pioneers of the old south-第18章

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with〃　all　that　Berkeley　stood　for。　Bacon　and　his　neighbors　listened　with
bent　brows　to　their　envoy's　report。　Murmurs　began　and　deepened。　〃Shall　we
stand　idly　here　considering　formalities；　while　the　redskins　murder？〃
Commission　or　no　commission；　they　would　march；　and　in　the　end；　march　they
dida　considerable　troopto　the　up…river　country；　with　the　tall；　young；
eloquent　man　at　their　head。

News　reached　the　Governor　at　Jamestown　that　they　were　marching。　In　a
tight…lipped　rage　he　issued　a　proclamation　and　sent　it　after　them。　They　and
their　leader　were　acting　illegally；　usurping　military　powers　that　belonged
elsewhere！　Let　them　disband；　disperse　to　their　dwellings；　or　beware　action
of　the　rightful　powers！　Troubled　in　mind；　some　disbanded　and　dispersed；　but
threescore　at　least　would　by　no　means　do　so。　Nor　would　the　young　man　〃of
precipitate　disposition〃　who　headed　the　troop。　He　rode　on　into　the　forest
after　the　Indians；　and　the　others　followed　him。　Here　were　the　Falls　of　the
Far　West；　and　here　on　a　hill　the　Indians　had　a　〃fort。〃　This　the　Virginia
planters　attacked。　The　hills　above　the　James　echoed　to　the　sound　of　the
small；　desperate　fray。　In　the　end　the　red　men　were　routed。　Some　were　slain；
some　were　taken　prisoner；　others　escaped　into　the　deep　woods　stretching
westward。

In　the　meantime　another　force　of　horsemen　had　been　gathered。　It　was　headed
by　Berkeley　and　was　addressed　to　the　pursuit　and　apprehension　of　Nathaniel
Bacon；　who　had　thus　defied　authority。　But　before　Berkeley　could　move　far；
fire　broke　out　around　him。　The　grievances　of　the　people　were　many　and　just；
and　not　without　a　family　resemblance　to　those　that　precipitated　the
Revolution　a　hundred　years　later。　Not　Bacon　alone；　but　many　others　who　were
in　despair　of　any　good　under　their　present　masters　were　ready　for　heroic
measures。　Berkeley　found　himself　ringed　about　by　a　genuine　popular　revolt。
He　therefore　lacked　the　time　now　to　pursue　Nathaniel　Bacon；　but　spurred
back　to　Jamestown　there　to　deal　as　best　he　might　with　dangerous　affairs。　At
Jamestown；　willy…nilly；　the　old　Governor　was　forced　to　promise　reforms。　The
Long　Assembly　should　be　dissolved　and　a　new　Assembly；　more　conformable　to
the　wishes　of　the　people；　should　come　into　being　ready　to　consider　all
their　troubles。　So　writs　went　out；　and　there　presently　followed　a　hot　and
turbulent　election；　in　which　that　〃restricted　franchise〃　of　the　Long
Assembly　was　often　defied　and　in　part　set　aside。　Men　without　property
presented　themselves；　gave　their　voices；　and　were　counted。　Bacon；　who　had
by　now　achieved　an　immense　popularity；　was　chosen　burgess　for　Henricus　County。

In　the　June　weather　Bacon　sailed　down　to　Jamestown；　with　a　number　of　those
who　had　backed　him　in　that　assumption　of　power　to　raise　troops　and　go
against　the　Indians。　When　he　came　to　Jamestown　it　was　to　find　the　high
sheriff　waiting　for　him　by　the　Governor's　orders。　He　was　put　under　arrest。
Hot　discussion　followed。　But　the　people　were　for　the　moment　in　the
ascendent；　and　Bacon　should　not　be　sacrificed。　A　compromise　was　reached。
Bacon　was　technically　guilty　of　〃unlawful；　mutinous　and　rebellious
practises。〃　If；　on　his　knees　before　Governor；　Council；　and　Burgesses；　he
would　acknowledge　as　much　and　promise　henceforth　to　be　his　Majesty's
obedient　servant；　he　and　those　implicated　with　him　should　be　pardoned。　He
himself　might　be　readmitted　to　the　Council；　and　all　in　Virginia　should　be
as　it　had　been。　He　should　even　have　the　commission　he　had　acted　without　to
go　and　fight　against　the　Indians。

