The Works of Aphra Behn, Vol. I | Page 5

who were not only holding treasonable
correspondence with traitors at home and plotting against the King, but
even joining with the Dutch foe to injure their native land. Scott was
extremely anxious for his own pardon and, in addition, eager to earn
any money he could.
Aphra then, taking with her some forty pounds in cash, all she had, set
sail with Sir Anthony Desmarces [11] either at the latter end of July or
early in August, 1666, and on 16 August she writes from Antwerp to
say she has had an interview with William Scott (dubbed in her
correspondence Celadon), even having gone so far as to take coach and
ride a day's journey to see him secretly. Though at first diffident, he is
very ready to undertake the service, only it will be necessary for her to
enter Holland itself and reside on the spot, not in Flanders, as Colonel
Bampfield, who was looked upon as head of the exiled English at the
Hague, watched Scott with most jealous care and a growing suspicion.
Aphra, whose letters give a vivid picture of the spy's life with its risks
and impecuniosity, addresses herself to two correspondents, Tom
Killigrew and James Halsall, cupbearer to the King.
[Footnote 11: He was at Margate 25 July, and at Bruges 7 August.]
On 27 August she was still at Antwerp, and William Scott wrote to her
there but did not venture to say much lest the epistle might miscarry.
He asks for a cypher, a useful and indeed necessary precaution in so
difficult circumstances. It was about this time that Mrs. Behn began to

employ the name of Astrea, which, having its inception in a political
code, was later to be generally used by her and recognized throughout
the literary world. Writing to Halsall, she says that she has been unable
to effect anything, but she urgently demands that money be sent, and
confesses she has been obliged even to pawn her ring to pay
messengers. On 31 August she writes to Killigrew declaring she can get
no answer from Halsall, and explaining that she has twice had to
disburse Scott's expenses, amounting in all to £20, out of her own
pocket, whilst her personal debts total another £25 or £30, and living
itself is ten guilders a day. If she is to continue her work satisfactorily,
£80 at least will be needed to pay up all her creditors; moreover, as a
preliminary and a token of good faith, Scott's official pardon must be
forwarded without compromise or delay. Scott himself was, it seems,
playing no easy game at this juncture, for a certain Carney, resident at
Antwerp, 'an unsufferable, scandalous, lying, prating fellow', piqued at
not being able to ferret out the intrigue, had gone so far as to molest
poor Celadon and threaten him with death, noising up and down
meanwhile the fact of his clandestine rendezvous with Aphra. No
money, however, was forthcoming from England, and on 4 September
Mrs. Behn writing again to Killigrew tells him plainly that she is
reduced to great straits, and unless funds are immediately provided all
her work will be nugatory and vain. The next letter, dated 14
September, gives Halsall various naval information. On 17 September
she is obliged to importune Killigrew once more on the occasion of
sending him a letter from Scott dealing with political matters. Halsall,
she asserts, will not return any answer, and although she is only in
private lodgings she is continually being thwarted and vilipended by
Carney, 'whose tongue needs clipping'. Four days later she transmits a
five page letter from Scott to Halsall. On 25 September she sends under
cover yet another letter from Scott with the news of De Ruyter's illness.
Silence was her only answer. Capable and indeed ardent agent as she
was, there can be no excuse for her shameful, nay, criminal, neglect at
the hands of the government she was serving so faithfully and well. Her
information[12] seems to have been received with inattention and
disregard; whether it was that culpable carelessness which wrecked so
many a fair scheme in the second Charles' days, or whether secret
enemies at home steadfastly impeded her efforts remains an open

question. In any case on 3 November she sends a truly piteous letter to
Lord Arlington, Secretary of State, and informs him she is suffering the
extremest want and penury. All her goods are pawned, Scott is in
prison for debt, and she herself seems on the point of going to the
common gaol. The day after Christmas Aphra wrote to Lord Arlington
for the last time. She asks for a round £100 as delays have naturally
doubled her expenses and she has had to obtain credit. Now she is only
anxious to return home, and she