The History of Virginia Part 4

Maryland had the honor to receive its name from queen Mary, royal consort to king Charles the first.

-- 57. The old Lord Baltimore being thus taken off, and leaving his designs unfinished, his son and heir, in the year 1633, obtained a confirmation of the patent to himself, and went over in person to plant his new colony.

By this unhappy accident, a country which nature had so well contrived for one, became two separate governments. This produced a most unhappy inconvenience to both; for, these two being the only countries under the dominion of England that plant tobacco in any quant.i.ty, the ill consequences to both is, that when one colony goes about to prohibit the trash, or mend the staple of that commodity, to help the market, then the other, to take advantage of that market, pours into England all they can make, both good and bad, without distinction. This is very injurious to the other colony, which had voluntarily suffered so great a diminution in the quant.i.ty, to mend the quality; and this is notoriously manifested from that incomparable Virginia law, appointing sworn agents to examine their tobacco.

-- 58. Neither was this all the mischief that happened to Virginia upon this grant; for the example of it had dreadful consequences, and was in the end one of the occasions of another ma.s.sacre by the Indians. For this precedent of my Lord Baltimore's grant, which entrenched upon the charters and hounds of Virginia, was hint enough for other courtiers, (who never intended a settlement as my lord did) to find out something of the same kind to make money of. This was the occasion of several very large defalcations from Virginia within a few years afterwards, which was forwarded and a.s.sisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit-rents and all, but the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged to that colony were given away--nay, sometimes in those grants he included the very settlements that had been before made.

-- 59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was very unjust and arbitrary in his other methods of government. He exacted with rigor the fines and penalties, which the unwary a.s.semblies of those times had given chiefly to himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council, and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny grew at last insupportable; so that in the year 1639, the council sent him a prisoner to London, and with him two of their number, to maintain the articles against him. This news being brought to king Charles the first, his majesty was very much displeased; and, without hearing anything, caused him to return governor again. But by the next shipping he was graciously pleased to change him, and so made amends for this man's maladministration, by sending the good and just Sir William Berkeley to succeed him.

-- 60. While these things were transacting, there was so general a dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir John Harvey, and the difficulties in getting him out, that the whole colony was in confusion. The subtle Indians, who took all advantages, resented the incroachments upon them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and disunited among themselves, and by the direction of Oppechancanough, their king, laid the ground work of another ma.s.sacre, wherein, by surprise, they cut off near five hundred Christians more. But this execution did not take so general effect as formerly, because the Indians were not so frequently suffered to come among the inner habitations of the English; and, therefore, the ma.s.sacre fell severest on the south side of James river, and on the heads of the other rivers, but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechancanough kept the seat of his government.

-- 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, n.o.ble presence, and extraordinary parts. Though he had no advantage of literature, (that being nowhere to be found among the American Indians) yet he was perfectly skilled in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had them all entirely in subjection.

This king in Smith's history is called brother to Powhatan, but by the Indians he was not so esteemed. For they say he was a prince of a foreign nation, and came to them a great way from the south west. And by their accounts, we suppose him to have come from the Spanish Indians, somewhere near Mexico, or the mines of Saint Barbe; but, be that matter how it will, from that time till his captivity, there never was the least truce between them and the English.

-- 62. Sir William Berkeley, upon his arrival, showed such an opposition to the unjust grants made by Sir John Harvey, that very few of them took effect; and such as did, were subjected to the settled conditions of the other parts of the government, and made liable to the payment of the full quit-rents. He encouraged the country in several essays of potash, soap, salt, flax, hemp, silk and cotton. But the Indian war, ensuing upon this last ma.s.sacre, was a great obstruction to these good designs, by requiring all the spare men to be employed in defence of the country.

-- 63. Oppechancanough, by his great age, and the fatigues of war, (in which Sir William Berkeley followed him close) was now grown so decrepid, that he was not able to walk alone, but was carried about by his men wherever he had a mind to move. His flesh was all macerated, his sinews slackened, and his eyelids became so heavy, that he could not see, but as they were lifted up by his servants. In this low condition he was, when Sir William Berkeley, hearing that he was at some distance from his usual habitation, resolved at all adventures to seize his person, which he happily effected. For with a party of horse he made a speedy march, surprised him in his quarters, and brought him prisoner to Jamestown, where, by the governor's command, he was treated with all the respect and tenderness imaginable. Sir William had a mind to send him to England, hoping to get reputation by presenting his majesty with a royal captive, who at his pleasure, could call into the field ten times more Indians, than Sir William Berkeley had English in his whole government.

