pioneers of the old south-第15章

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ministers。　But　there　stayed　behind　Puritan　and　nonconforming　minds　in　the
bodies　of　many　parishioners。　They　must　hold　their　tongues；　indeed；　and
outwardly　conformbut　they　watched　lynx…eyed　for　their　opportunity　and　a
more　favorable　fortune。

Having　launched　thunderbolts　against　schismatics　of　this　sort；　Berkeley；
himself　active　and　powerful；　with　the　Council　almost　wholly　of　his　party
and　the　House　of　Burgesses　dominantly　so；　turned　his　attention　to　〃popish
recusants。〃　Of　these　there　were　few　or　none　dwelling　in　Virginia。　Let　them
then　not　attempt　to　come　from　Maryland！　The　rulers　of　the　colony　legislated
with　vigor：　papists　may　not　hold　any　public　place；　all　statutes　against
them　shall　be　duly　executed；　popish　priests　by　chance　or　intent　arriving
within　the　bounds　of　Virginia　shall　be　given　five　days'　warning；　and；　if　at
the　end　of　this　time　they　are　yet　upon　Virginian　soil；　action　shall　be
brought　against　them。　Berkeley　sweeps　with　an　impatient　broom。

The　Kingdom　is　cared　for　not　less　than　the　Church　in　Virginia。　Any　and　all
persons　coming　into　the　colony　by　land　and　by　sea　shall　have　administered
to　them　the　Oath　of　Supremacy　and　llegiance。　〃Which　if　any　shall　refuse　to
take；〃　the　commander　of　the　fort　at　Point　Comfort　shall　〃committ　him　or
them　to　prison。〃　Foreigners　in　birth　and　tongue；　foreigners　in　thought；
must　have　found　the　place　and　time　narrow　indeed。

On　the　eve　of　civil　war　there　arose　on　the　part　of　some　in　England　a
project　to　revive　and　restore　the　old　Virginia　Company　by　procuring　from
Charles；　now　deep　in　troubles　of　his　own；　a　renewal　of　the　old　letters
patent　and　the　transference　of　the　direct　government　of　the　colony　into　the
hands　of　a　reorganized　and　vast　corporation。　Virginia；　which　a　score　of
years　before　had　defended　the　Company；　now　protested　vigorously；　and；　with
regard　to　the　long　view　of　things；　it　may　be　thought　wisely。　The　project
died　a　natural　death。　The　petition　sent　from　Virginia　shows　plainly　enough
the　pen　of　Berkeley。　There　are　a　multitude　of　reasons　why　Virginia　should
not　pass　from　King　to　Company；　among　which　these　are　worthy　of　note：　〃We
may　not　admit　of　so　unnatural　a　distance　as　a　Company　will　interpose
between　his　sacred　majesty　and　us　his　subjects　from　whose　immediate
protection　we　have　received　so　many　royal　favours　and　gracious　blessings。
For；　by　such　admissions；　we　shall　degenerate　from　the　condition　of　our
birth；　being　naturalized　under　a　monarchical　government　and　not　a　popular
and　tumultuary　government　depending　upon　the　greatest　number　of　votes　of
persons　of　several　humours　and　dispositions。〃

When　this　paper　reached　England；　it　came　to　a　country　at　civil　war。　The
Long　Parliament　was　in　session。　Stafford　had　been　beheaded；　the　Star
Chamber　swept　away；　the　Grand　Remonstrance　presented。　On　Edgehill　bloomed
flowers　that　would　soon　be　trampled　by　Rupert's　cavalry。　In　Virginia　the
Assembly　took　notice　of　these　〃unkind　differences　now　in　England；〃　and
provided　by　tithing　for　the　Governor's　pension　and　allowance；　which　were
for　the　present　suspended　and　endangered　by　the　troubles　at　home。　That　the
forces　banded　against　the　Lord's　anointed　would　prove　victorious　must　at
this　time　have　appeared　preposterously　unlikely　to　the　fiery　Governor　and
the　ultra…loyal　Virginia　whom　he　led。　The　Puritans　and　Independents　in
Virginiaestimated　a　little　earlier　at　〃a　thousand　strong〃　and　now；　for
all　the　acts　against　them；　probably　stronger　yetwere　to　be　found　chiefly
in　the　parishes　of　Isle　of　Wight　and　Nansemond；　but　had　representatives
from　the　Falls　to　the　Eastern　Shore。　What　these　Virginians　thought　of　the
〃unkind　differences〃　does　not　appear　in　the　record；　but　probably　there　was
thought　enough　and　secret　hopes。

