1670-1671.
Governor Berkley's Reply to Inquiries of the Lords Commissioners
of Plantations--Government of Virginia--Militia--Forts--
Indians--Boundary--Commodities--Population--Health--Trade--
Restrictions on it--Governor's Salary--Quit-rents--Parishes--
Free Schools, and Printing.
THE lords commissioners of foreign plantations, in 1670, were Arlington,
Ashley, Richard George W. Alington, T. Clifford, S. Trevor, Orlando
Bridgeman, C. S. Sandwich, president, Thomas Grey, ---- Titus, A.
Broucher, H. Slingsby, secretary, Hum. Winch, and Edmund Waller. These,
during this year, propounded inquiries to Sir William Berkley, governor,
respecting the state and condition of Virginia; and his answers made in
the year following present a satisfactory statistical account of the
colony. The executive consisted of a governor and sixteen councillors,
commissioned by the king, to determine all causes above fifteen pounds;
causes of less amount were tried by county courts, of which there were
twenty. The assembly met every year, composed of two burgesses from each
county. Appeals lay to the assembly; and this body levied the taxes.
(This power was delegated for some years to the executive.) The
legislative and executive powers rested in the governor, council,
assembly, and subordinate officers. The secretary of the colony sent the
acts of the assembly to the lord chancellor, or one of the principal
secretaries of state. All freemen were bound to muster monthly in their
own counties; the force of the colony amounted to upwards of eight
thousand horsemen. There were five forts: two on the James, and one on
each of the three rivers, Rappahannock, York, and Potomac; the number of
cannon was thirty. His majesty, during the late Dutch war, had sent over
thirty more, but the most of them were lost at sea. The Indians were in
perfect subjection. The eastern boundary of Virginia, on the sea-coast,
had been reduced from ten degrees to half of one degree. Tobacco was
the only commodity of any great value; exotic mulberry-trees had been
planted, and attempts made to manufacture silk. There was plenty of
timber; of iron ore but little discovered. The whole population was
forty thousand; of which two thousand were negro slaves, and six
thousand white servants. (The negroes had increased one hundredfold in
fifty years, since 1619, when the first were imported.) The average
annual importation of servants was about fifteen hundred; most of them
English, a few Scotch, fewer Irish; and not more than two or three ships
with negroes in seven years. New plantations were found sickly, and in
such four-fifths of the new settlers died. Eighty vessels arrived yearly
from England and Ireland for tobacco; a few small coasters came from New
England. Virginia had not more than two vessels of her own, and those
not over twenty tons. Sir William Berkley complains bitterly of the act
of parliament restricting the commerce of Virginia to the British
kingdom--a policy injurious to both parties; and he adds that "this is
the cause why no small or great vessels are built here; for we are most
obedient to all laws, while the New England men break through and trade
to any place that their interest leads them to." Sir William gave it as
his opinion, that nothing could improve the trade of Virginia, unless
she was allowed to export her staves, timber, and corn to other places
besides the king's dominions. The only duty levied was that of two
shillings on every hogshead of tobacco exported; the exportation of the
year 1671 amounting to fifteen thousand hogsheads. Out of this revenue
the king allowed the governor one thousand pounds, to which the assembly
added two hundred more, making twelve hundred pounds, which was
four-fifths of the entire customs revenue for that year. Yet he
complains: "I can knowingly affirm, that there is no government of ten
years' settlement but has thrice as much allowed him. But I am supported
by my hopes, that his gracious majesty will one day consider me."
The king had no revenue in the colony except quit-rents; these were not
of much value, and the king gave them to Colonel Henry Norwood. Every
man instructed his children at home according to his ability. "There
were forty-eight parishes, and our ministers are well paid; by my
consent should be better, if they would pray oftener, and preach less.
But as of all other commodities, so of this, the worst are sent us; and
we have had few that we could boast of, since Cromwell's tyranny drove
divers men hither. But 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!"[273:A]
FOOTNOTES:
[273:A] Hening, ii. 511.