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

by Thomas More

  5. That who so injured his neighbour by laming of his limbs* or taking any thing away which he possesseth,* shall suffer in the same kind himself by loss of limb; and for defrauding his neighbour, to become servant to him, whilst he had made him double satisfaction.

  6. That who should defame or speak evil of the Governor* or refuse to come before him on a summons, should receive a punishment by whipping with rods, and afterward be exploded from the society of the rest of the inhabitants.

  ‘Having set forth these laws, he chose four several persons under him to see them put in execution, whereof one was of the Englishes, the offspring of Sarah English; another of his own tribe, the Sparks; a third of the Trevors, and a fourth of the Phills; appointing them every year at a certain time to appear before him, and give an account of what they had done in the prosecution of those laws.

  ‘The country being thus settled, my father lived quiet and peaceable till he attained to the age of ninety and four years, when dying. I succeeded in his place, in which I have continued peaceably and quietly till this very present time.’

  He having ended his speech, we gave him very heartily thanks for our information, assuring him we should not be wanting to him in any thing which lay in our powers, wherewith we could pleasure him in what he should desire, and thereupon proffered to depart, but before our going away, he would needs engage us to see him the next day, which was to be their great assembly or monthly meeting for the celebration of their religious exercises.

  Accordingly the next day we came thither again, and were courteously entertained as before. In a short space there was gathered such a multitude of people together as made us to admire; and first there were several weddings celebrated, the manner whereof was thus. The bridegroom and bride appeared before him who was their priest or reader of the Bible, together with the parents of each party, or if any of their parents were dead, then the next relation unto them, without whose content as well as the parties to be married, the priest will not join them together. But being satisfied in those particulars, after some short orisons, and joining of hands together, he pronounces them to be man and wife. And with exhortations to them to live lovingly towards each other, and quietly towards their neighbours, he concludes with some prayers and so dismisses them.

  The weddings being finished, all the people took their places to hear the Word read, the new married persons having the honour to be next unto the priest that day. After he had read three of four chapters he fell to expounding the most difficult places therein, the people being very attentive all that while. This exercise continued for two or three hours, which being done, with some few prayers he concluded, but all the rest of that day was by the people kept very strictly, abstaining from all manner of playing or pastimes, with which on other days they use to pass their time away, as having need of nothing but victuals, and that they have in such plenty as almost provided to their hands.

  Their exercises of religion being over, we returned again to our ship, and the next day, taking with us two or three fowling pieces, leaving half of our company to guard the ship, the rest of us resolved to go higher into the country for a further discovery. All the way as we passed the first morning, we saw abundance of little cabins or huts of these inhabitants, made under trees, and fashioned up with boughs, grass, and such like stuff to defend them from the sun and the rain. And as we went along, they came out of them much wondering at our attire, and standing aloof off from us as if they were afraid. But our companion that spake English calling to them in their own tongue, and giving them good words, they drew nigher, some of them freely proffering to go along with us, which we willingly accepted. But having passed some few miles, one of our party espying a beast like unto a goat come gazing on him, he discharged his piece, sending a brace of bullets into his belly, which brought him dead upon the ground. These poor naked unarmed people, hearing the noise of the piece and seeing the beast lie tumbling in his gore, without speaking any words betook them to their heels, running back again as fast as they could drive. Nor could the persuasions of our company, assuring them they should have no hurt, prevail anything at all with them, so that we were forced to pass along without their company. All the way that we went we heard the delightful harmony of singing birds, the ground very fertile in trees, grass and such flowers as grow by the production of nature without the help of art. Many and several sorts of beasts we saw, who were not so much wild as in other countries: whether it were as having enough to satiate themselves without ravening upon others, or that they never before saw the sight of man, nor heard the report of murdering guns, I leave it to others to determine. Some trees bearing wild fruits we also saw, and of those some whereof we tasted, which were neither unwholesome nor distasteful to the palate. And no question, had but nature [had] the benefit of art added unto it, it would equal, if not exceed, many of our European countries: the valleys were everywhere intermixed with running streams, and no question but the earth hath in it rich veins of minerals, enough to satisfy the desires of the most covetous.

  It was very strange to us to see that in such fertile country, which was as yet never inhabited, there should be notwithstanding such a free and clear passage to us, without the hindrance of bushes, thorns and such like stuff, wherewith most islands of the like nature are pestered, the length of the grass (which yet was very much intermixed with flowers) being the only impediment that we found.

  Six days together did we thus travel, setting several marks in our ways as we went for our better return, not knowing whether we should have the benefit of the stars for our guidance in our going back, which we made use of in our passage. At last we came to the vast ocean on the other side to the island, and by our coasting it, conceive it to be of an oval form, only here and there shooting forth with some promontories. I conceive it hath but few good harbours belonging to it, the rocks in most places making it inaccessible. The length of it may be about two hundred, and the breadth one hundred, miles; the whole in circumference above five hundred miles.

