Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-05-08

history dipped her pen IN the indestruo.i.
BILE fountain oftruth. andrecorded pro-
phecy Of mighty empires in the New
World. Upon the chsncel steps, where
no railing interfered, hesgood Whitaker
stood in his .sacerdotal robes. and, with
impressive voice. pronounced the marri-
age ritual Of the liturgy of the Anglican
Church. then first planted on the West
ern Continent. On his right, in richly
carved chair of state. brought from Eng
land. sat the Governor. with his eyer-at-
tendant halberdiers, with brazen helmets,
at his back.
There were yet but few women in the
colony, and these, soon after this memo
rable event. returned to native England.
The " ninety young women, pure and un-
corrupted" whom the wise Sandys caus-
ed to be sent to Virginia. as wives for the
planters. did not arrive until ten years la
ter. All then at jamestown were at the
marriage. The letters of the time have
transmitted to US the names of some of
them. Mistress John Rolfe, with her
child, (doublless of the family of The
bridegroom y Mistress Easton and child,
and Mistress Horton and grandchild, with
her maid-servant, Elizabeth Parsons, who,
on a Christmas eve before. had married
Thomas Powell. were yet in Virginia.
Among the noted men then present, was
Sir Thomas Gates. brave soldier in ma.
ny wars, and as brave an adventurer
among the Atlantic perils as any who ev.
er trusted to the ribs of oak of the ships
of Old England. And Master Sparkes,
| l,nI n Al n I
to the court of Powhatan, stood near the
old soldier with young Henry Spilman at
his side. There. too, was the young
George Percy. brother OF the powerful
Duke Of Northumberland, whose condct
was always as noble as his blood and
near him. an earnest spectator of the
scene, was the elder brother Of Pocahon-
tas but not the destined successor to the
throne Of the father. There, too, was a
younger brother of the bride, and many
youths and maidens from the forest
shades; but one noble fgure-the pride
OF the Powhatan confederacy, the father
Of the bride, was absent. He had con-
sented to the marriage with willing voice,
but would not trust himself within the
power Of the English at jamestown. He
remained in his habitation at Weroworo-
moco. while the RosE and the ToTuM
were being welded, but cheerfully com,
missioned his brother. Opachisco, to give
away his daughter. That prince perform
ed his duty well, and then, in careless
gravity. he sat and listened to the voice
of the Apostle, and the sweet chanting Of
the choristers. The music ceased. the
bencdiction fell. the solemn "Amen"
echoed from the rude vaulted roof,
and the joyous company left the cha
pei for the festal hall of the Gov
ernor. Thus :" the peace" was made
stronger, and the ROSE of England lay
undisturbed upon the HArcHEr of the
Powhatans while the father of Pocahon>
tas lived.
Months glided away. The bride aud
groom "lived civilly and lovingly togeth.
err" until Sir Thomas Dale departed for
England, in 1916. when they, with many
settlers. accompanied him. Tomocomo,
one of the shrewdest Of Powhatan's IS coun>
sellors, went also, that he might report all
the wonders of England 10 his master. The
Lady Rebecca received great attention
from the court and all below it. "She
accustomed herself to civilty, and carried
herself as the daughter of a king" DR..
King, the Lord Bishop of London. enter
tanned her "with festival state and pomp,"
beyond what he had ever given to other
ladies and at the court she was receiv-
ed with courtesy due to her rank as q
princess. But the silly bigot ON the
throne was highly incensed. because one
of his subjects had dared 10 marry lady
Of regal blood. and, in the midst Of his
dreams of perogatives, he absuredly ap>
pretended that Rolfe might lay claim "to
the crown of Virginia IL Afraid of the
royal displeasure. Captain Smith. who
was then in England. would not allow her
to call him futher as she desired to do
She could not comprehend the cause F; and
her tender, simple heart was sorely griev-
ed by what seemed TO be his want Of az.
fection for her. She remained in England
about year aud, when ready 10 EN-.
bark for America with her husband, she
sickened, and died at Gravesend, in the
fowery month of June, 1917. when not
quite twenty-five years of age. She left
one son. Thomas Rolfe, who afterwards
became quite distinguished man in Vir-
ginia. He had but one child. daughter
From her. some of the leading families in
Virginia trace their lineage. Among
these are the Bollings. Murrays. Guys.
Eldridges. and RandoIphs. But Poca-
hontas needed no postetity to perpetuate
her name-it is imperishably preserved
in the amber of history.
~ A FAST C1rT.-A st. Paul paper
Gays: ''Some ground was leased on
Third-street just above our office, on
Wednesday, contract was entered into
for building on Thursday. the buildinp