66

Puritan Government of Maryland: An Act Concerning Religion (October, 1654). . . That none who profess and Exe[r]cise the Popish Religion Commonly known by the Name of the Roman Catholick Religion can be protected in this Province by the Lawes of England formerly Established and yet unrepealed but are to be restrained from the Exercise thereof.

" 19

b. Restoration of Maryland to Its Proprietor:

Lord Baltimore: The Restoration of the Proprietary Government in Maryland, 1656 (From Baltimore's Instructions to the Maryland Council, Oct. 23, 1656). “. . . Upon his Lordship's complaint to his Highness the Lord Protector, that he was interrupted in his Rights and Jurisdictions in Maryland by Richard Bennett and others, . . . his Highness was pleased

to refer the same to the examinations of the Lords Commissioners Whitlock and Widdrington who did accordingly examine the matter of Fact and made their Report to his Highness... the last of May, 1656. . . ." 20

Articles of Agreement on the Restoration of Maryland (Made by Proprietor and Protectorate Commissioners, 1657). That all . . . officers . . . with all other persons

on both sides

.

[be] freed from any charge or questioning for any act . . . since the first of December, 1649. . . That no person whatsoever within this Province shall bee deemed or hereafter made uncapable of Electing, or to be Elected to all future Assemblys. . . . That the Oath of Fidelity shall not be pressed upon the people now resident within this Province, but instead an agreement . . to sub

mit to the authority of . . . Lord Baltimore

19. W. H. Browne, Proceedings of the General Assembly of Maryland, 1637-1664 (Archives of Maryland), 341.

20. W. H. Browne, Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1636-1667 (Archives of Maryland), 324.

21. W. H. Browne, Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1636-1667 (Archives of Maryland), 370-371.

QUESTIONS

I. (1) Why was Charles I compelled to call a Parliament in 1640, after eleven years without one? (2) What attitude did Parliament take, and with what results? (3) What parties appeared in Parliament after the outbreak of war, and what did each stand for? (4) Which party was in control in 16421649? in 1649-1652? in 1652-1660? (5) What was the outcome of the Revolution? (6) Did New England approve of the Puritan Revolution in Old England? (7) What did it fear from that Revolution? (8) What did the New England Presbyterians ask from Parliament? (9) What did they get? (10) What are given as the motives for the organization of the New England Confederation? (11) What was the first effect of the Puritan Revolution upon Virginia? (12) What produced a still stronger Royalist sentiment in Virginia after 1649? (13) What attitude did Virginia take towards the English Commonwealth? (14) What caused it to change that attitude? (15) What do you think the terms on which it surrendered to Parliament signify? (16) Where did the Puritans go who were banished from Virginia? (17) Were they welcome there? (18) What did they do after they settled there? (19) What attitude did they take towards dissent there, after they came into control? (20) What was the outcome of their course of action?

II. (1) Which colony do you regard as most affected by the Puritan Revolution in England? Explain how. (2) What new traits of Puritan character brought out by this period? (3) Write a brief account of the Presbyterian Appeal to Parliament. (4) Was the New England Confederation "state'srights" or "national" in character?

III. (1) What was the "colonial policy" of the Commonwealth and Protectorate-what laws or actions in regard to the colonies? (2) What other motives than those given here are assigned for the attitude of New England? (3) Compare the organs and powers of the New England Confederation with those of our national government to-day. (4) Why was Virginia so unfriendly to the Puritan Revolution? (5) Find what your reference books say as to the Puritan actions in Maryland during this period.

Text-Book References.-Adams & Trent, 38-40,46-48, Ashley, 58, 60-61; Channing (revision 1908), 62, 79-82, 91; Hart, 60-62, James & Sanford, 63-66; Macdonald's Johnston, 27, 34-35, 36-39, 43, 57; McLaughlin, 49-54, 59-60, 90-93; McMaster, 51-52; Montgomery (revision 1905), 41-43, 83-86, 96, 109-111; nas (revision 1903), 38, 64-65, 70, 75-76.

