1617: Duke of Mallard
Estate Papers (released posthumously)
It occurreth to me, with some satisfaction and due reflection, that Lefame’s value extendeth far beyond mere settlement or sanctuary for the mentally afflicted of my own house. The port there, situated upon LeDuc Hill, provideth a tidemark of great consequence for my expanding estate and the annual circuit of my shipping.
Consider well: this harbour, deep and sheltered, ne’er choked with rival craft, shall form a vital waypoint on my transatlantic route. From England’s shores to my distant holdings, the ships bearing the fruits of my lands and the tithes of my tenants shall find a convenient anchorage here. A port of convenience such as this lesseneth the burden and risk of longer passages to crowded ports swarming with those who seek to challenge me—be they merchants or governors.
The commerce to be gathered in Lefame, my own projection of power and property, shall increase the flow of wealth and goods directly under my command. Each vessel dispatched or returned addeth weight to my coffers, while the presence of my kin and followers, mad though some may be, giveth a familiar security to the place. All this doth beseem the station and ambition of a Duke such as I, who doth extend dominion and draw profit from realms afar.
For what is a noble estate if not marked by ports from which riches sail and return? I shall receive tithes, taxes, and produce with greater ease at Lefame than at the distant edges of my holdings. Its singular position maketh it a key node in the net of my possessions, freeing me from dependence on strangers or rivals, and securing mine own legacy.
In sum, Lefame serveth not merely as refuge for troublesome blood, but as a fulcrum of my strategic and mercantile will. Therein lie opportunity and profit both; none so fit for a Duke as I to grasp it.
Thus, with shrewd eyes to the horizon and purse strings tight, I set my hand to the enterprise, confident that this port, humble now, shall grow to rival those of old England in its bounty and benefit to my noble line.
You are here: States of Grace > Philosophy