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XVI

STORY　OF　POCAHONTAS；　CONTINUED

Sir　Thomas　Dale　was　on　the　whole　the　most　efficient　and　discreet　Governor　the　colony　had　had。　　One　element　of　his　success　was　no　doubt　the　change　in　the　charter　of　1609。　　By　the　first　charter　everything　had　been　held　in　common　by　the　company；　and　there　had　been　no　division　of　property　or　allotment　of　land　among　the　colonists。　　Under　the　new　regime　land　was　held　in　severalty；　and　the　spur　of　individual　interest　began　at　once　to　improve　the　condition　of　the　settlement。　The　character　of　the　colonists　was　also　gradually　improving。　　They　had　not　been　of　a　sort　to　fulfill　the　earnest　desire　of　the　London　promoter's　to　spread　vital　piety　in　the　New　World。　　A　zealous　defense　of　Virginia　and　Maryland；　against　〃scandalous　imputation；〃　entitled　〃　Leah　and　Rachel；　or；　The　Two　Fruitful　Sisters；〃　by　Mr。　John　Hammond；　London；　1656；　considers　the　charges　that　Virginia　〃is　an　unhealthy　place；　a　nest　of　rogues；　abandoned　women；　dissolut　and　rookery　persons；　a　place　of　intolerable　labour；　bad　usage　and　hard　diet〃；　and　admits　that　〃at　the　first　settling；　and　for　many　years　after；　it　deserved　most　of　these　aspersions；　nor　were　they　then　aspersions　but　truths。。。。　　There　were　jails　supplied；　youth　seduced；　infamous　women　drilled　in；　the　provision　all　brought　out　of　England；　and　that　embezzled　by　the　Trustees。〃

Governor　Dale　was　a　soldier；　entering　the　army　in　the　Netherlands　as　a　private　he　had　risen　to　high　position；　and　received　knighthood　in　1606。　　Shortly　after　he　was　with　Sir　Thomas　Gates　in　South　Holland。　The　States　General　in　1611　granted　him　three　years'　term　of　absence　in　Virginia。　　Upon　his　arrival　he　began　to　put　in　force　that　system　of　industry　and　frugality　he　had　observed　in　Holland。　　He　had　all　the　imperiousness　of　a　soldier；　and　in　an　altercation　with　Captain　Newport；　occasioned　by　some　injurious　remarks　the　latter　made　about　Sir　Thomas　Smith；　the　treasurer；　he　pulled　his　beard　and　threatened　to　hang　him。　　Active　operations　for　settling　new　plantations　were　at　once　begun；　and　Dale　wrote　to　Cecil；　the　Earl　of　Salisbury；　for　2；000　good　colonists　to　be　sent　out；　for　the　three　hundred　that　came　were　〃so　profane；　so　riotous；　so　full　of　mutiny；　that　not　many　are　Christians　but　in　name；　their　bodies　so　diseased　and　crazed　that　not　sixty　of　them　may　be　employed。〃　　He　served　afterwards　with　credit　in　Holland；　was　made　commander　of　the　East　Indian　fleet　in　1618；　had　a　naval　engagement　with　the　Dutch　near　Bantam　in　1619；　and　died　in　1620　from　the　effects　of　the　climate。　　He　was　twice　married；　and　his　second　wife；　Lady　Fanny；　the　cousin　of　his　first　wife；　survived　him　and　received　a　patent　for　a　Virginia　plantation。

Governor　Dale　kept　steadily　in　view　the　conversion　of　the　Indians　to　Christianity；　and　the　success　of　John　Rolfe　with　Matoaka　inspired　him　with　a　desire　to　convert　another　daughter　of　Powhatan；　of　whose　exquisite　perfections　he　had　heard。　　He　therefore　despatched　Ralph　Hamor；　with　the　English　boy；　Thomas　Savage；　as　interpreter；　on　a　mission　to　the　court　of　Powhatan；　〃upon　a　message　unto　him；　which　was　to　deale　with　him；　if　by　any　means　I　might　procure　a　daughter　of　his；　who　（Pocahuntas　being　already　in　our　possession）　is　generally　reported　to　be　his　delight　and　darling；　and　surely　he　esteemed　her　as　his　owne　Soule；　for　surer　pledge　of　peace。〃　　This　visit　Hamor　relates　with　great　naivete。

