should not repine, whatever our sufferings are for it; but, on my soul, it is the contrary for both. And this is

the cause why no small or great vessels are built here; for we are most obedient to all laws, whilst the New England men break through, and men trade to any place that their interest lead them.

20. What advantages or improvements do you observe that may be gained to your trade and navigation?

Ans. None, unless we had liberty to transport our pipe staves, timber and corn to other places besides the king's dominions.

21. What rates and duties are charged and payable upon any goods exported out of your plantation, whether of your own growth or manufacture, or otherwise, as also upon goods imported?

Ans. No goods, either exported or imported, pay any the least duties here, only two shillings the hogshead on tobacco exported, which is to defray all public charges; and this year we could not get an account of more than fifteen thousand hogsheads, out of which the king allows me a thousand yearly, with which I must maintain the port of my place, and one hundred intervening charges that cannot be put to public account. And I can knowingly affirm that there is no governor 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.

22.-What revenues do or may arise to his majesty within your government, and of what nature is it; by whom is the same collected, and how answered and accounted to his ma

jesty?

Ans. There is no revenue arising to his majesty but out of the quitrents; and this he hath given away to a deserving servant, Colonel Henry Norwood.

23. What course is taken about the instructing the people within your government in the Christian religion; and what provision is there made for the paying of your ministry?

Ans. The same course is taken in England out of towns; every man according to his ability instructing his children. We have forty-eight parishes, our ministers well paid, and by my consent should be better if they would pray oftener and preach less. But of all other commodities, so of this, the worst are sent us, and we had few that we could boast of since the persecution in Cromwell's tyranny drove diverse worthy 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, and heresy, and sects into the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels against the best government. God keep both."

Nothing can display in stronger colors the execrable policy of the British government, in relation to the colonies, than the sentiments uttered

by Sir William Berkeley in his answer to the last interrogatory.

These were, doubtless, his genuine sentiments, which recommended him so highly to the favor of the crown. that he was continued governor of Virginia from 1641 to 1677, a period of thirty-six years, if we except the short interval of the Commonwealth, and a few occasional times of absence from his government on visits to England. The more profoundly ignorant the colonies could be kept, the better subjects they were for slavery. None but tyrants dread the diffusion of knowledge and the liberty of the press.

The same hostility to the introduction of printing which was manifested by Sir William Berkeley was shown by Lord Culpepper, who was governor of Virginia in 1683, only eleven years after these principles were avowed by Sir William Berkeley. "It will be seen," says Hening, "by the following extract, which is from. a manuscript of unquestionable authority, that at the last-mentioned date, a printer had actually commenced his business in Virginia, but was prohibited by the governor and council from printing anything till the king's pleasure should be known; which, it may be presumed, was very tardily communicated, as the first evidence of printing thereafter in Virginia was on the revised laws contained in the edition of 1733."

"February 21st, 1682, John Buckner called before the Lord Culpepper and

his council for printing the laws of 1680, without his excellency's license, and he and the printer ordered to enter into bond in £100 not to print anything thereafter, until his majesty's pleasure should be known." (Bland MS., p. 498.)

THE EARLY SETTLERS OF VIRGINIATHEIR CUSTOMS AND HABITS.

of

Randall, in his biography Thomas Jefferson, says that: "In the early settlement of Virginia, the inhabitants found the river-bottoms of the tide-water region more fertile than the intervening sandy ridges; and the rivers themselves for a long period furnished the only convenient means for transporting heavy products to or from the seaboard. The population, therefore, clung to their banks, each new wave of foreign emigration, or younger and spreading generation of the inhabitants, advancing higher toward their sources. Lands were obtained on easy conditions from the government and otherwise; and provident individuals secured vast estates. This was particularly the case on James River, where the most enterprising and wealthy of the earlier emigrants established themselves. Some of these were of particular mark and energy, and acquired possessions vying in extent with those of the proudest nobles of their native land. These were perpetuated in their families by entails, the laws regulating which were ultimately rendered more stringent in Virginia than in England itself. As

their lands rose gradually in value, the great lowland proprietors began to vie with English nobles in wealth as well as in territory.

Many of them lived in baronial splendor. Their abodes, it is true, were comparatively mean, as the country did not yet furnish permanent building materials, except at vast cost, nor did it furnish practiced architects to make use of them; but their spacious grounds and gardens were bravely ornamented; their tables were loaded with plate, and with the luxuries of the Old and New World; numerous slaves and white persons, whose time they owned for a term of years, served them in every capacity which use, luxury or ostentation could dictate; and when they traveled in state, their cumbrous and richly appointed coaches were dragged by six horses, driven by three postillions. But usually the mistress of the household, with her children and maids, appropriated this vehicle. The Virginia gentleman of that day, with much of the feeling of earlier feudal times, when the spur was the badge of knighthood, esteemed the saddle the most manly, if not the only manly, way of making use of the noblest of brutes. He accordingly performed all of his ordinary journeys on horseback.

When he went forth with his whole household, the cavalcade consisted of the mounted white males of the family, the coach and six, lumbering through the sands, and a retinue of

mounted body servants, grooms with spare led horses, etc., in the rear.

