with much ado prevail'd on him to go. Nor
was it she alone that prevail'd; _Aboan_ and _Onahal_ both pleaded, and
both assured him of a Lye that should be well enough contrived to secure
_Imoinda_. So that at last, with a Heart sad as Death, dying Eyes, and
sighing Soul, _Oroonoko_ departed, and took his way to the Camp.

It was not long after, the King in Person came to the _Otan_; where
beholding _Imoinda_, with Rage in his Eyes, he upbraided her Wickedness,
and Perfidy; and threatning her Royal Lover, she fell on her Face at his
Feet, bedewing the Floor with her Tears, and imploring his Pardon for a
Fault which she had not with her Will committed; as _Onahal_, who was
also prostrate with her, could testify: That, unknown to her, he had
broke into her Apartment, and ravished her. She spoke this much against
her Conscience; but to save her own Life, 'twas absolutely necessary she
should feign this Falsity. She knew it could not injure the Prince, he
being fled to an Army that would stand by him, against any Injuries that
should assault him. However, this last Thought of _Imoinda's_ being
ravished, changed the Measures of his Revenge; and whereas before he
designed to be himself her Executioner, he now resolved she should not
die. But as it is the greatest Crime in Nature amongst them, to touch a
Woman after having been possess'd by a Son, a Father, or a Brother, so
now he looked on _Imoinda_ as a polluted thing wholly unfit for his
Embrace; nor would he resign her to his Grandson, because she had
received the _Royal Veil_: He therefore removes her from the _Otan_,
with _Onahal_; whom he put into safe Hands, with Order they should be
both sold off as Slaves to another Country, either _Christian_ or
_Heathen_, 'twas no Matter where.

This cruel Sentence, worse than Death, they implor'd might be reversed;
but their Prayers were vain, and it was put in Execution accordingly,
and that with so much Secrecy, that none, either without or within the
_Otan_, knew any thing of their Absence, or their Destiny.

The old King nevertheless executed this with a great deal of Reluctancy;
but he believed he had made a very great Conquest over himself, when he
had once resolved, and had perform'd what he resolved. He believed now,
that his Love had been unjust; and that he could not expect the Gods, or
_Captain of the Clouds_ (as they call the unknown Power) would suffer a
better Consequence from so ill a Cause. He now begins to hold _