The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World

by Duchess of Margaret Cavendish Newcastle

Dear Country-men, for so you are, although you know me not; I being a Native of this Kingdom, and hearing that most part of this World had resolved to make Warr against it, and sought to destroy it, at least to weaken its Naval Force and Power, have made a Voyage out of another World, to lend you my assistance against your Enemies. I come not to make bargains with you, or to regard my own Interest more than your Safety; but I intend to make you the most powerful Nation of this World, and therefore I have chosen rather to quit my own Tranquility, Riches and Pleasure, than suffer you to be ruined and destroyed. All the Return I desire, is but your grateful acknowledgment, and to declare my Power, Love and Loyalty to my Native Country: for, although I am now a Great and Absolute Princess, and Empress of a whole World, yet I acknowledg, that once I was a Subject of this Kingdom, which is but a small part of this World; and therefore I will have you undoubtedly believe, that I shall destroy all your Enemies before this following Night, I mean those which trouble you by Sea; and if you have any by Land, assure your self I shall also give you my assistance against them, and make you triumph over all that seek your Ruine and Destruction.

Upon this Declaration of the Empress, when both the General, and all the Commanders in their several Ships, had return'd their humble and hearty Thanks to Her Majesty for so great a favour to them, she took her leave, and departed to her own Ships. But, good Lord! what several Opinions and Judgments did this produce in the minds of her Country-men! some said she was an Angel; others, she was a sorceress; some believed her a Goddess; others said the Devil deluded them in the shape of a fine Lady.

The morning after, when the Navies were to fight, the Empress appear'd upon the face of the Waters, dress'd in her Imperial Robes, which were all of Diamonds and Carbuncles; in one hand she held a Buckler, made of one intire Carbuncle; and in the other hand a Spear of one intire Diamond; on her head she had a Cap of Diamonds, and just upon the top of the Crown, was a Starr made of the Starr-stone, mentioned heretofore; and a Half-Moon made of the same Stone, was placed on her forehead; all her other Garments were of several sorts of precious Jewels; and having given her Fish-men directions how to destroy the Enemies of her Native Country, she proceeded to effect her design. The Fish-men were to carry the Fire-stones in cases of Diamonds (for the Diamonds in the Blazing-World, are in splendor so far beyond the Diamonds of this World, as Peble-stones are to the best sort of this Worlds Diamonds) and to uncase or uncover those Fire-stones no sooner but when they were just under the Enemis Ships, or close at their sides, and then to wet them, and set their Ships on fire; which was no sooner done, but all the Enemie's Fleet was of a Flaming fire; and coming to the place where the Powder was, it streight blew them up; so that all the several Navies of the Enemies, were destroyed in a short time: which when her Countrymen did see, they all cried out with one voice, That she was an Angel sent from God to deliver them out of the hands of their Enemies: Neither would she return into the Blazing-World, until she had forced all the rest of the World to submit to that same Nation.

In the mean time, the General of all their Naval Forces, sent to their soveraign to acquaint him with their miraculous Delivery and Conquest, and with the Empress's design of making him the most powerful Monarch of all that World. After a short time, the Empress sent her self, to the soveraign of that Nation to know in what she could be serviceable to him; who returning her many thanks, both for her assistance against his Enemies, and her kind proffer to do him further service for the good and benefit of his Nations (for he was King over several Kingdoms) sent her word, that although she did partly destroy his Enemies by Sea, yet, they were so powerful, that they did hinder the Trade and Traffick of his Dominions. To which the Empress returned this answer, That she would burn and sink all those Ships that would not pay him Tribute; and forthwith sent to all the Neighbouring Nations, who had any Traffick by Sea, desiring them to pay Tribute to the King and soveraign of that Nation where she was born; But they denied it with great scorn. Whereupon, she immediately commanded her Fish-men, to destroy all strangers Ships that traffick'd on the Seas; which they did according to the Empress's Command; and when the Neighbouring Nations and Kingdoms perceived her power, they were so discomposed in their affairs and designs, that they knew not what to do: At last they sent to the Empress, and desired to treat with her, but could get no other conditions then to submit and pay Tribute to the said King and soveraign of her Native Country, otherwise, she was resolved to ruin all their Trade and Traffick by burning their Ships. Long was this Treaty, but in fine, they could obtain nothing, so that at last they were inforced to submit; by which the King of the mentioned Nations became absolute Master of the Seas, and consequently of that World; by reason, as I mentioned heretofore, the several Nations of that World could not well live without Traffick and Commerce, by Sea, as well as by Land.

But after a short time, those Neighbouring Nations finding themselves so much inslaved, that they were hardly able to peep out of their own Dominions without a chargeable Tribute, they all agreed to join again their Forces against the King and soveraign of the said Dominions; which when the Empress receiv'd notice of, she sent out her Fish-men to destroy, as they had done before, the remainder of all their Naval Power, by which they were soon forced again to submit, except some Nations which could live without Foreign Traffick, and some whose Trade and Traffick was meerly by Land; these would no ways be Tributary to the mentioned King. The Empress sent them word, That in case they did not submit to him, she intended to fire all their Towns and Cities, and reduce them by force, to what they would not yield with a good will. But they rejected and scorned her Majesties Message, which provoked her anger so much, that she resolved to send her Bird- and Worm men thither, with order to begin first with their smaller Towns, and set them on fire (for she was loath to make more spoil then she was forced to do) and if they remain'd still obstinate in their resolutions, to destroy also their greater Cities. The onely difficulty was, how to convey the Worm-men conveniently to those places; but they desired that her Majesty would but set them upon any part of the Earth of those Nations, and they could travel within the Earth as easily, and as nimbly as men upon the face of the Earth; which the Empress did according to their desire.

