Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-29
TFrom the Home Journal
THE MARRIAGE OF POCAECNTks.
BY BENSON ]. LOSING.

During the lovely Indian su1araer time, in the
autumn of l60S, there was marriage on the
banks of the Powhatan, where the English had
laid the cornerstone of the great fabric of ANGLO
Saxon Empire in the New World 1t was cele-
brated in the second church which the English
settlers had erected there. Like their first,
which fire had devoured the previous winter, it
was a rude structure, whose roof rested upon
rough pine columns, fresh from the virgin for
est and whose adornings were little indebted to
the hand of art. The officiating priest was
:" good Master Hunter who had lost all his
books by the confiagration. History, poety and
song have kept a dutiful silence respecting.that
first English marriage IN America, because John
Laydon and Anne Burrows were common peo-
pie. The bridegroom was a carpenter, among
the first adventures who ascended the Pow
hatan, then named James, in honor of a bad
king and the bride was waiting maid to :" Mis-
tress Forrest" wife of Thomas Forrest, gentle
man. These were the first white women ever
I seen at the jamestown settlement.
Almost five years later, there was another
marriage at old jamestown, in honor OF which
history poetry and song have been employed.
The bridegroom was Master John Rote, an
honest gentleman and Of good behavior from
the realm of England and the bride was
princess royal, named hiatoa, or Pocahontas, the
+ welr-beIoved daughter of the Emperor OF the
great Powhatan Confederacy, on the lrglnlan
/ Peninsula The officiating priest was Master
/ Alexander Whitaker, noble apostle Of Chris
i tianity, who went to Virginia for the cure of
souls Sir Thomas Dale then Governor of the
colony, thus briefly tells his masters Of the Com
pany in London the story of Pocahontas;
Powhatan's daughters / caused to be care
I fully instructed in the Christian religion, who,
after she had made good progress therein, re-
nounced publicly her countrys idolatry, openly
confessed her Christian faith, was, as she de-
sired, baptized, and is since married to an Eng
lish gentleman of good understanding, (as by
his letter unto me- containing the reason of his
marriage of her, you may perceive,) another
knot to bind this peace the stronger Her father
aud friends gave appreciation to il, and her uncle
gave her to him in the church, She lives c1yllly
and lovingly with him, and. trust, Will increase
in goodness as the knowledge OF God Ifcreaseth
in her. She will 90 to England with me, and,
were it but the gaining of this one soul, wlll
think my time, tod, and present stay well spent
So discoursed Sir Thomas Dale Curiosity
would know more of the princess and her mar
riage, and curiosity may here be gratltied to the
extent of the revelations of recorded history
The finger of special Providence, pointing
down the vista of ages, is seen in the character
and acts of Pecahontas. She was the daughter
of pagan king who had never heard of Jesus
of Nazareth. vet her heart was oyertiow1ng with
the cardinal virtues of Christian life
sShe was q landscape of mild earth,
Where ali was harmony and calm quiet,
Iuxuriant, budding.'-ByRos.
When Captain Smith, the boldest and the
best of the early adventurers in Virginia, pene-
trsted the dense forest, he was made prisoner
was conducted in triumph from village TO vll
lage. until he stood in the presence OF Powhat
an, the supreme ruler, and was then condemned
to die,
Upon the barren sand
single captive stoods
Around him came with bow and brand,
The red-11en of the wood
Like him of old his doom he hears,
Rock-bound on oceans rim
The chieftain's daughter knelt in tears
And breathed prayer for him.
1 Above bis head in air