SECTION V

REACTION AND REBELLION, 1660-1689

In England, the restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660 brought on a three-cornered struggle, partly political, but chiefly over religious affairs. The Anglican majority in Parliament attempted to enforce uniformity to the established English Church. The King (first Charles II and then James II), believed to be Roman Catholic in sympathy, endeavored to nullify Parliamentary acts of uniformity by issuing royal proclamations offering toleration to all dissenters, including Roman Catholics. The Puritans, now in the minority, fought for toleration of Protestant dissent only, preferring persecution rather than any toleration of those whom they styled "Papists." Finally, fear that the king was intending to call the French and Spanish to aid him in overthrowing Protestantism and reestablishing the papal supremacy in England, induced Parliament to offer the English throne to Protestant members of the royal family, William and Mary of Holland. Thereupon James II fled to France, William and Mary were crowned constitutional sovereigns of England, and Parliament took the place of the king as the real head of the English government.

As soon as the failure of the Puritan revolution in England began to be evident, the Virginia assembly recalled Royalist Governor Berkeley. Governor Berkeley then continued the existing assembly, without new elections, for fifteen years. This "Long Assembly" passed laws restricting the suffrage and otherwise lessening popular control of the government, while Virginia officials from governor down entered upon a reign of arbitrary and more or less corrupt administration, especially neglectful of the frontier people and their needs. Against this reactionary administration Nathaniel Bacon headed an insurrection in 1676. Bacon died of fever, and his movement went to pieces; but as a

result of it biennial election of the Assembly was recovered for the colony, and a few other of the former grievances redressed.

In New England, the Restoration brought a royal attack upon New Haven colony, for its harboring of the judges who had decreed the death of Charles I, and upon Massachusetts for its independent attitude towards England. New Haven was merged with Connecticut; liberal new charters were given to both Connecticut and Rhode Island in order to build up rivals of Massachusetts; and a demand was made for the surrender of the Massachusetts charter. Complications in Europe diverted the king's attention from New England for some time after 1665; but in 1684 the struggle was renewed, this time not only against Massachusetts, but against all of the other New England colonies, and New York as well. The charters were taken away from all of them, they were merged into one general "Dominion of New England," and Governor Andros and a Royal Council given authority to rule over them without any restraint by colonial assemblies.

The Restoration period was one of expansion as well as reaction. Friends of the king obtained a grant for and es-tablished a new colony in Carolina, with religious toleration as one of its fundamental laws. Hostility between Dutch and English in Europe was made the occasion for seizing New Netherland and converting it into the English colonies of New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. But more important than either of these was the beginning of an English Quaker movement into New Jersey, that led William Penn to a decision to try here a "holy experiment" in popular government and religious toleration, and thus produced the colony of Pennsylvania.

When news of the overthrow of King James II reached the Colonies in 1689, it found them ripe for revolt against the arbitrary rule of James' royal officials in America. New

England and New York led the way, with revolutions against Governor Andros. The extracts quoted tell the story of these two larger movements, but omit any reference to similar but lesser revolts in all of the other Colonies except Virginia.

a.

1. BACON'S REBELLION IN VIRGINIA

Reactionary Policy of Virginia Assembly and Governor after the Restoration, 1660-1676:

Acts of the Virginia Assembly, 1660-1669. March, 1660. "Whereas by reason of the late frequent distractions (which God in his mercy putt a suddaine period to) there being in England noe resident absolute and gen'll. confessed power; Be it enacted . . . That the supreame power of the government of this country shall be resident in the Assembly. . . ."

March, 1660. "Bee it enacted, That the honourable Sir William Berkeley bee Governour of Virginia, And that he governe according to the auncient lawes of England and the established lawes of this country.

March, 1662. "That for the

orderly manageing all parocial affaires, . . . twelve of the most able men of each parish be by the major part of the said parish, chosen to be vestrymen . [and] in case of the death of any vestry man, or his departure out of the parish, that the . . . minister and vestry make choice of another to supply his roome, And . none shall be admitted to be of the vestry that doe not take the oath of allegiance and supremacy to his majesty and subscribe to be conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the church of England."

. .

1669. "Whereas the usual way of chuseing burgesses by the votes of all . . . freemen . who haveing little interest doe . . . make tumults at the election to the disturbance of his majesties place . . . ; It is hereby enacted, that none but freeholders [land owners] . . . answerable to the publique for the levies [taxes] shall hereafter have a voice in the election of any burgesses. . .

1

1. W. W. Hening, Statutes of Virginia, I, 530; II, 44-45, 280.