In　1644；　the　year　of　Marston　Moor；　Virginia；　too；　saw　battle　and　sudden　and
bloody　death。　That　Opechancanough　who　had　succeeded　Powhatan　was　now　one
hundred　years　old；　hardly　able　to　walk　or　to　see；　dwelling　harmlessly　in　a
village　upon　the　upper　Pamunkey。　All　the　Indians　were　broken　and　dispersed；
serious　danger　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　Then；　of　a　sudden；　the　flame
leaped　again。　There　fell　from　the　blue　sky　a　massacre　directed　against　the
outlying　plantations。　Three　hundred　men；　women；　and　children　were　killed　by
the　Indians。　With　fury　the　white　men　attacked　in　return。　They　sent　bodies
of　horse　into　the　untouched　western　forests。　They　chased　and　slew　without
mercy。　In　1646　Opechancanough；　brought　a　prisoner　to　Jamestown；　ended　his
long　tale　of　years　by　a　shot　from　one　of　his　keepers。　The　Indians　were
beaten；　and；　lacking　such　another　leader；　made　no　more　organized　and
general　attacks。　But　for　long　years　a　kind　of　border　warfare　still　went　on。

Even　Maryland；　tolerant　and　just　as　was　the　Calvert　policy；　did　not
altogether　escape　Indian　troubles。　She　had　to　contend　with　no　such　able
chief　as　Opechancanough；　and　she　suffered　no　sweeping　massacres。　But　after
the　first　idyllic　year　or　so　there　set　in　a　small；　constant　friction。　So
fast　did　the　Maryland　colonists　arrive　that　soon　there　was　pressure　of
population　beyond　those　first　purchased　bounds。　The　more　thoughtful　among
the　Indians　may　well　have　taken　alarm　lest　their　villages　and
hunting…grounds　might　not　endure　these　inroads。　Ere　long　the　English　in
Maryland　were　placing　〃centinells〃　over　fields　where　men　worked；　and
providing　penalties　for　those　who　sold　the　savages　firearms。　But　at　no　time
did　young　Maryland　suffer　the　Indian　woes　that　had　vexed　young　Virginia。

Nor　did　Maryland　escape　the　clash　of　interests　which　beset　the　beginnings
of　representative　assemblies　in　all　proprietary　provinces。　The　second；　like
the　first；　Lord　Baltimore；　was　a　believer　in　kings　and　aristocracies；　in　a
natural　division　of　human　society　into　masters　and　men。　His　effort　was　to
plant　intact　in　Maryland　a　feudal　order。　He　would　be　Palatine；　the　King　his
suzerain。　In　Maryland　the　great　planters；　in　effect　his　barons；　should　live
upon　estates；　manorial　in　size　and　with　manorial　rights。　The　laboring　men
the　impecunious　adventurers　whom　these　greater　adventurers　brought　out
would　form　a　tenantry；　the　Lord　Proprietary's　men's　men。　It　is　true　that；
according　to　charter；　provision　was　made　for　an　Assembly。　Here　were　to　sit
〃freemen　of　the　province；〃　that　is　to　say；　all　white　males　who　were　not　in
the　position　of　indentured　servants。　But　with　the　Proprietary；　and　not　with
the　Assembly；　would　rest　primarily　the　lawmaking　power。　The　Lord
Proprietary　would　propose　legislation；　and　the　freemen　of　the　country　would
debate；　in　a　measure　advise；　represent；　act　as　consultants；　and　finally
confirm。　Baltimore　was　prepared　to　be　a　benevolent　lord；　wise；　fatherly。

In　1635　met　the　first　Assembly；　Leonard　Calvert　and　his　Council　sitting
with　the　burgesses；　and　this　gathering　of　freemen　proceeded　to　inaugurate
legislation。　There　was　passed　a　string　of　enactments　which　presumably　dealt
with　immediate　wants　at　St。　Mary's；　and　which；　the　Assembly　recognized；
must　have　the　Lord　Proprietary's　as　assent。　A　copy　was　therefore　sent　by
the　first　ship　to　leave。　So　long　were　the　voyages　and　so　slow　the　procedure
in　England　that　it　was　1637　before　Baltimore's　veto　upon　the　Assembly's
laws　reached　Maryland。　It　would　seem　that　he　did　not　disapprove　so　much　of
the　laws　themselves　as　of　the　bold　initiative　of　the　Assembly；　for　he　at
once　sent　over　twelve　bills　of　his　own　drafting。　Leonard　Calvert　was
instructed　to　bring　all　freemen　together　in　Assembly　and　present　for　their
acceptance　the　substituted　legislation。

