pioneers of the old south-第21节

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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　and　the　Earl　of
Arlington。　For　thirty…one　years　they　were　to　hold　it；　paying　to　the　King
the　slight　annual　rent　of　forty　shillings。　They　were　not　to　disturb　the
colonists　in　any　guaranteed　right　of　life　or　land　or　goods；　but　for　the
rest　they　might　farm　Virginia。　The　country　cried　out　in　anger。　The　Assembly
hurried　commissioners　on　board　a　ship　in　port　and　sent　them　to　England　to
besiege　the　ear　of　the　King。

Distress　and　discontent　increased；　with　good　reason；　among　the　mass　of　the
Virginians。　The　King　in　England；　his　councilors；　and；　Parliament；　played　an
unfatherly　role；　while　in　Virginia　economic　hardships　pressed　ever　harder　and
the　administration　became　more　and　more　oppressive。　By　1676　the　gunpowder　of
popular　indignation　was　laid　right　and　left；　awaiting　the　match。



CHAPTER　XII。　NATHANIEL　BACON

To　add　to　the　uncertainty　of　life　in　Virginia；　Indian　troubles　flared　up
again。　In　and　around　the　main　settlements　the　white　man　was　safe　enough
from　savage　attack。　But　it　was　not　so　on　the　edge　of　the　English　world；
where　the　white　hue　ran　thin；　where　small　clusters　of　folk　and　even　single
families　built　cabins　of　logs　and　made　lonely　clearings　in　the　wilderness。

Not　far　from　where　now　rises　Washington　the　Susquehannocks　had　taken
possession　of　an　old　fort。　These　Indians；　once　in　league　with　the　Iroquois
but　now　quarreling　violently　with　that　confederacy；　had　been　defeated　and
were　in　a　mood　of　undiscriminating　bitterness　and　vengeance。　They　began　to
waylay　and　butcher　white　men　and　women　and　children。　In　selfprotection
Maryland　and　Virginia　organized　in　common　an　expedition　against　the　Indian
stronghold。　In　the　deep　woods　beyond　the　Potomac；　red　men　and　white　came　to
a　parley。　The　Susquehannocks　sent　envoys。　There　was　wrong　on　both　sides。　A
dispute　arose。　The　white　men；　waxing　angry；　slew　the　envoysan　evil　deed
which　their　own　color　in　Maryland　and　in　Virginia　reprehended　and
repudiated。　But　the　harm　was　done。　From　the　Potomac　to　the　James　Indians
listened　to　Indian　eloquence；　reciting　the　evils　that　from　the　first　the
white　man　had　brought。　Then　the　red　man；　in　increasing　numbers；　fell　upon
the　outlying　settlements　of　the　pioneers。

In　Virginia　there　soon　arose　a　popular　clamor　for　effective　action。　Call
out　the　militia　of　every　county！　March　against　the　Indians！　Act！　But　the
Governor　was　old；　of　an　ill　temper　now；　and　most　suspicious　of　popular
gatherings　for　any　purpose　whatsoever。　He　temporized；　delayed；　refused　all
appeals　until　the　Assembly　should　meet。

Dislike　of　Berkeley　and　his　ways　and　a　growing　sense　of　injury　and
oppression　began　to　quiver　hard　in　the　Virginian　frame。　The　King　was　no
longer　popular；　nor　Sir　William　Berkeley；　nor　were　the　most　of　the　Council；
nor　many　of　the　burgesses　of　that　Long　Assembly。　There　arose　a　loud　demand
for　a　new　election　and　for　changes　in　public　policy。

Where　a　part　of　Richmond　now　stands；　there　stretched　at　that　time　a　tract
of　fields　and　hills　and　a　clear　winding　creek；　held　by　a　young　planter
named　Nathaniel　Bacon；　an　Englishman　of　that　family　which　produced　〃the
wisest；　greatest；　meanest　of　mankind。〃　The　planter　himself　lived　farther
down　the　river。　But　he　had　at　this　place　an　overseer　and　some　indentured
laborers。　This　Nathaniel　Bacon　was　a　newcomer　in　Virginiayoung　man　who
had　been　entered　in　Gray's　Inn；　who　had　traveled；　who　was　rumored　to　have
run　through　much　of　his　own　estate。　He　had　a　cousin；　also　named　Nathaniel
Bacon；　who　had　come　fifteen　years　earlier　to　Virginia　〃a　very　rich；　politic
man　and　childless；〃　and　whose　representations　had　perhaps　drawn　the　younger
Bacon　to　Virginia。　At　any　rate　he　was　here；　and　at　the　age　of　twenty…eight
the　owner　of　much　land　and　the　possessor　of　a　seat　in　the　Council。　But；
though　he　sat　in　the　Council；　he　was　hardly　of　the　mind　of　the　Governor　and
those　who　supported　him。

