"Whereas the country hath raised an army against our common enemy the Indians, and the same under the command of General Bacon, being upon the point to march forth against the said common enemy, hath been diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said General Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil war among us, to the ruin of this his majesty's country. And whereas it is notoriously manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, knight, governor of the country, assisted, counselled and abetted by those evil disposed persons aforesaid, hath not only commanded, fomented and stirred up the people to the said civil war, but failing therein, hath withdrawn himself, to the great astonishment of the people, and theunsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full of dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting attempts from the said governor and the evil counsellers aforesaid. And since no proper means have been found out for the settlement of the distractions, and preventing the horrid outrages and murders daily committed in many places of the country by the barbarous enemy, it hath been thought fit by the said general, to call unto him all such sober and discreet gentlemen as the present circumstances of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, to consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the country. So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of August, 1676, accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare and conclude, and for ourselves do swear in manner following:1st. That we will at all times join with the said general Bacon and his army, against the common enemy in all points whatsoever.2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived and designed the raising forces against the said general, and the army under his command, thereby to beget a civil war, we will endeavor the discovery and apprehending of all and every of those evil disposed persons, and them secure, until farther order from the general.3rd. And whereas it is credibly reported, that the governor hath informed the king's majesty that the said general, and the people of the country in arms under his command, their aiders and abettors, are rebellious, and removed from their allegiance; and that upon such like information, he, the said governor, hath advised and petitioned the king to send forces to reduce them, we do farther declare and believe in our consciences, that it consists with the welfare of this country, and with our allegiance to his most sacred majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, to the utmost of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces whatsoever of that nature, until such time as the king be fully informedof the state of the case, by such person or persons as shall be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. And we do swear, that we will him, the said general, and the army under his command, aid and assist accordingly."
"Whereas the country hath raised an army against our common enemy the Indians, and the same under the command of General Bacon, being upon the point to march forth against the said common enemy, hath been diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said General Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil war among us, to the ruin of this his majesty's country. And whereas it is notoriously manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, knight, governor of the country, assisted, counselled and abetted by those evil disposed persons aforesaid, hath not only commanded, fomented and stirred up the people to the said civil war, but failing therein, hath withdrawn himself, to the great astonishment of the people, and theunsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full of dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting attempts from the said governor and the evil counsellers aforesaid. And since no proper means have been found out for the settlement of the distractions, and preventing the horrid outrages and murders daily committed in many places of the country by the barbarous enemy, it hath been thought fit by the said general, to call unto him all such sober and discreet gentlemen as the present circumstances of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, to consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the country. So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of August, 1676, accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare and conclude, and for ourselves do swear in manner following:
1st. That we will at all times join with the said general Bacon and his army, against the common enemy in all points whatsoever.
2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived and designed the raising forces against the said general, and the army under his command, thereby to beget a civil war, we will endeavor the discovery and apprehending of all and every of those evil disposed persons, and them secure, until farther order from the general.
3rd. And whereas it is credibly reported, that the governor hath informed the king's majesty that the said general, and the people of the country in arms under his command, their aiders and abettors, are rebellious, and removed from their allegiance; and that upon such like information, he, the said governor, hath advised and petitioned the king to send forces to reduce them, we do farther declare and believe in our consciences, that it consists with the welfare of this country, and with our allegiance to his most sacred majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, to the utmost of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces whatsoever of that nature, until such time as the king be fully informedof the state of the case, by such person or persons as shall be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. And we do swear, that we will him, the said general, and the army under his command, aid and assist accordingly."
§ 108. By this time the governor had got together a small party to side with him. These he furnished with sloops, arms and ammunition, under command of Major Robert Beverley, in order to cross the bay and oppose the malcontents. By this means there happened some skirmishes, in which several were killed, and others taken prisoners. Thus they were going on by a civil war to destroy one another, and lay waste their infant country, when it pleased God, after some months' confusion, to put an end to their misfortunes, as well as to Bacon's designs, by his natural death. He died at Dr. Green's in Gloucester county. But where he was buried was never yet discovered, though afterward there was great inquiry made, with design to expose his bones to public infamy.
§ 109. In the meanwhile those disorders occasioned a general neglect of husbandry, and a great destruction of the stocks of cattle, so that people had a dreadful prospect of want and famine. But the malcontents being thus disunited by the loss of their general, in whom they all confided, they began to squabble among themselves, and every man's business was, how to make the best terms he could for himself.
Lieutenant General Ingram, (whose true name was Johnson) and Major General Walklate, surrendered, on condition of pardon for themselves and their followers, though they were both forced to submit to an incapacity of bearing office in that country for the future.
Peace being thus restored, Sir William Berkeley returned to his former seat of government, and every man to his several habitation.
§ 110. While this intestine war was fomenting there, the agents of the country in England could not succeed in theirremonstrance against the propriety grants, though they were told that those grants should be revoked. But the news of their civil war reaching England about the same time, the king would then proceed no farther in that matter. So the agents thought it their best way to compound with the proprietors. Accordingly they agreed with them for four hundred pounds a man, which was paid. And so all the clamor against those grants ended; neither was any more heard from them there till above a dozen years afterwards.
