refufed to behold fo many Charms in one Woman, trembling from internal Confcioufnefs, that his Chastity would not be Proof against fuch Attacks. Here we admire the Difcretion of the Conqueror, more than the Chastity of the Prince, tho' both are very remarkable and great.

Scipio, we are acquainted from Hiftory, made Xenophon on the Education of Cyrus, in which this Story is told, his chief Study, and fet him as the living Example of his Manners.

In the Story of the Spanish Princefs, whofe Beauty and Charms he gave back unviolated to her Lover, it was the Vanity of doing fomething more than Cyrus, which affifted him much in this generous Action; this Behaviour, however, heightened by the Circumftance of beholding the Object, is leffened alfo by the interfering of the Paffion of Pride, and in a great measure diminishes the Glory which is to be attributed to Chaftity.

THE laft Inftance to our immortal Honour, is a Native of this Island, a Circumstance which has been too much neglected in the Life of that illuftrious Hero who performed it; and notwithstanding which, we are bold to affert, gives him as much true Glory, tho' it did not give him as much Riches, as burning of Towns, or any Part of the Voyage.

BUT before we proceed to the Story, we cannot avoid fhewing how much this Hero was esteemed by this Nation, fince a Fleet of five Men of War, and three other Ships was fitted out at a great Expence by a Nation up to the Shoulders in Debt, (fince up to the Eyes) which had at that Time no other Profpect than that of enriching the Commander, and increafing the national Expence; an Honour and Profit not easily parallelled in antient or modern Story.

THIS Gentleman then in the Year which we shall decline mentioning, for the fame Reason which we did his Name, after having been withheld by Winds, Seas, and other Accidents, a whole Year from the Sight of a Woman, did take a young Lady, with her Mother, Sifter, and three Female Blackmoors, all Prifoners.

AND

AND here we observe, and muft obferve, how fuperior this Behaviour in the British Commander was to that of Cyrus the Perfian, and Scipio the Roman; who knows what either of the two last had been doing the Night before either of the Ladies happened to be taken Prifoners? their Appetites might be damp'd, at least a Female was no new Sight, they had each Numbers of Women to vifit and enjoy; whereas the British Hero had been withheld from the delicious Sight of Woman for a whole Year, and must be on Fire with Defire, and yet tho' he had now Variety of Females, white and black, Bondfwomen and Free, Maids, and Widows, he never violated his Chaftity, either with black or white, or indeed once beheld either of them, I tho' 'tis more than probable the old Lady would not have taken it amifs, and was disappointed as it paft.

AND here I know that a certain noble Lady, as much celebrated for Wit as Grace, would annihilate all his Merit, by afcribing his Behaviour to a Coldnefs of Conftitution in him, which the afferts he ftill preferves; but we beg Leave with all due Submiffion to differ from this noble Perfon in her Opinion, for tho' the Face of this Hero may indicate fomething of that Nature, yet let her remember Socrates was afferted to be very libidinously inclined by a Phyfiognomift, notwithstanding he looked to common Eyes fo different from it; and even in this Inftance we prefume, thefame Judgment would follow the Examination of a perfect Sagacity in the Science of Phyfiognomy.

We therefore pronounce, that this Behaviour arose from two the moft noble Motives that exalt the Heart of Man; a true Regard and attention to the Author of all Things, and a generous Behaviour to his Fellowcreatures, which carries a great Soul above all paultry Attachment to mere legal Juftice.

THE first of these two Attributes we boldly fay is undoubtedly to be allowed him, from that marvellous Modefty, and Spirit of Piety, with which all his Actions and Succefs are attributed to that Great Being which directs and governs all Things, in the Hiftory of his Voyage,

Voyage, written by his own Direction, and under his Infpection, by one who was not of the Company.

AND the fecond, to that generous Behaviour which he fhewed to the Officers, who, ftrictly speaking, were not of the Ship, when the Prize was taken. and to whom, notwithstanding this, and that his Share was but little more than half a Million Sterling, he generously waved the Law, which was in his Favour, and gave them the full Share of all they were intitled to, as common Men.

THUS then, all things being stated, we prefume that Chastity was a Male Virtue, till Mifs Lydia Fairchild had reclaimed that Honour to her Sex, and that the Proof of it is fairly infer'd from a Comparison of thefe fix recited Stories, and at last ends, to our immortal Honour, in a British Commander.

AND here we cannot avoid obferving, that it may poffibly be faid by Foreigners, that we have gone out of our way, to lug in this Story to the Honour of Captains of English Men of War, and our Country; but Juftice is our Motto, Honour to whom Honour is due, our Country above all Things; and with that Refolution we conclude this Chapter.

