History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of VirginiaCampbell, Charles
History
History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia
Campbell, Charles
Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Virginia -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
government, which is the most temperate and just that ever was in this
country--too mild, indeed, for many of this colony, whom unwonted
liberty hath made insolent, and not to know themselves." On the last day
of the session were enacted such laws as issued "out of every man's
private conceit." "It shall be free for every man to trade with the
Indians, servants only excepted upon pain of whipping, unless the master
will redeem it off with the payment of an angel." "No man to sell or
give any of the greater hoes to the Indians, or any English dog of
quality, as a mastiff, greyhound, bloodhound, land or water spaniel."
Any man selling arms or ammunition to the Indians, to be hanged so soon
as the fact is proved. All ministers shall duly "read divine service,
and exercise their ministerial function according to the ecclesiastical
laws and orders of the Church of England, and every Sunday, in the
afternoon, shall catechise such as are not ripe to come to the
communion." All persons going up or down the James River were to touch
at James City, "to know whether the governor will command them any
service." "All persons whatsoever, upon the Sabbath days, shall frequent
divine service and sermons, both forenoon and afternoon; and all such as
bear arms shall bring their pieces, swords, powder, and shot."
Captain Henry Spellman, charged by Robert Poole, interpreter, with
speaking ill of the governor "at Opochancano's court," was degraded from
his rank of captain, and condemned to serve the colony for seven years
as interpreter to the governor. Paspaheigh, embracing three hundred
acres of land, was also called Argallstown, and was part of the tract
appropriated to the governor. To compensate the speaker, clerk,
sergeant, and provost marshal, a pound of the best tobacco was levied
from every male above sixteen years of age. The Assembly prayed that the
treasurer, council, and company would not "take it in ill part if these
laws, which we have now brought to light, do pass current, and be of
force till such time as we may know their further pleasure out of
England; for otherwise this people (who now at length have got their
reins of former servitude into their own swindge) would, in short time,
grow so insolent as they would shake off all government, and there would
be no living among them." They also prayed the company to "give us power
to allow or disallow of their orders of court, as his majesty hath given
_them_ power to allow or reject _our_ laws." So early did it appear,
that from the necessity of the case, the colony must in large part
legislate for itself, and so early did a spirit of independence manifest
itself. Owing to the heat of the weather, several of the burgesses fell
sick, and one died, and thus the governor was obliged abruptly, on the
fourth of August, to prorogue the Assembly till the first of
March.[142:A] There being as yet no counties laid off, the
representatives were elected from the several towns, plantations, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account