§ 111. But all those agents could obtain after their composition with the lords, was merely the name of a new charter, granting only so much of their former constitution as mentioned a residence of the governor or deputy; a granting of escheat lands for two pounds of tobacco per acre, composition; and that the lands should be held of the crown in the same tenure as East Greenwich, that is, free and common soccage, and have their immediate dependence on the crown.
§ 112. When this storm, occasioned by Bacon, was blown over, and all things quiet again, Sir William Berkeley called an assembly, for settling the affairs of the country, and for making reparation to such as had been oppressed. After which a regiment of soldiers arrived from England, which were sent to suppress the insurrection; but they, coming after the business was over, had no occasion to exercise their courage. However, they were kept on foot there about three years after, and in the Lord Colepepper's time, paid off and disbanded.
§ 113. The confusion occasioned by the civil war, and the advantage the Indians made of it in butchering the English upon all their frontiers, caused such a desolation, and put the country so far back, that to the year 1704 they had seated very little beyond the boundaries that were then inhabited. At that time Jamestown was again burnt down to the ground by Richard Laurence, one of Bacon's captains, who, when his own men, that abhorred such barbarity, refused to obey his command, he himself became theexecutioner, and fired the houses with his own hands. This unhappy town did never after arrive to the perfection it then had: and now it is almost deserted by removing in Governor Nicholson's time the assembly and general court from thence to Williamsburg, an inland place about seven miles from it.
§ 114. With the regiment above mentioned arrived commissioners, to enquire into the occasion and authors of this rebellion; and Sir William Berkeley came to England: where from the time of his arrival, his sickness obliged him to keep his chamber till he died; so that he had no opportunity of kissing the king's hand. But his majesty declared himself well satisfied with his conduct in Virginia, and was very kind to him during his sickness, often enquiring after his health, and commanding him not to hazard it by too early an endeavor to come to court.
§ 115. Upon Sir William Berkeley's voyage to England, Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., was appointed governor. He made formal articles of peace with the Indians, and held an assembly at Middle Plantation, wherein they settled and allowed a free trade with the Indians; but restrained it to certain marts, to which the Indians should bring their commodities: and this also to be under such certain rules as were by that assembly directed. But this method was not agreeable to the Indians, who had never before been under any regulation. They thought, that if all former usages were not restored, the peace was not perfect; and therefore did not much rely upon it, which made those new restrictions useless.
Governor Jeffreys his time was very short there, he being taken off by death the year following.
§ 116. After him Sir Henry Chicheley was made deputy governor, in the latter end of the year 1678. In his time the assembly, for the greater terror of the Indians, built magazines at the heads of the four great rivers, and furnished them with arms, ammunition and men in constant service.
This assembly also prohibited the importation of tobacco, which Carolina, and sometimes Maryland, were wont to send thither, in order to its being shipped off for England. But in that, I think, Virginia mistook her interest. For, had they permitted this custom to become habitual, and thus engrossed the shipping, as would soon have happened, they could easily have regulated the trade of tobacco at any time, without the concurrence of those other colonies, and without submitting to their perverse humors as formerly.
§ 117. The spring following, Thomas Lord Colepepper arrived there governor, and carried with him some laws, which had been drawn up in England, to be enacted in their assembly. And coming with the advantage of restoring peace to a troubled nation, it was not difficult for him to obtain whatever he pleased from the people. His influence too was the greater by the power he had of pardoning those who had a hand in the disorders committed in the late rebellion.
§ 118. In his first assembly he passed several acts very obliging to the country, viz., First, an act of naturalization, whereby the power of naturalizing foreigners was placed in the governor. Secondly, an act for cohabitation and encouragement of trade and manufactures; whereby a certain place in each county was appointed for a town, in which all goods imported and exported were to be landed and shipped off, bought and sold. Which act was kindly brought to nothing by the opposition of the tobacco merchants of England. Thirdly, an act of general pardon and oblivion, whereby all the transgressions and outrages committed in the time of the late rebellion were entirely remitted; and reparation allowed to people that should be evil spoken of on that account.
§ 119. By passing some laws that obliged the country, the Lord Colepepper carried one that was very pleasing to himself, viz., the act for raising a public revenue for the better support of the government. By this he got the duties contained therein to be made perpetual; and that the money,which before used to be accounted for to the assembly, should be from thenceforth disposed of by his majesty's sole direction, for the support of the government. When this was done, he obtained of the king out of the said duties a salary of two thousand pounds per annum, instead of one thousand, which was formerly allowed. Also one hundred and sixty pounds per annum for house rent, besides all the usual perquisites.
