Heroines That Every Child Should Know: Tales for Young People of the World's Heroines of All Ages
History
Heroines That Every Child Should Know: Tales for Young People of the World's Heroines of All Ages
Women heroes
Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to Your Majesty what at
your best leisure our approved histories will account you at
large, and done in the time of Your Majesty's life. And,
however, this might be presented to you from a more worthy pen,
it cannot come from a more honest heart, as yet I never begged
anything of the State or any; and it is my want of ability and
her exceeding desert, your birth, means and authority, her
birth, virtue, want and simplicity, doth make me thus bold
humbly to beseech your majesty to take this knowledge of her,
though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter as myself,
her husband's estate not being able to make her fit to attend
your majesty. The most and least I can do is to tell you this,
because none hath so oft tried it as myself; and the rather
being of so great a spirit, however her stature. If she should
not be well received, seeing this kingdom may rightly have a
kingdom by her means, her present love to us and Christianity
might turn to such scorn and fury as to divert all this good to
the worst of evil; where, finding so great a queen should do her
some honour more than she can imagine, for being so kind to your
servants and subjects, would so ravish her with content, as
endear her dearest blood to effect that Your Majesty and all the
king's honest subjects most earnestly desire. And so I humbly
kiss your gracious hands.
Captain Smith went to Brentford with several others to see Pocahontas.
She saluted him modestly, and without a word turned round and
"obscured her face as not seeming well contented." Smith, with her
husband and the other gentlemen, left her "in that humour" for several
hours. The captain was disappointed, and repented having written the
queen that she could speak English. But when the gentlemen returned
Pocahontas began to talk, and said that she remembered Captain Smith
well, "and the courtesies she had done."
"You did promise Powhatan," said Pocahontas, "what was yours should be
his, and he the like to you. You called him father, being in his land
a stranger, and by the same reason so must I do to you."
Captain Smith tried to excuse himself from this honour. He "durst not
allow that title because she was a king's daughter."
"Were you not afraid," said Pocahontas, with a look of determination,
"were you not afraid to come into my father's country, and caused fear
in him and all his people but me, and fear you here I should call you
father? I tell you then I will, and you shall call me child, and so I
will be forever and ever your countryman. They did tell us always you
were dead, and I knew no other until I came to Plymouth; yet Powhatan
did command Tomocomo to seek you and know the truth, because your
countrymen will lie much."
Pocahontas had really felt a warm affection for Smith as a friend of
her childhood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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