of rumors tending to change of government should be punished 〃even to
severity。〃
Berkeley's words may be detected in these acts of the Assembly。 In no great
time the Cavalier Governor conferred with Colonel Henry Norwood； one of the
royalist refugees to Virginia。 Norwood thereupon sailed away upon a Dutch
ship and came to Holland； where he found 〃his Majesty that now is。〃 Here he
knelt； and invited that same Majesty to visit his dominion of Virginia；
and； if he liked it； there to rest； sovereign of the Virginian people。 But
Charles still hoped to be sovereign in England and would not cross the
seas。 He sent； however； to Sir William Berkeley a renewal of his Governor's
commission； and appointed Norwood Treasurer of Virginia； and said；
doubtless； many gay and pleasant things。
In Virginia there continued to appear from England adherents of the ancient
regime。 Men； women； and children came until to a considerable degree the
tone of society rang Cavalier。 This immigration； now lighter； now heavier；
continued through a rather prolonged period。 There came now to Virginia
families whose names are often met in the later history of the land。 Now
Washingtons appear； with Randolphs； Carys； Skipwiths； Brodnaxes； Tylers；
Masons； Madisons； Monroes； and many more。 These persons are not without
means； they bring with them servants； they are in high favor with Governor
and Council； they acquire large tracts of virgin land； they bring in
indentured labor； they purchase African slaves； they cultivate tobacco。
》From being English country gentlemen they turn easily to become Virginia
planters。
But the Virginia Assembly had thrown a gauntlet before the victorious
Commonwealth； and the Long Parliament now declared the colony to be in
contumacy； assembled and dispatched ships against her； and laid an embargo
upon trade with the rebellious daughter。 In January of 1652 English ships
appeared off Point Comfort。 Four Commissioners of the Commonwealth were
aboard； of whom that strong man Claiborne was one。 After issuing a
proclamation to quiet the fears of the people； the Commissioners made their
way to Jamestown。 Here was found the indomitable Berkeley and his Council
in a state of active preparation； cannon trained。 But； when all was said；
the Commissioners had brought wisely moderate terms： submit because submit
they must； acknowledge the Commonwealth； and； that done； rest unmolested！
If resistance continued； there were enough Parliament men in Virginia to
make an army。 Indentured servants and slaves should receive freedom in
exchange for support to the Commonwealth。 The ships would come up from
Point Comfort； and a determined war would be on。 What Sir William Berkeley
personally said has not survived。 But after consultation upon consultation
Virginia surrendered to the commonwealth。
Berkeley stepped from the Governor's chair； retiring in wrath and
bitterness of heart to his house at Greenspring。； In his place sat Richard
Bennett； one of the Commissioners。 Claiborne was made Secretary。 King's men
went out of office； Parliament men came in。 But there was no persecution。
In the bland and wide Virginia air minds failed to come into hard and
frequent collision。 For all the ferocities of the statute books； acute
suffering for difference of opinion； whether political or religious； did
not bulk large in the life of early Virginia。
The Commissioners； after the reduction of Virginia； had a like part to play
with Maryland。 At St。 Mary's； as at Jamestown； they demanded and at length
received submission to the Commonwealth。 There was here the less trouble
owing to Baltimore's foresight in appointing to the office of Governor
William Stone； whose opinions； political and religious； accorded with those
of revolutionary England。 Yet the Governor could not bring himself to
forget his oath to Lord Baltimore and agree to the demand of the
Commissioners that he should administer the Government in the ame of 〃the
Keepers of the Liberties of England。〃 After some hesitation the
Commissioners decided to respect his scruples and allow him to govern in
the name of the Lord Proprietary； as he had solemnly promised。
In Virginia and in Maryland the Commonwealth and the Lord Protector stand
where stood the Kingdom and the King。 Many are far better satisfied than
they were before； and the confirmed royalist consumes his grumbling in his
own circle。 The old； exhausting quarrel seems laid to rest。 But within this
wider peace breaks out suddenly an interior strife。 Virginia would； if she
could； have back all her old northward territory。 In 1652 Bennett's
Government goes so far as to petition Parliament to unseat the Catholic
Proprietary of Maryland and make whole again the ancient Virginia。 The hand
of Claiborne； that remarkable and persistent man； may be seen in this。
In Maryland； Puritans and Independents were settled chiefly about the
rivers Severn and Patuxent and in a village called Providence； afterwards
Annapolis。 These now saw their chance to throw off the Proprietary's rule
and to come directly under that of the Commonwealth。 So thinking； they put
