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Captain Blood By Rafael Sabatini
Captain Blood By Rafael Sabatini
Adventure Fiction
(Read time: 4 minutes)
Chapter I. —The Messenger
Peter Blood, bachelor of medicine and several other things besides, smoked a pipe and tended the geraniums boxed on the sill of his window above Water Lane in the town of Bridgewater.
Sternly disapproving eyes considered him from a window opposite, but went disregarded. Mr. Blood's attention was divided between his task and the stream of humanity in the narrow street below; a stream which poured for the second time that day towards Castle Field, where earlier in the afternoon Ferguson, the Duke's chaplain, had preached a sermon containing more treason than divinity.
These straggling, excited groups were mainly composed of men with green boughs in their hats and the most ludicrous of weapons in their hands. Some, it is true, shouldered fowling pieces, and here and there a sword was brandished; but more of them were armed with clubs, and most of them trailed the mammoth pikes fashioned out of scythes, as formidable to the eye as they were clumsy to the hand. There were weavers, brewers, carpenters, smiths, masons, bricklayers, cobblers, and representatives of every other of the trades of peace among these improvised men of war. Bridgewater, like Taunton, had yielded so generously of its manhood to the service of the bastard Duke that for any to abstain whose age and strength admitted of his bearing arms was to brand himself a coward or a papist.
Yet Peter Blood, who was not only able to bear arms, but trained and skilled in their use, who was certainly no coward, and a papist only when it suited him, tended his geraniums and smoked his pipe on that warm July evening as indifferently as if nothing were afoot. One other thing he did. He flung after those war-fevered enthusiasts a line of Horace—a poet for whose work he had early conceived an inordinate affection:
“Quo, quo, scelesti, ruitis?”
(Where, where, you criminals, rush?)
And now perhaps you guess why the hot, intrepid blood inherited from the roving sires of his Somersetshire mother remained cool amidst all this frenzied fanatical heat of rebellion; why the turbulent spirit which had forced him once from the sedate academical bonds his father would have imposed upon him, should now remain quiet in the very midst of turbulence. You realize how he regarded these men who were rallying to the banners of liberty—the banners woven by the virgins of Taunton, the girls from the seminaries of Miss Blake and Mrs. Musgrove, who—as the ballad runs—had ripped open their silk petticoats to make colours for King Monmouth's army. That Latin line, contemptuously flung after them as they clattered down the cobbled street, reveals his mind. To him they were fools rushing in wicked frenzy upon their ruin.
You see, he knew too much about this fellow Monmouth and the pretty brown slut who had borne him, to be deceived by the legend of legitimacy, on the strength of which this standard of rebellion had been raised. He had read the absurd proclamation posted at the Cross at Bridgewater—as it had been posted also at Taunton and elsewhere—setting forth that “upon the decease of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second, the right of succession to the Crown of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, with the dominions and territories thereunto belonging, did legally descend and devolve upon the most illustrious and high-born Prince James, Duke of Monmouth, son and heir apparent to the said King Charles the Second.”
It had moved him to laughter, as had the further announcement that “James Duke of York did first cause the said late King to be poysoned, and immediately thereupon did usurp and invade the Crown.”
He knew not which was the greater lie. For Mr. Blood had spent a third of his life in the Netherlands, where this same James Scott—who now proclaimed himself James the Second, by the grace of God, King, et cetera—first saw the light some six-and-thirty years ago, and he was acquainted with the story current there of the fellow's real paternity. Far from being legitimate—by virtue of a pretended secret marriage between Charles Stuart and Lucy Walter—it was possible that this Monmouth who now proclaimed himself King of England was not even the illegitimate child of the late sovereign. What but ruin and disaster could be the end of this grotesque pretension? How could it be hoped that England would ever swallow such a Perkin? And it was on his behalf, to uphold his fantastic claim, that these West Country clods, led by a few armigerous Whigs, had been seduced into rebellion!
“Quo, quo, scelesti, ruitis?”
He laughed and sighed in one; but the laugh dominated the sigh, for Mr. Blood was unsympathetic, as are most self-sufficient men; and he was very self-sufficient; adversity had taught him so to be. A more tender-hearted man, possessing his vision and his knowledge, might have found cause for tears in the contemplation of these ardent, simple, Nonconformist sheep going forth to the shambles—escorted to the rallying ground on Castle Field by wives and daughters, sweethearts and mothers, sustained by the delusion that they were to take the field in defence of Right, of Liberty, and of Religion. For he knew, as all Bridgewater knew and had known now for some hours, that it was Monmouth's intention to deliver battle that same night. The Duke was to lead a surprise attack upon the Royalist army under Feversham that was now encamped on Sedgemoor. Mr. Blood assumed that Lord Feversham would be equally well-informed, and if in this assumption he was wrong, at least he was justified of it. He was not to suppose the Royalist commander so indifferently skilled in the trade he followed.
Captain Blood follows the journey of Peter Blood, a former soldier and physician who, after being wrongfully accused of treason, is sold into slavery in the Caribbean. Fate takes a wild turn when he escapes and becomes a pirate captain, leading his band of outlaws in a quest for revenge and redemption. With battles, treasure, and cunning escapes, Sabatini crafts a tale where adventure and nobility collide in true swashbuckling style.
Themes and Motifs
Honor Among Pirates: The story isn’t just about adventure; it’s also about personal codes of conduct. Peter Blood remains honorable even in a life of piracy, challenging the idea of what it means to be a true “villain.”
Freedom and Justice: Blood’s transformation from physician to pirate is fueled by his quest for freedom and revenge against those who wronged him, questioning the line between lawful and unlawful behavior.
Adventure and Escapism: Sabatini’s vivid storytelling provides pure escapism, whisking readers away to a world of high seas, daring duels, and romance.
"A life lived without adventure is merely existence."
Historical Context
Set during the late 17th century, Captain Blood takes place in a time of colonial expansion, piracy, and political conflict. The historical backdrop includes actual events like the Monmouth Rebellion, the harsh conditions faced by indentured servants, and the frequent skirmishes between European powers in the Caribbean. Sabatini draws on these real elements to give the story authenticity while delivering a swashbuckling narrative.
Picture sun-soaked Caribbean islands, pirate ships with billowing sails, and moonlit sword fights on deck. The world of Captain Blood is full of vibrant colors, from the blue ocean waves to the fiery sunsets, and the rugged elegance of a pirate's life. It’s adventure in its most romanticized form, complete with a sense of danger and freedom.
The Sea Hawk by Rafael Sabatini – Another thrilling pirate tale from Sabatini, this one follows an Englishman who becomes a corsair after being betrayed.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson – For more classic pirate adventure, this story captures the essence of treasure hunts and mutiny on the high seas.
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas – For a similar mix of action, honor, and historical adventure, this novel explores friendship and intrigue in 17th-century France.
Did you know that Captain Blood is partly inspired by the real-life exploits of Henry Morgan, a famous pirate who went from being a privateer to a governor? Sabatini took elements from Morgan's life and wove them into Peter Blood's character, adding a touch of historical reality to the fiction.
Captain Blood isn’t just an old-fashioned adventure; it’s a story about resilience, wit, and daring to rewrite your destiny. Sabatini's hero is more than just a pirate—he’s a symbol of the fight for justice and freedom, even when the odds are stacked against you. So, hoist the sails and let the wind guide you on this thrilling journey. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s pick, and keep seeking the stories that set your imagination free.