§ 120. In those submissive times his lordship reduced the greatest perquisite of his place to a certainty, which before that was only gratuitous; that is, instead of the masters of ships making presents of liquors or provisions towards the governor's house keeping, as they were wont to do, he demanded a certain sum of money, remitting that custom. This rate has ever since been demanded of all commanders as a duty; and is twenty shillings for each ship or vessel, under an hundred tons, and thirty shillings for each ship upwards of that burden, to be paid every voyage, or port clearing.
§ 121. This noble lord seemed to lament the unhappy state of the country in relation to their coin. He was tenderly concerned that all their cash should be drained away by the neighboring colonies, which had not set so low an estimate upon it as Virginia; and therefore he proposed the raising of it.
This was what the country had formerly desired, and the assembly was about making a law for it: but his lordship stopped them, alledging it was the king's prerogative, by virtue of which he would do it by proclamation. This they did not approve of, well knowing, if that were the case, his lordship and every other governor would at any time have the same prerogative of altering it, and so people should never be at any certainty; as they quickly after found from his own practice. For his drift was only to make advantage of paying the soldiers; money for that purpose being put into his lordship's hands, he provided light pieces of eight, which he with this view had bought at a cheap rate.When this contrivance was ripe for execution, he extended the royal prerogative, and issued forth a proclamation for raising the value of pieces of eight from five to six shillings; and as soon as they were admitted current at that value, he produced an order for paying and disbanding the soldiers. Then those poor fellows, and such as had maintained them, were forced to take their pay in those light pieces of eight, at six shillings. But his lordship soon after himself found the inconvenience of that proclamation; for people began to pay their duties, and their ship money in coin of that high estimate, which was like to cut short both his lordship's perquisites; and so he was forced to make use of the same prerogative, to reduce the money again to its former standard.
§ 122. In less than a year the Lord Colepepper returned to England, leaving Sir Henry Chicheley deputy governor.
The country being then settled again, made too much tobacco, or too much trash tobacco, for the market; and the merchants would hardly allow the planter any thing for it.
This occasioned much uneasiness again, and the people, from former experience, despairing of succeeding in any agreement with the neighboring governments, resolved a total destruction of the tobacco in that country, especially of the sweet scented; because that was planted no where else. In pursuance of which design, they contrived that all the plants should be destroyed, while they were yet in the beds, and after it was too late to sow more.
Accordingly the ringleaders in this project began with their own first, and then went to cut up the plants of such of their neighbors as were not willing to do it themselves. However, they had not resolution enough to go through with their work.
This was adjudged sedition and felony. Several people were committed upon it, and some condemned to be hanged. And afterwards the assembly passed a law to make such proceedings felony for the future, (whatever it was before,) provided the company kept together after warning by a justice.
§ 123. After this accident of plant cutting, the Lord Colepepper returned, and held his second assembly, in which he contrived to gain another great advantage over the country. His lordship, in his first voyage thither, perceiving how easily he could twist and manage the people, conceived new hopes of retrieving the propriety of the Northern Neck, as being so small a part of the colony. He conceived that while the remainder escaped free, which was far the greater part, they would not engage in the interest of the lesser number; especially considering the discouragements they had met with before, in their former solicitation: though all this while, and for many years afterwards, his lordship did not pretend to lay public claim to any part of the propriety.
It did not square with this project that appeals should be made to the general assembly, as till then had been the custom. He feared the burgesses would be too much in the interest of their countrymen, and adjudge the inhabitants of the Northern Neck to have an equal liberty and privilege in their estates with the rest of Virginia, as being settled upon the same foot. In order therefore to make a better pennyworth of those poor people, he studied to overturn this odious method of appealing to the assembly, and to fix the last resort in another court.
To bring this point about, his lordship contrived to blow up a difference in the assembly between the council and the burgesses, privately encouraging the burgesses to insist upon the privilege of determining all appeals by themselves, exclusive of the council; because they, having given their opinions before in the general court, were, for that reason, unfit judges in appeals from themselves to the assembly. This succeeded according to his wish, and the burgesses bit at the bait, under the notion of privilege, never dreaming of the snake that lay in the grass, nor considering the danger of altering an old constitution so abruptly. Thus my lord gained his end; for he represented that quarrel with so many aggravations, that he got an instruction from the king to take away all appeals from the general court to the assembly,and cause them to be made to himself in council, if the thing in demand was of £300 value, otherwise no appeal from the general court.
§ 124. Of this his lordship made sufficient advantage; for in the confusion that happened in the end of king James the Second's reign, viz., in October 1688, he having got an assignment from the other patentees, gained a favorable report from the king's council at law upon his patent for the Northern Neck.
When he had succeeded in this, his lordship's next step was to engage some noted inhabitant of the place to be on his side. Accordingly he made use of his cousin Secretary Spencer, who lived in the said Neck, and was esteemed as wise and great a man as any of the council. This gentleman did but little in his lordship's service, and only gained some few strays, that used to be claimed by the coroner, in behalf of the king.
