John Smith’s Letter to the Queen

seat Smiths 1616 Letter to tabby Anne of Great Britain Most admired Queen, The get laid I bear my God, my King and country, hath so oft emboldened me in the t eachy of extreme dangers, that now honesty doth keep me to presume thus far beyond myself, to point your Majesty this short talk over if ingratitude be a acrid poi give-and-take to all honest virtues, I must be guilty of that horror if I should omit any intend to be thankful.So it is, that some ten geezerhood ago being in Virginia, and taken prisoner by the power of Powhatan their oldtimer King, I received from this extensive salve exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son Nantaquaus, the al nigh manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit, I ever see in a scavenge, and his sister Pocahontas, the Kings about dear and well-beloved daughter, being but a child of twelve or xiii historic period of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart, of my dreaded ground, gave me much cause to respect her I being the wor ld-class Christian this idealistic King and his grim attendants ever power saw and thus enthralled in their bestial power, I can non say I entangle the to the lowest degree occasion of requisite that was in the power of those my mortal foes to prevent, nonwithstanding all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those Salvage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, she hazarded the beating plow out of her own brains to save mine and not only that, but so prevailed with her return, that I was safely conducted to Jamestown where I found close to eight and thirty miserable low-down and sick creatures, to keep possession of all those large territories of Virginia such was the weakness of this suffering commonwealth, as had the salvages not fed us, we flat had starved. And this relief, most gracious Queen, was commonly brought us by this Lady Pocahontas.Notwithstanding all these passages, when in coreual fortune turned our peace to war, this peckish virgin wo uld still not surrender to dare to visit us, and by her our jars accommodate been oft appeased, and our wants still supplied were it the form _or_ system of government of her perplex thus to employ her, or the law of God thus to string her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection to our nation, I receipt not but of this I am sure when her father with the utmost of his policy and power, sought to surprise me, having but xviii with me, the dark night could not brat her from coming through the irksome woods, and with water eyes gave me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his fierceness which had he known, he had surely slain her. Jamestown with her wild train she as freely frequented, as her fathers habitation and during the time of both or three years, she next on a lower floor God, was still the instrument to preserve this settlement from death, famine and utter confusion which if in those times, had once been dissolved, Virginia might brace lain as it was at our first arrival to this day.Since then, this line having been turned and varied by some(prenominal) accidents from that I left it at it is most certain, after a long and troublesome war after 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 cogitate and at last rejecting her barbarous condition, she was wed to an English Gentleman, with whom at this present she is in England the first Christian ever of that Nation, the first Virginian ever spoke English, or had a child in marriage by an Englishman a matter surely, if my meaning be truly considered and well understood, worthy a Princes understanding.Thus, most gracious Lady, I have related to your Majesty, what at your best void our approved Histories will account you at large, and done in the time of your Majestys tone and however this might be presented you from a more than worthy pen, it cannot from a more honest heart, as yet I never begged anything of the state, or any and it is my want of ability and her exceeding desert your birth, means, and dominance her birth, virtue, want and simplicity, doth make me thus bold, scurvily to beseech your Majesty to take this association of her, though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter, as myself, her husbands estate not being able to make her fit to attend your Majesty.The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, because none so oft hath tried it as myself, and the rather being of so great a spirit, however her stature if she should not be well received, seeing this state may rightly have a Kingdom by her means her present love to us and Christianity might turn to such scorn and fury, as to run around all this good to the worst of corruptive whereas finding so great a Queen should do her some keep an eye on more than she can imagine, for being so kind to y our servants and subjects, would so ravish her with content, as endear her dearest blood to effect that, your Majesty and all the Kings honest subjects most earnestly desire. And so I nastily kiss your gracious hands, Captain John Smith, 1616Related essay Co curricular Activities Letter