Besides, he thought this ancient prince would be an instance of the healthiness and long life of the natives of that country. However, he could not preserve his life above a fortnight. For one of the soldiers, resenting the calamities the colony had suffered by this prince's means, basely shot him through the back, after he was made prisoner; of which wound he died.

He continued brave to the last moment of his life, and showed not the least dejection at his captivity. He heard one day a great noise of the treading of people about him; upon which he caused his eyelids to be lifted up, and finding that a crowd of people were let in to see him, he called in high indignation for the governor, who being come, Oppechancanough scornfully told him, that had it been his fortune to take Sir William Berkeley prisoner, he should not meanly have exposed him as a show to the people.

-- 64. After this, Sir William Berkeley made a new peace with the Indians, which continued for a long time unviolated, insomuch that all the thoughts of future injury from them were laid aside. But he himself did not long enjoy the benefit of this profound peace; for the unhappy troubles of king Charles the first increasing in England, proved a great disturbance to him and to all the people. They, to prevent the infection from reaching that country, made severe laws against the Puritans, though there were as yet none among them. But all correspondence with England was interrupted, supplies lessened, and trade obstructed. In a word, all people were impatient to know what would be the event of so much confusion.

-- 65. At last the king was traitorously beheaded in England, and Oliver installed Protector. However his authority was not acknowledged in Virginia for several years after, till they were forced to it by the last necessity. For in the year 1651, by Cromwell's command, Captain Dennis, with a squadron of men of war, arrived there from the Caribbee islands, where they had been subduing Bardoes. The country at first held out vigorously against him, and Sir William Berkeley, by the a.s.sistance of such Dutch vessels as were then there, made a brave resistance. But at last Dennis contrived a stratagem, which betrayed the country. He had got a considerable parcel of goods aboard, which belonged to two of the Council, and found a method of informing them of it. By this means they were reduced to the dilemma, either of submitting or losing their goods.

This occasioned factions among them; so that at last, after the surrender of all the other English plantations, Sir Wm. was forced to submit to the usurper on the terms of a general pardon. However, it ought to be remembered, to his praise, and to the immortal honor of that colony, that it was the last of all the king's dominions that submitted to the usurpation; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and he never took any post or office under the usurper.

-- 66. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but he began to contrive how to keep them under, that so they might never be able for the time to come to give him farther trouble. To this end, he thought it necessary to break off their correspondence with all other nations, thereby to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and other warlike provisions. According to this design, he contrived a severe act of Parliament, whereby he prohibited the plantations from receiving or exporting any European commodities, but what should be carried to them by Englishmen, and in English built ships. They were absolutely forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject to the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered to manage a trade or factory in any of them. In all which things the plantations had been till then indulged, for their encouragement.

-- 67. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector never thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently changed their governors, to prevent their intriguing with the people. So that, during the time of the usurpation, they had no less than three governors there, namely, Diggs, Bennet and Mathews.

-- 68. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plantations, exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhumanity to forbid them all manner of trade and correspondence with other nations, at a time when England itself was in distraction; and could neither take off their commodities, nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither had they ever been used to supply them with half the commodities they expended, or to take off above half the tobacco they made. Such violent proceedings made the people desperate, and inspired them with a desire to use the last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless usurpation. In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened; for Governor Mathews died, and no person was subst.i.tuted to succeed him in the government. Whereupon the people applied themselves to Sir William Berkeley, (who had continued all this time upon his own plantation in a private capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again.

-- 69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an unshaken loyalty for the royal family, and therefore generously told the people, that he could not approve of the Protector's rule, and was resolved never to serve anybody but the lawful heir to the crown; and that if he accepted the government, it should be upon their solemn promise, after his example, to venture their lives and fortunes for the king, who was then in France.

This was no great obstacle to them, and therefore with an unanimous voice they told him that they were ready to hazard all for the king. Now this was actually before the king's return for England, and proceeded from a brave principle of loyalty, for which they had no example. Sir William Berkeley embraced their choice, and forthwith proclaimed Charles the second king of England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Virginia, and caused all process to be issued in his name. Thus his majesty was actually king in Virginia, before he was so in England. But it pleased G.o.d to restore him soon after to the throne of his ancestors; and so that country escaped being chastised for throwing off the usurpation.

