The Blazing World · The Second Part of the Description of the New Blazing-World (1/4)

The Second Part of the Description of the New Blazing-World

The Empress having now ordered and settled her government to the best advantage and quiet of her Blazing-World, lived and reigned most happily and blessedly, and received oftentimes visits from the immaterial spirits, who gave her intelligence of all such things as she desired to know, and they were able to inform her of: One time they told her, how the world she came from, was embroiled in a great war, and that most parts or nations thereof made war against that kingdom which was her native country, where all her friends and relations did live; at which the Empress was extremely troubled; insomuch that the Emperor perceived her grief by her tears, and examining the cause thereof, she told him that she had received intelligence from the spirits, that that part of the world she came from, which was her native country, was like to be destroyed by numerous enemies that made war against it. The Emperor being very sensible of this ill news, especially of the trouble it caused to the Empress, endeavoured to comfort her as much as possibly he could; and told her, that she might have all the assistance which the Blazing-World was able to afford. She answered, that if there were any possibility of transporting forces out of the Blazing-World, into the world she came from, she would not fear so much the ruin thereof: but, said she, there being no probability of effecting any such thing, I know not how to show my readiness to serve my native country. The Emperor asked, whether those spirits that gave her intelligence of this war, could not with all their power and forces, assist her against those enemies? She answered, that spirits could not arm themselves, nor make any use of artificial arms or weapons; for their vehicles were natural bodies, not artificial: Besides, said she, the violent and strong actions of war, will never agree with immaterial spirits; for immaterial spirits cannot fight, nor make trenches, fortifications, and the like. But, said the Emperor, their vehicles can; especially if those vehicles be men’s bodies, they may be serviceable in all the actions of war. Alas, replied the Empress, that will never do; for first, said she, it will be difficult to get so many dead bodies for their vehicles, as to make up a whole army, much more to make many armies to fight with so many several nations; nay, if this could be, yet it is not possible to get so many dead and undissolved bodies in one nation; and for transporting them out of other nations, it would be a thing of great difficulty and improbability: But put the case, said she, all these difficulties could be overcome; yet there is one obstruction or hindrance which can no ways be avoided: For although those dead and undissolved bodies did all die in one minute of time; yet before they could rendezvous, and be put into a posture of war, to make a great and formidable army, they would stink and dissolve; and when they came to a fight, they would moulder into dust and ashes, and so leave the purer immaterial spirits naked: nay, were it also possible, that those dead bodies could be preserved from stinking and dissolving, yet the souls of such bodies would not suffer immaterial spirits to rule and order them, but they would enter and govern them themselves, as being the right owners thereof, which would produce a war between those immaterial souls, and the immaterial spirits in material bodies; all which would hinder them from doing any service in the actions of war, against the enemies of my native country. You speak reason, said the Emperor, and I wish with all my soul I could advise any manner or way, that you might be able to assist it; but you having told me of your dear platonic friend the Duchess of Newcastle, and of her good and profitable counsels, I would desire you to send for her soul, and confer with her about this business.

The Empress was very glad of this motion of the Emperor, and immediately sent for the soul of the said Duchess, which in a minute waited on her Majesty. Then the Empress declared to her the grievance and sadness of her mind, and how much she was troubled and afflicted at the news brought her by the immaterial spirits, desiring the Duchess, if possible, to assist her with the best counsels she could, that she might show the greatness of her love and affection which she bore to her native country. Whereupon the Duchess promised her Majesty to do what lay in her power; and since it was a business of great importance, she desired some time to consider of it; for, said she, great affairs require deep considerations; which the Empress willingly allowed her. And after the Duchess had considered some little time, she desired the Empress to send some of her Syrens or Mear-men, to see what passages they could find out of the Blazing-World, into the world she came from; for, said she, if there be a passage for a ship to come out of that world into this; then certainly there may also a ship pass through the same passage out of this world into that. Hereupon the Mear- or Fish-men were sent out; who being many in number, employed all their industry, and did swim several ways; at last having found out the passage, they returned to the Empress, and told her, that as their Blazing-World had but one Emperor, one government, one religion, and one language, so there was but one passage into that world, which was so little, that no vessel bigger than a packet-boat could go through; neither was that passage always open, but sometimes quite frozen up. At which relation both the Empress and Duchess seemed somewhat troubled, fearing that this would perhaps be an hindrance or obstruction to their design.