In their general tone of character, the lowland aristocracy of Virginia resembled the cultivated landed gentry of the mother country. Numbers of them were highly educated and accomplished, by foreign study and travel; and nearly all, or certainly much the largest portion of them, obtained an excellent education at William and Mary's College, after its establishment, or respectable acquirements in the classical schools kept in nearly every parish by the learned clergy of the established church.

As a class, they were intellegent, polished in manners, high-toned and hospitable, and sturdy in their loyalty and in their adherance to the national church. Their winters were often spent in gaieties and festivities of the provincial capital; their summers, when not connected with the public service, principally in supervising their immense estates, in visiting each other, and in such amusements as country life afforded. Among the latter, the chase held a prominent place. Born almost to the saddle, and to the use of fire-arms, they were keen hunters; and when the chase was over, they sat around groaning boards, and drank confusion to Frenchman and Spaniard abroad, and to Roundhead and Prelatist at home. When the lurking, predatory Indian became the object of pursuit, no strength of the red man could withstand, no speed of his elude, this

fiery and gallant mounted cavalry. The social gulf which separated this from the common class colonists, became about as deep and wide and as difficult to overleap in marriage and other social arrangements, as that which divided the gentry and peasantry of England.

Such were the Carters, the Carys, the Burwells, the Byrds, the Fairfaxes, the Harrisons, the Lees, the Ran dolphs, and many other families of early Virginia.

A small pamphlet entitled "The Present State of Virginia," by Hugh Jones, A. M., Chaplain of the Honorable Assembly, and lately minister of Jamestown in Virginia, published in London in 1724, contains the following sketches on the habits, life and customs of the people of that plantation at that time:

"The habits, life, customs, computations, etc., of the Virginias are much the same as about London, which they esteem their homes; and for the most part have contemptible notions. of England, and wrong sentiments of Bristol and the other outports, which they entertain from seeing and hearing the common dealers, sailors and servants that come from those towns and the country places in England and Scotland, whose language and manners are strange to them; for the planters and even the native negroes generally talk good English, without idiom or tone and can discourse handsomely upon most common subjects; and conversing with persons belong

ing to trade and navigation from London, for the most part they are much civilized, and wear the best of cloathes according to their station; nay sometimes too good for their circumstances, being for the generality, comely, handsome persons of good feature, and fine complexions, (if they take care), of good manners and address. The climate makes them bright, and of excellent sense, and sharp in trade, an idiot or deformed native being almost a miricle.

"Thus they have good natural notions, and will soon learn arts and sciences; but are generally directed by business or inclination from profound study, and prying into the depths of things; being ripe for management of their affairs before they have laid so good a foundation of learning and had such instructions, acquired such accomplishments as might be instilled into such good natural capacities. Nevertheless, thro' their quick apprehension, they had a sufficiency of knowledge, and fluency of tongue, tho' their learning for the most part be but superficial. They are more inclinable to read men by business and conversation than to dive into books, and are for the most part only desirous of hearing what is absolutely necessary in the shortest and best method.

ing, in which some greatly delight. This easy way of living and the heat of the summer makes some lazy, who are then said to be climate struck.

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They are such lovers of riding that almost every ordinary person keeps a horse, and I have known some spend the morning in ranging several miles in the woods to find and catch their horses, only to ride two or three miles to church, to the court house, or to a horse-race, where they generally appoint to meet upon business; and are more certain of finding those that they want to speak, or deal with, than at their home. No people can entertain their friends with better cheer and welcome; and strangers and travelers are treated in the most free, plentiful and hospitable manner, so that a few inns or ordinaries on the road are sufficient."

Nothing, perhaps, is better fitted to give an idea of the social temperament and habits of the Virginians of the middle of the last century, and to establish, if farther evidence were wanted, the genuineness of their cavalier descent, than the following festive programme, taken from the Virginia Gazette of October, 1737:

"We have advice," says the editor, "from Hanover county, that on Saint Andrew's Day, there are to be Horse Races and several other Diversions for the entertainment of the Gentlemen and Ladies at the Old Field near Captain John Bickerton's in that county, (if permitted by the Hon. Wm. Byrd esquire, Proprietor of the

said Land), the substance of which is as follows, viz.:

It is proposed that 20 Horses or Mares do run round a three miles Course for a Prize of Five Pounds.

That every Horse shall be entered with Mr. James Fox, and that no person shall be allowed to put up a Horse unless he hath subscribed for the Entertainment and paid half a pistole.

That a Hat of the value of 20 s. be cudgelled for, and that after the first challenge made, the Drums are to beat every Quarter of an Hour for three Challenges round the Ring, and none to play with their left hand.

That a Violin be played by 20 Fiddlers; no person to have the liberty of playing unless he bring a fiddle with him. After the prize is won they are all to play together, and each a different tune, and to be treated by the company.

That 12 Boys, of 12 years of age, do run 112 yards, for a Hat of the cost of 12 shillings.

That a flag be flying on said Day 30 feet high.

That a handsome entertainment be provided for the subscribers and their wives; and such of them as are not so happy as to have wives, may treat any other lady.

That Drums, Trumpets, Hautboys, etc., be provided, to play at said Entertainment.

That after Dinner, the Royal Health, His Honor, the Governor, etc., are to be drunk.