pioneers of the old south-第17章

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law　was　to　fall　heavily　upon　〃popery；　prelacy；　or　licentiousness　of
opinion。　〃Thus　was　intolerance　alive　again　in　the　only　land　where　she　had
seemed　to　die！

In　England　now　there　was　hardly　a　Parliament；　but　only　the　Lord　Protector；
Oliver　Cromwell。　Content　with　Baltimore's　recognition　of　the　Protectorate；
Cromwell　was　not　prepared　to　back；　in　their　independent　action；　the
Commissioners　of　that　now　dissolved　Parliament。　Baltimore　made　sure　of
this；　and　then　dispatched　messengers　overseas　to　Stone；　bidding　him　do　all
that　lay　in　him　to　retake　Maryland。　Stone　thereupon　gathered　several
hundred　men　and　a　fleet　of　small　sailing　craft；　with　which　he　pushed　up　the
bay　to　the　Severn。　In　the　meantime　the　Puritans　had　not　been　idle；　but　had
themselves　raised　a　body　of　men　and　had　taken　over　the　Golden　Lyon；　an
armed　merchantman　lying　before　their　town。　On　the　24th　of　March；　1655；　the
two　forces　met　in　the　Battle　of　the　Severn。　〃In　the　name　of　God；　fall　on！〃
cried　the　men　of　Providence；　and　〃Hey　for　St。　Mary's！〃　cried　the　others。
The　battle　was　won　by　the　Providence　men。　They　slew　or　wounded　fifty　of　the
St。　Mary's　men　and　desperately　wounded　Stone　himself　and　took　many
prisoners；　ten　of　whom　were　afterwards　condemned　to　death　and　four　were
actually　executed。

Now　followed　a　period　of　up　and　down；　the　Commissioners　and　the　Proprietary
alike　appealing　to　the　Lord　Protector　for　some　expression　of　his
〃determinate　will。〃　Both　sides　received　encouragement　inasmuch　as　he
decided　for　neither。　His　own　authority　being　denied　by　neither；　Cromwell
may　have　preferred　to　hold　these　distant　factions　in　a　canceling；
neutralizing　posture。　But　far　weightier　matters；　in　fact；　were　occupying
his　mind。　In　1657；　weary　of　her　〃very　sad；　distracted；　and　unsettled
condition；〃　Maryland　herself　proceededPuritan；　Prelatist；　and　Catholic
togetherto　agree　henceforth　to　disagree。　Toleration　viewed　in　retrospect
appears　dimly　to　have　been　seen　for　the　angel　that　it　was。　Maryland　would
return　to　the　Proprietary's　rule；　provided　there　should　be　complete
indemnity　for　political　offenses　and　a　solemn　promise　that　the　Toleration
Act　of　1649　should　never　be　repealed。　This　without　a　smile　Baltimore
promised。　Articles　were　signed；　a　new　Assembly　composed　of　all　manner　of
Christians　was　called；　and　Maryland　returned　for　a　time　to　her　first
allegiance。

Quiet　years；　on　the　whole；　follow　in　Virginia　under　the　Commonwealth。　The
three　Governors　of　this　period…Bennett；　Digges；　and　Mathews　are　all　chosen
by　the　Assembly；　which；　but　for　the　Navigation　Laws；*　might　almost　forget
the　Home　Government。　Then　Oliver　Cromwell　dies；　and；　after　an　interval；
back　to　England　come　the　Stuarts。　Charles　II　is　proclaimed　King。　And　back
into　office　in　Virginia　is　brought　that　staunch　old　monarchist；　Sir
William　Berkeleyfirst　by　a　royalist　Assembly　and　presently　by　commission
from　the　new　King。

*　See　Editor's　Note　on　the　Navigation　Laws　at　the　end　of　this　volume。


Then　Virginia　had　her　Long　Parliament　or　Assembly。　In　1661；　in　the　first
gush　of　the　Restoration；　there　was　elected　a　House　of　Burgesses　so
congenial　to　Berkeley's　mind　that　he　wished　to　see　it　perpetuated。　For
fifteen　years　therefore　he　held　it　in　being；　with　adjournments　from　one
year　into　another　and　with　sharp　refusals　to　listen　to　any　demand　for　new
elections。　Yet　this　demand　grew；　and　still　the　Governor　shut　the　door　in
the　face　of　the　people　and　looked　imperiously　forth　from　the　window。　His
temper；　always　fiery；　now　burned　vindictive；　his　zeal　for　King　and　Church
and　the　high　prerogatives　of　the　Governor　of　Virginia　became　a　consuming
passion。