  It lieth about seventy-six degrees of longitude and twenty of latitude, being situate under the third climate,* the longest day being about thirteen hours and forty-five minutes. The weather, as in all Southern countries, is far more hot than with us in Europe, but what is by the sun parched in the day, the night refreshes again with cool pearly dews. The air is found to be very healthful by the long lives of the present inhabitants, few dying there till such time as they come to good years of maturity, many of them arriving to the extremity of old age.

  And now speaking concerning the length of their lives, I think it will not be amiss in this place to speak something of their burials, which they used to do thus. When the party was dead, they stuck his carcass all over with flowers, and after carried him to the place appointed for burial, where, setting him down (the priest having given some godly exhortations concerning the frailty of life), then do they take stones (a heap being provided there for that purpose) and the nearest of the kin begins to lay the first stone upon him. Afterwards the rest follows, they never leaving till they have covered the body deep in stones, so that no beast can possibly come to him. And this shift were they forced to make, having no spades or shovels wherewith to dig them graves; which want of theirs we espying, bestowed a pick-axe and two shovels upon them.

  Here might I add their way of christening children, but that being little different from yours in England, and taught to them by George Pines at first, which they have since continued, I shall therefore forebear to speak thereof.

  After our return back from the discovery of the country, the wind not being fit for our purpose, and our men also willing thereto, we got all our cutting instruments on land, and fell to hewing down of trees with which, in a little time (many hands making light work) we built up a palace for this William Pines the Lord of that country, which though much inferior to the houses of your gentry in England, yet to them (which never had seen better), it appeared a very lordly place. This deed of ours was beyond expression a
cceptable unto him, loading us with thanks for so great a benefit, of which he said he should never be able to make a requital.

  And now acquainting him that upon the first opportunity we were resolved to leave the island, as also how that we were near neighbours to the country of England from whence his ancestors came, he seemed upon the news to be much discontented that we would leave him, desiring, if it might stand with our commodity, to continue still with him. But seeing he could not prevail, he invited us to dine with him the next day, which we promised to do, against which time he provided, very sumptuously (according to his estate) for us. And now was he attended after a more royal manner than ever we saw him before, both for a number of servants and multiplicity of meat, on which we fed very heartily. But he having no other beverage for us to drink than water, we fetched from our ship a case of brandy, presenting some of it to him to drink, but when he had tasted of it he would by no means be persuaded to touch thereof again, preferring (as he said) his own country water before all such liquors whatsoever. After we had dined, we were invited out into the fields to behold their country dancing, which they did with great agility of body, and though they had no other then only vocal music (several of them singing all that while) yet did they trip it very neatly, giving sufficient satisfaction to all that beheld them.

  The next day we invited the Prince William Pines aboard our ship, where there was nothing wanting in what we could to entertain him. He had about a dozen of servants to attend on him; he much admired at the tacklings of our ship; but when we came to discharge a piece or two of ordnance, it struck him into a wonder and amazement to behold the strange effects of powder. He was very sparing in his diet, neither could he or any of his followers be induced to drink anything but water. We there presented him with several things (as much as we could spare,) which we thought would any ways conduce to their benefit, all which he very gratefully received, assuring us of his real love and goodwill whensoever we should come thither again.

  And now we intended the next day to take our leaves, the wind standing fair, blowing with a gentle gale south and by east. But as we were hoisting of our sails and weighing anchor, we were suddenly alarmed with a noise from the shore; the prince, W. Pines, imploring our assistance in an insurrection which had happened amongst them, of which this was the cause. Henry Phill, the chief ruler of the tribe or family of the Phills, being the off spring of George Pines which he had by the negro-woman; this man had ravished the wife of one of the principal of the family of the Trevors, which act being made known, the Trevors assembled themselves altogether to bring the offender unto justice. But he, knowing his crime to be so great as extended to the loss of life, fought to defend that by force which he had as unlawfully committed, whereupon the whole island was in a great hurly-burly, they being two great potent factions, the bandying of which against each other threatened a general ruin to the whole state.

  The governor William Pine had interposed in the matter, but found his authority too weak to repress such disorders; for where the hedge of government is once broken down, the most vile bear the greatest rule. Whereupon he desired our assistance, to which we readily condescended, and arming out twelve of us, went on shore, rather as to a surprise than fight, for what could nakedness do to encounter with arms? Being conducted by him to the force of our enemy, we first entered into parley, seeking to gain them rather by fair means than force. But that not prevailing, we were necessitated to use violence, for this Henry Phill being of an undaunted resolution, and having armed his fellows with clubs and stones, they sent such a peal amongst us, as made us at the first to give back, which encouraged them to follow us on with great violence. But we discharging off three or four guns, when they saw some of themselves wounded, and heard the terrible reports which they gave, they ran away with greater speed than they came. The band of the Trevors (who were joined with us), hotly pursued them, and having taken their captain returned with great triumph to their Governor, who sitting in judgement upon him, he was adjudged to death and thrown off a steep rock into the sea, the only way they have of punishing any by death, except burning.