Bacon　thereupon　made　his　submission　upon　his　knees；　promising　that
henceforth　he　would　〃demean　himself　dutifully；　faithfully；　and　peaceably。〃
Formally　forgiven；　he　was　restored　to　his　place　in　the　Virginia　Council。　An
eyewitness　reports　that　presently　he　saw　〃Mr。　Bacon　on　his　quondam　seat
with　the　Governor　and　Council；　which　seemed　a　marvellous　indulgence　to　one
whom　he　had　so　lately　proscribed　as　a　rebel。〃　The　Assembly　of　1676　was　of　a
different　temper　and　opinion　from　that　of　the　Long　Assembly。　It　was　an
insurgent　body；　composed　to　a　large　degree　of　mere　freemen　and　small
planters；　with　a　few　of　the　richer；　more　influential　sort　who　nevertheless
queried　that　old　divine　right　of　rule。　Berkeley　thought　that　he　had　good
reason　to　doubt　this　Assembly's　intentions；　once　it　gave　itself　rein。　He
directs　it　therefore　to　confine　its　attention　to　Indian　troubles。　It　did；
indeed；　legislate　on　Indian　affairs　by　passing　an　elaborate　act　for　the
prosecution　of　the　war。　An　army　of　a　thousand　white　men　was　to　be　raised。
Bacon　was　to　be　commander…in…chief。　All　manner　of　precautions　were　to　be
taken。　But　this　matter　disposed　of；　the　Assembly　thereupon　turned　to　〃the
redressing　several　grievances　the　country　was　then　labouring　under；　and
motions　were　made　for　inspecting　the　public　revenues；　the　collectors'
accounts；〃　and　so　forth。　The　Governor　thundered；　friends　of　the　old　order
obstructed；　but　the　Assembly　went　on　its　way；　reforming　here　and　reforming
there。　It　even　went　so　far　as　to　repeal　the　preceding　Assembly's
legislation　regarding　the　franchise。　All　white　males　who　are　freemen　were
now　privileged　to　vote；　〃together　with　the　freeholders　and　housekeepers。〃

A　certain　member　wanted　some　detail　of　procedure　retained　because　it　was
customary。　〃Tis　true　it　has　been　customary；〃　answered　another；　〃but　if　we
have　any　bad　customs　amongst　us；　we　are　come　here　to　mend　'em！〃
〃Whereupon；〃　says　the　contemporary　narrator；　〃the　house　was　set　in　a
laughter。〃　But　after　so　considerable　an　amount　of　mending　there　threatened
a　standstill。　What　was　to　come　next？　Could　men　go　furtheras　they　had　gone
further　in　England　not　so　many　years　ago？　Reform　had　come　to　an　apparent
impasse。　While　it　thus　hesitated；　the　old　party　gained　in　life。

Bacon；　now　petitioning　for　his　promised　commission　against　the　Indians；
seems　to　have　reached　the　conclusion　that　the　Governor　might　promise　but
meant　not　to　perform；　and　not　only　so；　but　that　in　Jamestown　his　very　life
was　in　danger。　He　had　〃intimation　that　the　Governor's　generosity　in
pardoning　him　and　restoring　him　to　his　place　in　the　Council　were　no　other
than　previous　wheedles　to　amuse　him。〃

In　Jamestown　lived　one　whom　a　chronicler　paints　for　us　as　〃thoughtful　Mr。
Lawrence。〃　This　gentleman　was　an　Oxford　scholar；　noted　for　〃wit；　learning；
and　sobriety　。　。　。　nicely　honest；　affable；　and　without　blemish　in　his
conversation　and　dealings。〃　Thus　friends　declared；　though　foes　said　of　him
quite　other　things。　At　any　rate；　having　emigrated　to　Virginia　and　married
there；　he　had　presently　acquired；　because　of　a　lawsuit　over　land　in　which
he　held　himself　to　be　unjustly　and　shabbily　treated　through　influences　of
the　Governor；　an　inveterate　prejudice　against　that　ruler。　He　calls　him　in
short　〃an　old；　treacherous　villain。〃　Lawrence　and　his　wife；　not　being　rich；
kept　a　tavern　at　Jamestown；　and　there　Bacon　lodged；　probably　having　been
thrown　with　Lawrence　before　this。　Persons　are　found　who　hold　that　Lawrence
was　the　brain；　Bacon　the　arm；　of　the　discontent　in　Virginia。　There　was　also
Mr。　William　Drummond；　who　will　be　met　with　in　the　account　of　Carolina。　He
was　a　〃sober　Scotch　gentleman　of　good　repute〃but　no　more　than　Lawrence　on
good　terms　with　the　Governor　of　Virginia。