When　Berkeley　first　came　to　Virginia；　and　again　for　a　moment　in　the　flare
of　the　Restoration；　his　popularity　had　been　real；　but　for　long　now　it　had
dwindled。　He　belonged　to　an　earlier　time；　and　he　held　fast　to　old　ideas
that　were　decaying　at　the　heart。　A　bigot　for　the　royal　power；　a　man　of
class　with　a　contempt　for　the　generality　and　its　clumsily　expressed　needs；
he　grew　in　narrowness　as　he　grew　in　years。　Berkeley　could　in　these　later
times　write　home；　though　with　some　exaggeration：　〃I　thank　God　there　are　no
free　schools　nor　printing；　and　I　hope　we　shall　not　have　these　hundred
years；　for　learning　has　brought　disobedience　into　the　world　and　printing
has　divulged　them；　and　libels　against　the　best　governments！　God　keep　us
from　both！〃　But　that　was　the　soured　zealot　for　absolutismWilliam　Berkeley
the　man　was　fond　enough　of　books　and　himself　had　written　plays。

The　spirit　of　the　time　was　reactionary　in　Virginia　as　it　was　reactionary　in
England。　Harsh　servant　and　slave　laws　were　passed。　A　prison　was　to　be
erected　in　each　county；　provision　was　made　for　pillory　and　stocks　and
duckingstool；　the　Quakers　were　to　be　proceeded　against；　the　Baptists　who
refused　to　bring　children　to　baptism　were　to　suffer。　Then　at　last　in　1670
came　restriction　of　the　franchise：

〃Act　III。　ELECTION　OF　BURGESSES　BY　WHOM。　WHEREAS　the　usuall　way　of　chuseing
burgesses　by　the　votes　of　all　persons　who　having　served　their　tyme　are
freemen　of　this　country　who　haveing　little　interest　in　the　country　doe
oftener　make　tumults　at　the　election　to　the　disturbance　of　his　Majestie's
peace；　than　by　their　discretions　in　their　votes　provide　for　the
conservation　thereof；　by　makeing　choyce　of　persons　fitly　qualifyed　for　the
discharge　of　soe　greate　a　trust；　And　whereas　the　lawes　of　England　grant　a
voyce　in　such　election　only　to　such　as　by　their　estates　real　or　personall
have　interest　enough　to　tye　them　to　the　endeavour　of　the　publique　good；　IT
IS　HEREBY　ENACTED；　that　none　but　freeholders　and　housekeepers　who　only　are
answerable　to　the　publique　for　the　levies　shall　hereafter　have　a　voice　in
the　election　of　any　burgesses　in　this　country。〃

*Hening's　〃Statutes〃；　vol。　II；　p。　280。


Three　years　later　another　woe　befell　the　colony。　That　same　Charles　IIto
whom　in　misfortune　Virginia　had　so　adhered　that　for　her　loyalty　she　had
received　the　name　of　the　Old　Dominionnow　granted　〃all　that　entire　tract；
territory；　region；　and　dominion　of　land　and　water　commonly　called　Virginia；
together　with　the　territory　of　Accomack；〃　to　Lord　Culpeper　and　the　Earl　of
Arlington。　For　thirty…one　years　they　were　to　hold　it；　paying　to　the　King
the　slight　annual　rent　of　forty　shillings。　They　were　not　to　disturb　the
colonists　in　any　guaranteed　right　of　life　or　land　or　goods；　but　for　the
rest　they　might　farm　Virginia。　The　country　cried　out　in　anger。　The　Assembly
hurried　commissioners　on　board　a　ship　in　port　and　sent　them　to　England　to
besiege　the　ear　of　the　King。

Distress　and　discontent　increased；　with　good　reason；　among　the　mass　of　the
Virginians。　The　King　in　England；　his　councilors；　and；　Parliament；　played　an
unfatherly　role；　while　in　Virginia　economic　hardships　pressed　ever　harder　and
the　administration　became　more　and　more　oppressive。　By　1676　the　gunpowder　of
popular　indignation　was　laid　right　and　left；　awaiting　the　match。



CHAPTER　XII。　NATHANIEL　BACON

To　add　to　the　uncertainty　of　life　in　Virginia；　Indian　troubles　flared　up
again。　In　and　around　the　main　settlements　the　white　man　was　safe　enough
from　savage　attack。　But　it　was　not　so　on　the　edge　of　the　English　world；
where　the　white　hue　ran　thin；　where　small　clusters　of　folk　and　even　single
families　built　cabins　of　logs　and　made　lonely　clearings　in　the　wilderness。