-- 70. Upon the king's restoration, he sent Sir William Berkeley a new commission, with leave to return to England, and power to appoint a deputy in his absence. For his majesty in his exile had received intelligence of this gentleman's loyalty, and during that time had renewed his commission.

-- 71. Upon this, Sir William Berkeley appointed Colonel Francis Morrison Deputy Governor, and went for England to wait on his majesty, by whom he was kindly received. At his return he carried his majesty's pressing instructions for encouraging the people in husbandry and manufactures, but more especially to promote silk and vineyards. There is a tradition, that the king, in compliment to that colony, wore at his coronation a robe made of the silk that was sent from thence. But this was all the reward the country had for their loyalty; for the Parliament was pleased to renew the act contrived by the usurper for discouraging the plantations, with severer restraints and prohibitions by bonds, securities, &c.

-- 72. During the time of Sir William Berkeley's absence, Colonel Morrison had, according to his directions, revised the laws, and compiled them into one body, ready to be confirmed by the a.s.sembly at his return. By these laws, the church of England was confirmed the established religion, the charge of the government sustained, trade and manufactures were encouraged, a town projected, and all the Indian affairs settled.

-- 73. The parishes were likewise regulated, competent allowances were made to the ministers, to the value of about fourscore pounds a year, besides glebes and perquisites, and the method of their preferment was settled. Convenient churches and glebes were provided, and all necessary parish officers inst.i.tuted. Some steps were made also towards a free school and college, and the poor were effectually provided for.

-- 74. For support of the government, the duty of two shillings per hogshead on all tobaccos, and that of one shilling per ton port duty on shipping, were made perpetual; and the collectors were obliged to account for the same to the general a.s.sembly.

-- 75. For encouragement of manufactures, prizes were appointed for the makers of the best pieces of linen cloth, and a reward of fifty pounds of tobacco was given for each pound of silk. All persons were enjoined to plant mulberry trees, for the food of the silk worm, according to the number of acres of land they held. Tan houses were set up in each county, at the county charge; and public encouragement was given to a salt work on the eastern sh.o.r.e. A reward was appointed in proportion to the tonnage of all sea vessels built there, and an exemption allowed from all fees and duties payable by such shipping.

-- 76. The king had commanded, that all ships trading to Virginia should go to Jamestown, and there enter before they broke bulk. But the a.s.sembly, from the impracticableness of that command, excused all, except the James river ships, from that order, and left the others in the rivers they were bound to, to ride dispersed, as the commanders pleased; by whose example the James river ships were no sooner entered with the officer at Jamestown, but they also dispersed themselves to unload, and trade all over the river. By this means the design of towns was totally balked, and this order proved only an ease to the officer of James river, and a means of creating a good place to him.

-- 77. Peace and commerce with the Indians was settled by law, and their boundaries prescribed. Several other acts were made suiting the necessity of the government; so that nothing then seemed to remain, but the improvement of the country, and encouragement of those manufactures the king had been pleased to recommend, together with such others as should be found beneficial.

-- 78. Sir William Berkeley at his return gave sanction to this body of laws, and being then again in full possession of his government, and at perfect peace with the Indians, set all hands industriously to work in making country improvements. He pa.s.sed a new act for encouragement of Jamestown, whereby several houses were built therein, at the charge of several counties. However, the main ingredient for the advancement of towns was still wanting, namely, the confinement of all shipping and trade to them only, by defect of which all the other expedients availed nothing, for most of the buildings were soon converted into houses of entertainment.

-- 79. Anno 1663, divers sectaries in religion beginning to spread themselves there, great restraints were laid upon them, under severe penalties, to prevent their increase.

This made many of them fly to other colonies, and prevented abundance of others from going over to seat themselves among them. And as the former ill treatment of my Lord Baltimore kept many people away, and drove others to Maryland, so the present severities towards the nonconformists kept off many more, who went to the neighboring colonies.

-- 80. The rigorous circ.u.mscription of their trade, the persecutions of the sectaries, and the little demand of tobacco, had like to have had very fatal consequences. For, the poor people becoming thereby very uneasy, their murmurings were watched and fed by several mutinous and rebellious Oliverian soldiers that were sent thither as servants. These, depending upon the discontented people of all sorts, formed a villainous plot to destroy their masters, and afterwards to set up for themselves.

