pioneers of the old south-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


not　to　molest　any　person　〃professing　to　believe　in　Jesus　Christ；　and　in
particular　any　Roman　Catholic。〃　In　this　way　he　thought　that；　right　and　left；
he　might　provide　against　persecution。

Under　these　complex　influences　the　Maryland　Assembly　passed　in　1649　an　Act
concerning　Religion。　It　reveals；　upon　the　one　hand；　Christendom's
mercilessness　toward　the　freethinkerin　which　mercilessness；　whether
through　conviction　or　policy；　Baltimore　acquiescedand；　on　the　other　hand；
that　aspiration　toward　friendship　within　the　Christian　fold　which　is　even
yet　hardly　more　than　a　pious　wish；　and　which　in　the　seventeenth　century
could　have　been　felt　by　very　few。　To　Baltimore　and　the　Assembly　of　Maryland
belongs；　not　the　glory　of　inaugurating　an　era　of　wide　toleration　for　men
and　women　of　all　beliefs　or　disbeliefs；　whether　Christian　or　not；　but　the
real　though　lesser　glory　of　establishing　entire　toleration　among　the
divisions　within　the　Christian　circle　itself。　According　to　the　Act；*

〃Whatsoever　person　or　persons　within　this　Province　and　the　Islands
thereunto　belonging；　shall　from　henceforth　blaspheme　God；　that　is　curse
him；　or　deny　our　Saviour　Jesus　Christ　to　bee　the　sonne　of　God；　or　shall
deny　the　holy　Trinity；　。　。　。　or　the　Godhead　of　any　of　the　said　three
persons　of　the　Trinity；　or　the　unity　of　the　Godhead；　or　shall　use　or　utter
any　reproachful　speeches；　words　or　language　concerning　the　said　Holy
Trinity；　or　any　of　the　said　three　persons　thereof；　shall　be　punished　with
death　and　confiscation　or　forfeiture　of　all　his　or　her　lands　and　goods　to
the　Lord　Proprietary　and　his　heires　。　。　。　。　Whatsoever　person　or　persons
shall　from　henceforth　use　or　utter　any　reproachfull　words；　or　speeches；
concerning　the　blessed　Virgin　Mary；　the　Mother　of　our　Saviour；　or　the　holy
Apostles　or　Evangelists；　or　any　of　them；　shall　in　such　case　for　the　first
offence　forfeit　to　the　said　Lord　Proprietary　and　his　heires　the　sum　of　five
pound　sterling　。　。　。　。　Whatsoever　person　shall　henceforth　upon　any　occasion
。　。　。　declare；　call；　or　denominate　any　person　or　persons　whatsoever
inhabiting；　residing；　traffiqueing；　trading　or　comerceing　within　this
Province；　or　within　any　of　the　Ports；　Harbors；　Creeks　or　Havens　to　the　same
belonging；　an　heritick；　Scismatick；　Idolator；　puritan；　Independant；
Presbiterian；　popish　priest；　Jesuite；　Jesuited　papist；　Lutheran；　Calvenist；
Anabaptist；　Brownist；　Antinomian；　Barrowist；　Roundhead；　Sepatist；　or　any
other　name　or　term　in　a　reproachful　manner　relating　to　matter　of　Religion；
shall　for　every　such　Offence　forfeit　。　。　。　the　sum　of　tenne　shillings
sterling　。　。　。　。

〃Whereas　the　inforceing　of　the　conscience　in　matters　of　Religion　hath
frequently　fallen　out　to　be　of　dangerous　Consequence　in　those　commonwealths
where　it　hath　been　practised；　。　。　。　be　it　therefore　also　by　the　Lord
Proprietary　with　the　advice　and　consent　of　this　Assembly；　ordeyned　and
enacted　。　。　。　that　no　person　or　persons　whatsoever　within　this　Province　。　。
。professing　to　beleive　in　Jesus　Christ；　shall　from　henceforth　bee　any　waies
troubled；　molested　or　discountenanced　for　or　in　respect　of　his　or　her
religion　nor　in　the　free　exercise　thereof　。　。　。　nor　anyway　compelled　to　the
beleif　or　exercise　of　any　other　Religion　against　his　or　her　consent；　soe　as
they　be　not　unfaithfull　to　the　Lord　Proprietary　or　molest　or　conspire
against　the　civill　Government　。　。　。〃

*　〃Archives　of　Maryland；　Proceedings　and　Acts　of　the　General
Assembly〃；　vol。　I；　pp。　244…247。



