Historical Record: 1614 Treaty

Chickahominy independence and security were compromised by Pocahontas’s marriage to John Rolfe and the ensuing peace with the Powhatans.

To secure their situation the Chickahominies sent two men with gifts of deer to James Fort. They requested an end to hostilities and offered to be become an ally of Sir Thomas Dale and the James Fort Englishmen.

Dale journeyed to their territory with 50 men and found a welcome party waiting. The eight governing Chickahominy Councilors assembled and within several days a treaty was negotiated.

The terns of this unwritten agreement included the following promises by the Chickahominies:

• To relinquish their name and to be known as Englishmen, or “Tassantasses;”
  

• To refrain from killing English men or their cattle and to return any trespassers, for which they were to be rewarded;
  

• To provide 300 bowmen for defense of the region against invasion (by the Spanish);
  

• To refrain forever from breaking down a paled area or invading a town.
  

• To announce their presence before entering an English area. Canoes encountering English vessels would be allowed to pass as “Chickahominy Englishmen;”
  

• To send 500 fighting men (or as many fighting men as they had) each carrying two bushels of corn annually as tribute to King James, for which they were promised many hatchets.
  
  

All eight Cawcawassaughes of the Chickahominy guaranteed performance of the Treaty articles, for which they were to receive a red coat annually and a picture of King James engraved in copper on a chain of copper. They recognized Sir Thomas Dale as their leader and they, in turn, were to be considered noblemen of King James. Any breach of the treaty would be the responsibility of the nobles, and they would be held to answer.

The Cawcawassaughes expressed concern over Powhatan’s interest in their paying him tribute now that they had become English subjects. The eight Cawcawassaughes begin an oratory to explain the treaty conditions, first to the elders, then the young men, then the women and children. Each Cawcawassaugh was given a hatchet and copper to seal the agreement. Gifts were exchanged and trading began between the new subjects and the English visitors. Within 15 days, the tribe paid tribute at James Fort.

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