Council； seizing opportunity； acted for the whole。 Immediately below the
entry above quoted appears： 〃On the 28th of April； 1635； Sr。 John Harvey
thrust out of his government； and Capt。 John West acts as Governor till the
King's pleasure known。〃*
* Hening's 〃Statutes〃 vol。 I p。 223。
So Virginia began her course as rebel against political evils！ It is of
interest to note that Nicholas Martian； one of the men found active against
the Governor； was an ancestor of George Washington。
Harvey； thrust out； took first ship for England； and there also sailed
commissioners from the Virginia Assembly with a declaration of wrongs for
the King's ear。 But when they came to England； they found that the King's
ear was for the Governor whom he had given to the Virginians and whom they；
with audacious disobedience； had deposed。 Back should go Sir John Harvey；
still governing Virginia； back without audience the so…called
commissioners； happy to escape a merited hanging！ Again to Jamestown sailed
Harvey。 In silence Virginia received him； and while he remained Governor no
Assembly sat。
But having asserted his authority； the King in a few years' time was
willing to recall his unwelcome representative。 So in 1639 Governor Harvey
vanishes from the scene； and in comes the well…liked Sir Francis Wyatt as
Governor for the second time。 For two years he remains； and is then
superseded by Sir William Berkeley； a notable figure in Virginia for many
years to come。 The population was now perhaps ten thousand； both English
born and Virginians born of English parents。 A few hundred negroes moved in
the tobacco fields。 More would be brought in and yet more。 And now above a
million pounds of tobacco were going annually to England。
The century was predominantly one of inner and outer religious conflict。
What went on at home in England reechoed in Virginia。 The new Governor was
a dyed…in…the…wool Cavalier； utterly stubborn for King and Church。 The
Assemblies likewise leaned that way； as presumably did the mass of the
people。 It was ordered in 1631： 〃That there bee a uniformitie throughout
this colony both in substance and circumstance to the cannons and
constitutions of the church of England as neere as may bee； and that every
person yeald readie obedience unto them uppon penaltie of the paynes and
forfeitures in that case appoynted。〃 And； indeed； the pains and forfeitures
threatened were savage enough。
Official Virginia； loyal to the Established Church； was jealous and fearful
of Papistry and looked askance at Puritanism。 It frowned upon these and
upon agnosticisms； atheisms； pantheisms； religious doubts； and alterations
in judgmentupon anything； in short； that seemed to push a finger against
Church and Kingdom。 Yet in this Virginia； governed by Sir William Berkeley；
a gentleman more cavalier than the Cavaliers； more royalist than the King；
more churchly than the Church； there lived not a few Puritans and
Dissidents； going on as best they might with Established Church and fiery
King's men。 Certain parishes were predominantly Puritan； certain ministers
were known to have leanings away from surplices and genuflections and to
hold that Archbishop Laud was some kin to the Pope。 In 1642； to reenforce
these ministers； came three more from New England； actively averse to
conformity。 But Governor and Council and the majority of the Burgesses will
have none of that。 The Assembly of 1643 takes sharp action。
For the preservation of the puritie of doctrine and unitie of the church；
IT IS ENACTED that all ministers whatsoever which shall reside in the
collony are to be conformable to the orders and constitutions of the church
of England； and the laws therein established； and not otherwise to be
admitted to teach or preach publickly or privately。 And that the Gov。 and
Counsel do take care that all nonconformists upon notice of them shall be
compelled to depart the collony with all conveniencie。 And so in
consequence out of Virginia； to New England where Independents were
welcome； or to Maryland where any Christian might dwell； went these tainted
ministers。 But there stayed behind Puritan and nonconforming minds in the
bodies of many parishioners。 They must hold their tongues； indeed； and
outwardly conformbut they watched lynx…eyed for their opportunity and a
more favorable fortune。
Having launched thunderbolts against schismatics of this sort； Berkeley；
himself active and powerful； with the Council almost wholly of his party
and the House of Burgesses dominantly so； turned his attention to 〃popish
recusants。〃 Of these there were few or none dwelling in Virginia。 Let them
then not attempt to come from Maryland！ The rulers of the colony legislated
with vigor： papists may not hold any public place； all statutes against
them shall be duly executed； popish priests by chance or intent arriving
within the bounds of Virginia shall be given five days' warning； and； if at
the end of this time they are yet upon Virginian soil； action shall be
brought against them。 Berkeley sweeps with an impatient broom。
The Kingdom is cared for not less than the Church in Virginia。 Any and all