At　his　town　of　Matchcot；　near　the　head　of　York　River；　Powhatan　himself　received　his　visitors　when　they　landed；　with　great　cordiality；　expressing　much　pleasure　at　seeing　again　the　boy　who　had　been　presented　to　him　by　Captain　Newport；　and　whom　he　had　not　seen　since　he　gave　him　leave　to　go　and　see　his　friends　at　Jamestown　four　years　before；　he　also　inquired　anxiously　after　Namontack；　whom　he　had　sent　to　King　James's　land　to　see　him　and　his　country　and　report　thereon；　and　then　led　the　way　to　his　house；　where　he　sat　down　on　his　bedstead　side。　　〃On　each　hand　of　him　was　placed　a　comely　and　personable　young　woman；　which　they　called　his　Queenes；　the　howse　within　round　about　beset　with　them；　the　outside　guarded　with　a　hundred　bowmen。〃

The　first　thing　offered　was　a　pipe　of　tobacco；　which　Powhatan　〃first　drank；〃　and　then　passed　to　Hamor；　who　〃drank〃　what　he　pleased　and　then　returned　it。　　The　Emperor　then　inquired　how　his　brother　Sir　Thomas　Dale　fared；　〃and　after　that　of　his　daughter's　welfare；　her　marriage；　his　unknown　son；　and　how　they　liked；　lived　and　loved　together。〃　　Hamor　replied　〃that　his　brother　was　very　well；　and　his　daughter　so　well　content　that　she　would　not　change　her　life　to　return　and　live　with　him；　whereat　he　laughed　heartily；　and　said　he　was　very　glad　of　it。〃

Powhatan　then　desired　to　know　the　cause　of　his　unexpected　coming；　and　Mr。　Hamor　said　his　message　was　private；　to　be　delivered　to　him　without　the　presence　of　any　except　one　of　his　councilors；　and　one　of　the　guides；　who　already　knew　it。

Therefore　the　house　was　cleared　of　all　except　the　two　Queens；　who　may　never　sequester　themselves；　and　Mr。　Hamor　began　his　palaver。　　First　there　was　a　message　of　love　and　inviolable　peace；　the　production　of　presents　of　coffee；　beads；　combs；　fish…hooks；　and　knives；　and　the　promise　of　a　grindstone　when　it　pleased　the　Emperor　to　send　for　it。　Hamor　then　proceeded：

〃The　bruite　of　the　exquesite　perfection　of　your　youngest　daughter；　being　famous　through　all　your　territories；　hath　come　to　the　hearing　of　your　brother；　Sir　Thomas　Dale；　who　for　this　purpose　hath　addressed　me　hither；　to　intreate　you　by　that　brotherly　friendship　you　make　profession　of；　to　permit　her　（with　me）　to　returne　unto　him；　partly　for　the　desire　which　himselfe　hath；　and　partly　for　the　desire　her　sister　hath　to　see　her　of　whom；　if　fame　hath　not　been　prodigall；　as　like　enough　it　hath　not；　your　brother　（by　your　favour）　would　gladly　make　his　nearest　companion；　wife　and　bed　fellow　＇many　times　he　would　have　interrupted　my　speech；　which　I　entreated　him　to　heare　out；　and　then　if　he　pleased　to　returne　me　answer＇；　and　the　reason　hereof　is；　because　being　now　friendly　and　firmly　united　together；　and　made　one　people　＇as　he　supposeth　and　believes＇　in　the　bond　of　love；　he　would　make　a　natural　union　between　us；　principally　because　himself　hath　taken　resolution　to　dwel　in　your　country　so　long　as　he　liveth；　and　would　not　only　therefore　have　the　firmest　assurance　hee　may；　of　perpetuall　friendship　from　you；　but　also　hereby　binde　himselfe　thereunto。〃

