Page:A Mainsail Haul - Masefield - 1913.djvu/142

130 devil gets well he forgets to pay his doctor's bill. Knox as a slaver is not a pretty figure.

His trade lay with a certain King Ribassa, who "was one of the younger Sonns of the famous old King Lightfoot, who with his owne hand would shoot those of his wives that offended him, and after bid some cut open her body to take out the Bullett." This man, as was to be expected from his breeding, "soone dranke up the Bottle of Brandy I sent him, and dispatched away my Messenger to mee againe with 6 Slaves (3 men and 3 Women) for a present to me ... which I looked one as a presage of a successfull trade like to insew." Indeed, in a little while comes the entry: "We shooke hands and rubbed noses ... and began to drinke Brandy which was the King's Chiefe delight." During the drinking the King much admired Knox's big dog, "as the Dog did the King to see him so full of Colours as his beads made him—for the King arose to stroake the Dog, which put the Doge into a fome with rage that I was faint to catch him about the Necke else he would have tasted what the fine King was made one."