The Stronghold: A Story of Historic Northern Neck of Virginia and Its PeopleHaynie, Miriam
History
The Stronghold: A Story of Historic Northern Neck of Virginia and Its People
Haynie, Miriam
Northern Neck (Va.)
Henry had lived with the Indians for "a year and more." Captain Argall
found him healthy and apparently contented. He returned to Jamestown and
stayed there until the following spring at which time he sailed for
England in company with Lord De la Ware.
How different Henry must have seemed to his family! And he was different
for he had become almost more like an Indian than a white boy.
_HENRY'S RELATION_
While on his return visit to England Henry Spelman wrote a manuscript,
entitled "Relation of Virginia," in which he described the country
between the Rappahannock and the Potomac. It is probably the first
recorded specific description of the Northern Neck:
"The cuntry is full of wood in sum partes, and water they have
plentifull, they have marish (marsh) ground and smale fields, for corn,
and other grounds wher on their Deare, goates, and stages feadeth, ther
be in this cuntry Lions, Beares, Wolves, foxes, muske catts, Hares, a
fleinge squirel, and other squirls beinge all graye like conyes, a great
store of foule, only Peacockes and common hens wanting: fish in
aboundance wher on they (Indians) live most part of the Summer time.
They have a kind of wheat cald locataunce and Pease and Beanes, Great
store of walnuts growing in every place. They have no orchard frutes,
only tow kind of plumbes, the one a sweet and lussius plumbe, long and
thicke in forme and liknes of A Nutt Palme, the other resemblinge a
medler." (Persimmon)
_BETRAYED_
IN 1616 Henry Spelman returned to Virginia and was employed as
interpreter to the colony. In 1618 he was again in England but returned
to Virginia on board the _Treasurer_ in that same year. By now he "knew
most of the kings of Virginia and spake their languages very
understandingly."
In August, 1619, Spelman was tried by the House of Burgesses for
speaking disparagingly of Governor Yeardley to Opechancanough. These
charges were preferred by Robert Poole, interpreter. Poole said that he
had been present at the court of Opechancanough when Spelman had talked
"unreverently and maliciously" against the colony government.
Spelman denied most of the charges but admitted that he "hade informed
Opechancanough that within a yeare there would come a governor greater
then this that nowe is in place."
For this misdemeanor Spelman lost his title of Captain and was sentenced
to serve the colony seven years in the nature of interpreter to the
Governor. Many thought that he had been "badly rewarded for much good
service" that he had done.
When the sentence was read to Spelman it was reported that he showed no
signs of remorse for his offenses and muttered to himself and acted more
like a "Savage than a Christian."
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account