At last the Duchess desired the Empress to send for her shipwrights, and all her architects, which were Giants; who being called, the Duchess told them how some in her own world had been so ingenious, as to contrive ships that could swim underwater, and asked, whether they could do the like? The Giants answered, they had never heard of that invention; nevertheless, they would try what might be done by art, and spare no labour or industry to find it out. In the meantime, while both the Empress and Duchess were in a serious counsel, after many debates, the Duchess desired but a few ships to transport some of the Bird-, Worm- and Bear-men: Alas! said the Empress, What can such sorts of men do in the other world? especially so few? They will be soon destroyed, for a musket will destroy numbers of birds at one shot. The Duchess said, I desire your Majesty will have but a little patience, and rely upon my advice, and you shall not fail to save your own native country, and in a manner become mistress of all that world you came from. The Empress, who loved the Duchess as her own soul, did so; the Giants returned soon after, and told her Majesty, that they had found out the art which the Duchess had mentioned, to make such ships as could swim underwater; which the Empress and Duchess were both very glad at, and when the ships were made ready, the Duchess told the Empress, that it was requisite that her Majesty should go herself in body, as well as in soul; but I, said she, can only wait on your Majesty after a spiritual manner, that is, with my soul. Your soul, said the Empress, shall live with my soul, in my body; for I shall only desire your counsel and advice. Then said the Duchess, your Majesty must command a great number of your Fish-men to wait on your ships; for you know that your ships are not made for cannons, and therefore are no ways serviceable in war; for though by the help of your engines, they can drive on, and your Fish-men may by the help of chains or ropes, draw them which way they will, to make them go on, or fly back, yet not so as to fight: And though your ships be of gold, and cannot be shot through, but only bruised and battered; yet the enemy will assault and enter them, and take them as prizes; wherefore your Fish-men must do you service instead of cannons. But how, said the Empress, can the Fish-men do me service against an enemy, without cannons and all sorts of arms? That is the reason, answered the Duchess, that I would have numbers of Fish-men, for they shall destroy all your enemy’s ships, before they can come near you. The Empress asked in what manner that could be? Thus, answered the Duchess: Your Majesty must send a number of Worm-men to the burning-mountains (for you have good store of them in the Blazing-World) which must get a great quantity of the fire-stone, whose property, you know, is, that it burns so long as it is wet; and the ships in the other world being all made of wood, they may by that means set them all on fire; and if you can but destroy their ships, and hinder their navigation, you will be mistress of all that world, by reason most parts thereof cannot live without navigation. Besides, said she, the fire-stone will serve you instead of light or torches; for you know, that the world you are going into, is dark at nights (especially if there be no moonshine, or if the moon be overshadowed by clouds) and not so full of blazing-stars as this world is, which make as great a light in the absence of the sun, as the sun doth when it is present; for that world hath but little blinking stars, which make more shadows than light, and are only able to draw up vapours from the earth, but not to rarify or clarify them, or to convert them into serene air.

This advice of the Duchess was very much approved, and joyfully embraced by the Empress, who forthwith sent her Worm-men to get a good quantity of the mentioned fire-stone. She also commanded numbers of Fish-men to wait on her underwater, and Bird-men to wait on her in the air; and Bear- and Worm-men to wait on her in ships, according to the Duchess’s advice; and indeed the Bear-men were as serviceable to her, as the North Star; but the Bird-men would often rest themselves upon the deck of the ships; neither would the Empress, being of a sweet and noble nature, suffer that they should tire or weary themselves by long flights; for though by land they did often fly out of one country into another, yet they did rest in some woods, or on some grounds, especially at night, when it was their sleeping time: And therefore the Empress was forced to take a great many ships along with her, both for transporting those several sorts of her loyal and serviceable subjects, and to carry provisions for them: Besides, she was so wearied with the petitions of several others of her subjects who desired to wait on her Majesty, that she could not possibly deny them all; for some would rather choose to be drowned, than not tender their duty to her.

