Relation of Virginia

A Boy's Memoir of Life with the Powhatans and the Patawomecks

Henry Spelman, Karen Ordahl Kupperman

• Publisher: NYU Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781479835195
• eBook ISBN: 9781479801640
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Historical Biographies
• Index: History

A memoir of one of America's first adventurers, a young boy who acted as a link between the Jamestown colonists and the Patawomecks and Powhatans.

"Being in displeasure of my friends, and desirous to see other countries, after three months sail we come with prosperous
winds in sight of Virginia." So begins the fascinating tale of Henry Spelman, a 14 year-old boy sent to Virginia in 1609. One of Jamestown's early arrivals, Spelman soon became an integral player, and sometimes a pawn, in the power struggle between the Chesapeake Algonquians and the English settlers.

Shortly after he arrived in the Chesapeake, Henry accompanied another English boy, Thomas Savage, to Powhatan's capital and after a few months went to live with the Patawomeck chief Iopassus on the Potomac. Spelman learned Chesapeake Algonquian languages and customs, acted as an interpreter, and knew a host of colonial America's most well-known figures, from Pocahontas to Powhatan to Captain John Smith. This remarkable manuscript tells Henry's story in his own words, and it is the only description of Chesapeake Algonquian culture written with an insider's knowledge. Spelman's account is lively and insightful, rich in cultural and historical detail.

A valuable and unique primary document, this book illuminates the beginnings of English America and tells us much about how the Chesapeake Algonquians viewed the English invaders. It provides the first transcription from the original manuscript since 1872.

Relation of Virginia

with Original Spelling, Cross-Outs, and Insertions

Folio numbers and editorial insertions are in brackets. Insertions above the line are in italics. Henry’s own parentheses, crossed out words, and underlinings are retained.

[220] Beinge in displeasure of my frendes, and desiring to see other cuntryes, After sum weekes, three months sayle we cam with prosperus winds in sight of Virginia wher A storme sodenly arisinge seavered our ship fleete, (which was of x sayle) every shipp from other, puttinge us all in great daunger for vij or viij dayes togither . But the storme then ceasing our shipp called the unitye cam the next morning saffly to an anker at Cape Henry the [blank] daye of October 1609, Wher we found thre other of our fleete, and about a senight after thre more cam thether also. The residew still remayned Amongst which was Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Summers Knights who wear not beinge hard of many monthes after our arrivall. /

[220v] From Cape Henry we sayled up the River of Powahtan & with in 4 or 5 days arived at James toune, wher we weare joyfully welcomed by our Cuntrymen beinge at that time about 80 persons under the goverment of Capt Smith, The Presidant. Havinge heare unladed our goods and bestowed some senight of or fortnight in viewing of the cuntry, I was caried By Capt Smith our Presidant to the Fales, to the litell Powhatan where unKnowne to me he sould me to him for a towne caled Powhatan and leavinge me with him the litle Powhatann, He made knowne to Capt weste how he had bought a towne for them to dwell desireing that captaine West would come & settle himself there in, Whereuppon Capt. weste growing grew angrye (but captaine Weste having) Bycasue he had bestowed cost to begine a town in another place (misliked it: and unkindnesse betweene them thereuppon ariseing) But Capt Smith at that time saying replieing littel yet (but) [221] afterward wrought conspired with the Powhawtan to Kill Capt weste, which Plott tooke but smale effect, for in the interim meane time Capt Smith was Aprehended, and sent abord for England, myself haveinge binn now about vij or viij dayes with the litell Powhatan who though he made very much of me givinge me such thinges as he had to winn me to live with him. When Yet I desired to see our english and therefore made signes signes unto him to to give me leave to goe to our ship to feach such thinges as I leafte behind me, which he agreed unto and settinge himselfe downe, he clapt his hand on the ground in token he would stay ther till I returned. But I staying sumwhat to long, at my cumming (to the place wher I leaft h[torn] backe I found him departed wheruppon I went backe to our shipp beinge still in the Fales and Sayled with them to James toune, wher [221v] not beinge long ther, Before one Thomas Savage with 4 or 5 Indians cam from the great Powhatan with venison to Capt: Percye, who now was president. After the delivery thereof and that he must returne he was loith to goe with out sum of his cuntrymen went with him, wher uppon I was apoynted to goe, which I the more willingly did, by Reason that vitals were scarse with us, carriing with me sum copper and a hatchet with me which I had gotten. And Cumminge to the Great Powetan I presented to him such thinges as I had which he tooke, using me very kindly, setting this Savage and me at his own Table messe. And After I had bin with him About 3 weekes he sent me backe to our English bidding me tell them, that if they would bring ther Ship, and sum copper, he would [222] Fraught hir backe with corne, which I having reported to our English and returning ther answere to the Kinge, He before their cumminge layd plotts to take them, which in sum sort he effected, for xxvj or vij they killed which cam towards Land in ther long boat, and shot many arrows into the ship, which our men perseyving and fearinge the worst, wayed anker and returned. Now whil this business was in doinge action the Powhatan sends me and one Samwell a Duchman To a towne about xvj miles of, caled Yawtanoone willinge us ther to stay till for him,