This plot was brought so near to perfection, that it was the very night before the designed execution ere it was discovered; and then it came out by the relenting of one of their accomplices, whose name was Birkenhead. This man was servant to Mr. Smith of Purton, in Gloucester county, near which place, viz. at Poplar Spring, the miscreants were to meet the night following, and put in execution their horrid conspiracy.

-- 81. Upon this discovery by Birkenhead, notice was immediately sent to the governor at Green Spring. And the method he took to prevent it was by private orders, that some of the militia should meet before the time at the place where the conspirators were to rendezvous, and seize them as they came singly up to it. Which orders being happily executed, their devilish plot was defeated. However, there were but a few taken; because several of them making their escape, turned back such of their fellows as they met on the road, and prevented most of them from coming up, or from being discovered.

Four of these rogues were hanged. But Birkenhead was gratified with his freedom, and a reward of two hundred pounds sterling.

-- 82. For the discovery and happy disappointment of this plot, an anniversary thanksgiving was appointed on the 13th of September, the day it was to have been put in execution. And it is great pity some other days are not commemorated as well as that.

-- 83. The news of this plot being transmitted to king Charles the second, his majesty sent his royal commands to build a fort at Jamestown, for security of the governor, and to be a curb upon all such traitorous attempts for the future. But the country, thinking the danger over, only raised a battery of some small pieces of cannon.

-- 84. Another misfortune happened to the plantations this year, which was a new act of parliament in England, laying a severer restraint upon their supplies than formerly. By this act they could have no foreign goods, which were not first landed in England, and carried directly from thence to the plantations, the former restraint of importing them only by Englishmen, in English built shipping, not being thought sufficient.

This was a misfortune that cut with a double edge; for, first, it reduced their staple tobacco to a very low price; and, secondly, it raised the value of European goods to what the merchants pleased to put upon them.

-- 85. For this their a.s.sembly could think of no remedy, but to be even with the merchants, and make their tobacco scarce by prohibiting the planting of it for one year; and during that idle year to invite the people to enter upon manufacturing flax and hemp. But Maryland not concurring in this project, they were obliged in their own defence to repeal the act of a.s.sembly again, and return to their old drudgery of planting tobacco without profiting by it.

-- 86. The country thus missed of their remedy in the stint of tobacco, which on the contrary multiplied exceedingly by the great increase of servants. This, together with the above mentioned curbs on trade, exasperated the people, because now they found themselves under a necessity of exchanging their commodities with the merchants of England at their own terms. The a.s.sembly therefore again attempted the stint of tobacco, and pa.s.sed another act against planting it for one year. And Carolina and Maryland both agreed to it. But some accident hindering the agent of Carolina from giving notice thereof to Maryland by the day appointed, the governor of that province proclaimed the act void, although every body there knew that Carolina had fully agreed to all things required of them. But he took advantage of this nice punctilio, because of the loss such a diminution would have been to his annual income, and so all people relapsed again into the disease of planting tobacco.

Virginia was more nettled at this ill usage from Maryland, than at her former absolute denial; but were forced to take all patiently, and by fair means get relief, if they could. They therefore appointed agents to rea.s.sume the treaty, and submitted so low as to send them to Saint Mary's, then the residence of the governor of Maryland, and the place where the a.s.semblies met. Yet all this condescension could not hold them to their bargain. The governor said he had observed his part of the agreement, and would not call an a.s.sembly any more upon that subject.

-- 87. In this manner two whole years were spent, and nothing could be accomplished for their relief. In the mean while England was studious to prevent their receiving supplies from any other country. To do that more effectually, it was thought expedient to confine the trade of that colony to one place. But that not being found practicable, because of the many great rivers that divide their habitations, and the extraordinary conveniences of each, his majesty sent directions to build forts in the several rivers, and enjoined all the ships to ride under those forts; and farther ordered, that those places only should be the ports of trade.

-- 88. This instruction was punctually observed for a year, and preparations were made for ports, by casting up breastworks in such places as the a.s.sembly appointed, and the shipping did for that time ride at those places. But the great fire and plague happening in London immediately upon it, made their supplies that year very uncertain, and the terror the people were in, lest the plague should be brought over with the ships from London, prevented them from residing at those ports, for fear of being all swept away at once. And so every body was left at liberty again.

-- 89. Still no favor could be obtained for the tobacco trade, and the English merchants afforded but a bare support of clothing for their crops. The a.s.sembly were full enough of resentment, but overlooked their right way of redress. All they could do was to cause looms and workhouses to be set up in the several counties, at the county charge.

