The Myths of the North American IndiansSpence, Lewis
History
The Myths of the North American Indians
Spence, Lewis
Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
"'Notwithstanding all these passages, when inconstant Fortune turned
our peace to war, this tender virgin would still not spare to dare to
visit us, and by her our jars have been oft appeased, and our wants
still supplied. Were it the policy of her father thus to employ her,
or the ordinance of God thus to make her His instrument, or her
extraordinary affection to our nation, I know not; but of this I am
sure: when her father, with the utmost of his policy and power, sought
to surprise me, having but eighteen with me, the dark night could not
affright her from coming through the irksome woods, and with watered
eyes gave me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his fury;
which had he known, he had surely slain her.
"'Jamestown with her wild train she as freely frequented as her
father's habitation; and during the time of two or three years [1608-9]
she, next under God, was still the instrument to preserve this Colony
from death, famine and utter confusion; which if in those times it had
once been dissolved, Virginia might have lain as it was at our first
arrival to this day.
"'Since then, this business having been turned and {35} varied by many
accidents from that I left it at: it is most certain, after a long and
troublesome war after my departure, betwixt her father and our Colony,
all which time she was not heard of;
"'About two years after she herself was taken prisoner, being so
detained near two years longer, the Colony by that means was relieved,
peace concluded; and at last rejecting her barbarous condition, she was
married to an English gentleman, with whom at this present she is in
England; the first Christian ever of that nation, the first Virginian
ever spoke English, or had a child in marriage by an Englishman: a
matter surely, if my meaning be truly considered and well understood,
worthy a prince's understanding.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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