  And now at least we took our solemn leaves of the Governor and departed from thence, having been there in all, the space of three weeks and two days. We took with us good store of the flesh of a beast which they call there ‘reval’,* being in taste different either from beef or swine’s flesh, yet very delightful to the palate, and exceeding nutrimental. We took also with us alive divers fowl which they call ‘marde’,* about the bigness of a pullet, and yet not different in taste. They are very swift of flight, and yet so fearless of danger that they will stand still till such time as you catch them. We had also sent us in by the governor about two bushels of eggs, which as I conjecture were the mardes’ eggs, very luscious in taste, and strengthening to the body.

  June 8. We had a sight of Cambaia, a part of the East Indies, but under the government of the great Cham of Tartary;* here our vessel springing a leak we were forced to put to shore, receiving much damage in some of our commodities. We were forced to ply the pump for eighteen hours together, which, had that miscarried, we had inevitably had perished. Here we stayed five days mending our ship and drying some of our goods, and then hoisting sail, in four days’ time more we came to Calicut.*

  This Calicut is the chief mart town and staple of all the Indian traffic. It is very populous and frequented by merchants of all nations. Here we unloaded a great part of our goods, and taking in others, which caused us to stay there a full month, during which space at leisure times I went abroad to take a survey of the city, which I found to be large and populous, lying for three miles together upon the sea-shore. Here is a great many of those persons whom they call Brachmans,* being their priests or teachers whom they much reverence. It is a custom here for the King to give to some of those Brachmain, the handling of his Nuptial Bed, for which cause, not the Kings, but the King’s sisters’ sons succeed in the Kingdom,* as being more certainly known to be of the true Royal blood. And these sisters of his choose what Gentleman they please on whom to bestow their Virginities: and if they prove not in a certain time to be with child, they betake themselves to these Brachman Stallions, who never fail of doing their work.

  The people are indifferently civil and ingenious. Both men and women imitate a majesty in their train and apparel (which they sweeten with oils and perfumes), adorning themselves with jewels and other ornaments befitting each rank and quality of them.

  They have many odd customs amongst them which they observe very strictly; as first, not knowing their wives after they have born them two children; secondly, not accompanying them, if after five years’ cohabitation they can raise no issue by them, but taking others in their rooms; thirdly, never being rewarded for any military exploit, unless they bring with them an enemy’s head in their hand, but that which is strangest, and indeed most barbarous, is that when any of their friends falls sick, they will rather choose to kill him than that he should be withered by sickness. Thus you see there is little employment there for doctors, when to be sick, is the next way for to be slain, or perhaps the people may be of the mind rather to kill themselves, then to let the doctors do it.

  Having dispatched our business, and freighted again our ship, we left Calicut and put forth to sea, and coasted along several of the islands belonging to India. At Camboia I met with our old friend Mr David Prire, who was overjoyed to see me, to whom I related our discovery of the Island of Pines, in the same manner as I have related it to you. He was then but newly recovered of a fever, the air of that place not being agreeable to him. Here we took in good store of aloes, and some other commodities, and victualled our ship for our return home.

  After four days sailing we met with two Portugal ships which came from Lisbon, one whereof had in a storm lost its top-mast, and was forced in part to be towed by the other. We had no bad weather in eleven day’s space, but then a sudden storm of wind did us much harm in our tacklings, and swept away one of our sailors off from the
forecastle. November the sixth had like to have been a fatal day unto us, our ship striking twice upon a rock, and at night was in danger of being fired by the negligence of a boy leaving a candle carelessly in the gunroom. The next day we were chased by a pirate of Argiere,* but by the swiftness of our sails we outran him. December the first we came again to Madagascar, where we put in for a fresh recruit of victuals and water.

  During our abode here, there happened a very great earthquake, which tumbled down many houses. The people of themselves are very unhospitable and treacherous, hardly to be drawn to traffic with any people; and now, this calamity happening upon them, so enraged them against the Christians (imputing all such calamities to the cause of them), that they fell upon some Portugals and wounded them, and we, seeing their mischievous actions, with all the speed we could put forth to sea again and sailed to the Island of St Helens.

  Here we stayed all the Christmas Holy-days, which was very much celebrated by the Governor there under the King of Spain. Here we furnished ourselves with all necessaries which we wanted; but upon our departure, our old acquaintance Mr Petrus Ramazina, coming in a skiff out of the Isle del Principe, or the Prince’s Island, retarded our going for the space of two days, for both my self and our purser had emergent business with him, he being concerned in those affairs of which I wrote to you in April last. Indeed, we cannot but acknowledge his courtesies unto us, of which you know he is never sparing.

  January the first, we again hoisted sail, having a fair and prosperous gale of wind, we touched at the Canaries, but made no tarriance, desirous now to see our native country. But the Winds was very cross unto us for the space of a week. At last we were favoured with a gentle gale, which brought us on merrily, though we were on a sudden stricken again into a dump: a sailor from the main mast discovering five ships, which put us all in a great fear, we being richly laden, and not very well provided for defence. But they bearing up to us, we found them to be Zealanders and our friends. After many other passages concerning us, not so much worthy of note, we at last safely arrived at home, May 26, 1668.