Thus after all things were made fit and ready, the Empress began her journey; I cannot properly say, she set sail, by reason in some part, as in the passage between the two worlds (which yet was but short) the ships were drawn underwater by the Fish-men with golden chains, so that they had no need of sails there, nor of any other arts, but only to keep out water from entering into the ships, and to give or make so much air as would serve, for breath or respiration, those land-animals that were in the ships; which the Giants had so artificially contrived, that they which were therein, found no inconveniency at all: And after they had passed the Icy Sea, the golden ships appeared above water, and so went on until they came near the kingdom that was the Empress’s native country; where the Bear-men through their telescopes discovered a great number of ships which had beset all that kingdom, well rigged and manned.

The Empress before she came in sight of the enemy, sent some of her Fish- and Bird-men to bring her intelligence of their fleet; and hearing of their number, their station and posture, she gave order that when it was night, her Bird-men should carry in their beaks some of the mentioned fire-stones, with the tops thereof wetted; and the Fish-men should carry them likewise, and hold them out of the water; for they were cut in the form of torches or candles, and being many thousands, made a terrible show; for it appeared as if all the air and sea had been of a flaming-fire; and all that were upon the sea, or near it, did verily believe, the time of Judgment, or the Last Day was come, which made them all fall down, and pray.

At the break of day, the Empress commanded those lights to be put out, and then the naval forces of the enemy perceived nothing but a number of ships without sails, guns, arms, and other instruments of war; which ships seemed to swim of themselves, without any help or assistance: which sight put them into a great amaze; neither could they perceive that those ships were of gold, by reason the Empress had caused them all to be coloured black, or with a dark colour; so that the natural colour of the gold could not be perceived through the artificial colour of the paint, no not by the best telescopes. All which put the enemy’s fleet into such a fright at night, and to such wonder in the morning, or at daytime, that they know not what to judge or make of them; for they know neither what ships they were, nor what party they belonged to, insomuch that they had no power to stir.

In the meanwhile, the Empress knowing the colours of her own country, sent a letter to their general, and the rest of the chief commanders, to let them know, that she was a great and powerful princess, and came to assist them against their enemies; wherefore she desired they should declare themselves, when they would have her help and assistance.

Hereupon a council was called, and the business debated; but there were so many cross and different opinions, that they could not suddenly resolve what answer to send the Empress; at which she grew angry, insomuch that she resolved to return into her Blazing-World, without giving any assistance to her countrymen: but the Duchess of Newcastle entreated her Majesty to abate her passion; for, said she, great councils are most commonly slow, because many men have many several opinions: besides, every councillor striving to be the wisest, makes long speeches, and raise many doubts, which cause retardments. If I had long-speeched councillors, replied the Empress, I would hang them, by reason they give more words, than advice. The Duchess answered, that her Majesty should not be angry, but consider the differences of that and her Blazing-World; for, said she, they are not both alike; but there are grosser and duller understandings in this, than in the Blazing-World.

At last a messenger came out, who returned the Empress thanks for her kind proffer, but desired withal, to know from whence she came, and how, and in what manner her assistance could be serviceable to them? The Empress answered, that she was not bound to tell them whence she came; but as for the manner of her assistance, I will appear, said she, to your navy in a splendorous light, surrounded with fire. The messenger asked at what time they should expect her coming? I’ll be with you, answered the Empress, about one of the clock at night. With this report the messenger returned; which made both the poor councillors and seamen much afraid; but yet they longed for the time to behold this strange sight.

The appointed hour being come, the Empress appeared with garments made of the star-stone, and was born or supported above the water, upon the Fish-men’s heads and backs, so that she seemed to walk upon the face of the water, and the Bird- and Fish-men carried the fire-stone, lighted both in the air, and above the waters.