But before both the Bird- and Worm-men began their journey, the Empress commanded the Bear-men to view through their Telescopes what Towns and Cities those were that would not submit; and having a full information thereof, she instructed the Bird- and Bear-men what Towns they should begin withal; in the mean while she sent to all the Princes and soveraigns of those Nations, to let them know that she would give them a proof of her Power, and check their Obstinacies by burning some of their smaller Towns; and if they continued still in their Obstinate Resolutions, that she would convert their smaller Loss into a Total Ruin. she also commanded her Bird-men to make their flight at night, lest they be perceived. At last when both the Bird- and Worm-men came to the designed places, the Worm-men laid some Fire-stones under the Foundation of every House, and the Bird-men placed some at the tops of them, so that both by rain, and by some other moisture within the Earth, the stones could not fail of burning. The Bird-men in the mean time having learned some few words of their Language, told them, That the next time it did rain, their Towns would be all on fire; at which they were amaz'd to hear Men speak in the air; but withall they laughed when they heard them say that rain should fire their Towns; knowing that the effect of Water was to quench, not produce Fire.

At last a rain came, and upon a sudden all their Houses appeared of a flaming Fire; and the more Water there was poured on them, the more they did flame and burn; which struck such a Fright and Terror into all the Neighbouring Cities, Nations and Kingdoms, that for fear the like should happen to them, they and all the rest of the parts of that World, granted the Empress's desire, and submitted to the Monarch and sovereign of her Native Countrey, the King of Esfi; save one, which having seldom or never any rain, but onely dews, which would soon be spent in a great fire, slighted her Power: The Empress being desirous to make it stoop as well as the rest, knew that every year it was watered by a flowing Tide, which lasted some Weeks; and although their Houses stood high from the ground, yet they were built upon Supporters which were fixt into the ground. Wherefore she commanded both her Bird- and Worm-men to lay some of the Fire-stones at the bottom of those Supporters, and when the Tide came in, all their Houses were of a Fire, which did so rarifie the Water, that the Tide was soon turn'd into a Vapour, and this Vapour again into Air; which caused not onely a destruction of their Houses, but also a general barrenness over all their Countrey that year, and forced them to submit, as well as the rest of the World had done.

Thus the Empress did not onely save her Native Country, but made it the Absolute Monarchy of all that World; and both the effects of her Power and her Beauty, did kindle a great desire in all the greatest Princes to see her; who hearing that she was resolved to return into her own Blazing-World, they all entreated the favour, that they might wait on her Majesty before she went. The Empress sent word, That she should be glad to grant their Requests; but having no other place of Reception for them, she desired that they would be pleased to come into the open Seas with their Ships, and make a Circle of a pretty large compass, and then her own Ships should meet them, and close up the Circle, and she would present her self to the view of all those that came to see her: Which Answer was joyfully received by all the mentioned Princes, who came, some sooner, and some later, each according to the distance of his Countrey, and the length of the voyage. And being all met in the form and manner aforesaid, the Empress appeared upon the face of the Water in her Imperial Robes; in some part of her hair, near her face, she had placed some of the Starr- Stone, which added such a luster and glory to it, that it caused a great admiration in all that were present, who believed her to be some Celestial Creature, or rather an uncreated Goddess, and they all had a desire to worship her; for surely, said they, no mortal creature can have such a splendid and transcendent beauty, nor can any have so great a power as she has, to walk upon the Waters, and to destroy whatever she pleases, not onely whole Nations, but a whole World.

The Empress expressed to her own Countrymen, who were also her Interpreters to the rest of the Princes that were present, That she would give them an Entertainment at the darkest time of Night: Which being come, the Fire-Stones were lighted, which made both Air and Seas appear of a bright shining flame, insomuch that they put all Spectators into an extream fright, who verily believed they should all be destroyed; which the Empress perceiving, caused all the Lights of the Fire-Stones to be put out, and onely shewed her self in her Garments of Light. The Bird-men carried her upon their backs into the Air, and there she appear'd as glorious as the Sun. Then she was set down upon the Seas again, and presently there was heard the most melodious and sweetest Consort of Voices, as ever was heard out of the Seas, which was made by the Fish- men; this Consort was answered by another, made by the Bird-men in the Air, so that it seem'd as if Sea and Air had spoke, and answered each other by way of Singing-Dialogues, or after the manner of those Playes that are acted by singing-Voices.

But when it was upon break of day, the Empress ended her Entertainment, and at full day-light all the Princes perceived that she went into the Ship wherein the Prince and Monarch of her Native Country was, the King of Esfi, with whom she had several Conferences; and having assured Him of the readiness of her Assistance whensoever he required it, telling Him withal, That she wanted no Intelligence, she went forth again upon the Waters, and being in the midst of the Circle made by those Ships that were present, she desired them to draw somewhat nearer, that they might hear her speak; which being done, she declared her self in this following manner: