his Majesty's Institution； their Government had some Show of a democratical
Form； which was nevertheless； in that Case； the most just and profitable；
and most conducive to the Ends and Effects aimed at thereby 。 。 。 。 Lastly；
they observed that the opposite Faction cried out loudly against Democracy；
and yet called for Oligarchy； which would； as they conceived； make the
Government neither of better Form； nor more monarchical。〃
But the dissolution of the Virginia Company was at hand。 In October； 1623；
the Privy Council stated that the King had 〃taken into his princely
Consideration the distressed State of the Colony of Virginia； occasioned；
as it seemed； by the Ill Government of the Company。〃 The remedy for the
ill…management lay in the reduction of the Government into fewer hands。 His
Majesty had resolved therefore upon the withdrawal of the Company's charter
and the substitution； 〃with due regard for continuing and preserving the
Interest of all Adventurers and private persons whatsoever；〃 of a new order
of things。 The new order proved； on examination； to be the old order of
rule by the Crown。 Would the Company surrender the old charter and accept a
new one so modeled？
The Company； through the country party； strove to gain time。 They met with
a succession of arbitrary measures and were finally forced to a decision。
They would not surrender their charter。 Then a writ of quo warranto was
issued； trial before the King's Bench followed； and judgment was rendered
against the Company in the spring term of 1624。 Thus with clangor fell the
famous Virginia Company。
That was one year。 The March of the next year James Stuart； King of
England； died。 That young Henry who was Prince of Wales when the Susan
Constant； the Goodspeed； and the Discovery sailed past a cape and named it
for him Cape Henry； also had died。 His younger brother Charles； for whom
was named that other and opposite cape； now ascended the throne as King
Charles the First of England。
In Virginia no more General Assemblies are held for four years。 King
Charles embarks upon 〃personal rule。〃 Sir Francis Wyatt； a good Governor；
is retained by commission and a Council is appointed by the King。 No longer
are affairs to be conducted after a fashion 〃democratical and tumultuous。〃
Orders are transmitted from England； the Governor； assisted by the Council；
will take into cognizance purely local needs； and when he sees some
occasion he will issue a proclamation。
Wyatt； recalled finally to England； George Yeardley again； who died in a
year's time； Francis West； that brother of Lord De La Warr and an ancient
planter…these in quick succession sit in the Governor's chair。 Following
them John Pott； doctor of medicine； has his short term。 Then the King sends
out Sir John Harvey； avaricious and arbitrary； 〃so haughty and furious to
the Council and the best gentlemen of the country；〃 says Beverley； 〃that
his tyranny grew at last insupportable。〃
The Company previously； and now the King； had urged upon the Virginians a
diversified industry and agriculture。 But Englishmen in Virginia had the
familiar emigrant idea of making their fortunes。 They had left England；
they had taken their lives in their hands； they had suffered fevers； Indian
attacks； homesickness； deprivation。 They had come to Virginia to get rich。
Now clapboards and sassafras； pitch； tar； and pine trees for masts； were
making no fortune for Virginia shippers。 How could they； these few folk far
off in America； compete in products of the forest with northern Europe？ As
to mines of gold and silver； that first rich vision had proved a
disheartening mirage。 〃They have great hopes that the mountains are very
rich； from the discovery of a silver mine made nineteen years ago； at a
place about four days' journey from the falls of James river； but they have
not the means of transporting the ore。〃 So； dissatisfied with some means of
livelihood and disappointed in others； the Virginians turned to tobacco。
Every year each planter grew more tobacco； every year more ships were
laden。 In 1628 more than five hundred thousand pounds were sent to England；
for to England it must go； and not elsewhere。 There it must struggle with
the best Spanish； for a long time valued above the best Virginian。 Finally；
however； James and after him Charles； agreed to exclude the Spanish。
Virginia and the Somers Islands alone might import tobacco into England。
But offsetting this； customs went up ruinously； a great lump sum must go
annually to the King； the leaf must enter only at the port of London； so
forth and so on。 Finally Charles put forth his proposal to monopolize the
industry； giving Virginia tobacco the English market but limiting its
production to the amount which the Government could sell advantageously。
Such a policy required cooperation from the colonists。 The King therefore
ordered the Governor to grant a Virginia Assembly； which in turn should
dutifully enter into partnership with himupon his terms。 So the Virginia
Assembly thus came back into history。 It made a 〃Humble Answere〃 in which；
for all its humility； the King's proposal was declined。 The idea of the
royal monopoly faded out； and Virginia continued on its own way。
The General Assembly； having once met； seems of its own motion to have
continued meeting。 The next year we find it in session at Jamestown； and
resolving 〃that we should go three severall marches upon the Indians； at
three severall times of the yeare；〃 and also 〃that there be an especiall
care taken by all commanders and others that the people doe repaire to
their churches on the Saboth day； and to see that the penalty of one pound
of tobacco for every time of absence； and 50 pounds for every month's
absence 。 。 。 be levyed； and the delinquents to pay the same。〃 About this
time we read： 〃Dr。 John Pott； late Governor； indicted； arraigned； and found
guilty of stealing cattle； 13 jurors； 3 whereof councellors。 This day
wholly spent in pleading； next day； in unnecessary disputation。〃
These were moving times in the little colony whose population may by now
have been five thousand。 Harvey； the Governor； was rapacious； the King at
home； autocratic。 Meanwhile； signs of change and of unrest were not wanting
in Europe。 England was hastening toward revolution； in Germany the Thirty
Years' War was in mid…career； France and Italy were racked by strife； over
the world the peoples groaned under the strain of oppression。 In science；
too； there was promise of revolution。 Harveynot that Governor Harvey of
Virginia； but a greater in England was writing upon the circulation of the
blood。 Galileo brooded over ideas of the movement of the earth； Kepler；
over celestial harmonies and solar rule。 Descartes was laying the
foundation of a new philosophy。
In the meantime； far across the Atlantic； bands of Virginians went out
against the Indianswho might； or might not； God knows！ have put in a
claim to be considered among the oppressed peoples。 In Virginia the fat；
black； tobacco…fields； steaming under a sun like the sun of Spain； called
for and got more labor and still more labor。 Every little sailing ship
brought white workmencalled servantsconsigned； indentured； apprenticed
to many…acred planters。 These； in return for their passage money； must
serve Laban for a term of years； but then would receive Rachel； or at least
Leah； in the shape of freedom and a small holding and provision with which
to begin again their individual life。 If they were ambitious and energetic
they might presently be able； in turn； to import labor for their own acres。
As yet； in Virginia； there were few African slavesnot more perhaps than a
couple of hundred。 But whenever ships brought them they were readily
purchased。
In Virginia； as everywhere in time of change； there arose anomalies。 Side
by side persisted' a romantic devotion to the King and a determination to
have popular assemblies； a great sense of the rights of the white
individual together with African slavery； a practical； easy…going； debonair
naturalism side by side with an Established Church penalizing alike Papist；
Puritan； and atheist。 Even so early as this； the social tone was set that
was to hold for many and many a year。 The suave climate was somehow to
foster alike a sense of caste and good neighborliness…class distinctions
and republican ideas。
The 〃towns〃 were of the fewest and rudestlittle more than small palisaded
hamlets； built of frame or log； poised near the water of the river James。
The genius of the land…was for the plantation rather than the town。 The
fair and large brick or frame planter's house of a later time had not yet
risen； but the system was well inaugurated that set a main or 〃big〃 house
upon some fair site； with cabins clustered near it； and all surrounded；
save on the river front； with far…flung acres； some planted with grain and
the rest with tobacco。 Up and down the river these estates were strung
together by the rudest roads； mere tracks through field and wood。 The cart
was as yet the sole wheeled vehicle。 But the Virginia plantera horseman
in Englandbrought over horses； bred horses； and early placed horsemanship
in the catalogue of the necessary colonial virtues。 At this point； however；
in a land of great and lesser rivers； with a network of creeks； the boat
provided the chief means of communication。 Behind all； enveloping all；
still spread the illimitable forest； the haunt of Indians and innumerable
game。
Virginians were already preparing for an expansion to the north。 There was
a man in Virginia named William Claiborne。 This individualable；
determined； self…reliant； energetichad come in as a young man； with the
title of surveyorgeneral for the Company； in the ship that brought Sir
Francis Wyatt； just before the massacre of 1622。 He had prospered and was
now Secretary of the Province。 He held lands； and was endowed with a bold；
adventurous temper and a genius for business。 In a few years he had
established widespread trading relations with the Indians。 He and the men
whom he employed penetrated to the upper shores of Chesapeake； into the
forest bordering Potomac and Susquehanna： Knives and hatchets； beads；
trinkets； and colored cloth were cha