Upon the death of Mr. Secretary Spencer, he engaged another noted gentleman, an old stander in that country, though not of the Northern Neck, Col. Philip Ludwell, who was then in England. He went over with this grant in the year 1690, and set up an office in the Neck, claiming some escheats; but he likewise could make nothing of it. After him Col. George Brent and Col. William Fitzhugh, that were noted lawyers and inhabitants of the said Neck, were employed in that affair: but succeeded no better than their predecessors. The people, in the mean while, complained frequently to their assemblies, who at last made another address to the king; but there being no agent in England to prosecute it, that likewise miscarried. At last Colonel Richard Lee, one of the council, a man of note and inhabitant of the Northern Neck, privately made a composition with the proprietors themselves for his own land. This broke the ice, and several were induced to follow so great an example; so that by degrees, they were generally brought to pay their quit-rents into the hands of the proprietors' agents. And now at last it is managed for them byCol. Robert Carter, another of the council, and the greatest freeholder in that proprietary.
§ 125. To return to my Lord Colepepper's government, I cannot omit a useful thing which his lordship was pleased to do, with relation to their courts of justice. It seems, nicety of pleading, with all the juggle of Westminster Hall, was creeping into their courts. The clerks began in some cases to enter the reasons with the judgments, pretending to set precedents of inviolable form to be observed in all future proceedings. This my lord found fault with, and retrenched all dilatory pleas, as prejudicial to justice, keeping the courts close to the merits of the cause, in order to bring it to a speedy determination, according to the innocence of former times, and caused the judgments to be entered up short, without the reason, alledging that their courts were not of so great experience as to be able to make precedents to posterity; who ought to be left at liberty to determine, according to the equity of the controversy before them.
§ 126. In his time also were dismantled the forts built by Sir Henry Chicheley at the heads of the rivers, and the forces there were disbanded, as being too great a charge. The assembly appointed small parties of light horse in their stead, to range by turns upon the frontiers. These being chosen out of the neighboring inhabitants, might afford to serve at easier rates, and yet do the business more effectually; they were raised under the title or name of rangers.
§ 127. After this the Lord Colepepper returned again for England, his second stay not being much longer than the first; and Sir Henry Chicheley being dead, he proclaimed his kinsman, Mr. Secretary Spencer, president, though he was not the eldest member of the council.
§ 128. The next year, being 1684, upon the Lord Colepepper's refusing to return, Francis, Lord Howard of Effingham, was sent over governor. In order to increase his perquisites, he imposed the charge of an annual under seal of twenty shillings each for school masters; five pounds for lawyers at the general court, and fifty shillings each lawyer atthe county courts. He also extorted an excessive fee for putting the seal to all probates of wills, and letters of administration, even where the estates of the deceased were of the meanest value. Neither could any be favored with such administration, or probate, without paying that extortion. If any body presumed to remonstrate against it, his lordship's behavior towards that man was very severe. He kept several persons in prison and under confinement, from court to court, without bringing them to trial. Which proceedings, and many others, were so oppressive, that complaints were made thereof to the king, and Colonel Philip Ludwell was appointed agent to appear against him in England. Whereupon the seal-money was taken off.
§ 129. During the first session of assembly in this noble lord's time, the duty on liquors imported from the other English plantations, was first imposed. It was then laid, on pretence of lessening the levy by the poll, for payment of public taxes; but more especially for rebuilding the State house, which had not been rebuilt since Laurence burnt it in Bacon's time.
This duty was at first laid on wine and rum only, at the rate of three pence per gallon, with an exemption of all such as should be imported in the ships of Virginia owners. But the like duty has since been laid on other liquors also, and is raised to four pence per gallon on wine and rum, and one penny per gallon on beer, cider, lime-juice, &c.; and the privilege of Virginia owners taken away, to the great discouragement of their shipping and home trade.
§ 130. This lord, though he pretended to no great skill in legal proceedings, yet he made great innovations in their courts, pretending to follow the English forms. Thus he created a new court of chancery distinct from the general court, who had ever before claimed that jurisdiction. He erected himself into a lord chancellor, taking the gentlemen of the council to sit with him as mere associates and advisers, not having any vote in the causes before them. Andthat it might have more the air of a new court, he would not so much as sit in the State house, where all the other public business was dispatched, but took the dining-room of a large house for that use. He likewise made arbitrary tables of fees, peculiar to this high court. However, his lordship not beginning this project very long before he left the country, all these innovations came to an end upon his removal, and the jurisdiction returned to the general court again, in the time of Colonel Nathaniel Bacon, whom he left president.
§ 131. During that gentleman's presidency, which began Anno 1689, the project of a college was first agreed upon. The contrivers drew up their scheme, and presented it to the president and council. This was by them approved, and referred to the next assembly. But Colonel Bacon's administration being very short, and no assembly called all the while, this pious design could proceed no farther.
