As Chamberlain, the prolific news-monger of Jacobean England, noted, Pocahontas and her ‘assistant’, Rolfe attended the Twelfth Night masque, A Vision of Desire, produced by the popular team of Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones for the Christmas season of 1616–17. Their appearance at court, accompanied by the once and future governor of Virginia, Lord de la Ware, and his wife, constituted a key item in the tour that was designed to bring renewed (positive) attention to English America and to convince people to invest their persons and their money in the Virginia Company's venture. Indeed, 6 January 1616/17 proved to be a highly significant date in the history of Jacobean England and its empire, although none of the historical actors concerned derived much joy in the end from the turn of events: for them, the results should be filed under ‘be careful what you wish for’ or ‘the best laid plans oft go astray’. Notwithstanding, their activity secured the English toehold in North America and, by extension, the early modern English Empire.

This appearance of the ‘Virginia woman’ and ‘her worshipful husband’ at court signalled a new sense of purpose within the Virginia Company.