the complete writings-3-第63部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


dy　Delaware　had　trouble　to　recover　goods　of　hers　left　in　Rolfe's　hands　in　Virginia；　and　desired　a　commission　directed　to　Sir　Thomas　Wyatt　and　Mr。　George　Sandys　to　examine　what　goods　of　the　late　〃Lord　Deleware　had　come　into　Rolfe's　possession　and　get　satisfaction　of　him。〃　　This　George　Sandys　is　the　famous　traveler　who　made　a　journey　through　the　Turkish　Empire　in　1610；　and　who　wrote；　while　living　in　Virginia；　the　first　book　written　in　the　New　World；　the　completion　of　his　translation　of　Ovid's　〃Metamorphosis。〃

John　Rolfe　died　in　Virginia　in　1622；　leaving　a　wife　and　children。　This　is　supposed　to　be　his　third　wife；　though　there　is　no　note　of　his　marriage　to　her　nor　of　the　death　of　his　first。　　October　7；　1622；　his　brother　Henry　Rolfe　petitioned　that　the　estate　of　John　should　be　converted　to　the　support　of　his　relict　wife　and　children　and　to　his　own　indemnity　for　having　brought　up　John's　child　by　Powhatan's　daughter。

This　child；　named　Thomas　Rolfe；　was　given　after　the　death　of　Pocahontas　to　the　keeping　of　Sir　Lewis　Stukely　of　Plymouth；　who　fell　into　evil　practices；　and　the　boy　was　transferred　to　the　guardianship　of　his　uncle　Henry　Rolfe；　and　educated　in　London。　　When　he　was　grown　up　he　returned　to　Virginia；　and　was　probably　there　married。　　There　is　on　record　his　application　to　the　Virginia　authorities　in　1641　for　leave　to　go　into　the　Indian　country　and　visit　Cleopatra；　his　mother's　sister。　　He　left　an　only　daughter　who　was　married；　says　Stith　（1753）；　〃to　Col。　John　Bolling；　by　whom　she　left　an　only　son；　the　late　Major　John　Bolling；　who　was　father　to　the　present　Col。　John　Bolling；　and　several　daughters；　married　to　Col。　Richard　Randolph；　Col。　John　Fleming；　Dr。　William　Gay；　Mr。　Thomas　Eldridge；　and　Mr。　James　Murray。〃　Campbell　in　his　〃History　of　Virginia〃　says　that　the　first　Randolph　that　came　to　the　James　River　was　an　esteemed　and　industrious　mechanic；　and　that　one　of　his　sons；　Richard；　grandfather　of　the　celebrated　John　Randolph；　married　Jane　Bolling；　the　great　granddaughter　of　Pocahontas。

In　1618　died　the　great　Powhatan；　full　of　years　and　satiated　with　fighting　and　the　savage　delights　of　life。　　He　had　many　names　and　titles；　his　own　people　sometimes　called　him　Ottaniack；　sometimes　Mamauatonick；　and　usually　in　his　presence　Wahunsenasawk。　　He　ruled；　by　inheritance　and　conquest；　with　many　chiefs　under　him；　over　a　large　territory　with　not　defined　borders；　lying　on　the　James；　the　York；　the　Rappahannock；　the　Potomac；　and　the　Pawtuxet　Rivers。　　He　had　several　seats；　at　which　he　alternately　lived　with　his　many　wives　and　guard　of　bowmen；　the　chief　of　which　at　the　arrival　of　the　English　was　Werowomocomo；　on　the　Pamunkey　（York）　River。　　His　state　has　been　sufficiently　described。　　He　is　said　to　have　had　a　hundred　wives；　and　generally　a　dozenthe　youngestpersonally　attending　him。　　When　he　had　a　mind　to　add　to　his　harem　he　seems　to　have　had　the　ancient　oriental　custom　of　sending　into　all　his　dominions　for　the　fairest　maidens　to　be　brought　from　whom　to　select。　　And　he　gave　the　wives　of　whom　he　was　tired　to　his　favorites。