§ 132. Anno 1690, Francis Nicholson, esq., being appointed lieutenant governor under the Lord Effingham, arrived there. This gentleman discoursed freely of country improvements, instituted public exercises, and gave prizes to all those that should excel in the exercises of riding, running, shooting, wrestling, and cudgeling. When the design of a college was communicated to him, he promised it all imaginable encouragement. The first thing desired of him in its behalf, was the calling of an assembly, but this he could by no means agree to, being under obligations to the Lord Effingham to stave off assemblies as long he could, for fear there might be farther representations sent over against his lordship, who was conscious to himself how uneasy the country had been under his despotic administration.
§ 133. When that could not be obtained, then they proposed that a subscription might pass through the colony, to try the humor of the people in general, and see what voluntary contributions they could get towards it. This he granted, and he himself, together with the council, set a generous example to the other gentlemen of the country,so that the subscriptions at last amounted to about two thousand five hundred pounds, in which sum is included the generous benevolences of several merchants of London.
§ 134. Anno 1691, an assembly being called, this design was moved to them, and they espoused it heartily; and soon after made an address to king William and queen Mary in its behalf, and sent the Rev. Mr. James Blair their agent to England to solicit their majesties charter for it.
It was proposed that three things should be taught in this college, viz., languages, divinity, and natural philosophy.
The assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that time, that they presented him with the sum of three hundred pounds, as a testimony of their good disposition towards him. But he having an instruction to receive no present from the country, they drew up an address to their majesties, praying that he might have leave to accept it, which was granted, and he gave one half thereof to the college.
§ 135. Their majesties were well pleased with that pious design of the plantation, and granted a charter, according to the desire of Mr. Blair their agent.
Their majesties were graciously pleased to give near two thousand pounds sterling, the balance then due upon the account of quit-rents, towards the founding the college; and towards the endowing of it, they allowed twenty thousand acres of choice land, together with the revenue arising by the penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland to the other plantations.
It was a great satisfaction to the archbishops and bishops, to see such a nursery of religion founded in that new world, especially for that it was begun in an episcopal way, and carried on wholly by zealous conformists to the Church of England.
§ 136. In this first assembly, Lieutenant Governor Nicholson passed acts for encouragement of the linen manufacture,and to promote the leather trade by tanning, currying, and shoe making. He also in that session passed a law for cohabitation, and improvement of trade.
Before the next assembly he tacked about, and was quite the reverse of what he was in the first, as to cohabitation. Instead of encouraging ports and towns, he spread abroad his dislike of them; and went among the people finding fault with those things which he and the assembly had unanimously agreed upon the preceding session. Such a violent change there was in him, that it proceeded from some other cause than barely the inconstancy of his temper. He had received directions from those English merchants, who well knew that cohabitation would lessen their consigned trade.
§ 137. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived governor. He began his government with an assembly, which overthrew the good design of ports and towns; but the groundwork of this proceeding was laid before Sir Edmund's arrival. However this assembly proceeded no farther than to suspend the law till their majesties' pleasure should be known. But it seems the merchants in London were dissatisfied, and made public complaints against it, which their majesties were pleased to hear; and afterwards referred the law back to the assembly again, to consider if it were suitable to the circumstances of the country, and to regulate it accordingly. But the assembly did not then proceed any farther in it, the people themselves being infected by the merchants' letters.
§ 138. At this session Mr. Neal's project for a post-office, and his patent of post-master-general in those parts of America, were presented. The assembly made an act to promote that design; but by reason of the inconvenient distance of their habitations, and want of towns, this project fell to nothing.
§ 139. With Sir Edmund Andros, was sent over the college charter; and the subsequent assembly declared, that the subscriptions which had been made to the college were due, and immediately demandable. They likewise gave aduty on the exportation of skins and furs, for its more plentiful endowment, and the foundation of the college was laid.
The subscription money did not come in with the same readiness with which it had been underwritten. However there was enough given by their majesties, and gathered from the people, to keep all hands at work and carry on the building, the foundation whereof they then laid; and the rest, upon suit, had judgment given against them.
§ 140. Sir Edmund Andros was a great encourager of manufactures. In his time fulling-mills were set up by act of assembly. He also gave particular marks of his favor towards the propagating of cotton, which since his time has been much neglected. He was likewise a great lover of method and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made him find fault with the management of the secretary's office. And, indeed, with very good reason; for from the time of Bacon's rebellion till then, there never was any office in the world more negligently kept. Several patents of land were entered blank upon record; many original patents, records and deeds of land, with other matters of great consequence, were thrown loose about the office, and suffered to be dirtied, torn, and eaten by the moths and other insects. But upon this gentleman's accession to the government, he immediately gave directions to reform all these irregularities; he caused the loose and torn records of value to be transcribed into new books, and ordered conveniences to be built within the office for preserving the records from being lost and confounded as before. He prescribed methods to keep the papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such order, as that any thing might be turned to immediately. But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were finished, in October 1698, together with the office itself, and the whole State House. But his diligence was so great in that affair, that though his stay afterward in the country was very short, yet he caused all the records and papers which had been saved from the fire to be sorted again andregistered in order, and indeed in much better order than ever they had been before. In this condition he left them at his quitting the government.
