THE HISTORY OF THE _ROYAL SLAVE_.

I do not pretend, in giving you the History of this _ROYAL SLAVE_, to
entertain my Reader with the Adventures of a feign'd _Hero_, whose Life
and Fortunes Fancy may manage at the Poet's Pleasure; nor in relating
the Truth, design to adorn it with any Accidents, but such as arrived in
earnest to him: And it shall come simply into the World, recommended by
its own proper Merits, and natural Intrigues; there being enough of
Reality to support it, and to render it diverting, without the Addition
of Invention.

I was myself an Eye-witness to a great Part of what you will find here
set down; and what I could not be Witness of, I receiv'd from the Mouth
of the chief Actor in this History, the _Hero_ himself, who gave us the
whole Transactions of his Youth: And I shall omit, for Brevity's Sake,
a thousand little Accidents of his Life, which, however pleasant to us,
where History was scarce, and Adventures very rare, yet might prove
tedious and heavy to my Reader, in a World where he finds Diversions for
every Minute, new and strange. But we who were perfectly charm'd with
the Character of this great Man, were curious to gather every
Circumstance of his Life.

The Scene of the last Part of his Adventures lies in a Colony in
_America_, called _Surinam_, in the _West-Indies_.

But before I give you the Story of this _Gallant Slave_, 'tis fit I tell
you the Manner of bringing them to these new _Colonies_; those they make
Use of there, not being _Natives_ of the Place: for those we live with
in perfect Amity, without daring to command 'em; but, on the contrary,
caress 'em with all the brotherly and friendly Affection in the World;
trading with them for their Fish, Venison, Buffaloes Skins, and little
Rarities; as _Marmosets_, a sort of Monkey, as big as a Rat or Weasel,
but of a marvellous and delicate Shape, having Face and Hands like a
Human Creature; and _Cousheries_, a little Beast in the Form and Fashion
of a Lion, as big as a Kitten, but so exactly made in all Parts like
that Noble Beast, that it is it in _Miniature_: Then for little
_Paraketoes_, great _Parrots_, _Muckaws_, and a thousand other Birds and
Beasts of wonderful and surprizing Forms, Shapes, and Colours: For Skins
of prodigious Snakes, of which there are some three-score Yards in
Length; as is the Skin of one that may be seen at his Majesty's
_Antiquary's_; where are also some rare Flies, of amazing Forms and
Colours, p