persons coming into the colony by land and by sea shall have administered
to them the Oath of Supremacy and llegiance。 〃Which if any shall refuse to
take；〃 the commander of the fort at Point Comfort shall 〃committ him or
them to prison。〃 Foreigners in birth and tongue； foreigners in thought；
must have found the place and time narrow indeed。
On the eve of civil war there arose on the part of some in England a
project to revive and restore the old Virginia Company by procuring from
Charles； now deep in troubles of his own； a renewal of the old letters
patent and the transference of the direct government of the colony into the
hands of a reorganized and vast corporation。 Virginia； which a score of
years before had defended the Company； now protested vigorously； and； with
regard to the long view of things； it may be thought wisely。 The project
died a natural death。 The petition sent from Virginia shows plainly enough
the pen of Berkeley。 There are a multitude of reasons why Virginia should
not pass from King to Company； among which these are worthy of note： 〃We
may not admit of so unnatural a distance as a Company will interpose
between his sacred majesty and us his subjects from whose immediate
protection we have received so many royal favours and gracious blessings。
For； by such admissions； we shall degenerate from the condition of our
birth； being naturalized under a monarchical government and not a popular
and tumultuary government depending upon the greatest number of votes of
persons of several humours and dispositions。〃
When this paper reached England； it came to a country at civil war。 The
Long Parliament was in session。 Stafford had been beheaded； the Star
Chamber swept away； the Grand Remonstrance presented。 On Edgehill bloomed
flowers that would soon be trampled by Rupert's cavalry。 In Virginia the
Assembly took notice of these 〃unkind differences now in England；〃 and
provided by tithing for the Governor's pension and allowance； which were
for the present suspended and endangered by the troubles at home。 That the
forces banded against the Lord's anointed would prove victorious must at
this time have appeared preposterously unlikely to the fiery Governor and
the ultra…loyal Virginia whom he led。 The Puritans and Independents in
Virginiaestimated a little earlier at 〃a thousand strong〃 and now； for
all the acts against them； probably stronger yetwere to be found chiefly
in the parishes of Isle of Wight and Nansemond； but had representatives
from the Falls to the Eastern Shore。 What these Virginians thought of the
〃unkind differences〃 does not appear in the record； but probably there was
thought enough and secret hopes。
In 1644； the year of Marston Moor； Virginia； too； saw battle and sudden and
bloody death。 That Opechancanough who had succeeded Powhatan was now one
hundred years old； hardly able to walk or to see； dwelling harmlessly in a
village upon the upper Pamunkey。 All the Indians were broken and dispersed；
serious danger was not to be thought of。 Then； of a sudden； the flame
leaped again。 There fell from the blue sky a massacre directed against the
outlying plantations。 Three hundred men； women； and children were killed by
the Indians。 With fury the white men attacked in return。 They sent bodies
of horse into the untouched western forests。 They chased and slew without
mercy。 In 1646 Opechancanough； brought a prisoner to Jamestown； ended his
long tale of years by a shot from one of his keepers。 The Indians were
beaten； and； lacking such another leader； made no more organized and
general attacks。 But for long years a kind of border warfare still went on。
Even Maryland； tolerant and just as was the Calvert policy； did not
altogether escape Indian troubles。 She had to contend with no such able
chief as Opechancanough； and she suffered no sweeping massacres。 But after
the first idyllic year or so there set in a small； constant friction。 So
fast did the Maryland colonists arrive that soon there was pressure of
population beyond those first purchased bounds。 The more thoughtful among
the Indians may well have taken alarm lest their villages and
hunting…grounds might not endure these inroads。 Ere long the English in
Maryland were placing 〃centinells〃 over fields where men worked； and
providing penalties for those who sold the savages firearms。 But at no time
did young Maryland suffer the Indian woes that had vexed young Virginia。
Nor did Maryland escape the clash of interests which beset the beginnings
of representative assemblies in all proprietary provinces。 The second； like
the first； Lord Baltimore； was a believer in kings and aristocracies； in a
natural division of human society into masters and men。 His effort was to
plant intact in Maryland a feudal order。 He would be Palatine； the King his
suzerain。 In Maryland the great planters； in effect his barons； should live
upon estates； manorial in size and with manorial rights。 The laboring men
the impecunious adventurers whom these greater adventurers brought out
would form a tenantry； the Lord Proprietary