand, to my eldest son, who now lived with me, commanding him to keep it, and if any strangers should come thither by chance, to let them see it, and take copy of it if they would, that our name be not lost from off the earth. I gave this people, descended from me the name of the ‘English Pines’ (George Pine being my name, and my master’s daughter’s name Sarah English). My two other wives were Mary Sparkes, and Elizabeth Trevor. So their several descendants are called the ‘English’, the ‘Sparks’, the ‘Trevors’, and the ‘Phills’, from the Christian name of the negro, which was Philippa, she having no surname. And the general name of the whole the ‘English Pines’: whom God bless with the dew of heaven, and the fat of the earth. Amen.*

  After the reading and delivering unto us a copy of this Relation, then proceeded he on in his discourse.

  ‘My grandfather when he wrote this was, as you hear, eighty years of age, there proceeding from his loins one thousand seven hundred eighty nine children which he had by them four women aforesaid. My father was his eldest son, and was named “Henry”, begotten of his wife Mary Sparks, whom he appointed chief Governor and Ruler over the rest. And having given him a charge not to exercise tyranny over them, seeing they were his fellow brethren by [his] father’s side (of which there could be no doubt made of double dealing therein), exhorting him to use justice and sincerity amongst them, and not to let religion die with him, but to observe and keep those precepts which he had taught them, he quietly surrendered up his soul, and was buried with great lamentation of all his children.

  ‘My father coming to rule and the people growing more populous, made them to range further in the discovery of the country, which they found answerable to their desires, full both of fowl and beasts, and those not too hurtful to mankind, as if this country (on which we were by providence cast without arms or other weapons to defend ourselves or offend others), should by the same providence be so inhabited as not to have any need of such like weapons of destruction wherewith to preserve our lives.

  ‘But as it is impossible, but that in multitudes disorders will grow, the stronger seeking to oppress the weaker, no tie of religion being strong enough to chain up the depraved nature of mankind, even so amongst them mischief began to rise, and they soon fell from those good orders prescribed them by my grandfather. The source from whence those mischiefs spring, was at first, I conceive, the neglect of hearing the Bible read, which according to my grandfather’s prescription, was once a month at a general meeting, but now many of them wandering far up into the country, they quite neglected the coming to it, with all other means of Christian instruction, whereby the sense of sin being quite lost in them, they fell to whoredoms, incests, and adultery; so that what my grandfather was forced to do for necessity, they did for wantonness. Nay, not confining themselves within the bounds of any modesty, but brother and sister lay openly together; those who would not yield to their lewd embraces, were by force ravished, yea, many times endangered of their lives. To redress those enormities, my father assembled all the country near unto him, to whom he declared the wickedness of those their brethren; who with all one consent agreed that they should be severely punished. And so arming themselves with boughs, stones, and such like weapons, they marched against them, who having notice of their coming, and fearing their deserved punishment, some of them fled into woods, others passed over a great river which runneth through the heart of our country, hazarding drowning to escape punishment. But the greatest offender of them all was taken, whose name was John Phill, the second son of the Negro-woman that came with my grandfather into this island. He being
proved guilty of divers ravishings and tyrannies committed by him, was adjudged guilty of death, and accordingly was thrown down from a high rock into the sea, where he perished in the waters. Execution being done upon him, the rest were pardoned for what was passed, which being notified abroad, they returned from those desert and obscure places wherein they were hidden.

  ‘Now as seed being cast into stinking dung produceth good and wholesome corn for the sustentation of man’s life, so bad manners produceth good and wholesome laws for the preservation of humane society. Soon after my father with the advice of some few others of his counsel, ordained and set forth these laws to be observed by them.*

  1. That whosoever should blaspheme or talk irrelevantly of the name of God should be put to death.*

  2. That who should be absent from the monthly assembly to hear the Bible read, without sufficient cause shown to the contrary, should for the first default be kept without any victuals or drink for the space of four days, and if he offend therein again, then to suffer death.

  3. That who should force or ravish any maid or woman should be burnt to death, the party so ravished putting fire to the wood that should burn him.

  4. Whosoever shall commit adultery,* for the first crime the male shall lose his privities, and the woman have her right eye bored out; if after that she was taken again in the act, she should die without mercy.