In the meantime, the great struggle between Charles I. and the Parliament was going on in England. The high church and monarchy men of Virginia sympathized with the king, and when he was beheaded by the order of the victorious Parliament, they immediately proclaimed his exiled son, and announced their determination to maintain his cause and resist the authority of Parliament.

The able statesmen of the Long Parliament, flushed with their triumph, were not likely to allow an infant colony to brave their power. An edict was passed, declaring that the Virginians were subject to the authority of the Parliament, and should be reduced to submission by force, if they did not admit that authority. To enforce this declaration, Sir George Ayscue, a distinguished naval commander, was sent out with a strong fleet, having a body of troops on board. For the settlement of the civil government five commissioners were nominated, two of whom, Bennet and Clayborne, belonged to Virginia, but had distinguished themselves by opposing the ruling party.

In March, 1652, Ayscue anchored in Chesapeake Bay, when the colonists, listening to the dictates of prudence, opened a negotiation with the invaders. The terms agreed upon were liberal. The Virginians obtained a complete amnesty; they were promised a trade as free as that of England, and confirmed in all their political rights. They were even permitted to elect their own governor. But as Bennet, a republican who

had shortly before been banished by the monarchists, was the unanimous choice, it seems to prove that the election was influenced by the cannon of Ayscue's fleet.

In 1652, Parliament passed an act restricting the trade of the colonies to the mother country. This was certainly a breach of the terms of the capitulation, allowing them a trade as free as that of England. But the restriction was not enforced with any great rigor.

Bennet retired from the government early in 1655; and the assembly supplied his place by Edward Diggs. Early in 1658, Diggs was succeeded by Samuel Matthews, an old and hospitable planter. The assembly took advantage of the prevalence of liberal ideas to extend its own functions. They excluded the governor and council from their sittings, enlarged the elective franchise so as to extend to all freemen, and compelled the governor to yield the right of dissolving them. They thus centered in themselves the whole power of the state. Finally, they threw open their commerce to all the world. For all practical purposes, Virginia was now a republic.

When the death of Cromwell was announced, the assembly without hesitation acknowledged his son, Richard. When his abdication was forced by the army, the assembly recalled Sir William Berkeley, the cavalier governor. The news of the restoration of Charles II. caused great exultation in Virginia, and the monarchical party soon had a complete ascendancy in the colony.

Having received a new commission from Charles, Berkeley issued writs convoking an assembly in the name of the king. A general revision of

the laws followed, and aristocratic elements were introduced into every department of the civil and ecclesiastical government. Suffrage was confined to freeholders and housekeepers. The governor and assembly were paid at exorbitant rates, and intolerant religious laws were enacted. The assembly which brought about this state of things remained in office ten years.

T had been observed with concern, during the commonwealth, that the English merchants, for several years past, had usually freighted the Hollanders' shipping, for bringing home their own merchandise, because their freight was lower than that of the English ships. For the same reason the Dutch ships were made use of for importing American products from the English colonies into England.. This system, of course, operated to the disadvantage of the English commercial marine. The government, therefore, not unnaturally, turned its attention to the most effectual mode of retaining the colonies in dependence on the parent state, and of securing to it the benefits of its increasing commerce. It was with these views that the Long Parliament had enacted, "that no merchandise, either of Asia, Africa, or America, including also the English plantations there, should be imported into England in any but Englishbuilt ships, and belonging to English or English plantation subjects, navigated also by an English commander, and three-fourths of the sailors to be Englishmen; excepting such merchandise as should be imported directly from the original place of their growth or manufacture, in Europe solely; and that no fish should thenceforward be imported into England or Ireland, nor exported thence to foreign parts, nor even from one of their own home ports, but what should be caught by their own fishers only."

The first house of commons after the restoration, instead of granting the colonies that relief which they expected from the restraints on their commerce imposed by Cromwell, not only adopted all his ideas concerning this branch of legislation, but extended them further. Thus arose the navigation act, the most important and memorable of any in the statute book, with respect to the history of English commerce. By these several and successive regulations, the plan of securing to England a monopoly of the commerce with its colonies, and of shutting up every other channel into which it might be diverted, was perfected, and reduced into complete system. On one side of the Atlantic, these laws have been. extolled as an admirable stroke of policy, aiding greatly in increasing the commerce and power of England. On the other, they have been condemned as short-sighted and oppressive. Such a system undoubtedly

tended to alienate the feelings of the colonists; since it was so clearly to their interest to have their commerce free from all restrictions.

The Navigation Act was not the only cause which interrupted the success of the colony. The Indians began to commit depredations on the frontiers, and the settlers violently retaliated. Six chiefs sent by the Indians to treat for peace, were put to death. Berkeley expressed his indignation at this outrage, at which the colonists seemed much offended. After the war had raged some time, the Indians again made pacific overtures, but without success. The governor seconded their efforts, and thus

lost the popularity he so had long enjoyed.

HE discontented needed but a leader to make their power felt, and in all such cases a leader is soon found. Nathaniel Bacon, the son of a respectable family in Suffolk, England, had removed to Virginia and formed a border plantation on the upper part of James River. Daring, eloquent, and artful, he had acquired great influence and a seat in council. He sympathized with his suffering countrymen, and a farm of his own being attacked, he resolved to take up arms without the permission of Berkeley; and, rallying round him those inspired by similar sentiments, he was soon at the head of five hundred men. The government denounced this armament as rebellious, and issued a mandate to disperse. But at the same time, the popular party arose in the lower provinces, and the union of the two interests. proved too strong for the government. The assembly was dissolved, and a new one, with more liberal views, elected. All arbitrary taxation was abolished, and universal suffrage restored. Bacon had been made prisoner, but was set at liberty and promised a commission; but this was ultimately refused.

Withdrawing secretly, Bacon assembled five or six hundred men, and became master of the seat of government. Berkeley strenuously resisted, and even bared his breast to his adversary. But Bacon declared he only wished a commission to protect the people from the savages. The assembly hastily made out the commission and prevailed upon the governor to sign it. Bacon then marched to the frontier.

As soon, however, as force was removed, Berkeley published a proclamation, reversing all the proceedings of the assembly, and declaring Bacon a traitor. A civil war ensued. The daring popular leader marched back to Jamestown, where he was strongly reinforced. Mutual

outrages were perpetrated by both parties. Berkeley assembled a small force of his friends, but soon abandoned Jamestown and fled to Accomac. Bacon now acted as ruler of Virginia, and declaring the governor to have abdicated, summoned an assembly, and determined to resist all attempts to restore Berkeley to power.

AMESTOWN was burnt, in order to prevent its being occupied by an English force. Nothing remained, but to cross the river and attack the dispirited remnant of Berkeley's force. Suddenly, Bacon sickened and died; and there being no one capable of filling his place, the insurgents dispersed. A brief negotiation was held with the royalist governor, and a general pardon was promised to all who laid down their arms. This was accepted, and thus terminated "Bacon's Rebellion." Historians differ in their opinions of the merits of this affair. It appears by the facts recorded, that Bacon was at first only desirous of protecting the settlers from the cruelties of the Indians. This was laudable. When the governor neglected giving them protection, the necessity of the case demanded that his authority should be superseded. That there was much of the demagogue in the character of Bacon, is probable; but that there was justice and reason in his early operations, is certain.

The governor, whose feelings seem throughout the whole transaction to