nother residence
of Powhatan, on the south side of the Pamunkey, where it unites with the
Matapony. Matchot is supposed to be identical with Eltham, the old seat
of the Bassets, in the County of New Kent, and which borrows its name
from an English seat in the County of Kent. At this place, where several
hundred warriors were found, the English landed, and the savages
demanded a truce till Powhatan could be heard from, which being granted,
two of Powhatan's sons went on board the vessel to see their sister
Pocahontas. Finding her well, contrary to what they had heard, they were
delighted, and promised to persuade their father to make peace, and
forever be friends with the English.

John Rolfe, and another of the Englishmen named Sparks, were dispatched
to let Powhatan know these proceedings. He entertained them hospitably,
but would not admit them into his presence; they, however, saw his
brother Opechancanough, who engaged to use his influence with Powhatan
in favor of peace. It now being April, the season for planting corn, Sir
Thomas Dale returned to Jamestown, intending not to renew hostilities
until the next crop was made.

March 12th, 1612, another charter was granted to the Virginia Company,
extending the boundaries of the colony, so as to include all islands
lying within three hundred leagues of the continent. The object of this
extension was to embrace the Bermudas, or Summer Islands; but the
Virginia Company shortly afterwards sold them to one hundred and twenty
of its own members, who became incorporated into a distinct
company.[109:A]

On the 4th of November, 1612, died Henry, Prince of Wales, a gallant and
generous spirit, the friend of Raleigh, and the idol of the nation; and
his premature death was deplored like that of the Black Prince before,
and the Princess Charlotte in more modern times. He appears to have been
a warm friend of the infant plantation of Virginia, and Sir Thomas Dale
speaks of him "as his glorious master, who would have enamelled with his
favors the labors which were undertaken for God's cause," and laments
that the "whole frame of the enterprise seemed fallen into his grave."

Mr. John Rolfe, a worthy gentleman, who appears to have been a widower,
had been for some time in love with Pocahontas, and she with him; and,
agitated by the conflicting emotions of this singular and romantic
attachment, in a letter he requested the advice of Sir Thomas Dale, who
readily gave his assent to t