Strachey　makes　a　striking　description　of　him　as　he　appeared　about　1610：　〃He　is　a　goodly　old　man　not　yet　shrincking；　though　well　beaten　with　cold　and　stormeye　winters；　in　which　he　hath　been　patient　of　many　necessityes　and　attempts　of　his　fortune　to　make　his　name　and　famely　great。　　He　is　supposed　to　be　little　lesse　than　eighty　yeares　old；　I　dare　not　saye　how　much　more；　others　saye　he　is　of　a　tall　stature　and　cleane　lymbes；　of　a　sad　aspect；　rownd　fatt　visaged；　with　graie　haires；　but　plaine　and　thin；　hanging　upon　his　broad　showlders；　some　few　haires　upon　his　chin；　and　so　on　his　upper　lippe：　he　hath　been　a　strong　and　able　salvadge；　synowye；　vigilant；　ambitious；　subtile　to　enlarge　his　dominions：。。。。　　cruell　he　hath　been；　and　quarellous　as　well　with　his　own　wcrowanccs　for　trifles；　and　that　to　strike　a　terrour　and　awe　into　them　of　his　power　and　condicion；　as　also　with　his　neighbors　in　his　younger　days；　though　now　delighted　in　security　and　pleasure；　and　therefore　stands　upon　reasonable　conditions　of　peace　with　all　the　great　and　absolute　werowances　about　him；　and　is　likewise　more　quietly　settled　amongst　his　own。〃

It　was　at　this　advanced　age　that　he　had　the　twelve　favorite　young　wives　whom　Strachey　names。　　All　his　people　obeyed　him　with　fear　and　adoration；　presenting　anything　he　ordered　at　his　feet；　and　trembling　if　he　frowned。　　His　punishments　were　cruel；　offenders　were　beaten　to　death　before　him；　or　tied　to　trees　and　dismembered　joint　by　joint；　or　broiled　to　death　on　burning　coals。　　Strachey　wondered　how　such　a　barbarous　prince　should　put　on　such　ostentation　of　majesty；　yet　he　accounted　for　it　as　belonging　to　the　necessary　divinity　that　doth　hedge　in　a　king：　〃Such　is　（I　believe）　the　impression　of　the　divine　nature；　and　however　these　（as　other　heathens　forsaken　by　the　true　light）　have　not　that　porcion　of　the　knowing　blessed　Christian　spiritt；　yet　I　am　perswaded　there　is　an　infused　kind　of　divinities　and　extraordinary　（appointed　that　it　shall　be　so　by　the　King　of　kings）　to　such　as　are　his　ymedyate　instruments　on　earth。〃

Here　is　perhaps　as　good　a　place　as　any　to　say　a　word　or　two　about　the　appearance　and　habits　of　Powhatan's　subjects；　as　they　were　observed　by　Strachey　and　Smith。　　A　sort　of　religion　they　had；　with　priests　or　conjurors；　and　houses　set　apart　as　temples；　wherein　images　were　kept　and　conjurations　performed；　but　the　ceremonies　seem　not　worship；　but　propitiations　against　evil；　and　there　seems　to　have　been　no　conception　of　an　overruling　power　or　of　an　immortal　life。　　Smith　describes　a　ceremony　of　sacrifice　of　children　to　their　deity；　but　this　is　doubtful；　although　Parson　Whittaker；　who　calls　the　Indians　〃naked　slaves　of　the　devil；〃　also　says　they　sacrificed　sometimes　themselves　and　sometimes　their　own　children。　　An　image　of　their　god　which　he　sent　to　England　〃was　painted　upon　one　side　of　a　toadstool；　much　like　unto　a　deformed　monster。〃　　And　he　adds：　〃Their　priests；　whom　they　call　Quockosoughs；　are　no　other　but　such　as　our　English　witches　are。〃　　This　notion　I　believe　also　pertained　among　the　New　England　colonists。　　There　was　a　belief　that　the　Indian　conjurors　had　some　power　over　the　elements；　but　not　a　well…regulated　power；　and　in　time　the　Indians　came　to　a　belief　in　the　better　effect　of　the　invocations　of　the　whites。　　In　〃Winslow's　Relation；〃　quoted　by　Alexander　Young　in　his　〃　Chronicles　of　the　Pilgrim　Fathers；〃　under　date　of　July；　1623；　we　read　that　on　account　of　a　great　drought　a　fast　day　was　appointed。　　When　the　assembly　met　the　sky　was　clear。　　The　exercise　lasted　eight　or　nine　hours。　　Before　they　broke　up；　owing　to　prayers　the　weather　was　overcast。　　Next　day　began　a　long　gentle　rain。　This　the　Indians　seeing；　admired　the　goodness　of　our　God：　〃showing　the　difference　between　their　conjuration　and　our　invocation　in　the　name　of　God　for　rain；　theirs　being　mixed　with　such　storms　and　tempests；　as　sometimes；　instead　of　doing　them　good；　it　layeth　the　corn　flat　on　the　ground；　but　ours　in　so　gentle　and　seasonable　a　manner；　as　they　never　observed　the　like。〃

