Bacon was now almost omnipotent in the province. Drummond advised the immediate deposition of Berkeley, urging from the ancient records of Virginia that such things had already been done. Bacon preferred rather that his retreat should be regarded as abdication, for he had left Jamestown, and fled across Chesapeake Bay, to Accomac, on the eastern shore; and so it was determined, the ten years for which he was appointed having expired. As with the Puritans of New England, so here, in this great contest for liberty and popular rights, were women among the active spirits. “The child that is unborn,” said Sarah Drummond, “shall have cause to rejoice of the good that will come by this rising of the country.” “Should we overcome the governor,” said the cautious Ralph Weldinge, “we must expect a greater power from England, that would certainly be our ruin.” In reply, this spirited woman reminded them that England had much to think of at that time, being divided herself into hostile factions, and taking up from the ground a small stick, which she broke, she said “I fear the power of England no more than a broken straw.” As regarded the navigation act, she said, anticipating a future greatness for Virginia, “We can build ships, and like New England, trade to any part of the world.” With such women the men could not do less than strive bravely. Meanwhile Sir William Berkeley, who meant anything but an abdication by his flight, collected at Accomac a large number of adherents, men of a base and cowardly nature, allured by the passion for plunder, among whom were great numbers of the indented servants of the insurgents to whom he promised liberty. With these, a number of royalists and a horde of Indians, he sailed with five English vessels and ten sloops for Jamestown, where landing without opposition, he fell on his knees and returned thanks to God, after which he again proclaimed Bacon and his party traitors. As regards these ships, we must relate how they came into the governor’s hands, and this we will do in the words of Campbell, in his Introduction to the History of the Old Dominion. “There was a gentleman in Virginia, Giles Bland, only son of John Bland, an eminent merchant of London, who was personally known to the king and had considerable interest at court. As he was sending out his son to Virginia, to take possession of the estate of his uncle, Theodorick Bland, he got him appointed collector-general of the customs. In this capacity he had a right to board any vessel he thought proper. He was a man of talent, courage, of a haughty bearing, and having quarrelled with the governor, now sided warmly with Bacon. There chanced to be lying in York River, a vessel of sixteen guns, commanded by Captain Laramore. Bland boarded her with a party of armed men, on pretence of searching for contraband goods, and seizing the captain confined him to the cabin. Laramore, discovering Bland’s designs, resolved to deceive in his turn,