Powhatan　replied　with　dignity　that　he　gladly　accepted　the　salute　of　love　and　peace；　which　he　and　his　subjects　would　exactly　maintain。　But　as　to　the　other　matter　he　said：　〃My　daughter；　whom　my　brother　desireth；　I　sold　within　these　three　days　to　be　wife　to　a　great　Weroance　for　two　bushels　of　Roanoke　＇a　small　kind　of　beads　made　of　oyster　shells＇；　and　it　is　true　she　is　already　gone　with　him；　three　days'　journey　from　me。〃

Hamor　persisted　that　this　marriage　need　not　stand　in　the　way；　〃that　if　he　pleased　herein　to　gratify　his　Brother　he　might；　restoring　the　Roanoke　without　the　imputation　of　injustice；　take　home　his　daughter　again；　the　rather　because　she　was　not　full　twelve　years　old；　and　therefore　not　marriageable；　assuring　him　besides　the　bond　of　peace；　so　much　the　firmer；　he　should　have　treble　the　price　of　his　daughter　in　beads；　copper；　hatchets；　and　many　other　things　more　useful　for　him。〃

The　reply　of　the　noble　old　savage　to　this　infamous　demand　ought　to　have　brought　a　blush　to　the　cheeks　of　those　who　made　it。　　He　said　he　loved　his　daughter　as　dearly　as　his　life；　he　had　many　children；　but　he　delighted　in　none　so　much　as　in　her；　he　could　not　live　if　he　did　not　see　her　often；　as　he　would　not　if　she　were　living　with　the　whites；　and　he　was　determined　not　to　put　himself　in　their　hands。　　He　desired　no　other　assurance　of　friendship　than　his　brother　had　given　him；　who　had　already　one　of　his　daughters　as　a　pledge；　which　was　sufficient　while　she　lived；　〃when　she　dieth　he　shall　have　another　child　of　mine。〃　　And　then　he　broke　forth　in　pathetic　eloquence：　〃I　hold　it　not　a　brotherly　part　of　your　King；　to　desire　to　bereave　me　of　two　of　my　children　at　once；　further　give　him　to　understand；　that　if　he　had　no　pledge　at　all；　he　should　not　need　to　distrust　any　injury　from　me；　or　any　under　my　subjection；　there　have　been　too　many　of　his　and　my　men　killed；　and　by　my　occasion　there　shall　never　be　more；　I　which　have　power　to　perform　it　have　said　it；　no　not　though　I　should　have　just　occasion　offered；　for　I　am　now　old　and　would　gladly　end　my　days　in　peace；　so　as　if　the　English　offer　me　any　injury；　my　country　is　large　enough；　I　will　remove　myself　farther　from　you。〃

The　old　man　hospitably　entertained　his　guests　for　a　day　or　two；　loaded　them　with　presents；　among　which　were　two　dressed　buckskins；　white　as　snow；　for　his　son　and　daughter；　and；　requesting　some　articles　sent　him　in　return；　bade　them　farewell　with　this　message　to　Governor　Dale：　〃I　hope　this　will　give　him　good　satisfaction；　if　it　do　not　I　will　go　three　days'　journey　farther　from　him；　and　never　see　Englishmen　more。〃　　It　speaks　well　for　the　temperate　habits　of　this　savage　that　after　he　had　feasted　his　guests；　〃he　caused　to　be　fetched　a　great　glass　of　sack；　some　three　quarts　or　better；　which　Captain　Newport　had　given　him　six　or　seven　years　since；　carefully　preserved　by　him；　not　much　abo