CHA P. XXIV.

Macvalor, the Parfon, and Lieutenant Probit, differ from Macpherson in Opinion, with Refpect to their Bebaviour to the Captain. A very fubtle Debate on the Nature of a Rape, which ends with a gentle Rebuke to the Scotch Nation.

E now return to Affairs on board the ***

WE

the Honourable Captain Charles Bounce, Commander. Macvalor, it feems, with Probit, the Chaplain and other Officers, were determined to impeach the Captain with Cowardice, as foon as he got home; and all agreed that his Behaviour was infamous.

SURGEON Macpherson, who was accustomed to a certain, Caft of thinking, peculiar to the North, did

not.

not behold Things in the fame Light with thefe Gentlemen: It seems Macvalor and the rest of his Party, only confidered the Right and Wrong in the Captain's Behaviour, as it really exifted in Fact, without Reference to themselves, or his great Intereft; and Macpherson furveyed the Affair, only as it might influence him.

THE Surgeon therefore knowing that Earl Braggard had feveral Boroughs under his Command, concluded that the Honourable Charles Bounce would furely be difcharged with Honour, if he was try'd by a CourtMartial; and that Macvalor, and the reft, would certainly be discarded, for attempting to impeach his Behaviour; on this he formed his Conduct.

THIS however he kept to himself, because he faw no Scotchman to whom it would be ferviceable; and defended the Captain and Mrs. Rachael in all his Converfation.

Miss Lydia then, not chufing to fit in Company with the Captain, Macvalor gave her his Cabin; and he, Probit and Cannassatego, were no longer Favourites of the Captain; Parfon Pugh, from the old Custom of being of both Sides with the Juftice and Excifeman, was looked upon a little more favourably by him: The great Cabin and Captain's Company, were chiefly given to Mrs. Rachael and the Surgeon.

ONE Day however, Macpherson who was not fo vehemently attached to the Captain, but that he fometimes fat with the other Company, declared, he did not fee how this Affair could be pofitively decided against the Captain; the Indian Chief was then walking upon Deck. Are ye certain, Mefs,' fays Macpherfon to Mifs Fairchild, that it was the Captain who was i' the Bed with you; as I fhall answer Mrs. Rachael, who's a very godly Body, foolemnly declares, it was the Indian who offered the Infult; now, as Į 'fhall anfwer, there feems to be mare Likelihood that a Pagan would be guelty of a Theng the like o' that, than a Chreftian; and the De'el fi my Wemb fu o' fma' Stanes, but Mrs. Rachael and I believe the fame Theng.'

• SIR,

SIR,' fays Mifs Lydia, will you and Mrs. Rachael perfuade me, that the Man who offered to ftop my Breath, who spoke to me during that Time, was not that defpicable Creature the Captain. Sir, permit me to fay, you flander the beft of Creatures, the Indian Chief who refcued me from Violation, Pray, fay no more in Defence of what no Words can palliate; I am convinced of Mrs. Rachael's Perfidy, and have no good Opinion of those who • defend her.'

NAY, Mefs,' fays Macpherson, I did na ken that 'what I ooffer'd would be taken as an Offence; I fhall fay na mare o'that.'

AT this Time in came Parfon Pugh, who was by no means a Friend of Macpherson's; he had over-heard the Difcourfe, and then cried, O fy for fhame, fy

for fhame, Toctor, look you; what, whas the Tefil in you, to tifcourfe in Tefence of a Rape? By Cot, it whas a Rape, I to tell you that; and there was creat Laws for a Rape, look you, ant hur whill proof it to her Face inteed.'

MATTERS, therefore, feeming to incline to Altercation on a Subject fhe did not chufe to hear, Mifs Lydia defired that he might walk on Deck to talk with the Indian Chief, Mac Valor at that Time coming into the Cabin.

Now, tho' Macpherson was determined to take the Captain's Side in this Affair, there was yet another Motive, to which fome Part of the prefent Vehemence might be attributed; he had not forgot the Preference which was given to the Parfon in telling their Stories; and Parfon Pugh had never been cordially united with the Surgeon, because he did not testify the leaft Approbation of the Story which he told.

Miss Lydia being gone, and Lieutenant Mac Valor added to the Company, the Difpute was to be decided by him, whether it was a Rape or not, which the Captain had committed on Mifs Lydia.

Now, faith,' fays Parfon Pugh to the Doctor, hur whill whage you a Powl of Punch, you tid not know what the Whord Rape tid ficnify, look you,

• there