VIII POCAHONTAS 255 ship of the colony. Soon after his arrival Pocahontas was captured by the English, brought to Jamestown, and there held hostage for certain Englishmen who were prisoners in her father's hands. Her beauty attracted the young emigrant, who, on finding, as had Smith and Spelman, she had a tender spot in her heart for Englishmen—more particularly East Anglians -applied to the governor for permission to make her his wife. This request was at once granted, young Rolfe being a favourite with the Governor, who may also have hoped to bring about more friendly relations between the white and red men by the alliance; and the chief Powhatan's consent having been obtained the marriage took place at Jamestown. There, Rolfe and his "royal" wife remained three years, and then set sail for England, where, their story having preceded them, they found themselves the centre of considerable interest-in fact, the "lions" of a London season. Pocahontas might well, had her life been spared, have become a court favourite. She was presented to King James and his Queen, and soon learnt to adapt herself to the conditions of London society; while her little son, who inherited his mother's grace and beauty, was greatly admired. But it was soon noticed that her health was failing, and her husband at once determined to take her back to her native woods. The variableness of the English climate no doubt accounted for her weakness; but among those persons for whom the story of her life had a fascination were some who attributed her decline to the shock she received at unexpectedly meeting Captain John Smith, to whom, rumour would have it, she had given her heart before she met John Rolfe, and whom she believed to be dead. Whatever may have been the cause of her illness, she was fated never again to set foot on her native soil. She died on board the ship which was to have carried her back to America, on the eve of its sailing. She was buried in a Greenwich church which has long been burnt down; and her husband went back to Virginia alone, leaving his little son to be educated by a relative in England. Some years later the son followed his father to America, where he married, and, when he died, left an only daughter. From her several well-known American families claim descent, and are proud of the strain of Indian blood derived from Powhatan's lovely daughter. Whether Pocahontas spent much, or any, of her brief life in England at her husband's ancestral home by the grey North Sea, I cannot say; but her marriage has inseparably associated her with Heacham, where the Rolfes are still in possession of their ancient manor. It is sad to think that when she died her body was not laid to rest in the shadow and silence of her native woods, or, at least, among her husband's people in the little Norfolk church by the sea. CASTLE RISING. SING DINY, AND LAASHLAND WE the moviece of hung entered one of the frest cycling fistics in England, and me crisper of the vacher "holding," as the way n Norick, ine. I am ni need p preciate Castle Rising even if the feared ittle town possessed no more striking action than its cid side cross. Resung however, can boast of the inest fine Norman astle in Norfolk, and when I climb to the top of the ancient earthworks which here, as elsewhere in the county, were chosen as the site for a baronial stronghold. I have no inclination to hasten on to Lynn. For before me is a massive Norman tower, rich in the characteristic arch-work and mouldings of the period from which it dates. Like Framlingham Castle, it scarcely seems a ruin; indeed, some parts of it are still inhabited; but the gateway which leads to the inner bailey has fallen into formless decay. The deep fosse, too, presents no such unscalable sides to the modern visitor as it did to the twelfth century invader : tall ash trees are rooted in the high heaped banks, in the midst of fragrant blossoming hawthorns. On the grass S England. Some years later the son followed his father to America, where he married, and, when he died, left an only daughter. From her several well-known American families claim descent, and are proud of the strain of Indian blood derived from Powhatan's lovely daughter. Whether Pocahontas spent much, or any, of her brief life in England at her husband's ancestral home by the grey North Sea, I cannot say; but her marriage has inseparably associated her with Heacham, where the Rolfes are still in possession of their ancient manor. It is sad to think that when she died her body was not laid to rest in the shadow and silence of her native woods, or, at least, among her husband's people in the little Norfolk church by the sea. CASTLE RISING, KING'S LYNN, AND MARSHLAND WITH the knowledge of having entered one of the finest cycling districts in England, and the prospect of the weather "holding," as they say in Norfolk, fine, I am in a mood to appreciate Castle Rising even if the decayed little town possessed no more striking attraction than its old wayside cross. Rising, however, can boast of the finest ruined Norman castle in Norfolk, and when I climb to the top of the ancient earthworks which here, as elsewhere in the county, were chosen as the site for a baronial stronghold, I have no inclination to hasten on to Lynn. For before me is a massive Norman tower, rich in the characteristic arch-work and mouldings of the period from which it dates. Like Framlingham Castle, it scarcely seems a ruin; indeed, some parts of it are still inhabited; but the gateway which leads to the inner bailey has fallen into formless decay. The deep fosse, too, presents no such unscalable sides to the modern visitor as it did to the twelfth century invader : tall ash trees are rooted in the high heaped banks, in the midst of fragrant blossoming hawthorns. On the grass S |