The Birth of the Nation, Jamestown, 1607Pryor, Sara Agnes Rice
History
The Birth of the Nation, Jamestown, 1607
Pryor, Sara Agnes Rice
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
All these things working together, the end is accomplished. She is a
_fiancée_ when Argall takes her up the York to make another appeal to
Powhatan, burns a few villages to show he is in earnest, and finally
brings about an interview with her brothers (her father refuses to see
her), in which her engagement is announced. Powhatan is delighted! Before
Argall can reach Jamestown with the little bride, her old uncle Opachisco
and her two brothers are there before him to witness the marriage
ceremony, bearing with them her father's wedding present--a nicely dressed
deerskin.
[Illustration: THE MARRIAGE OF POCAHONTAS AT JAMESTOWN.
Halberdiers
Gov. Sir Thos. Dale
Alex. Whittaker
Mrs. John Rolfe and Child
Mrs. Ed. Easton and Child
Choristers
Mattachanna and Cleopatre
Pocahontas
John Rolfe
Indian Attendants
Capt. George Percy
Brother to Pocahontas
Henry Spilman
William Spence
Thos. Savage
Master Sparkes
Thomas Powell, Wife and Child
Mrs. Horton and Grandchild
Sir Thos. Gates
Opachisco, Uncle to Pocahontas
A Younger Brother to Pocahontas]
Before this time, in April, 1613, Pocahontas had been baptized in the
church Lord Delaware had repaired and beautified. Her savage father had
given her three names,--Matoaca, Amonate, and Pocahontas. Her spiritual
sponsors gave her "Rebekah" at her baptism--no doubt in allusion to the
Rebecca of Genesis, and she was thereafter known in England as "the Lady
Rebekah."
As Sir Thomas Dale had wisely foreseen, the alliance brought the blessing
of peace. The Chickahominies sent an embassy to conclude a treaty by which
they were to become subjects of the English king. John Rolfe and his dusky
bride lived "civilly and lovingly together" at "Varina," which continued
to be her residence until she left Virginia.[77]
CHAPTER XX
We must soon take our leave of the troublesome old gentleman with the
sour look. Governor Dale sends Raphe Hamor on a delicate errand--to ask
for his young daughter in marriage--a proceeding which gives us pause,
remembering that the Governor had a Lady Dale in England. However, we
leave him, wherever he is, to settle that little matter with her, and
avail ourselves once more of a solitary eyewitness to our narrative
in which he figures so mysteriously, as we perforce must do in the
much-challenged Pocahontas incident. Of her marriage with Kocoun, however,
we had two witnesses,--Machumps and Kemps. Hamor took with him two Indian
guides, and Thomas Savage as interpreter; also two pieces of copper,
five strings of white and blue beads, five wooden combs, ten fish-hooks,
and two knives; and, thus equipped, presented himself at Mathcot, one of
Powhatan's residences on the Pamunkey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account