Early　in　1638　this　Maryland　Assembly　met。　The　Governor　put　before　it　for
adoption　the　Proprietary's　laws。　The　vote　was　taken。　Governor　and　some
others　were　for；　the　remainder　of　the　Assembly　unanimously　against；　the
proposed　legislation。　There　followed　a　year　or　two　of　struggle　over　this
question；　but　in　the　end　the　Proprietary　in　effect　acknowledged　defeat。　The
colonists；　through　their　Assembly；　might　thereafter　propose　laws　to　meet
their　exigencies；　and　Governor　Calvert；　acting　for　his　brother；　should
approve　or　veto　according　to　need。

When　civil　war　between　King　and　Parliament　broke　out　in　England；　sentiment
in　Maryland　as　in　Virginia　inclined　toward　the　King。　But　that　Puritan；
Non…conformist；　and　republican　element　that　was　in　both　colonies　might　be
expected　to　gain　if；　at　home　in　England；　the　Parliamentary　party　gained。　A
Royal　Governor　or　a　Lord　Proprietary's　Governor　might　alike　be　perplexed　by
the　political　turmoil　in　the　mother　country。　Leonard　Calvert　felt　the　need
of　first…hand　consultation　with　his　brother。　Leaving　Giles　Brent　in　his
place；　he　sailed　for　England；　talked　there　with　Baltimore　himself；
perplexed　and　filled　with　foreboding；　and　returned　to　Maryland　not　greatly
wiser　than　when　he　went。

Maryland　was　soon　convulsed　by　disorders　which　in　many　ways　reflected　the
unsettled　conditions　in　England。　A　London　ship；　commanded　by　Richard　Ingle；
a　Puritan　and　a　staunch　upholder　of　the　cause　of　Parliament；　arrived　before
St。　Mary's；　where　he　gave　great　offense　by　his　blatant　remarks　about　the
King　and　Rupert；　〃that　Prince　Rogue。〃　Though　he　was　promptly　arrested　on
the　charge　of　treason；　he　managed　to　escape　and　soon　left　the　loyal　colony
far　astern。

In　the　meantime　Leonard　Calvert　had　come　back　to　Maryland；　where　he　found
confusion　and　a　growing　heat　and　faction　and　side…taking　of　a　bitter　sort。
To　add　to　the　turmoil；　William　Claiborne；　among　whose　dominant　traits　was
an　inability　to　recognize　defeat；　was　making　attempts　upon　Kent　Island。
Calvert　was　not　long　at　St。　Mary's　ere　Ingle　sailed　in　again　with
letters…of…marque　from　the　Long　Parliament。　Ingle　and　his　men　landed　and
quickly　found　out　the　Protestant　moiety　of　the　colonists。　There　followed　an
actual　insurrection；　the　Marylanders　joining　with　Ingle　and　much　aided　by
Claiborne；　who　now　retook　Kent　Island。　The　insurgents　then　captured　St。
Mary's　and　forced　the　Governor　to　flee　to　Virginia。　For　two　years　Ingle
ruled　and　plundered；　sequestrating　goods　of　the　Proprietary's　adherents；
and　deporting　in　irons　Jesuit　priests。　At　the　end　of　this　time　Calvert
reappeared；　and　behind　him　a　troop　gathered　in　Virginia。　Now　it　was　Ingle's
turn　to　flee。　Regaining　his　ship；　he　made　sail　for　England；　and　Maryland
settled　down　again　to　the　ancient　order。　The　Governor　then　reduced　Kent
Island。　Claiborne；　again　defeated；　retired　to　Virginia；　whence　he　sailed
for　England。

In　1647　Leonard　Calvert　died。　Until　the　Proprietary's　will　should　be　known；
Thomas　Greene　acted　as　Governor。　Over　in　England；　Lord　Baltimore　stood　at
the　parting　of　the　ways。　The　King's　cause　had　a　hopeless　look。　Roundhead
and　Parliament　were　making　way　in　a　mighty　tide。　Baltimore　was　marked　for　a
royalist　and　a　Catholic。　If　the　tide　rose　farther；　he　might　lose　Maryland。
A　sagacious　mind；　he　proceeded　to　do　all　that　he　could；　short　of　denying
his　every　belief；　to　placate　his　enemies。　He　appointed　as　Governor　of
Maryland　William　Stone；　a　Puritan；　and　into　the　Council；　numbering　five
members；　he　put　three　Puritans。　On　the　other　hand　the　interests　of　his
Maryland　Catholics　must　not　be　endangered。　He　required　of　the　new　Governor
not　to　molest　any　person　〃professing　to　believe　in　Jesus　Christ；　and　in
particular　any　Roma