"Then," said Sir William, "I'll take your parole."
That was all that was said, and Bacon was released on his word as a
gentleman that he would do no more mischief. Doubtless the haughty
governor would have liked to lodge the other man in jail, but he didn't
dare attempt that, for the newly elected burgesses were reaching
Jamestown every hour. Further almost all of them were known to side with
Bacon, and in addition the town was fast filling with planters from the
counties along the river that had revolted against the governor. So for
the second time that spring Sir William saw the advantage of bending his
stiff pride in order to ride out the storm.
The governor knew, however, that Bacon would be a thorn in his side
unless he could be made to bend the knee to his own authority. So Sir
William went to Bacon's cousin, a man who was very rich and prominent in
the colony, and a member of the governor's council. He urged this man,
who was known as Colonel Nathaniel Bacon, Senior, to go to his cousin,
Nathaniel, Junior, and try to induce him to yield to Sir William's
wishes. Colonel Bacon agreed, and was so successful with his arguments
that the younger man, proud and headstrong as he was, at last consented
to write out a statement, admitting that he had been in the wrong in
disobeying Sir William Berkeley's orders, and to read it on his knees
before the members of the Assembly, which was another name for the House
of Burgesses. This was a great victory for the governor. Events had
followed one another fast. In the space of little more than a week the
owner of Curles Plantation had been proclaimed a rebel, had marched
against the Indians and beaten them, had been a candidate for the House
of Burgesses and been elected, had sailed down to Jamestown, been
arrested, and paroled, and was now to admit on his knees that he had
indeed been a rebel.
On June 5, 1676, Bacon went to the State House. The governor and his
council sat with the burgesses, and Sir William Berkeley spoke to them
about recent border fights between Virginians and Indians. He denounced
the killing of six Indian chiefs in Maryland, who, he said, had come to
treat of peace with white soldiers, and he added, "If they had killed my
grandfather and grandmother, my father and mother and all my friends,
yet if they had come to treat of peace, they ought to have gone in
peace."
Sir William sat down; then after a few minutes stood up again. "If there
be joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repenteth,"
said he, with solemn humor, "there is joy now, for we have a penitent
sinner come before us. Call Mr. Bacon."
Bacon came in, and knelt down before the governor and his council and
his fellow Virginians. He read from a paper he held, confessing that he
had been guilty of "unlawful, mutinous, and rebellious practices," and
promised that if the governor would pardon him he would act "dutifully,
faithfully, and peaceably," under a penalty of two thousand pounds
sterling. He pledged his whole estate for his good behavior for one
year.
When Bacon had finished, Sir William said, "God forgive you; I forgive
you." And to make the words more impressive he repeated them three
times.
"And all that were with him," said Colonel Cole, a member of the
council, meaning the men who had rebelled with Bacon and fought the
Indians.
"Yes, and all that were with him," the governor agreed. Then Sir William
added, "Mr. Bacon, if you will live civilly but till next
quarter-day,--but till next quarter-day," he repeated the words, "I'll
promise to restore you to your place there!" and he pointed to the seat
which Bacon had sometimes occupied during meetings of the council.
All was peace again; the black sheep had repented and been allowed to
return to the fold. It was generally understood that in return for
Bacon's apology the governor would now give him the commission he had
asked for before, the commission as "General of the Indian Wars," which
would allow him to protect outlying plantations against Indian raids.
Sir William pardoned the rebel on Saturday, and "General Bacon," as many
people in Jamestown already spoke of him, took up his lodgings at the
house of a Mr. Lawrence, there to wait until his expected commission
should be sent him early the next week. Mr. Porter and his son, and many
of the friends who had come in Bacon's sloop, took rooms at near-by
houses, for their leader might be going back to Curles as soon as he had
his commission, and they wanted to go with him.
Monday came and Tuesday, but no commission arrived from Sir William. On
Wednesday there was no message for Bacon from the governor. Instead
rumors began to spread abroad. Mr. Lawrence, who had an old grudge
against Sir William, was reported to be busy with some plot against him;
men of doubtful reputation were seen about the house, and it was
whispered that possibly there might be further trouble. Edmund heard
these rumors; he knew that there were men in Jamestown who wanted
Nathaniel Bacon to defy the governor, and he kept his eyes and ears wide
open. Then one morning, as he and his father came out from the house
where they were staying, they met a crowd of their friends. "Bacon is
fled!" cried these men. "Bacon is fled!"
Edmund listened to the excited words. Sir William had been frightened as
he heard that more and more planters were flocking into Jamestown, he
doubted that Bacon meant to keep his word, he knew that Lawrence's house
was a hot-bed of disorder, and he determined that he would crush any
rebellion before it got a start, and put the popular leader where he
could do no harm. Bacon's cousin, the colonel, who was fond of his
kinsman, though he disapproved of what he had done, had sent word the
night before to Nathaniel, bidding him fly for his life. At daybreak
the governor's officers had gone to Lawrence's house; but the man they
wanted was gone; he had fled into the country, wisely heeding his
cousin's warning.
"Bacon is fled!" were the words that sped through Jamestown that June
morning. And many who heard the words were glad, for now they hoped that
the rebel would raise a force and overthrow Sir William, who had made
many enemies in his long and strict rule as governor. Men stole away
from the capital in twos and threes, some by the river, more on
horseback through the country. They were afraid to stay lest Berkeley
should put them in irons as partisans of Bacon's. Mr. Porter found a man
with horses to sell, bought two, and with his son rode out of Jamestown
before noon. West along the river bank they galloped. Bacon would make
for Henrico County, and there they wanted to join him. "And I may ride
with you and General Bacon, father?" Edmund begged.
"I don't know," said the father. "This may be more serious business than
looking after the rear-guard in a skirmish with Indians."
"But I'm almost a man, father," Edmund urged. "And even if I didn't
fight, there's other things I could do."
"I hope there'll be no fighting. It's bad when settlers turn their guns
against each other. We'll have to wait till we find Nat, Edmund, and
learn what he's going to do. If it's a fight it's a fight for liberty
and the safety of our homes. The governor's wrong; he hasn't treated us
fair."
All that day they rode through the river country, and wherever they came
to settlements they found armed men mounting, for the news had spread
rapidly that Nathaniel Bacon was raising an army to fight the governor.