Throughout the period of the revolution the Virginians continued loyal to the royal cause, not because they loved monarchy, but because they cherished the liberties secured under the constitution which Charles I. had given them, and after the execution of Charles I. they recognized his fugitive son as their rightful sovereign-then an exile in Holland. The loyalty of Virginia to the father did not escape the notice of his son, and from a foreign shore he transmitted to Berkeley a commission as governor, signed by his royal highness. Thus the fugitive from England, the refugee to Holland, was still the sovereign of Virginia.

In the meantime the last opposition to the Parliamentary army in Britain had been overcome, and Cromwell now turned his attention to his distant colony, determined to force it to submit to the new government.

Virginia was now rapidly becoming a nation. Under the influence of her salutary laws, the products of a virgin soil, wrought by willing hands, and the advantages which her foreign trade had given her, she had increased her population from a few hundred to twenty thousand, and there were trading to her ports ten ships from London, two from Bristol, twelve from Holland, and seven from New England. Such was the colony which Cromwell now proposed should submit to the government of the Commonwealth.

A fleet, together with a considerable land force, sailed for Virginia, and cast anchor before Jamestown. But the colonists, in anticipation of the projected conquest, had not been idle. Many veterans from the shattered royal army had taken refuge in Virginia. The colonial army, thus augmented, was a power of which the Commonwealth was ignorant. In addition, several Dutch merchant ships were lying in the river, trading in violation of the acts of Parliament, and of course were armed, that they might defend themselves against the fleets of the Commonwealth. They now allied themselves with the colonial forces. The commissioners of Cromwell, surprised at such a show of resistance, hesitated, and offered fair and honorable terms to the colonists. By them was insured a continuation of their liberties, the preservation of their constitution intact, and a full and complete pardon for all past offenses. Thus the colonists could gain by treaty all that they could hope to gain by the most successful resistance. The articles were signed by the commissioners on the part of the Commonwealth, and the council on the part of the State of Virginia, "as equals treating equals."

From this time to the Restoration, Virginia governed herself, and obtained unlimited liberty of commerce, which was regulated by inde pendent laws. The famous Navigation Acts of Cromwell were not designed for her oppression, and were never enforced on her shores. A trade was opened between Virginia and Denmark, and finally with

"every Christian nation in amity with England." When the colony recognized the authority of Cromwell, Berkeley, who held his commission from the exiled king, was too loyal to continue in office, and Richard Bennett, one of the commissioners, was chosen to succeed him. A council was also chosen to act in accordance with instructions from Parliament, and to exercise such powers as the assembly might delegate to it. Bennett retired from office in March, 1655, and Edward Digges became his successor. He served two years, when an election was held, and the choice fell upon "worthy Samuel Mathews, an old planter of nearly forty years' standing, a most deserving Commonwealth's man, who kept a good house, lived bravely, and was a true lover of Virginia."

He, like most Virginians since, was opposed to long sessions of the legislature, and in the spring of 1659, threatened to dissolve that body unless it speedily adjourned. The worthy Samuel had forgotten that it was the legislature that made the governor. His attention was, however, called to the fact by the reply of the Speaker to the effect that "the House of Burgesses, the representatives of the people, were not dissolvable by any power yet extant in Virginia, except their own; and, that the former election of the governor and council was void." The old governor thus learned that Virginia, then—as well as now-regarded her officers as servants and not dictators.

VIRGINIA AT THE TIME OF THE RESTORATION.

Richard Cromwell resigned the Protectorate in 1660. Virginia, too, was without a head. The assembly at once convened and again elected Berkeley governor, with the understanding that he should call the assembly together at least once in two years, and that it should not be dissolved save by its own consent. The old monarchist, now aware that Charles, his beloved prince, would shortly be placed upon the throne, accepted the office and acknowledged himself the people's

servant.

Virginia now had a population of thirty thousand. She had established upon her soil the supremacy of the legislative branch of representative government; had secured freedom of trade, security against foreign taxation, and a universal elective franchise. Prosperity kept pace with freedom. The social condition of the emigrants now coming to her shores was vastly improved, and her hospitality was already proverbial. Such was Virginia in the year 1660.

BACON'S REBELLION.

No sooner had intelligence of the Restoration reached Virginia than Berkeley issued a proclamation calling for the election of a new assembly, declaring that the acts of that body during the existence of the Protectorate, were illegal and no longer in force. The people still indulged the hope that all would yet be well; but they had yet to learn that Charles II. was the worst monarch of modern times, and that in enforcing his tyrannical edicts he would find in Berkeley a most willing tool.

The new statute was a death-stroke at colonial liberty. It provided that all trade should be restricted to English ports and carried only in English vessels. A heavy tax was imposed for the support of the government. The colonists remonstrated and petitioned, but the king turned a deaf ear to complaints, and the oppressive laws were rigorously enforced.

But legislative tyranny sank into insignificance when compared with the recklessness of granting large tracts of land to the ignoble and profligate courtiers who thronged his court. No matter whether these lands were on the distant frontier, or the best and most highly cultivated in the colony. Whole hamlets and entire counties were thus given away, and in 1673 the king became a bankrupt in the matter of lands by granting to Lords Culpeper and Arlington a patent for the entire State of Virginia, together with all its rights and privileges for a period of thirtyone years.

