That a
"king" should be a half-naked savage, living in a mud hut, wearing
a crown of feathers on his head, and a string of beads about
his neck, they could not imagine. As the Powhatan was a king then
his daughter was a princess, and as such must be treated with all
respect.
It is even said that John Rolfe was roundly scolded by King James
for daring to marry a princess without first asking leave.
"For," he gravely pointed out, "if the Powhatan was a king and
Pocahontas his daughter, when the Powhatan died Rolfe or his baby
son might become King of Virginia. It was not meet or right that a
commoner should thus lightly take upon himself to marry the daughter
of a brother sovereign."
Every one, then, was ready to treat Pocahontas with deference. Besides
this John Smith wrote to the Queen relating all that she had done
for the Colony of Virginia and begging her to be kind to the Indian
girl who had done so much for England. For that or some other reason
the Queen took an interest in the little dusky Princess. Pocahontas
was presented to her, and was often seen at the theatre or other
entertainment with her. The ladies of the court were made to treat
Pocahontas with great ceremony. They addressed her as "Princess"
or "Lady," remained standing before her, and walked backwards when
they left her presence; famous artists painted her portrait; poets
wrote of her, and in one of his plays Ben Johnson calls her
The Blessed Pokahontas, as the historian calls her And great King's
daughter of Virginia.
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