Charles, the attempts of those who endeavoured to revive the patents, and to restore the corporation. Sir _William Berkely_ was appointed governor the beginning of 1639. His instructions evidenced a prodigious change in colonial policy, which must be partly ascribed to the then state of affairs in England. He was directed to summon all the burgesses of the plantations; who with the governor and council were to constitute the grand assembly, with power to make acts for the government of the colony, as near as might be to the laws of England—to cause speedy justice to be administered to all, according to English forms—and to forbid all trade with foreign vessels except upon necessity. Thus were the Virginians restored to that system of freedom which they had derived from the Virginia company, and which the writ of _quo warranto_ had involved in the same ruin with the corporation itself. Civil dissentions however took place, which were embittered by religious differences, and inflamed by acts made to prohibit the preaching of the doctrines of the puritans. The discontented party presented a petition to the house of commons, in the name of the assembly, “praying for the restoration of the antient patents and corporation government.” But the governor, council and burgesses, no sooner heard of the transaction, than they transmitted an explicit disavowal of it. They sent also an address to king _Charles_ acknowledging his bounty and favor toward them, and earnestly desiring to continue under his immediate protection. In 1642, they declared in the form of an act, “that they were born under monarchy, and would never degenerate from the condition of their births, by being subjects to any other government.” Nothing could be more acceptable than this act, which being presented to the king at _York_, drew from him an answer, in which he gave them the fullest assurances, that they always should be immediately dependent upon the crown, and that the form of government should never be changed.