They renewed the rewards of silk, and put great penalties upon every neglect of making flax and hemp. About this time they sustained some damage by the Dutch war; for which reason they ordered the forts to be rebuilt of brick. But having yet no true notion of the advantage of towns, they did not oblige the ships to ride under them. Which thing alone, well executed, would have answered all their desires.

-- 90. Sir William Berkeley, who was always contriving and industrious for the good of the country, was not contented to set a useful example at home, by the essays he made of potash, flax, hemp, silk, &c., but was also resolved to make new discoveries abroad amongst the Indians.

For this end he employed a small company of about fourteen English, and as many Indians, under the command of Captain Henry Batt, to go upon such an adventure. They set out together from Appomattox, and in seven days' march reached the foot of the mountains. The mountains they first arrived at, were not extraordinary high or steep; but, after they had pa.s.sed the first ridge, they encountered others that seemed to reach the clouds, and were so perpendicular and full of precipices, that sometimes in a whole day's march, they could not travel three miles in a direct line. In other places they found large level plains and fine savannas, three or four miles wide, in which were an infinite quant.i.ty of turkies, deer, elks and buffaloes, so gentle and undisturbed that they had no fear at the appearance of the men, but would suffer them to come almost within reach of their hands. There they also found grapes so prodigiously large, that they seemed more like bullace than grapes. When they traversed these mountains, they came to a fine level country again, and discovered a rivulet that descended backwards. Down that stream they travelled several days, till they came to old fields and cabins, where the Indians had lately been, but were supposed to have fled at the approach of Batt and his company. However, the captain followed the old rule of leaving some toys in their cabins for them to find at their return, by which they might know they were friends. Near to these cabins were great marshes, where the Indians which Captain Batt had with him made a halt, and would positively proceed no farther. They said, that not far off from that place lived a nation of Indians, that made salt, and sold it to their neighbors. That this was a great and powerful people, which never suffered any strangers to return that had once discovered their towns. Captain Batt used all the arguments he could to get them forward, but in vain. And so, to please those timorous Indians, the hopes of this discovery were frustrated, and the detachment was forced to return. In this journey it is supposed that Batt never crossed the great ridge of mountains, but kept up under it to the southward. For of late years the Indian traders have discovered, on this side the mountains, about five hundred miles to the southward, a river they call Oukfuskie, full of broad sunken grounds and marshes, but falling into the bay or great gulf between cape Florida and the mouth of the Mississippi, which I suppose to be the river where Batt saw the Indian cabins and marshes, but is gone to from Virginia without ever piercing the high mountains, and only encountering the point of an elbow, which they make a little to the southward of Virginia.

-- 91. Upon Captain Batt's report to Sir William Berkeley, he resolved to make a journey himself, that so there might be no hinderance for want of sufficient authority, as had been in the aforesaid expedition. To this end he concerted matters for it, and had pitched upon his deputy governor. The a.s.sembly also made an act to encourage it. But all these preparations came to nothing, by the confusion which happened there soon after by Bacon's rebellion. And since that, there has never been any such discovery attempted from Virginia, when Governor Spotswood found a pa.s.sage over the great ridge of mountains, and went over them himself.

-- 92. The occasion of this rebellion is not easy to be discovered: but 'tis certain there were many things that concurred towards it. For it cannot be imagined, that upon the instigation of two or three traders only, who aimed at a monopoly of the Indian trade, as some pretend to say, the whole country would have fallen into so much distraction; in which people did not only hazard their necks by rebellion, but endeavored to ruin a governor, whom they all entirely loved, and had unanimously chosen; a gentleman who had devoted his whole life and estate to the service of the country, and against whom in thirty-five years experience there had never been one single complaint. Neither can it be supposed, that upon so slight grounds, they would make choice of a leader they hardly knew, to oppose a gentleman that had been so long and so deservedly the darling of the people. So that in all probability there was something else in the wind, without which the body of the country had never been engaged in that insurrection.

Four things may be reckoned to have been the main ingredients towards this intestine commotion, viz., First, The extreme low price of tobacco, and the ill usage of the planters in the exchange of goods for it, which the country, with all their earnest endeavors, could not remedy.

Secondly, The splitting the colony into proprieties, contrary to the original charters; and the extravagant taxes they were forced to undergo, to relieve themselves from those grants. Thirdly, The heavy restraints and burdens laid upon their trade by act of Parliament in England. Fourthly, The disturbance given by the Indians. Of all which in their order.