True Relations – Weramocomoco their Emperor

Arriving at Weramocomoco their emperor, proudly lying upon a bedstead a foot high upon ten or twelve mats, richly hung with many chains of great pearls about his neck, and covered with a great covering of Rahaughcums 1. At these sat a women and at his feet sat another, on each side of him sitting upon a mat upon the ground were his chief men on each side of the fire, ten in a rank and behind them as many young women, each wearing a great chain of white beads over there shoulders. There beads painted in red and with such grave and mystical consonance, as drew me into admiration to see such state in a naked Savage, he kindly welcomed me with good words, and great platters of sun dried vitals, assuring me his friendship, and my liberty within four days, and so much delighted to him, Opechan Comoughs relation of what I had described to him, and others mind me upon the same. He asked me the cause of our coming, and I told him, being in fight with the Spaniards our enemies. And being over powered and nearly put to retreat and by extreme weather had put us to shore, where we landed at Chesipiack. The people shot at us, but at Kequoughtan they kindly fed us, we by signs needed fresh water. And at Pospahegh they also kindly treated us kindly. Our Pinnis having a leak we were forced to stay to mend her or until Captain Newport my father came to take us away. He demanded why we went farther with our boat and I told him, in that I would have occasion to talk of the black sea, that on the other side of the main, where there was salt water, my father had a Chief slain, which was supposed to be Monocan 2 his enemy, whose death we intended to revenge.

After good deliberation, he began to describe to me the country beyond the falls, with many of the rest concerning what not only Opechancanoyes, and an Indian which had been prisoner to Powhatan had before told us, but some called it five days, some seven, and some eight, where the said water bathed among many stones and rocks. Each storm which caused all the time the bend of the river to be brackish. Anchanachuck 3  he described to be the people that had slain my brother, whose death he would revenge. Hi’s Pocoughtronack, a feared nation that did eat men, and warred with the people of Moyaoncer 4, and Pataromerke 5 nations upon the top of the head of the bay, under his territories. Where the year before they had slain a hundred, he signified their crowns 6 were shaven, long hair in the neck, tied in a knot, swords like polarize.

Beyond them he described people with short coats, and slaves, elbows and that pass this way in ships like ours. Many kingdoms he described once at the head of the bay, which formed to be a mighty river ensuing from the mighty mountains between the two seas, yet the people were clothed at Ocamahowan. He also confirmed the southern countries. As the rest he reported to us to be a day and a half from Mangogo, two days from Chawwonock and six days from Roonock, to the fourth part of the black sea. He described a country called Anone, where they have an abounds of brass and stones walled as ours. I requited his discourse after seeing what pride he had in his great and spacious Dominicans and seeing that all he knew were under his territories. In describing the territories of Europe, which was subject to our great King whose subject I was, and the innumerable multitude of his ships. I brought him to understand the noel of Trumoets and the terrible fighting was under the command of Captain Newport my father, whom I entitled the Meworames, which they call King of all waters, at his greatness he admired and not a little feared. He desired me to forsake Paspaliegh, and to live with him upon his river, a country called Capahowaficke, he promised to give me corn, venison, or what ever I wanted to feed us, hatchets and copper we should make him and no one would disturb us. This request I promised to perform and thus having with all kindness he could give and fought to content me. He sent me home with four men, one that usually carried my bow and knapsack after me, two others loaded with bread, and one to accompany me.

Citations:

1. raccoon skins[↩]
2. Monacan Tribe[↩]
3. Manahoac Tribe[↩]
4. Conoy Tribe[↩]
5. Potomac Tribe[↩]
6. Heads[↩]