he had recourse again to martial proceedings. Now, "none escaped being found guilty, condemned, and hanged, that put themselves on trial"; and so it soon came to pass, that this question was always proposed to the person arraigned," Will you be tried, or will you be fined at the discretion of the court?" The unfortunate man, recurring to the uniform fate of his predecessors, and perceiving that there was no hope through a trial, would discreetly choose to be fined; thus buying his life by sacrificing his estate. And this was done "without any jury." - Fourteen or fifteen had been executed; enormous fines and confiscations had been arbitrarily multiplied; and the jails were filled with prisoners. Such was the course of vengeance when commissioners and an armed force to investigate affairs and control the country-arrived from England, on the 29th of January. They brought with them a royal act of grace and forgiveness for all but Bacon. This, together with their own commission and instructions, they immediately delivered, urging Sir William to publish forthwith the king's proclamation of grace, that the distracted people might be quieted. "I will publish my own," was his reply, "in which I will make such exceptions to forgiveness as I may think proper"; and he stifled the decree of mercy in his own pocket. land. But what is meant by the language of the commissioners, in Burk, II. 254? "He" - Berkeley-"doubted whether a legal jury would have found them guilty. The contrary" i. e. that a legal jury would not have found them guilty-"he was afterwards sufficiently convinced of, when he saw, upon the trials had of his Majesty's commission of oyer and terminer, that there was not a prisoner that came to the bar that was brought in guilty by the jury." The work of mock trials went on; the judges, without the smallest regard for decorum, and even in the presence of the royal commissioners, and "as if they had been the worst of witnesses," indecently reviling their prisoners, "both accusing and condemning at the same time." Hanging was yet in vogue, notwithstanding the royal decree of grace. Bland, who had been choicely reserved in chains ever since he was entrapped at Accomac, was at last brought up for judgment. He pleaded that Sir William Berkeley had at that moment his pardon, with the royal signature, in his pocket; and he had, a special pardon procured by Bland's friends in England. But he was found guilty, and hung. "It was talked" that this was done on private instructions from the Duke of York, afterwards James the Second, who had sworn, "by God, Bacon and Bland should die." Other executions also took place, until the whole number had amounted to twenty-three," said in all to outnumber those slane in the wholl war, on both sides," when the Assembly, who had met by Berkeley's appointment on the 20th of January, petitioned the Governor that he would desist, and "spill no more bloud"; "for none could tell where or when it would terminate." "I believe," afterwards said Pressley, one of the Burgesses from Northampton County, "I believe he would have hanged half the country, if they had let him alone." By this means, the Governor was at last "prevailed on to hold his hands" from further sanguinary proceedings. The commissioners proceeded, according to their instructions, to hear and determine grievances. They received complaints only on testimony of credible, loyal, sober persons, moderate, disinterested men, whom they enjoined to testify "in such sort as might become dutiful subjects, and sober, rational men"; and yet, "even with this caution, the number, variety, and enormity of those charges which were supported astonished them, and they were at a loss to reconcile this assemblage of odious vices with the received reputation of Sir William Berkeley." They demanded the restoration of those estates which had been unlawfully confiscated without trial or conviction, and which were held by Sir William and his parasites. He refused; upon which they had the estates appraised under oath, as also all goods, cattle, slaves, and servants so seized, and exacted bonds from the holders to abide the decision of the King. They also effected a treaty of peace-thanks to the military operations of Bacon!-with the neighboring Indians, so satisfactory to them, that other remote tribes sought also to become included in it. Lawrence's fate was never known. Finding the struggle of the people with the Governor abruptly terminated, and himself a hopeless outlaw, he preferred to brave any fate rather than that of a public execution. Compared with the settlements of Virginia, the wilderness might be a better home for him; and the wild men of the woods might be better friends than Christians. Compared with death by Sir William's hangman, death by hunger, or weariness, or exposure, or even Indian torture, were preferable. He chose a voluntary exile. He was seen upon the extreme border with four companions, all well armed and well mounted, making their way through the snows for the mountain forests. It was the last which was seen or heard of this accomplished and high-minded man. Sir William Berkeley, leaving the government of Virginia in the hands of Colonel Herbert Jeffries, who had been commissioned by the King, sailed for England late in the month of April. Upon his arrival, he found that the odor of his cruelties had preceded him. The commissioners had reported in reprobation of his conduct, and it was regarded with horror both by the King and his Council. "The old fool," said Charles the Second, indignantly, "has hanged more men in that naked country than I have for the murder of my father." Under such reprobation, — approved doubtless by the voice of his own conscience, the hoary executioner of men who had only defended their firesides and resented oppression, gave way; and in July of the same year he sunk into a dishonored grave. So disappeared the actors in this brief but memorable drama. In what were the people bettered? They had overawed the savages, but their own choice men were gone. Their persecutor was gone also, but his power to tyrannize was transferred unabated to others. The ameliorating laws of the patriot Assembly-"Bacon's laws" they were called - were repealed. But the liberal Charter for which agents had been sent to England in 1675,- what of that? This Charter, providing for the liquidation of the claims of Arlington and Culpepper, barring like grants in future, confirming the land-titles of resident planters, recognizing the Grand Assembly of Virginia, investing that body with the power of making laws and determining all imposition of taxes, save upon exports, this Charter, drafted in outline, and presented by the Lords of the Committee for Foreign Plantations to his Majesty's Council, "passed by his Majesty and a full board" of the Council to be prepared in form of a bill for his Majesty's signature, was detained in the office of the Seals by secret jealousy and intrigue, until the news of the colonial disturbance put it to rest for ever. In its stead, the King issued troops and a paltry patent, which related chiefly to the judicial powers of the Colonial Council and the security of land-titles, but making no recognition of the Assembly. By separate instructions, that body was indeed permitted, during the royal pleasure; but it was to be called only once in two years, and then was to continue in session only fourteen days. The right of electing Burgesses was taken from all but freeholders. The aristocracy of Virginia was reinstated on the backs of the people. The punishments which had been inflicted by Berkeley were terrors not soon to be forgotten; and they effectually stifled all murmurs against the return of old, and now aggravated, grievances. Unequal and burdensome taxes were revived; they were fearfully increased by the expenses of the insurrection; they were collected by men whose vocation it was to extort, and whose emolument it was to defraud. They were so laid by poll-that the poor man, paying as much as the rich man, was crushed under a burden which he could not lessen, because he could not vote. Once more Virginia was |