Not　far　from　where　now　rises　Washington　the　Susquehannocks　had　taken
possession　of　an　old　fort。　These　Indians；　once　in　league　with　the　Iroquois
but　now　quarreling　violently　with　that　confederacy；　had　been　defeated　and
were　in　a　mood　of　undiscriminating　bitterness　and　vengeance。　They　began　to
waylay　and　butcher　white　men　and　women　and　children。　In　selfprotection
Maryland　and　Virginia　organized　in　common　an　expedition　against　the　Indian
stronghold。　In　the　deep　woods　beyond　the　Potomac；　red　men　and　white　came　to
a　parley。　The　Susquehannocks　sent　envoys。　There　was　wrong　on　both　sides。　A
dispute　arose。　The　white　men；　waxing　angry；　slew　the　envoysan　evil　deed
which　their　own　color　in　Maryland　and　in　Virginia　reprehended　and
repudiated。　But　the　harm　was　done。　From　the　Potomac　to　the　James　Indians
listened　to　Indian　eloquence；　reciting　the　evils　that　from　the　first　the
white　man　had　brought。　Then　the　red　man；　in　increasing　numbers；　fell　upon
the　outlying　settlements　of　the　pioneers。

In　Virginia　there　soon　arose　a　popular　clamor　for　effective　action。　Call
out　the　militia　of　every　county！　March　against　the　Indians！　Act！　But　the
Governor　was　old；　of　an　ill　temper　now；　and　most　suspicious　of　popular
gatherings　for　any　purpose　whatsoever。　He　temporized；　delayed；　refused　all
appeals　until　the　Assembly　should　meet。

Dislike　of　Berkeley　and　his　ways　and　a　growing　sense　of　injury　and
oppression　began　to　quiver　hard　in　the　Virginian　frame。　The　King　was　no
longer　popular；　nor　Sir　William　Berkeley；　nor　were　the　most　of　the　Council；
nor　many　of　the　burgesses　of　that　Long　Assembly。　There　arose　a　loud　demand
for　a　new　election　and　for　changes　in　public　policy。

Where　a　part　of　Richmond　now　stands；　there　stretched　at　that　time　a　tract
of　fields　and　hills　and　a　clear　winding　creek；　held　by　a　young　planter
named　Nathaniel　Bacon；　an　Englishman　of　that　family　which　produced　〃the
wisest；　greatest；　meanest　of　mankind。〃　The　planter　himself　lived　farther
down　the　river。　But　he　had　at　this　place　an　overseer　and　some　indentured
laborers。　This　Nathaniel　Bacon　was　a　newcomer　in　Virginiayoung　man　who
had　been　entered　in　Gray's　Inn；　who　had　traveled；　who　was　rumored　to　have
run　through　much　of　his　own　estate。　He　had　a　cousin；　also　named　Nathaniel
Bacon；　who　had　come　fifteen　years　earlier　to　Virginia　〃a　very　rich；　politic
man　and　childless；〃　and　whose　representations　had　perhaps　drawn　the　younger
Bacon　to　Virginia。　At　any　rate　he　was　here；　and　at　the　age　of　twenty…eight
the　owner　of　much　land　and　the　possessor　of　a　seat　in　the　Council。　But；
though　he　sat　in　the　Council；　he　was　hardly　of　the　mind　of　the　Governor　and
those　who　supported　him。

It　was　in　the　spring　of　1676　that　there　began　a　series　of　Indian　attacks
directed　against　the　plantations　and　the　outlying　cabins　of　the　region
above　the　Falls　of　the　Far　West。　Among　the　victims　were　men　of　Bacon's
plantation；　for　his　overseer　and　several　of　his　servants　were　slain。　The
news　of　this　massacre　of　his　men　set　their　young　master　afire。　Even　a　less
hideous　tale　might　have　done　it；　for　he　was　of　a　bold　and　ardent　nature。

Riding　up　the　forest　tracks；　a　company　of　planters　from　the　threatened
neighborhood　gathered　together。　〃Let　us　make　a　troop　and　take　fire　and
sword　among　them！〃　There　lacked　a　commander。　〃Mr。　Bacon；　you　command！〃　Very
good；　and　Mr。　Bacon；　who　is　a　born　orator；　made　a　speech　dealing　with　the
〃grievances　of　the　times。〃　Very　good　indeed；　but　still　there　lacked　the
Governor's　commission。　〃Send　a　swift　messenger　to　Jamestown　for　it！〃

The　messenger　went　and　returned。　No　commission。　Mr。　Bacon　had　made　an
unpleasant　impression　upon　Sir　William　Berkeley。　This　young　man；　the
Governor　said；　was　〃popularly　inclined〃had　〃a　constitution　not　consistent
with〃　all　that　Berkeley　stood　for。　Bacon　and　his　neighbors　listened　with
bent　brows　to　their　envoy's　report。　Murmurs　began　and　deepened。　〃S