It　was　a　common　opinion　of　the　early　settlers　in　Virginia；　as　it　was　of　those　in　New　England；　that　the　Indians　were　born　white；　but　that　they　got　a　brown　or　tawny　color　by　the　use　of　red　ointments；　made　of　earth　and　the　juice　of　roots；　with　which　they　besmear　themselves　either　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country　or　as　a　defense　against　the　stinging　of　mosquitoes。　　The　women　are　of　the　same　hue　as　the　men；　says　Strachey；　〃howbeit；　it　is　supposed　neither　of　them　naturally　borne　so　discolored；　for　Captain　Smith　（lyving　sometymes　amongst　them）　affirmeth　how　they　are　from　the　womb　indifferent　white；　but　as　the　men；　so　doe　the　women；〃　〃dye　and　disguise　themselves　into　this　tawny　cowler；　esteeming　it　the　best　beauty　to　be　nearest　such　a　kind　of　murrey　as　a　sodden　quince　is　of；〃　as　the　Greek　women　colored　their　faces　and　the　ancient　Britain　women　dyed　themselves　with　red；　〃howbeit　＇Strachey　slyly　adds＇　he　or　she　that　hath　obtained　the　perfected　art　in　the　tempering　of　this　collour　with　any　better　kind　of　earth；　yearb　or　root　preserves　it　not　yet　so　secrett　and　precious　unto　herself　as　doe　our　great　ladyes　their　oyle　of　talchum；　or　other　painting　white　and　red；　but　they　frindly　communicate　the　secret　and　teach　it　one　another。〃

Thomas　Lechford　in　his　〃Plain　Dealing；　or　Newes　from　New　England；〃　London；　1642；　says：　〃They　are　of　complexion　swarthy　and　tawny；　their　children　are　borne　white；　but　they　bedawbe　them　with　oyle　and　colors　presently。〃

The　men　are　described　as　tall；　straight；　and　of　comely　proportions；　no　beards；　hair　black；　coarse；　and　thick；　noses　broad；　flat；　and　full　at　the　end；　with　big　lips　and　wide　mouths'；　yet　nothing　so　unsightly　as　the　Moors；　and　the　women　as　having　〃handsome　limbs；　slender　arms；　pretty　hands；　and　when　they　sing　they　have　a　pleasant　tange　in　their　voices。　　The　men　shaved　their　hair　on　the　right　side；　the　women　acting　as　barbers；　and　left　the　hair　full　length　on　the　left　side；　with　a　lock　an　ell　long。〃　　A　Puritan　divine〃New　England's　Plantation；　1630〃says　of　the　Indians　about　him；　〃their　hair　is　generally　black；　and　cut　before　like　our　gentlewomen；　and　one　lock　longer　than　the　rest；　much　like　to　our　gentlemen；　which　fashion　I　think　came　from　hence　into　England。〃

Their　love　of　ornaments　is　sufficiently　illustrated　by　an　extract　from　Strachey；　which　is　in　substance　what　Smith　writes：

〃Their　eares　they　boare　with　wyde　holes；　commonly　two　or　three；　and　in　the　same　they　doe　hang　chaines　of　stayned　pearle　braceletts；　of　white　bone　or　shreeds　of　copper；　beaten　thinne　and　bright；　and　wounde　up　hollowe；　and　with　a　grate　pride；　certaine　fowles'　legges；　eagles；　hawkes；　turkeys；　etc。；　with　beasts　clawes；　bears；　arrahacounes；　squirrells；　etc。　　The　clawes　thrust　through　they　let　hang　upon　the　cheeke　to　the　full　view；　and　some　of　their　men　there　be　who　will　weare　in　these　holes　a　small　greene　and　yellow…couloured　live　snake；　neere　half　a　yard　in　length；　which　crawling　and　lapping　himself　about　his　neck　oftentymes　familiarly；　he　suffreeth　to　kisse　his　lippes。　Others　weare　a　dead　ratt　tyed　by　the　tayle；　and　such　like　conundrums。〃

This　is　the　earliest　use　I　find　of　our　word　〃conundrum；〃　and　the　sense　it　bears　here　may　aid　in　discovering　its　origin。

Powhatan　is　a　very