themselves into communication with Bennett and Claiborne。 In 1654 Stone
charged the Commissioners with having promoted 〃faction； sedition； and
rebellion against the Lord Baltimore。〃 The charge was well founded。
Claiborne and Bennett assumed that they were yet Parliament Commissioners；
empowered to bring 〃all plantations within the Bay of Chesapeake to their
due obedience to the Parliament and Commonwealth of England。〃 And they were
indeed set against the Lord Baltimore。 Claiborne would head the Puritans of
Providence； and a troop should be raised in Virginia and march northward。
The Commissioners actually advanced upon St。 Mary's； and with so superior
a； force that Stone surrendered； and a Puritan Government was inaugurated。
A Puritan Assembly met； debarring any Catholics。 Presently it passed an act
annulling the Proprietary's Act of Toleration。 Professors of the religion
of Rome should 〃be restrained from the exercise thereof。〃 The hand of the
law was to fall heavily upon 〃popery； prelacy； or licentiousness of
opinion。 〃Thus was intolerance alive again in the only land where she had
seemed to die！
In England now there was hardly a Parliament； but only the Lord Protector；
Oliver Cromwell。 Content with Baltimore's recognition of the Protectorate；
Cromwell was not prepared to back； in their independent action； the
Commissioners of that now dissolved Parliament。 Baltimore made sure of
this； and then dispatched messengers overseas to Stone； bidding him do all
that lay in him to retake Maryland。 Stone thereupon gathered several
hundred men and a fleet of small sailing craft； with which he pushed up the
bay to the Severn。 In the meantime the Puritans had not been idle； but had
themselves raised a body of men and had taken over the Golden Lyon； an
armed merchantman lying before their town。 On the 24th of March； 1655； the
two forces met in the Battle of the Severn。 〃In the name of God； fall on！〃
cried the men of Providence； and 〃Hey for St。 Mary's！〃 cried the others。
The battle was won by the Providence men。 They slew or wounded fifty of the
St。 Mary's men and desperately wounded Stone himself and took many
prisoners； ten of whom were afterwards condemned to death and four were
actually executed。
Now followed a period of up and down； the Commissioners and the Proprietary
alike appealing to the Lord Protector for some expression of his
〃determinate will。〃 Both sides received encouragement inasmuch as he
decided for neither。 His own authority being denied by neither； Cromwell
may have preferred to hold these distant factions in a canceling；
neutralizing posture。 But far weightier matters； in fact； were occupying
his mind。 In 1657； weary of her 〃very sad； distracted； and unsettled
condition；〃 Maryland herself proceededPuritan； Prelatist； and Catholic
togetherto agree henceforth to disagree。 Toleration viewed in retrospect
appears dimly to have been seen for the angel that it was。 Maryland would
return to the Proprietary's rule； provided there should be complete
indemnity for political offenses and a solemn promise that the Toleration
Act of 1649 should never be repealed。 This without a smile Baltimore
promised。 Articles were signed； a new Assembly composed of all manner of
Christians was called； and Maryland returned for a time to her first
allegiance。
Quiet years； on the whole； follow in Virginia under the Commonwealth。 The
three Governors of this period…Bennett； Digges； and Mathews are all chosen
by the Assembly； which； but for the Navigation Laws；* might almost forget
the Home Government。 Then Oliver Cromwell dies； and； after an interval；
back to England come the Stuarts。 Charles II is proclaimed King。 And back
into office in Virginia is brought that staunch old monarchist； Sir
William Berkeleyfirst by a royalist Assembly and presently by commission
from the new King。
* See Editor's Note on the Navigation Laws at the end of this volume。
Then Virginia had her Long Parliament or Assembly。 In 1661； in the first
gush of the Restoration； there was elected a House of Burgesses so
congenial to Berkeley's mind that he wished to see it perpetuated。 For
fifteen years therefore he held it in being； with adjournments from one
year into another and with sharp refusals to listen to any demand for new
elections。 Yet this demand grew； and still the Governor shut the door in
the face of the people and looked imperiously forth from the window。 His
temper； always fiery； now burned vindictive； his zeal for King and Church
and the high prerogatives of the Governor of Virginia became a consuming
passion。
When Berkeley first came to Virginia； and again for a moment in the flare
of the Restoration； his popularity had been real； but for long now it had
dwindled。 He belonged to an earlier time； and he held fast to old ideas
that were decaying at the heart。 A bigot for the royal power； a man of
class with a contempt for the generality and its clumsily expressed needs；
he grew in narrowness as he grew in years。 Berkeley could in these later
times write home； though with some exaggeration： 〃I thank God there are no