As a last hope the Company resolved to seek the assistance of Parliament. A petition was drawn up to be presented to the Commons, and the shareholders that were members of that body were requested to give it their strenuous support when it came up for consideration. The petition referred to Virginia as a "child of the Kingdom, exposed as in the wilderness to extreme danger and as it were fainting and labouring for life", and it prayed the House to hear "the grievances of the Colony and Company, and grant them redress".[216] The matter was brought before the Commons in May, 1624, but before it could be considered, a message was received from the King warning them "not to trouble themselves with this petition as their doing so could produce nothing but a further increase Schisme and factions in the Company". "Ourself," he announced, "will make it our own work to settle the quiet, and wellfare of the plantations."[217] This was received with some "soft mutterings" by the Commons, but they thought it best to comply, and the Company was left to its fate.[218] In the meanwhile the King had placed his case in the hands of Attorney-General Coventry, who had prepared a _quo warranto_ against the Company.[219] Although all hope of retaining the charter was gone, the Sandys party were determined to fight to the end. They voted to employ attorneys and to plead their case before the King's Bench. The _quo warranto_ came up June 26th, 1624, and "the Virginia Patent was overthrown", on a mistake in pleading.[220] With this judgment the London Company practically ceased to exist, and Virginia became a royal province. FOOTNOTES: [117] F. R., p. 6. [118] F. R., p. 76. [119] Gen., p. 1027. [120] F. R., p. 265. [121] F. R., p. 271. [122] Gen., p. 339. [123] F. R., p. 6. [124] Gen. p. 236. Compare F. R., pp. 262, 263, 264, 31, 248, 80; Gen., pp. 49, 146. [125] F. R., p. 80. [126] F. R., p. 49. [127] Gen., p. 50. [128] Gen., p. 355. [129] F. R., p. 558. [130] F. R., p. 85. [131] F. R., p. 237. [132] F. R., vi. [133] F. R., p. 251. [134] F. R., p. 75. [135] Gen., pp. 60, 61. [136] Arb. Smith, lxxxiii. [137] F. R., p. 266. [138] F. R., p. 266. [139] F. R., pp. 281, 282. [140] F. R., p. 293. [141] F. R., p. 312. [142] F. R., p. 315. [143] Nar. of Va., pp. 249, 250. [144] Nar. of Va., p. 251. [145] F. R., p. 317. [146] Nar. of Va., pp. 252, 253, 254, 255, 260, 261. [147] Nar. of Va., p. 276. [148] In 1662 the Assembly granted power to the Governor and Council for three years to levy a small tax by the poll. The county taxes for defraying local expenses, were assessed and collected by the justices of the peace. The vestries controlled the raising of the parish dues. [149] Miller, p. 41. [150] F. R., p. 376. [151] F. R., p. 415. [152] F. R., p. 464. [153] F. R., p. 612. [154] Bruce, Ec. Hist., Vol. II, pp. 448, 449. [155] _Ibid._ [156] Bruce, Ec. Hist., Vol. II, pp. 442, 443. [157] F. R., p. 322. [158] F. R., p. 335.