It　was　in　the　spring　of　1676　that　there　began　a　series　of　Indian　attacks
directed　against　the　plantations　and　the　outlying　cabins　of　the　region
above　the　Falls　of　the　Far　West。　Among　the　victims　were　men　of　Bacon's
plantation；　for　his　overseer　and　several　of　his　servants　were　slain。　The
news　of　this　massacre　of　his　men　set　their　young　master　afire。　Even　a　less
hideous　tale　might　have　done　it；　for　he　was　of　a　bold　and　ardent　nature。

Riding　up　the　forest　tracks；　a　company　of　planters　from　the　threatened
neighborhood　gathered　together。　〃Let　us　make　a　troop　and　take　fire　and
sword　among　them！〃　There　lacked　a　commander。　〃Mr。　Bacon；　you　command！〃　Very
good；　and　Mr。　Bacon；　who　is　a　born　orator；　made　a　speech　dealing　with　the
〃grievances　of　the　times。〃　Very　good　indeed；　but　still　there　lacked　the
Governor's　commission。　〃Send　a　swift　messenger　to　Jamestown　for　it！〃

The　messenger　went　and　returned。　No　commission。　Mr。　Bacon　had　made　an
unpleasant　impression　upon　Sir　William　Berkeley。　This　young　man；　the
Governor　said；　was　〃popularly　inclined〃had　〃a　constitution　not　consistent
with〃　all　that　Berkeley　stood　for。　Bacon　and　his　neighbors　listened　with
bent　brows　to　their　envoy's　report。　Murmurs　began　and　deepened。　〃Shall　we
stand　idly　here　considering　formalities；　while　the　redskins　murder？〃
Commission　or　no　commission；　they　would　march；　and　in　the　end；　march　they
dida　considerable　troopto　the　up…river　country；　with　the　tall；　young；
eloquent　man　at　their　head。

News　reached　the　Governor　at　Jamestown　that　they　were　marching。　In　a
tight…lipped　rage　he　issued　a　proclamation　and　sent　it　after　them。　They　and
their　leader　were　acting　illegally；　usurping　military　powers　that　belonged
elsewhere！　Let　them　disband；　disperse　to　their　dwellings；　or　beware　action
of　the　rightful　powers！　Troubled　in　mind；　some　disbanded　and　dispersed；　but
threescore　at　least　would　by　no　means　do　so。　Nor　would　the　young　man　〃of
precipitate　disposition〃　who　headed　the　troop。　He　rode　on　into　the　forest
after　the　Indians；　and　the　others　followed　him。　Here　were　the　Falls　of　the
Far　West；　and　here　on　a　hill　the　Indians　had　a　〃fort。〃　This　the　Virginia
planters　attacked。　The　hills　above　the　James　echoed　to　the　sound　of　the
small；　desperate　fray。　In　the　end　the　red　men　were　routed。　Some　were　slain；
some　were　taken　prisoner；　others　escaped　into　the　deep　woods　stretching
westward。

In　the　meantime　another　force　of　horsemen　had　been　gathered。　It　was　headed
by　Berkeley　and　was　addressed　to　the　pursuit　and　apprehension　of　Nathaniel
Bacon；　who　had　thus　defied　authority。　But　before　Berkeley　could　move　far；
fire　broke　out　around　him。　The　grievances　of　the　people　were　many　and　just；
and　not　without　a　family　resemblance　to　those　that　precipitated　the
Revolution　a　hundred　years　later。　Not　Bacon　alone；　but　many　others　who　were
in　despair　of　any　good　under　their　present　masters　were　ready　for　heroic
measures。　Berkeley　found　himself　ringed　about　by　a　genuine　popular　revolt。
He　therefore　lacked　the　time　now　to　pursue　Nathaniel　Bacon；　but　spurred
back　to　Jamestown　there　to　deal　as　best　he　might　with　dangerous　affairs。　At
Jamestown；　willy…nilly；　the　old　Governor　was　forced　to　promise　reforms。　The