He made several offers to rebuild the State House in the same place; and had his government continued but six months longer, 'tis probable he would have effected it after such a manner as might have been least burthensome to the people, designing the greatest part at his own cost.
§ 141. Sir Edmund Andros being upon a progress one summer, called at a poor man's house in Stafford county for water. There came out to him an ancient woman, and with her a lively brisk lad about twelve years old. The lad was so ruddy and fair that his complexion gave the governor a curiosity to ask some questions concerning him; and to his great surprise was told that he was the son of that woman at 76 years of age. His excellency, smiling at this improbability, enquired what sort of man had been his father? To this the good woman made no reply, but instantly ran and led her husband to the door, who was then above 100 years old. He confirmed all that the woman had said about the lad, and, notwithstanding his great age, was strong in his limbs and voice; but had lost his sight. The woman for her part was without complaint, and seemed to retain a vigor very uncommon at her years. Sir Edmund was so well pleased with this extraordinary account, that, after having made himself known to them, he offered to take care of the lad; but they would by no means be persuaded to part with him. However, he gave them 20 pounds.
§ 142. In November 1698, Francis Nicholson, Esq., was removed from Maryland, to be governor of Virginia. But he went not then with that smoothness on his brow he had carried with him when he was appointed lieutenant-governor. He talked then no more of improving of manufactures, towns and trade. But instead of encouraging the manufactures, he sent over inhuman memorials against them, opposite to all reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, "thatthe tobacco of that country often bears so low a price, that it would not yield clothes to the people that make it;" and yet presently after, in the same memorial, he recommends it to the parliament "to pass an act, forbidding the plantations to make their own clothing;" which, in other words, is desiring a charitable law, that the planters shall go naked. In a late memorial concerted between him and his creature Col. Quarrey, 'tis most humbly proposed, "that all the English colonies on the continent of North America be reduced under one government, and under one Viceroy; and that a standing army be there kept on foot to subdue the queen's enemies;" surmising that they were intending to set up for themselves.
§ 143. He began his government with a shew of zeal for the church. In the latter end of his time, one half of the intended building, that is two sides of the square, was carried up and finished, in which were allotted the public hall, the apartments and conveniences for several masters and scholars, and the public offices for the domestics: the masters and scholars were also settled in it, and it had its regular visitations from the visitors and governors thereof.
§ 144. Soon after his accession to the government, he procured the assembly and courts of judicature to be removed from Jamestown, where there were good accommodations for people, to Middle Plantation, where there were none. There he flattered himself with the fond imagination of being the founder of a new city. He marked out the streets in many places so as that they might represent the figure of a W, in memory of his late majesty King William, after whose name the town was called Williamsburg. There he procured a stately fabric to be erected, which he placed opposite to the college, and graced it with the magnificent name of the capitol.
§ 145. In the second year of this gentleman's government, there happened an adventure very fortunate for him, which gave him much credit, and that was the taking of a pirate within the capes of that country.
It fell out that several merchant ships were got ready,and fallen down to Lynhaven bay, near the mouth of James river, in order for sailing. A pirate being informed of this, and hearing that there was no man of war there, except a sixth rate, ventured within the capes, and took several of the merchant ships. But a small vessel happened to come down the bay, and seeing an engagement between the pirate and a merchantman, made a shift to get into the mouth of James river, where the Shoram, a fifth rate man of war, was newly arrived. The sixth rate, commanded by Capt. John Aldred, was then on the careen in Elizabeth river, in order for her return to England.
The governor happened to be at that time at Kiquotan, sealing up his letters, and Capt. Passenger, commander of the Shoram, was ashore, to pay his respects to him. In the meanwhile news was brought that a pirate was within the capes; upon which the captain was in haste to go aboard his ship; but the governor stayed him a little, promising to go along with him. The captain soon after asked his excuse, and went off, leaving him another boat, if he pleased to follow. It was about one o'clock in the afternoon when the news was brought; but 'twas within night before his excellency went aboard, staying all that while ashore upon some weighty occasions. At last he followed, and by break of day the man of war was fairly out between the capes and the pirate; where, after ten hours sharp engagement, the pirate was obliged to strike and surrender upon the terms of being left to the king's mercy.
Now it happened that three men of this pirate's gang were not on board their own ship at the time of the surrender, and so were not included in the articles of capitulation, but were tried in that country. In summing up the charge against them (the governor being present) the attorney-general extolled his excellency's mighty courage and conduct, as if the honor of taking the pirate had been due to him. Upon this, Capt. Passenger took the freedom to interrupt Mr. Attorney in open court, and said that he was commander of the Shoram; that the pirates were his prisoners;and that no body had pretended to command in that engagement but himself: he farther desired that the governor, who was then present, would do him the justice to confess whether he had given the least word of command all that day, or directed any one thing during the whole fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true; and fairly yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain.
§ 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by another instance of his management, whereby he let the world know the violent passion he had to publish his own fame.
