History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of VirginiaCampbell, Charles
History
History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia
Campbell, Charles
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Virginia -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Captain Argall now arriving from England, in a vessel with forty men,
was sent to the Potomac to trade for corn, and he contrived to
ingratiate himself with Japazaws, a friendly chief, and from him learned
that Pocahontas was there. She had never visited Jamestown since Smith's
departure, and on the remote banks of the Potomac she thought herself
unknown. Japazaws, easily bribed, betrayed the artless and unsuspecting
girl into Argall's hands. When she discovered the treachery she burst
into tears. Argall, having sent a messenger to inform Powhatan that his
favorite daughter was a prisoner, and must be ransomed with the men and
arms, conveyed her to Jamestown. Three months thereafter Powhatan
restored seven English prisoners and some unserviceable muskets, and
sent word that if his daughter was released he would make restitution
for all injuries, and give the English five hundred bushels of corn, and
forever remain in peace and amity.[108:A] They refused to surrender
Pocahontas until full satisfaction was rendered.
Powhatan was deeply offended, and nothing more was heard from him for a
long time. At length Governor Dale, with Argall's vessel and some
others, manned with one hundred and fifty men, went up the York River,
taking the young captive with him, to Werowocomoco. Here, meeting with a
scornful defiance, the English landed, burnt the cabins, and destroyed
everything. On the next day Dale, proceeding up the river, concluded a
truce with the savages. He then sailed up to Matchot, another residence
of Powhatan, on the south side of the Pamunkey, where it unites with the
Matapony. Matchot is supposed to be identical with Eltham, the old seat
of the Bassets, in the County of New Kent, and which borrows its name
from an English seat in the County of Kent. At this place, where several
hundred warriors were found, the English landed, and the savages
demanded a truce till Powhatan could be heard from, which being granted,
two of Powhatan's sons went on board the vessel to see their sister
Pocahontas. Finding her well, contrary to what they had heard, they were
delighted, and promised to persuade their father to make peace, and
forever be friends with the English.
John Rolfe, and another of the Englishmen named Sparks, were dispatched
to let Powhatan know these proceedings. He entertained them hospitably,
but would not admit them into his presence; they, however, saw his
brother Opechancanough, who engaged to use his influence with Powhatan
in favor of peace. It now being April, the season for planting corn, Sir
Thomas Dale returned to Jamestown, intending not to renew hostilities
until the next crop was made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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