Paul R. Ontiveros

English331

January 29, 2001

Paper #1

The Companies Report on Its Most Amazing Voyage To Here

My Lord, it is with great trepidation that I report of the news of our recent journey those lands recently received into Your Graces’ realm. Our company was made up of those learned in the sciences, law, philosophy and in God’s way. It was with full hearts we voyaged to the new lands. As was our charter, we set forth to reveal our Lord and our Law to improve the lot of those who know little of Your graces. The voyage encompassed many days until we disembarked in the new world.

Those we first encountered were heathens of the rankest sort; rough and unschooled people who had no knowledge of the Way. It was many days that we engaged the savages with sword and sermon; finally brought them around to change. It was the same tale in many counties of the new world. Strange, fantastic peoples whose very souls would have gone over the brink of perdition, if not for the work of those sent by You. My Lord, it was most common to see the ignorance in which these peopel lived. They had no law that kept them in common need of a Sovereign, no religion that kept them in common fear of God. They lived in the basest ways, consorting among themselves without regard to marriage and modesty. It was most difficult to persuade them that it was for the common good that all men must bow to the wishes of the Lord, that homage to God and Counrtry was far more important than defiling themselves with personal pleasure. The actions of these vile peoples were repeated in every country we encountered. But our powers to overcome their meager arms and to replace chaos with order soon lead to their eager subjugation. We took with us certain trusted members of the quieted tribes as guides and interpreters to convey the futility of clinging to the ancient ways to the new nations we encountered. Afore long, force of arms was barley needed to bring the heathens to bay and soon all the lands, save one, embraced the Rule of Lord and Law.

We questioned the leaders of the tribes as to whether there be any more nations that need our Lord’s salvation. They readily assured us that all had been saved, with the exception of a people who lived many leagues toward the great river. These people, so our primitives told us, lived in a land of unsurpassed wealth and bounty; and had no need of trade or commerce with other nations. Our ancients spoke of a fantastic city made of precious stones, where food grew without effort, game presented itself to the slaughter, age and plague were not known and weapons and the arts of war were unknown. Our company heard these tales and scoffed at the feeble imaginations of these savages. We, with proper admonitions, reminded them that to lie to the Law was to lie to the Lord. But, no matter how hard we applied the proper punishment, they would not be swayed from their fantasies. It was then we agreed to partake in one last expedition to this so mystical of places and to assure my Lord’s new subjects that no people were without the need of Grace.

We journeyed inland for many days in search of these unnamed pagans. We doubted more and more the veracity of the savages that guided us, but with the most abject of wailings, they swore to their old gods and new true God that they spoke the truth. Finally, after much sweat and labor, we first spied the city of which our guides spoke. Truly, my Lord, this was not one of the humble villages of Your newly subjugated subjects. From afar, the city sparkled as a jewel. Every building seemed to us the palace of a King. All stood the same size, no one being above the other; each different in choice of stone, but alike in structure. We approached the place with some caution, fearing that the savages might set on us from ambush. Contrary to how the conquered natives reacted to our grand entries into their villages; the inhabitants of this strange town gave us little or no notice. As we proceeded through the main concourse to raise the attention of this docile folk, one of our company went to the extreme of firing a ball into the air from his pistol, but this to was as if nothing had taken place. We raised our voices, shook our banners and made a cacophony of shoots to no avail. Finally, as if by sure attrition, one of their member, made entry into our midst. Using our guide as an interpreter, we asked what place was this and who would be the ruler. The native, dressed in the plainest of garb, replied that this place was here and that there was no ruler. I was indignant at such effrontery and at once instructed our native to repeat my question. Again I received the same foolish answer and therefore struck the repugnant heathen. He seemed to take no notice of my violence, bowed slightly and returned to his former place. There was much confusion in our ranks as to what to do next, when a small child approached and with a gesture, begged us follow him.

We were lead to a courtyard of unsurpassed beauty. Whereas in our country the floor would have been of cobblestone or rough brick, here we tread upon a surface of polished gold. The buildings surrounding, gleamed brighter than when we had seen them from afar, encrusted with enough precious stones to insure an Empire. Placed within were seats enough for each inhabitant to attend the meeting, but as curious as it may seem, each seat was such that no persons sat higher than another. Man, women and child, for all were included, sat together as if there were no difference in status. Again, I commanded our man to ask what his place was called and who would be in authority. As before, a plainly attired native answered that the place was here and that no one person ruled. All of our company was struck with a great consternation as what to do, when forward came a women, dressed not unlike the man, and spoke, to our surprise, in our native tongue. She begged our pardon for having confused us to such an extent and told us they had just now learned our language. I asked the wench how this could be that she could learn so quickly a foreign tongue, and she said that it was a knack that all her people possessed. I again raised the question of the name of this infernal place and she replied that in our voice the place should be called Here. I asked who christened the place such a perplexing name. She replied that the place had always been Here. As to ruler, she stated that Here each person rules themselves according to his best qualities. The lawyer of our company asked how could there not be rules that maintain good order and punish the evildoer. She replied that good does what it can and evil is not done as it may affect the general good order. Again the lawyer asked who maintained the good order, that surely there must be a sheriff or bailiff that maintains the law and keeps watch of the prisons. The woman replied that, indeed, there were no persons of that ilk as there were no prisons and each person looked to the maintenance of order. I asked about the rumor of crops that grew themselves and game that gave itself up for slaughter. She told that Here all people look to the good order of crops, each to his own field, all to the others and that animals were raised for their meats and hide, not for sport or game. The philosopher asked why, if this were such a simple place, were the buildings and courtyard of such unsurpassed beauty. The woman answered that the buildings were such because that was the material used. If they had had an abundance of sticks, each would have been built of that. She stated that all places were alike, because the needs of each was the same. The soldier among us asked where were the army and weapons to protect the city and expand the needs. The women grew perplexed, saying she did not know what an army or weapon might be. The soldier explained what each meant and the woman replied that they had no need of such things because all that they had had always been. No one had won it or needed to preserve it. But what of enemies the soldiers asked, those outside that want what is yours. The women replied that if others were in want, the people would provide. If they had to go so others could have; they would go. I, in amazement, asked why would they forgo all they had just being asked. She gave the reply that they that have will have and each will find what is theirs. Lastly our great clergyman asked where might be the churches and the priests who administer the Word of God. The native replied that each keeps his own church and each was his own priest. The great clergyman replied that it is the greatest of sacrilege to make of a man his own church, what, he asked was their fear of the Lord. The woman retorted that they feared not God, that God keep hid at a distance and came when called.

This was all too much for our company and we demanded that they give due to your Grace and know that we were there to proclaim you as their Lord and Master. The woman looked to her people, who in unison nodded. She spoke and said that if that was the cause then they should not resist it. We set camp in the courtyard and readied ourselves for the task of educating these strange creatures come the morning.

My Grace, I swear that what I write next is true and right. As we woke on the morrow, we found that all that had been before was gone. The jeweled buildings, golden courtyard, even the people were nowhere to be found, save for a parchment that had written on it, "Those who want get what they need." Your Grace, we led an expedition further inland to try and locate the tribe and the city. Though we searched for days, no trace could be found. I end now, my Lord, by saying that our new lands, save one, are in our image. God have mercy on your Reign.