He therefore ordered one to go from him (for he would
not be seen himself) to Oroonoko, and to assure him, he was
afflicted for having rashly done so unhospitable a deed, and which
could not be now remedied, since they were far from shore; but since
he resented it in so high a nature, he assured him he would revoke his
resolution, and set both him and his friends ashore on the next land
they should touch at; and of this the messenger gave him his oath,
provided he would resolve to live. And Oroonoko, whose honor was
such as he never had violated a word in his life himself, much less
a solemn asseveration, believed in an instant what this man said;
but replied, he expected, for a confirmation of this, to have his
shameful fetters dismissed. This demand was carried to the captain;
who returned him answer that the offense had been so great which he
had put upon the prince that he durst not trust him with liberty while
he remained in the ship, for fear lest by a valor natural to him,
and a revenge that would animate that valor, he might commit some
outrage fatal to himself and the king his master, to whom this
vessel did belong. To this Oroonoko replied, he would engage his honor
to behave himself in all friendly order and manner, and obey the
command of the captain, as he was lord of the king's vessel and
general of those men under his command.
This was delivered to the still doubting captain, who could not
resolve to trust a heathen, he said, upon his parole, a man that had
no sense or notion of the God that he worshiped.
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