To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommended to the court of England the necessity that Virginia should contribute a certain quota of men, or else a sum of money, towards the building and maintaining a fort at New York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New York was their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they should help to defend it. This was by order of his late majesty King William proposed to the assembly; but upon the most solid reasons they humbly remonstrated, "that neither the forts then in being, nor any other that might be built in the province of New York, could in the least avail to the defence and security of Virginia; for that either the French or the northern Indians might invade that colony, and not come within an hundred miles of any such fort." The truth of these objections are obvious to any one that ever looked on the maps of that part of the world. But the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this: Those forts were necessary for New York, to enable that province to engross the trade of the neighbor Indians, which Virginia had sometimes shared in, when the Indians rambled to the southward.
Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this: after he had represented Virginia as republican and rebellious for not complying with his proposal, he said publicly that New York should not want the 900 pounds, thoughhe paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after took a journey to that province.
When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, but pretending earnest desires to serve New York, gave his own bills of exchange for 900 pounds to the aforesaid use, but prudently took a defeasance from the gentleman to whom they were given, specifying, "that till her majesty should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of the quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made use of." This was an admirable piece of sham generosity, and worthy of the great pains he took to proclaim it. I myself have frequently heard him boast that he gave this money out of his own pocket, and only depended on the queen's bounty to repay him: though the money is not paid by him to this day.
§ 147. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this untruth there; but he also foisted it into a memorial of Col. Quarry's to the council of trade, in which are these words: "As soon as Governor Nicholson found the assembly of Virginia would not see their own interest, nor comply with her majesty's orders, he went immediately to New York; and out of his great zeal to the queen's service, and the security of her province, he gave his own bills for 900 pounds to answer the quota of Virginia, wholly depending on her majesty's favor to reimburse him out of the revenues in that province.
Certainly his excellency and Colonel Quarry, by whose joint wisdom and sincerity this memorial was composed, must believe that the council of trade have very imperfect intelligence how matters pass in that part of the world, or else they would not presume to impose such a banter upon them."
But this is nothing, if compared with some other passages of that unjust representation, wherein they took upon them to describe the people of "Virginia to be both numerous and rich, of republican notions and principles such as ought to be corrected and lowered in time; and that then,or never, was the time to maintain the queen's prerogatives, and put a stop to those wrong, pernicious notions which were improving daily, not only in Virginia but in all her majesty's other governments. A frown now from her majesty will do more than an army hereafter," &c.
With those inhuman, false imputations, did those gentlemen afterwards introduce the necessity of a standing army.
§ 148. Thus did this gentleman continue to rule till August 1705, when Edward Nott, esq., arrived governor, and gave ease to the country by a mild rule. His commission was to be governor-general, but part of his salary was paid my Lord Orkney as chief. Governor Nott had the general commission given him, because it was suggested that that method, viz: the supreme title, would give the greater awe, and the better put the country to rights.
§ 149. Governor Nott called an assembly the fall after his arrival, who passed the general revisal of the laws, which had been too long in hand. But that part of it which related to the church and clergy Mr. Commissary could not be pleased in; wherefore that bill was dropt, and so it lies at this day.
§ 150. This assembly also passed a new law for ports and towns, grounding it only upon encouragements, according to her majesty's letter to that purpose. But it seems this also could not please the Virginia merchants in England, for they complained against it to the crown, and so it was also suspended.
§ 151. This assembly also passed the law making slaves a real estate, which made a great alteration in the nature of their estates, and becomes a very good security for orphans whose parents happened to die intestate.
§ 152. This assembly also voted a house to be built for the governor's residence, and laid duties to raise the money for it. But his excellency lived not to see much effected therein, being taken off by death in August 1706. In thefirst year of his government the college was burnt down to the ground.
§ 153. After this governor's death, their being no other nominated by her majesty to succeed him, the government fell into the hands of Edmund Jenings, Esq., the president, and the council, who held no assembly during his time, neither did anything of note happen here. Only we heard that Brigadier Robert Hunter received commission to be lieutenant-governor under George, Earl of Orkney, the chief, and set out for Virginia, but was taken prisoner into France.
§ 154. During Brigadier Hunter's confinement in France, a new commission issued to Colonel Alexander Spotswood to be lieutenant-governor, who arrived here in Anno 1710. He, to the extraordinary benefit of this country, still continues governor, having improved it beyond imagination. His conduct has produced wonders. But it would not become me to affront his modesty by publishing those innumerable benefits of his administration to his face; therefore I shall leave them to adorn the brighter history of some abler penman.
OF THE NATURAL PRODUCT AND CONVENIENCES OF VIRGINIA IN ITS UNIMPROVED STATE, BEFORE THE ENGLISH WENT THITHER.
OF THE BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA.