CHAPTER　XI。　COMMONWEALTH　AND　RESTORATION

On　the　30th　of　January；　1649；　before　the　palace　of　Whitehall；　Charles　the
First　of　England　was　beheaded。　In　Virginia　the　event　fell　with　a　shock。
Even　those　within　the　colony　who　were　Cromwell's　men　rather　than　Charles's
men　seem　to　have　recoiled　from　this　act。　Presently；　too；　came　fleeing
royalists　from　overseas；　to　add　their　passionate　voices　to　those　of　the
royalists　in　Virginia。　Many　came；　〃nobility；　clergy　and　gentry；　men　of　the
first　rate。〃　A　thousand　are　said　to　have　arrived　in　the　year　after　the
King's　death。

In　October　the　Virginia　Assembly　met。　Parliament　menand　now　these　were
walking　with　head　in　the　airmight　regret　the　execution　of　the　past
January；　and　yet　be　prepared　to　assert　that　with　the　fall　of　the　kingdom
fell　all　powers　and　offices　named　and　decreed　by　the　hapless　monarch。　What
was　a　passionate　royalist　government　doing　in　Virginia　now　that　England　was
a　Commonwealth？　The　passionate　government　answered　for　itself　in　acts
passed　by　this　Assembly。　With　swelling　words；　with　a　tragic　accent；　it
denounced　the　late　happenings　in　England　and　all　the　Roundhead　wickedness
that　led　up　to　them。　It　proclaimed　loyalty　to　〃his　sacred　Majesty　that　now
is〃that　is；　to　Charles　Stuart；　afterwards　Charles　the　Second；　then　a
refugee　on　the　Continent。　Finally　it　enacted　that　any　who　defended　the　late
proceedings；　or　in　the　least　affected　to　question　〃the　undoubted　and
inherent　right　of　his　Majesty　that　now　is　to　the　Collony　of　Virginia〃
should　be　held　guilty　of　high　treason；　and　that　〃reporters　and　divulgers〃
of　rumors　tending　to　change　of　government　should　be　punished　〃even　to
severity。〃

Berkeley's　words　may　be　detected　in　these　acts　of　the　Assembly。　In　no　great
time　the　Cavalier　Governor　conferred　with　Colonel　Henry　Norwood；　one　of　the
royalist　refugees　to　Virginia。　Norwood　thereupon　sailed　away　upon　a　Dutch
ship　and　came　to　Holland；　where　he　found　〃his　Majesty　that　now　is。〃　Here　he
knelt；　and　invited　that　same　Majesty　to　visit　his　dominion　of　Virginia；
and；　if　he　liked　it；　there　to　rest；　sovereign　of　the　Virginian　people。　But
Charles　still　hoped　to　be　sovereign　in　England　and　would　not　cross　the
seas。　He　sent；　however；　to　Sir　William　Berkeley　a　renewal　of　his　Governor's
commission；　and　appointed　Norwood　Treasurer　of　Virginia；　and　said；
doubtless；　many　gay　and　pleasant　things。

In　Virginia　there　continued　to　appear　from　England　adherents　of　the　ancient
regime。　Men；　women；　and　children　came　until　to　a　considerable　degree　the
tone　of　society　rang　Cavalier。　This　immigration；　now　lighter；　now　heavier；
continued　through　a　rather　prolonged　period。　There　came　now　to　Virginia
families　whose　names　are　often　met　in　the　later　history　of　the　land。　Now
Washingtons　appear；　with　Randolphs；　Carys；　Skipwiths；　Brodnaxes；　Tylers；
Masons；　Madisons；　Monroes；　and　many　more。　These　persons　are　not　without
means；　they　bring　with　them　servants；　they　are　in　high　favor　with　Governor
and　Council；　they　acquire　large　tracts　of　virgin　land；　they　bring　in
indentured　labor；　they　purchase　African　slaves；　they　cultivate　tobacco。
》From　being　English　country　gentlemen　they　turn　easily　to　become　Virginia
planters。

But　the　Virginia　Assembly　had　thrown　a　gauntlet　before　the　victorious
Commonwealth；　and　the　Long　Parliament　now　declared　the　colony　to　be　in
contumacy；　assembled　and　dispatched　ships　against　her；　and　laid　an　embargo
upon　trade　with　the　rebellious　daughter。　In　January　of　1652　English　ships
appeared　off　Point　Comfort。　Four　Commissioners　of　the　Commonwealth　were
aboard；　of　whom　that　strong　man　Claiborne　was　one。　After　issuing　a
proclamation　to　quiet　the　fears　of　the　people；　the　Commissioners　made　their
way　to　Jamestown。　Here　was　found　the　indomitable　Berkeley　and　his　Council
in　a　state　of　active　preparation；　cannon　trained。　But；　when　all　was　said；
the　Commissioners　had　brought　wisely　moderate　terms：　submit　because　submit
they　must；　acknowledge　the　Commonwealth；　and；　that　done；　rest　unmolested！
If　resistance　continued；　there　were　enough　Parliament　men　in　Virginia　to
make　an　army。　Indentured　servants　and　slaves　should　receive　freedom　in
exchange　for　support　to　the　Commonwealth。　The　ships　would　come　up　from
Point　Comfort；　and　a　determined　war　would　be　on。　What　Sir　William　Berkeley
personally　said　has　not　survived。　But　after　consultation　upon　consultation
Virginia　surrendered　to　the　commonwealth。

