bout eight and
thirty miserable, poor and sick creatures, to keep possession for
all those large territories of Virginia. Such was the weakness of
this poor commonwealth, as had not the savages fed us, we directly
had starved.

And this relief, most gracious queen, was commonly brought us by
this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all these passages, when
unconstant 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,
give 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,
she, next under God, was still the instrument to preserve this
colony from death, famine, and utter confusion, which if, in those
times, had once been dissolved, Virginia might have lain, as it
was at our first arrival, till this day. Since then, this business
having been turned and varied by many accidents from what I left
it, it is most certain, after a long and troublesome war, since 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 spake 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
information.

Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to your majesty, what at
your best leisure, our approved histories will recount to you at
large, as done in the time of your majesty's life; and however
this might be presen