On　a　morning　in　June；　when　the　Assembly　met；　it　was　observed　that　Nathaniel
Bacon　was　not　in　his　place　in　the　Councilnor　was　he　to　be　found　in　the
building；　nor　even　in　Jamestown　itself；　though　Berkeley　had　Lawrence's　inn
searched　for　him。　He　had　left　the　town…gone　up　the　river　in　his　sloop　to
his　plantation　at　Curles　Neck　〃to　visit　his　wife；　who；　as　she　informed　him；
was　indisposed。〃　In　truth　it　appears　that　Bacon　had　gone　for　the　purpose　of
gathering　together　some　six　hundred　up…river　men。　Or　perhaps　they
themselves　had　come　together　and；　needing　a　leader；　had　turned　naturally　to
the　man　who　was　under　the　frown　of　an　unpopular　Governor　and　all　the
Governor's　supporters　in　Virginia。　At　any　rate　Bacon　was　presently　seen　at
the　head　of　no　inconsiderable　army　for　a　colony　of　less　than　fifty　thousand
souls。　Those　with　him　were　only　up…river　men；　but　he　must　have　known　that
he　could　gather　besides　from　every　part　of　the　country。　Given　some　initial
success；　he　might　even　set　all　Virginia　ablaze。　Down　the　river　he　marched；
he　and　his　six　hundred；　and　in　the　summer　heat　entered　Jamestown　and　drew
up　before　the　Capitol。　The　space　in　front　of　this　building　was　packed　with
the　Jamestown　folk　and　with　the　six　hundred。　Bacon；　a　guard　behind　him；
advanced　to　the　central　door；　to　find　William　Berkeley　standing　there
shaking　with　rage。　The　old　royalist　has　courage。　He　tears　open　his　silken
vest　and　fine　shirt　and　faces　the　young　man　who；　though　trained　in　the　law
of　the　realm；　is　now　filling　that　law　with　a　hundred　wounds。　He　raises　a
passionate　voice。　〃Here！　Shoot　me！　'Fore　God；　a　fair　marka　fair　mark！
Shoot！〃

Bacon　will　not　shoot　him；　but　will　have　that　promised　commission　to　go
against　the　Indians。　Those　behind　him　lift　and　shake　their　guns。　〃We　will
have　it！　We　will　have　it！〃　Governor　and　Council　retire　to　consider　the
demand。　If　Berkeley　is　passionate　and　at　times　violent；　so　is　Bacon　in　his
own　way；　for　an　eye…witness　has　to　say　that　〃he　displayed　outrageous
postures　of　his　head；　arms；　body　and　legs；　often　tossing　his　hand　from　his
sword　to　his　hat；〃　and　that　outside　the　door　he　had　cried：　〃Damn　my　blood！
I'll　kill　Governor；　Council；　Assembly　and　all；　and　then　I'll　sheathe　my
sword　in　my　own　heart's　blood！〃　He　is　no　dour；　determined；　unwordy
revolutionist　like　the　Scotch　Drummond；　nor　still　and　subtle　like　〃the
thoughtful　Mr。　Lawrence。〃　He　is　young　and　hot；　a　man　of　oratory　and　outward
acts。　Yet　is　he　a　patriot　and　intelligent　upon　broad　public　needs。　When
presently　he　makes　a　speech　to　the　excited　Assembly；　it　has　for
subject…matter　〃preserving　our　lives　from　the　Indians；　inspecting　the
public　revenues；　the　exorbitant　taxes；　and　redressing　the　grievances　and
calamities　of　that　deplorable　country。〃　It　has　quite　the　ring　of　young
men's　speeches　in　British　colonies　a　century　later！

The　Governor　and　his　party　gave　in　perforce。　Bacon　got　his　commission　and
an　Act　of　Indemnity　for　all　chance　political　offenses。　General　and
Commander…in…chief　against　the　Indiansso　was　he　styled。　Moreover；　the
Burgesses；　with　an　alarmed　thought　toward　England；　drew　up　an　explanatory
memorial　for　Charles　II's　perusal。　This　paper　journeyed　forth　upon　the
first　ship　to　sail；　but　it　had　for　traveling　companion　a　letter　secretly
sent　from　the　Governor　to　the　King。　The　two　communications　were　painted　in
opposite　colors。　〃I　have；〃　says　Berkeley；　〃for　above　thirty　years　governed
the　most　flourishing　country　the　sun　ever　shone　over；　but　am　now
encompassed　with　rebellion　like　waters。〃



CHAPTER　XIII。　REBELLION　AND　CHANGE

Bacon　with　an　increased　army　now　rode　out　once　more　against　the　Indians。　He
made　a　rendezvous　on　the　upper　Yorkthe　old　Pamunkeyand　to　this　center
he　gathered　horsemen　until　there　may　have　been　with　him　not　far　from　a
thousand　mounted　men。　From　here　he　sent　detachments　against　the　red　men's
villages　in　all　the　upper　troubled　country；　and　afar　into　the　sunset　woods
where　the　pioneer's　cabin　had　not　yet　been