Berkeley　stepped　from　the　Governor's　chair；　retiring　in　wrath　and
bitterness　of　heart　to　his　house　at　Greenspring。；　In　his　place　sat　Richard
Bennett；　one　of　the　Commissioners。　Claiborne　was　made　Secretary。　King's　men
went　out　of　office；　Parliament　men　came　in。　But　there　was　no　persecution。
In　the　bland　and　wide　Virginia　air　minds　failed　to　come　into　hard　and
frequent　collision。　For　all　the　ferocities　of　the　statute　books；　acute
suffering　for　difference　of　opinion；　whether　political　or　religious；　did
not　bulk　large　in　the　life　of　early　Virginia。

The　Commissioners；　after　the　reduction　of　Virginia；　had　a　like　part　to　play
with　Maryland。　At　St。　Mary's；　as　at　Jamestown；　they　demanded　and　at　length
received　submission　to　the　Commonwealth。　There　was　here　the　less　trouble
owing　to　Baltimore's　foresight　in　appointing　to　the　office　of　Governor
William　Stone；　whose　opinions；　political　and　religious；　accorded　with　those
of　revolutionary　England。　Yet　the　Governor　could　not　bring　himself　to
forget　his　oath　to　Lord　Baltimore　and　agree　to　the　demand　of　the
Commissioners　that　he　should　administer　the　Government　in　the　ame　of　〃the
Keepers　of　the　Liberties　of　England。〃　After　some　hesitation　the
Commissioners　decided　to　respect　his　scruples　and　allow　him　to　govern　in
the　name　of　the　Lord　Proprietary；　as　he　had　solemnly　promised。

In　Virginia　and　in　Maryland　the　Commonwealth　and　the　Lord　Protector　stand
where　stood　the　Kingdom　and　the　King。　Many　are　far　better　satisfied　than
they　were　before；　and　the　confirmed　royalist　consumes　his　grumbling　in　his
own　circle。　The　old；　exhausting　quarrel　seems　laid　to　rest。　But　within　this
wider　peace　breaks　out　suddenly　an　interior　strife。　Virginia　would；　if　she
could；　have　back　all　her　old　northward　territory。　In　1652　Bennett's
Government　goes　so　far　as　to　petition　Parliament　to　unseat　the　Catholic
Proprietary　of　Maryland　and　make　whole　again　the　ancient　Virginia。　The　hand
of　Claiborne；　that　remarkable　and　persistent　man；　may　be　seen　in　this。

In　Maryland；　Puritans　and　Independents　were　settled　chiefly　about　the
rivers　Severn　and　Patuxent　and　in　a　village　called　Providence；　afterwards
Annapolis。　These　now　saw　their　chance　to　throw　off　the　Proprietary's　rule
and　to　come　directly　under　that　of　the　Commonwealth。　So　thinking；　they　put
themselves　into　communication　with　Bennett　and　Claiborne。　In　1654　Stone
charged　the　Commissioners　with　having　promoted　〃faction；　sedition；　and
rebellion　against　the　Lord　Baltimore。〃　The　charge　was　well　founded。
Claiborne　and　Bennett　assumed　that　they　were　yet　Parliament　Commissioners；
empowered　to　bring　〃all　plantations　within　the　Bay　of　Chesapeake　to　their
due　obedience　to　the　Parliament　and　Commonwealth　of　England。〃　And　they　were
indeed　set　against　the　Lord　Baltimore。　Claiborne　would　head　the　Puritans　of
Providence；　and　a　troop　should　be　raised　in　Virginia　and　march　northward。
The　Commissioners　actually　advanced　upon　St。　Mary's；　and　with　so　superior
a；　force　that　Stone　surrendered；　and　a　Puritan　Government　was　inaugurated。
A　Puritan　Assembly　met；　debarring　any　Catholics。　Presently　it　passed　an　act
annulling　the　Proprietary's　Act　of　Toleration。　Professors　of　the　religion
of　Rome　should　〃be　restrained　from　the　exercise　thereof。〃　The　hand　of　the
law　was　to　fall　heavily　upon　〃popery；　prelacy；　or　licentiousness　of
opinion。　〃Thus　was　intolerance