But his resolution it seems was but a pretense, for afterwards he headed the same runnagado English that he formerly found ready to undertake and go sharers with him in any of his rebellions, and adding to them the assistance of his own slaves and servants, headed them so far till they touched at the Occonegie's town, where he was treated very civilly, and by the inhabitants informed where some of the Susquehannock's were inforted, whom presently he assails, and after he had vanquished them, slew about seventy of them in their Fort : But as he returned back to the Occoneges, he found they had fortified themselves with divers more Indians than they had at his first arrival; wherefore he desired hostages of them for their good behavior, while he and his followers lay within command of their fort. But those treacherous Indians grown confident by reason of their late recruit, returned him this answer, that their guns were the only hostages he was like to have of them, and if he would have them he must fetch them. Which was no sooner spoken, but the Indians salied out of the fort and shot one of his sentinels, whereupon he charged them so fiercely, that the fight continued not only all that day, but the next also, till the approach of the evening, at which time finding his men grow faint for want of provision, he laid hold of the opportunity, being befriended by a gloomy night, and so made an honorable retreat homewards. Howbeit we may judge what respect he had gained in James Town by this subsequent transaction.

When he was first brought hither it was frequently reported among the commonalty that he was kept close prisoner, which report caused the people of that town, those of Charles city, Henrico, and New-Kent Countries, being in all about the number of eight hundred, or a thousand, to rise and march thitherwards in order to his rescue; whereupon the Governor was forced to desire Mr. Bacon to go himself in person, and by his open appearance quiet the people.

This being past, Mr. Bacon, about the 25th of June last, dissatisfied that he could not have a commission granted him to go against the Indians, in the night time departed the town unknown to anybody, and about a week after got together between four and five hundred men of New-Kent County, with whom he marched to James Town, and drew up in order before the House of State; and there peremptorily demanded of the Governor, Council and Burgesses (there then collected) a commission to go against the Indians, which if they should refuse to grant him, he told them that neither he nor e'er a man in his company would depart from their doors till he had obtained his request; whereupon to prevent farther danger in so great an exigence, the Council and Burgesses by much entreaty obtained him a commission signed by the Governor, an act for one thousand men to be listed under his command to go against the Indians, to whom the same pay was to be granted as was allowed to them who went against the fort. But Bacon was not satisfied with this, but afterwards earnestly importuned, and at length obtained of the house, to pass an act of indemnity to all persons who had sided with him, and also letters of recommendations from the Governor to his Majesty in his behalf; and moreover caused Colonel Claybourne and his son, Captain Claybourne, Lieutenant Colonel West, and Lieutenant Colonel Hill, and many others, to be degraded for ever bearing any office, whether it were military or civil.

Having obtained these large civilities of the Governor, etc., one would have thought that if the principles of honesty would not have obliged him to peace and loyalty, those of gratitude should. But, alas, when men have been once flushed or entered with vice, how hard is it for them to leave it, especially it tends towards ambition or greatness, which is the general lust of a large soul, and the common error of vast parts, which fix their eyes so upon the lure of greatness, that they have no time left them to consider by what indirect and unlawful means they must (if ever) attain it.

This certainly was Mr. Bacon's crime, who, after he had once launched into rebellion, nay, and upon submission had been pardoned for it, and also restored, as if he had committed no such heinous offense, to his former honor and dignities (which were considerable enough to content any reasonable mind) yet for all this he could not forbear wading into his former misdemeanors, and continued his opposition against that prudent and established government, ordered by his Majesty of Great Britain to be duly observed in that continent.

In fine, he continued (I cannot say properly in the fields, but) in the woods with a considerable army all last summer, and maintained several brushes with the Governor's party: sometime routing them, and burning all before him, to the great damage of many of his Majesty's loyal subjects there resident; sometimes he and his rebels were beaten by the Governor, etc., and forced to run for shelter among the woods and swamps. In which lamentable condition that unhappy continent has remained for the space of almost a twelve-month, every one therein that were able being forced to take up arms for security of their own lives, and no one reckoning their goods, wives, or children to be their own, since they were so dangerously exposed to the doubtful accidents of an uncertain war.

But the indulgent Heavens, who are alone able to compute what measure of punishments are adequate or fit for the sins or transgressions of a nation, has in its great mercy thought fit to put a stop, at least, if not a total period and conclusion to these Virginian troubles, by the death of this Nathaniel Bacon, the great molester of the quiet of that miserable nation.