BACON'S REBELLION

THE anonymous but well-informed author of this account of the Virginia rebellion published his defense of Bacon in London within a year after the events described. He speaks as well as he dares of the Virginia "rebel," but the passions involved had not yet cooled sufficiently for real candor.

The facts were that Sir William Berkeley, the Governor, temporized with the Indian uprising of 1675, and the indignant Virginian colonists elected Bacon to lead them against the redskins. The Governor refused to commission him, and declared him a rebel. But Bacon marched on Jamestown and obtained his commission at the point of his sword.

He also obtained the dissolution of the Royal Assembly. "Bacon's Assembly," following, levied taxes, extended the suffrage to freemen, and grew so defiant that the Governor dissolved it. Meanwhile Bacon had died in his bed. This rebellion is one of the earliest of the revolts against the Crown and its 09icers which paved the way for the American Revolution.

THERE is no nation this day under the copes of Heaven can so experimentally speak thesad effects of men of great parts being reduced to necessity, as England; but not to rake up the notorious misdemeanors of the dead, I shall endeavor to prevent the sad effectsof so deplorable a cause, by giving you an account of the remarkable life and death of this gentleman of whom I am about to discourse. And because when a man has once engaged himself in an ill action, all men are ready to heap innumerable aspersions upon him, of which he is no ways guilty, I shall be so just in the history of his life as not to rob him of those commendations which his birth and acquisitions claim as due, and so kind both to loyalty and the wholesome constituted laws of our kingdom, as not to smother anything which would render him to blame.

This gentleman who has of late beckoned the attention of all men of understanding who are any ways desirous of novelty, [or] care what becomes of any part of the world besides that themselves live in, had the honor to be descended of an ancient and honorable family, his name Nathaniel Bacon, to whom to the long known title of gentleman, by his long study [at] the Inns of Court he has since added that of Esquire. He was the son of Mr. Thomas Bacon of an ancient seat known by the denomination of Freestone-Hall, in the County of Suffolk, a gentleman of known loyalty and ability. His father as he was able so he was willing to allow this his son a very gentle competency to subsist upon, but he as it proved having a soul too large for that allowance, could not contain himself within bounds; which his careful father perceiving, and also that he had a mind to travel (having seen divers parts of the world before) consented to his inclination of going to Virginia, and accommodated him with a stock for that purpose, to the value of 1,800 pounds sterling, as I am credibly informed by a merchant of very good wealth, who is now in this city, and had the fortune to carry him thither.

He began his voyage thitherwards about three years since, and lived for about a year's space in that continent in very good repute, his extraordinary parts like a letter of recommendation rendering him acceptable in all men's company, while his considerable concerns in that place were able to bear him out in the best of society. These accomplishments of mind and fortune rendered him so remarkable, that the worthy Governor of that continent thought it requisite to take him into his Privy Council.

That plantation which he chose to settle in is generally known by the name of Curles, situate in the upper part of James river and the time of his revolt was not till the beginning of March, 1675-6. At which time the Susquehannock Indians (a known enemy to that country) having made an insurrection, and killed divers of the English, among whom it was his misfortune to have a servant slain; in revenge of whose death, and other damage (s) he received from those turbulent Susquehannocks, without the Governor's consent he furiously took up arms against them, and was so fortunate as to put them to flight, but not content therewith; the aforesaid Governor hearing of his eager pursuit after the vanquished Indians, sent out a select company of soldiers to command him to desist; but he instead of listening thereunto, persisted in his revenge, and sent to the Governor to entreat his commission, that he might more cheerfully prosecute his design ; which being denied him by the messenger he sent for that purpose, he notwithstanding continued to make head with his own servants, and other English then resident in Curles against them.

In this interim the people of Henrica had returned him Burgess of their county; and he in order thereunto took his own sloop and came down towards James Town, conducted by thirty odd Soldiers, with part of which he came ashore to Mr. Laurence 15 house, to understand whether he might come in with safety or not, but being discovered by one Parson Clough, and also it being perceived that he had lined the bushes of the said town with soldiers, the Governor thereupon ordered an alarm to be beaten through the whole town, which took so hot, that Bacon thinking himself not secure while he remained there within reach of their fort, immediately commanded his men aboard, and towed his sloop up the river; which the Governor perceiving, ordered the ships which lay at Sandy-point to pursue and take him; and they by the industry of their commanders succeeded so well in the attempt, that they presently stopped his passage; so that Mr. Bacon finding himself pursued both before and behind, after some capitulations, quietly surrendered himself prisoner to the Governor's commissioners, to the great satisfaction of all his friends ; which action of his was so obliging to the Governor, that he granted him his liberty immediately upon parol, without confining him either to prison or chamber, and the next day, after some private discourse passed betwixt the Governor, the Privy Council and himself, he was amply restored to all his former honors and dignities, and a commission partly promised him to be General against the Indian army; but upon further inquiry into his affairs it was not thought fit to be granted him; whereat his ambitious mind seemed mightily to be displeased ; insomuch that he gave out, that it was his intention to sell his whole concerns in Virginia, and to go with his whole family to live either in Maryland or the south, because he would avoid (as he said) the scandal of being accounted a factious person there.