Besought (verb) – past and past participle of beseech.

source – https://www.google.com/search?q=besought+definition&oq=besougth+d&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.6978j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Found on page 37 of Quicksand by Nella Larsen,  ” He spoke of his great admiration for the negro race, no other race in so short a time had made so much progress, but he had urgently besought them to know when and where to stop.”

This word was used to tell the people of Naxos to learn when and where to stay in their place since they were always being mistreated. The author used this word to say the people of Naxos must not rise above white people.