and Degree of
her Inclination. This was put in Execution, and the old Monarch saw, and
burn'd: He found her all he had heard, and would not delay his
Happiness, but found he should have some Obstacle to overcome her Heart;
for she express'd her Sense of the Present the Prince had sent her, in
Terms so sweet, so soft and pretty, with an Air of Love and Joy that
could not be dissembled, insomuch that 'twas past Doubt whether she
lov'd _Oroonoko_ entirely. This gave the old King some Affliction; but
he salv'd it with this, that the Obedience the People pay their King,
was not at all inferior to what they paid their Gods; and what Love
would not oblige _Imoinda_ to do, Duty would compel her to.

He was therefore no sooner got into his Apartment, but he sent the Royal
Veil to _Imoinda_; that is the Ceremony of Invitation: He sends the Lady
he has a Mind to honour with his Bed, a Veil, with which she is covered,
and secur'd for the King's Use; and 'tis Death to disobey; besides, held
a most impious Disobedience.

'Tis not to be imagin'd the Surprize and Grief that seiz'd the lovely
Maid at this News and Sight. However, as Delays in these Cases are
dangerous, and Pleading worse than Treason; trembling, and almost
fainting, she was oblig'd to suffer herself to be cover'd, and led away.

They brought her thus to Court; and the King, who had caus'd a very rich
Bath to be prepar'd, was led into it, where he sat under a Canopy, in
State, to receive this long'd-for Virgin; whom he having commanded to be
brought to him, they (after disrobing her) led her to the Bath, and
making fast the Doors, left her to descend. The King, without more
Courtship, bad her throw off her Mantle, and come to his Arms. But
_Imoinda_, all in Tears, threw herself on the Marble, on the Brink of
the Bath, and besought him to hear her. She told him, as she was a Maid,
how proud of the Divine Glory she should have been, of having it in her
Power to oblige her King: but as by the Laws he could not, and from his
Royal Goodness would not take from any Man his wedded Wife; so she
believ'd she should be the occasion of making him commit a great Sin, if
she did not reveal her State and Condition; and tell him she was
another's, and could not be so happy to be his.

The King, enrag'd at this Delay, hastily demanded the Name of the bold
Man, that had married a Woman of her Degree, without his Consent.
_Imoinda_ seeing his Eyes fierce, and his Hands tremble, (whethe