TRue it is, that we are accounted of all Beasts to be the most intelli­gent, and of best discourse. And therefore, at my first coming over, I was sorry to meet with such an affront as one of your Country-men, the Au­thor of Reynard the Fox, has put upon our Kinde, in shutting us out of that most honour­able [Page 4] Assembly of Speaking and Preaching-Beasts: whether he thought us too big, and that we should have taken up too much room in that Reverend Convention, or for what other reason, I know not. But I shall let that pass, it not being for a stranger and a Captive to quar­rel with the multitude. It may be thought, that because among you generally the most bulkie are the greatest Sots, therefore we should be the dullest of all Creatures. But to shew the contrary, I thought it fitting to deliver my self in this short Speech, to let you know some­thing of our Nature and Conditions.

As for my Father and my Mother, if I should call the one a great Bear, and the other a foul great Sow, 'tis no more than what I hear, by Report, is vulgarly attributed among you to many of your own Parents. I hope you will not from hence put me to prove an Elephant to be either a Bear or a Sow: for I am a poor Beast, and no Logician. Yet why I may not call an Elephant a Bear or a Sow, as well as you call one another Bears and Sows, I know no reason to the contrary. However, as great a Bear as my Sire was, he was Elephant in Ordi­nary to the Great Mogul, and has carried his Imperial Master full many a time, with great commendation of his care, and management of his behaviour.

I was taken young from my Parents, being sold to satisfie the Covetousness of my Keepers, [Page 5] of which there are many such in the Courts of great Princes, pretending me to be a Bastard, and none of the right Race; though I have been told, that my Sire and Dam were as honest Elephants as any in our Country. Or if they had their failings, I hope they be the better excus'd, as living among the numerous temp­tations of an Emperour's Family. It was my hard fate however to loose my Education; which I have heard many of you never repent, nor minde the loss of.

How I came here, truly, my most worthy friends, I cannot tell: you may be certain, it was not out of any desire to travel, being so young; nor is it possible for me to improve my travels, being carried from place to place in the dark, and never permitted to see your Coun­try. I remember I came by Sea, which has made me in this shabbie condition wherein you see me: for my Clothes are very bad; and if your Country be cold, as I fear it is, when I shall have better I know not. But let my Ma­sters look to that; for if I die, I know what will become of them. This I'll say for your Coun­ry-men, that all the while I was on Ship board, no men in the world could have been more civil to an Elephant than they were: I wanted for nothing, either as to my Lodging, Diet, or Attendance; but if at any time I seemed to be sick, their care and sorrow was then so great for me, that I began to think my self some E­gyptian [Page 6] Deitie: And truly I thank um, their care has been great for me ever since. But now I think on't, why should I give um so much thanks? for I finde it has been altogether for their own ends: 'twas to sell me, and make mo­ney of me. Indeed I cannot blame um; for they say, you English people are the most given to staring, and throw away your money upon strange Sights, of any people in the world: And I perceive you have more kindness than ordinary for us, by the great number of Ele­phants and Castles which I finde in your Signes. Truly now ye talk of Castles, I wish I had a Castle upon my back, for I begin to feel it cold already.

But my most worthy Friends, though I am sold, and am a Captive, I would not have you believe that I think the worse of my self for all that. Believe me, I have been bought and sold twice; And as I have been far fetcht, so I have been dear bought. And now I must tell ye, that if you yourselves were to be sold to your worth, there's not one in a hundred of ye all would be valued at the fortieth part of what I have been sold for. For you your selves, if to be sold to the Plantations, where you will yield the best market, are not worth above ten Pound a man: And for your Wives, by your own reckonings, as you your selves have sold um at half Crowns a piece, Fourteen thousand seven Hundred of um will but just [Page 7] equal my sum of Two thousand Pounds. So that one Indian Elephant is worth Fourteen thousand English married Women. And therefore though I am here expos'd among ye as a publick Spectacle, what care I for that? my back is broad enough to bear your Jears; and as long as I eat and drink well, which is no more than what you look after, give me leave to tell ye, I am not a little proud of the value which they have set upon me.

And now, my dear Brother, I mean Thee the great Beast called the Rabble, I have only one word to thee. I know thou art as great a Beast as my self, and that our Natures are both alike; for when we are mad, we are hard to be tam'd; there is nothing will govern us but an Iron Hook thrust into my Pole, and an Iron Hook thrust into thy Nostrils; yet thou seest at other times how tame and gentle we are. And truly, Brother, take this from me, that I never finde my self better at ease, than when I am obedient to my Keepers.

One thing I had almost forgot, most worthy friends: They say; you have a Show in this Town. Pray let my Masters know, that if my service may be accepted, I shall be very ready, with their leave, to serve ye all; and for your more particular delight, to carry a Castle and a Giant upon my back for that day: only I desire you that you will be pleased to forbear throwing of Squibs if I am there, for I cannot endure the smell of Gun-powder.

[Page 8] One thing more I beg of you, that you would desire my Master to send word by the next East-India ship, that my Sire and my Dam may understand my condition, and not shorten their days for my absence. Or if I die before that, that for the good service I have and may do um, they would re-convey my Bones into my own native Country, seeing the Expence of that will be nothing so much as their bringing hither.