[238. Another version of these events is given in the last pages of the manuscript:]

[Top left margin:] M18 Lye together the Orop

fraught thim backe corn which I haveing reported to our English, and returneing their answeare to the Powhatan. Captaine Ratcyliff came with a shipp with xxiiij or xxv men to Orohpikes, and leaving his shipp there came by barge with sixteen men to the Powhatan to Pawmunkey where he very curtiously in shew received them by sending them bread and venison in reward whereof Captaine Ratclyff sent him copper and beades and such like Then Powhatan appointed Cap: Ratclyff a house for him and his men to lye in during the time that thei should traff traffique, not far from his own but above half a mile from ther barge and himself in the evening comeing to the ??? house slenderly accompanied) welcomed him thither, And returned afterward Rat leaving the dutch man, Savage, and my self behinde him. The next day the Powhatan with a company of Salvages came to Capt. Ratcliff, and caried our English to their storehouse where their corne was to traffique with them, giveing them peices of copper and beads and other things. [238v] According to the proportions of the basketts of corne which they brought but the Indians dealing deceitfully by putting or beareing upp the bottom of their baskets with their hands so that the lesse corne might serve to fill them. The English men taking exceptions against it and a discontentment riseing uppon it the king conveyed himself and his wives hence departed taking me and the dutchman with him And presently a great number Indians that lay lurking in the woods & corne about began ??? an oulis and whoopubb whilest our English men were in hast carieing their corne to their shipps the Indians that weare hidden in the corn shott the men as they passed by them and soe killed them all saveing one William Russell and one other whoe being acquainted with the Cuntry escaped to James towne by land.

[222, cont.] At his coming there we understood how althinges had passed by Thomas Savage, as before is related, the Kinge in showe made still much of us yet his mind was much declined from us which made us [222v] feare the worst, and having now bin with him about 14 or 15 weeks, it happned that the Kinge of Pasptan of Patomeck cam to visitt the great Powetan, wher beinge a while with him, he shewed such kindnes to Savage Samuell and my selfe as we determined to goe away with him, when the daye of his departure was cum, we did as we agreed and havinge gone a mile or two on the way, Savage fayned sum exceuse of stay & un knowne to us went back to the Powetan and acquaynted him with our fleing departing with the Patowomeck. The Powetan presenly sends after us comandinge our returne: which we not believing refusing went still on our way: and thos that weare sent, went still on with us, till one of them finding oportunity on a sunden struck Samuell with an axe and killed him, which [223] I seing ran a way from a monge the cumpany, they after me, the Kinge and his men after them, who overtake them heald them, till I shifted for my self and gott to the Patomeckes cuntry, with this Kinge Patomecke I lived a year and more at a town of his called Pasptanzie until such time as an worthy gentilman named Capt: Argall arived at a towne cald Nacottawtanke, {Margin: Natauahanc} but by our English called Camocacocke, wher he understood that ther was an english boy named Harry, He desiringe to here furthere of me cam up the river which the King of Patomeck hearinge sent me to him and I goinge back agayn brought the kinge to him the shipe, wher capt: Argall gave the Kinge some copper for me, ??? which he receyved Thus was I sett free at libertye and brought into England.

[224] Of their servis to their gods

To give sum satisfaction to my frends and contentment unto others, which wish well to this viage, and are desirus to heare the fashions of that cuntrye: I have set doune as well as I can, what I observed in the time I was amonge them. And therfore first concerninge ther gods, you must understand that for the most part they worship the divell, which the couniurers who are ther preests, can make apearr unto them at ther pleasure, yet never the less in every cuntry they have a severall Image whom they call ther god. {Marginal list of deities: xCaukewis, Manato, xTaukinge souke, Quia(c)quasack.} As with the great Paw...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Relation of Virginia with Modernized Spelling
• Relation of Virginia with Original Spelling, Cross-Outs, and Insertions
• William Strachey on Spelman’s Account of the Patawomeck Creation Story and Afterlife
• Samuel Purchas on His Interview with Spelman