At the gay court of Charles II. this may have been regarded a small bounty to a royal favorite, but to the forty thousand Virginians thus transferred to a proprietor from whom nothing was to be hoped,_and everything feared, it appeared in a very different light. Messrs. Ludwell, Moryson and Smith went to England and presented a remonstrance, but to no purpose.

In the meantime a war broke out with the Susquehanna Indians. The legislature raised and equipped an army of five hundred men for service in the war, but just as they were ready to march they were disbanded by the governor, who refused to assign any reason for the act. Volunteers then flocked to Jamestown and offered to serve without any remuneration if the governor would only appoint a leader. This he refused to do. Then they determined to march to the defenseless frontier without the governor's consent, and looking about for a leader, they found a young man from Henrico county who had just returned from England, whither he had gone to complete his education. The name of that young man was Nathaniel Bacon. When he took command of the volunteer army he made application to Berkeley for a commission, but it was refused, and Bacon marched to the frontier authorized only by the will of the people and the danger of his country. No sooner had the army began its march than Berkeley declared Bacon a rebel and his followers traitors, and ccllecting as great a force as he could raise among the wealthy aristocrats

residing in and about Jamestown, he marched in pursuit of Bacon, with the proclaimed intention of suppressing the rebellion. Bacon continued his march to the frontier, defeated the Indians, drove them far into the interior, and was returning homeward when he heard of the action of the governor. Leaving the greater part of his army, he continued by forced marches towards Jamestown, to which place the governor had fallen back; but he was made prisoner by one Gardiner, and carried before Berkeley. He was finally pardoned and allowed to take his seat in the assembly on condition that he would confess the impropriety of his conduct, and promise obedience for the future. His soldiers, however, were not satisfied with the humility to which their leader was subjected, and marched to Jamestown and compelled the governor to give him a commission, and he again marched to the frontier. But no sooner was gone than Berkeley retired into Gloucester and a second time declared Bacon a rebel; who when he heard the news, fell back towards Gloucester, and forced the governor with his forces to retreat into Acomac. This county, located on the eastern shore, was considered a distinct territory, although tributary to Virginia. Bacon once more marched up the Potomac, and Berkeley crossed the bay and entered Jamestown. No sooner had Bacon heard of the governor's movements, than he wheeled his van and shortly appeared in front of Jamestown, attacked the place and drove Berkeley on board the ships in the river. The torch was applied, and in twelve hours the oldest town in British America was in ruins.

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We know little of Bacon after this, more than that he died of disease contracted during his campaigns. With him died the cause for which he fought. The patriots disbanded, and Berkeley's authority was soon restored, and his vengeance glutted by hanging twenty-three of the followers of Bacon.

Thus ended Bacon's rebellion. The only difference between that struggle and the one of a hundred years later being that the first was an effort to establish a free government subject to Great Britain, which could not be done; and the second was an effort to establish a free government independent of Great Britain, which was done.

Berkeley resigned his commission and went to England, where he found his actions towards the colony universally disapproved, even by the king himself. This the governor could not withstand, and he soon sank beneath his load of crime, and died, despised in England and execrated in Virginia.

From this time onward, for a period of nearly fifty years, there is little of interest in the history of Virginia, save the succession of governors, and a desultory Indian war carried on upon her western frontier.

Sir Herbert Jeffries came over as the successor of Berkeley, but was in a short time relieved by Sir Henry Chichely. In 1678 Lord Culpeper, who, together with Lord Arlington, held a patent for the entire State, came over and assumed the government, made many fair promises, one of which was to secure the redress of grievances demanded by the colony; then leaving the government in the hands of Chichely, he returned to England. In 1683 Arlington surrendered his claim to Culpeper, who thus became sole proprietor of Virginia. He came over and began his government on the principle that he owned Virginia, and the Virginians were his slaves; but before his acts could accomplish much mischief, Charles II. revoked his charter because of a failure to comply with its terms. Thus, in 1684, Virginia again became a royal province, with Lord Howard of Effingham as royal governor.

James II. came to the throne in 1685, but there was no change in the government of the colony for the next three years, when William, Prince of Orange, drove James from the English throne and mounted it himself. He referred all complaints of the Virginians to his privy council, with orders that they should receive prompt attention. Sir Francis Nicholson came over and assumed the government. By his mild and conciliatory administration of the affairs of the colony he became more popular than any of his predecessors.

REMOVAL OF THE CAPITAL OF VIRGINIA.

In the year 1698 the seat of government was removed from Jamestown to Williamsburg, seven miles distant from the old metropolis. The historian of that day assigns as the reason of the removal the fact that Williamsburg was "in a healthier and more convenient location, and freer from moschetoes."

Nicholson was succeeded in 1693 by Sir Edmund Andros, but was restored in 1698, and served until 1705, when Edward Nott became governor. He died shortly after receiving his commission, and the government devolved upon Edward Jennings, the president of the council, until the king's pleasure became known. The Earl of Orkney received the commission, but sent out Brigadier-General Hunter to rule in his stead. He was captured by the French while on his way to America, and the illustrious

COLONEL ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD

became governor. He was the most distinguished individual that controlled the destinies of Virginia prior to the Revolution. He had won distinction on many bloody fields during the campaigns of Marlborough, and thus secured the appointment of colonial governor of Virginia.