按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and to come directly under that of the Commonwealth。 So thinking； they put
themselves into communication with Bennett and Claiborne。 In 1654 Stone
charged the Commissioners with having promoted 〃faction； sedition； and
rebellion against the Lord Baltimore。〃 The charge was well founded。
Claiborne and Bennett assumed that they were yet Parliament Commissioners；
empowered to bring 〃all plantations within the Bay of Chesapeake to their
due obedience to the Parliament and Commonwealth of England。〃 And they were
indeed set against the Lord Baltimore。 Claiborne would head the Puritans of
Providence； and a troop should be raised in Virginia and march northward。
The Commissioners actually advanced upon St。 Mary's； and with so superior
a； force that Stone surrendered； and a Puritan Government was inaugurated。
A Puritan Assembly met； debarring any Catholics。 Presently it passed an act
annulling the Proprietary's Act of Toleration。 Professors of the religion
of Rome should 〃be restrained from the exercise thereof。〃 The hand of the
law was to fall heavily upon 〃popery； prelacy； or licentiousness of
opinion。 〃Thus was intolerance alive again in the only land where she had
seemed to die！
In England now there was hardly a Parliament； but only the Lord Protector；
Oliver Cromwell。 Content with Baltimore's recognition of the Protectorate；
Cromwell was not prepared to back； in their independent action； the
Commissioners of that now dissolved Parliament。 Baltimore made sure of
this； and then dispatched messengers overseas to Stone； bidding him do all
that lay in him to retake Maryland。 Stone thereupon gathered several
hundred men and a fleet of small sailing craft； with which he pushed up the
bay to the Severn。 In the meantime the Puritans had not been idle； but had
themselves raised a body of men and had taken over the Golden Lyon； an
armed merchantman lying before their town。 On the 24th of March； 1655； the
two forces met in the Battle of the Severn。 〃In the name of God； fall on！〃
cried the men of Providence； and 〃Hey for St。 Mary's！〃 cried the others。
The battle was won by the Providence men。 They slew or wounded fifty of the
St。 Mary's men and desperately wounded Stone himself and took many
prisoners； ten of whom were afterwards condemned to death and four were
actually executed。
Now followed a period of up and down； the Commissioners and the Proprietary
alike appealing to the Lord Protector for some expression of his
〃determinate will。〃 Both sides received encouragement inasmuch as he
decided for neither。 His own authority being denied by neither； Cromwell
may have preferred to hold these distant factions in a canceling；
neutralizing posture。 But far weightier matters； in fact； were occupying
his mind。 In 1657； weary of her 〃very sad； distracted； and unsettled
condition；〃 Maryland herself proceededPuritan； Prelatist； and Catholic
togetherto agree henceforth to disagree。 Toleration viewed in retrospect
appears dimly to have been seen for the angel that it was。 Maryland would
return to the Proprietary's rule； provided there should be complete
indemnity for political offenses and a solemn promise that the Toleration
Act of 1649 should never be repealed。 This without a smile Baltimore
promised。 Articles were signed； a new Assembly composed of all manner of
Christians was called； and Maryland returned for a time to her first
allegiance。
Quiet years； on the whole； follow in Virginia under the Commonwealth。 The
three Governors of this period…Bennett； Digges； and Mathews are all chosen
by the Assembly； which； but for the Navigation Laws；* might almost forget
the Home Government。 Then Oliver Cromwell dies； and； after an interval；
back to England come the Stuarts。 Charles II is proclaimed King。 And back
into office in Virginia is brought that staunch old monarchist； Sir
William Berkeleyfirst by a royalist Assembly and presently by commission
from the new King。
* See Editor's Note on the Navigation Laws at the end of this volume。
Then Virginia had her Long Parliament or Assembly。 In 1661； in the first
gush of the Restoration； there was elected a House of Burgesses so
congenial to Berkeley's mind that he wished to see it perpetuated。 For
fifteen years therefore he held it in being； with adjournments from one
year into another and with sharp refusals to listen to any demand for new
elections。 Yet this demand grew； and still the Governor shut the door in
the face of the people and looked imperiously forth from the window。 His
temper； always fiery； now burned vindictive； his zeal for King and Church
and the high prerogatives of the Governor of Virginia became a consuming
passion。
When Berkeley first came to Virginia； and again for a moment in the flare
of the Restoration； his popularity had been real； but for long now it had
dwindled。 He belonged to an earlier time； and he held fast to old ideas
that were decaying at the heart。 A bigot for the royal power； a man of
class with a contempt for the generality and its clumsily expressed needs；
he grew in narrowness as he grew in years。 Berkeley could in these later
times write home； though with some exaggeration： 〃I thank God there are no
free schools nor printing； and I hope we shall not have these hundred
years； for learning has brought disobedience into the world and printing
has divulged them； and libels against the best governments！ God keep us
from both！〃 But that was the soured zealot for absolutismWilliam Berkeley
the man was fond enough of books and himself had written plays。
The spirit of the time was reactionary in Virginia as it was reactionary in
England。 Harsh servant and slave laws were passed。 A prison was to be
erected in each county； provision was made for pillory and stocks and
duckingstool； the Quakers were to be proceeded against； the Baptists who
refused to bring children to baptism were to suffer。 Then at last in 1670
came restriction of the franchise：
〃Act III。 ELECTION OF BURGESSES BY WHOM。 WHEREAS the usuall way of chuseing
burgesses by the votes of all persons who having served their tyme are
freemen of this country who haveing little interest in the country doe
oftener make tumults at the election to the disturbance of his Majestie's
peace； than by their discretions in their votes provide for the
conservation thereof； by makeing choyce of persons fitly qualifyed for the
discharge of soe greate a trust； And whereas the lawes of England grant a
voyce in such election only to such as by their estates real or personall
have interest enough to tye them to the endeavour of the publique good； IT
IS HEREBY ENACTED； that none but freeholders and housekeepers who only are
answerable to the publique for the levies shall hereafter have a voice in
the election of any burgesses in this country。〃
*Hening's 〃Statutes〃； vol。 II； p。 280。
Three years later another woe befell the colony。 That same Charles IIto
whom in misfortune Virginia had so adhered that for her loyalty she had
received the name of the Old Dominionnow granted 〃all that entire tract；
territory； region； and dominion of land and water commonly called Virginia；
together with the territory of Accomack；〃 to Lord Culpeper