§ 1. Virginia, as you have heard before, was a name at first given to all the northern part of the continent of America; and when the original grant was made, both to the first and second colonies, that is, to those of Virginia and New England, they were both granted under the name of Virginia. And afterwards, when grants for other new colonies were made by particular names, those names for a long time served only to distinguish them as so many parts of Virginia; and until the plantations became more familiar to England, it was so continued. But in process of time, the name of Virginia was lost to all except to that tract of land lying along the bay of Chesapeake, and a little to the southward, in which are included Virginia and Maryland; both which, in common discourse, are still very often meant by the name of Virginia.
The least extent of bounds in any of the grants made to Virginia, since it was settled, and which we find upon record there, is two hundred miles north from Point Comfort, and two hundred miles south, winding upon the seacoast to the eastward, and including all the land west and northwest, from sea to sea, with the islands on both seas, within an hundred miles of the main. But these extents, both on the north and south, have been since abridged by the proprietary grants of Maryland on the north, and Carolina on the south.
§ 2. The entrance into Virginia for shipping is by the mouth of Chesapeake bay, which is indeed more like a river than a bay; for it runs up into the land about two hundred miles, being everywhere near as wide as it is at the mouth, and in many places much wider. The mouth thereof is about seven leagues over, through which all ships pass to go to Maryland.
The coast is a bold and even coast, with regular soundings, and is open all the year round; so that, having the latitude, which also can hardly be wanted upon a coast where so much clear weather is, any ship may go in by soundings alone, by day or night, in summer or in winter, and need not fear any disaster, if the mariners understand anything; for, let the wind blow how it will, and chop about as suddenly as it pleases, any master, though his ship be never so dull, has opportunity, (by the evenness of the coast,) either of standing off and clearing the shore, or else of running into safe harbor within the capes. A bolder and safer coast is not known in the universe; to which conveniences, there is the addition of good anchorage all along upon it, without the capes.
§ 3. Virginia, in the most restrained sense, distinct from Maryland, is the spot to which I shall altogether confine this description; though you may consider, at the same time, that there cannot be much difference between this and Maryland, they being contiguous one to the other, lying in the same bay, producing the same sort of commodities, and being fallen into the same unhappy form of settlements, altogether upon country seats, without towns. Virginia, thus considered, is bounded on the south by North Carolina, on the north by Potomac river, which divides itfrom Maryland, on the east by the main ocean, called the Virginia seas, and on the west and northwest by the Californian sea, whenever the settlements shall be extended so far, or now by the river Mississippi.
This part of Virginia, now inhabited, if we consider the improvements in the hands of the English, it cannot upon that score be commended; but if we consider its natural aptitude to be improved, it may with justice be accounted one of the finest countries in the world. Most of the natural advantages of it, therefore, I shall endeavor to discover, and set in their true light, together with its inconveniences, and afterwards proceed to the improvements.
OF THE WATERS.
§ 4. The largeness of the bay of Chesapeake, I have mentioned already. From one end of it to the other, there is good anchorage, and so little danger of a wreck, that many masters, who have never been there before, venture up to the head of the bay, upon the slender knowledge of a common sailor. But the experience of one voyage teaches any master to go up afterwards without a pilot.
Besides this bay, the country is watered with four great rivers, viz: James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers, all which are full of convenient and safe harbors. There are also abundance of lesser rivers, many of which are capable of receiving the biggest merchant ships, viz: Elizabeth river, Nansemond, Chickahominy, Pocoson, Pamunkey, Mattapony, (which two last are the two upper branches of York river,) North river, Eastermost river, Corotoman, Wiccocomoco, Pocomoke, Chissenessick, Pungotegue, and many others. But because they are so well described in the large maps of Virginia, I shall forbear any farther description of them.
These rivers are of such convenience, that for almost every half dozen miles of their extent, there is a commodious and safe road for a whole fleet, which gives opportunity to the masters of ships to lie up and down straggling, according as they have made their acquaintance, riding before that gentleman's door where they find the best reception, or where 'tis most suitable to their business.
§ 5. These rivers are made up by the conflux of an infinite number of crystal springs of cool and pleasant water,issuing everywhere out of the banks and sides of the valleys. These springs flow so plentifully, that they make the river water fresh fifty, threescore, and sometimes a hundred miles below the flux and reflux of the tides, and sometimes within thirty or forty miles of the bay itself. The conveniences of these springs are so many, they are not to be numbered. I shall therefore content myself to mention that one of supplying the country elsewhere, except in the lowlands, with as many mills as they can find work for; and some of these send forth such a glut of water, that in less than a mile below the fountain head, they afford a stream sufficient to supply a grist mill, of which there are several instances.
§ 6. The only mischief I know belonging to these rivers is, that in the month of June annually, there rise up in the salts, vast beds of seedling-worms, which enter the ships, sloops or boats wherever they find the coat of pitch, tar, or lime worn off the timber, and by degrees eat the plank into cells like those of a honey-comb. These worms continue thus upon the surface of the water, from their rise in June until the first great rains after the middle of July, but after that do no fresh damage till the next summer season, and never penetrate farther than the plank or timber they first fix upon.
The damage occasioned by these worms may be four several ways avoided.