means it reverted back to the crown. Charles I. upon his accession to the throne, first granted to Sir Robert Heath, (his favorite,) all the coast lying between thirty and thirtysix degrees of north latitude, and extending west to the Pacific Ocean; also all the Bahama Islands, not actually possessed by some christian prince. This grant was made to Sir Robert, his heirs, and assigns, for ever, as true and absolute lords and proprietors of the said region and territory, saving the faith and allegiance due to the crown. This territory, thus granted, was erected into the province of Carolina. Upon the 23d of Charles I. Sir Robert granted this province to Lord Matrovers, afterwards Earl of Arundale and Surrey: but the civil wars that destroyed this reign, prevented any settlement in Carolina under the new grant. Upon the accession of Charles II. the patent of the Earl of Arundale, was declared void, "because the conditions of the grant had not been fulfilled." Charles II. made a new grant of the same district to Edward Earl of Clarendon, George Duke of Albemarle, William Earl of Craven, John Lord Berkeley, Anthony Lord Ashley, Sir George Carteret, Sir John Calleton, and Sir William Berkeley, conveying in due form all the lands lying between the 31st and 36th degrees of north latitude, and the Virginia Seas and the Pacific, Ocean; bearing date March 24, 1663. This charter was afterwards enlarged so as to include the 29th degree of north latitude. Under this charter Carolina began to flourish, and continued to flourish, until she became respectable amongst the colonies. Before we pursue the rise and progress of Carolina, we will bring forward the colony of Virginia.

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CHAPTER III.

VIRGINIA CONTINUED FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THEIR CHARTER BY JAMES I. TO THE YEAR 1675.

WE have noticed the rise and progress of the settlement of Virginia, from its first discovery down to the dissolution of their charter by King James, 1624. We have also considered the rise and progress of Carolina, in connection with Virginia, down to the time of the charter granted to the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Albemarle, and others, by King Charles II. 1663. We will now bring forward the history of Virginia, to an adequate correspondence, before we commence the history of New-York, in order to open the way for a more correct understanding of that part of the history of the two colonies, in their contested claims upon the lands contiguous to the River and Bay of Delaware.

King Charles I. upon his accession to the throne of his father, granted a new charter, appointing a new governor and council for Virginia, bearing date May, 1625. This charter vested the governor and council with absolute powers, to enact and enforce laws, levy and collect taxes, enforce payments, and even to transport offenders in Virginia into England for trial, and all this without even the forms of limited or restricted power. To enforce this arbitrary and despotic government, King Charles appointed Sir John Harvey as governor of Virginia; a man as severe and despotic as his master; a man who exercised, with impunity, every degree and description of oppression; he not only granted new lands at pleasure; but actually reconveyed lands already granted and occupied, to the great grievance and distress of many of the settlers. He also levied heavy exactions upon the colony, which, whilst they enriched, his own coffers, destroyed the peace, interest.

and prosperity of the colony. Stung with indignation at this outrage upon their rights, the colonists had the spirit to arrest Governor Harvey, and send him prisoner to London, and sent two agents to support their charges against him.

The king resented this act of the colony, as an outrage upon his authority, in the person of his governor, dismissed the suit, vested the governor with new and more despotic powers, and sent him back to his government, January, 1639. Governor Harvey entered with new energies upon the theatre of his new powers, but the clamours of the peo ple were so loud, and so general, that the cries of their oppression reached the ears of the king; he listened to their wrongs, recalled the despot, and appointed Sir William Berkeley as his successor, April 1639.

In the midst of that confusion and distress which Gov. Harvey had occasioned in the colony, the savages became indignant at the encroachments he was making, by hisgrants, upon their lands, and determined to take revenge upon the colony, for the wrongs they had suffered. Opocancanoaugh, who had succeeded Powhatan, entered into a new conspiracy, much like the former, to exterminate the colony at a blow. The tribes assembled at the given time, and fell with savage fury upon the defenceless, unsuspecting settlements, upon James' River, York River, and others; and at a blow murdered about five hundred people. This overwhelmed the colony with gloom and dispair, and when added to the oppressions of Harvey. gave them such a check as many years could not recover.

This change in their administration, produced an entire change in their policy and government. Gov. Berkeley called an assembly of the people upon the plan of the old charter, which opened the way for the restoration of law, order, and civil rights, agreeable to the laws of England, and with the restoration of liberty, industry and enterprise

began to revive. These blessings would have given new enjoyments to the colony; but the murder of five hundred people, in cool blood, called for that justice which could not be obtained of a savage, but by the point of the sword. To the sword they appealed; and although the appeal was just, yet a long and bloody war ensued before the savages were humbled, and brought to bow to the sceptre of justice, and guarantee a firm, safe, and permanent peace.

During this period, the civil war in England had subverted the monarchy, and Oliver Cromwell wielded the sceptre, as Lord-High-Protector over the commonwealth, 1649. In this character, Cromwell claimed and received the submission of the colonies in North-America, excepting Virginia she, then under the administration of Governor Berkeley, refused him this homage. Cromwell, who knew how to command, was resolved to be obeyed; and accordingly he dispatched a fleet under the command of Capt. Dennis, to the coast of Virginia, to reduce the colony to obedience. Governor Berkeley made a firm and` manly resistance, according to the feeble means, which he could collect, and obtained of Captain Dennis an honourable capitulation; which secured to the colony all the rights and privileges of their old charter; and they acknowledged the sovereignty of the commonwealth of England, and the colony of Virginia as faithful and loyal subjects. This act of submission relieved them from further pressure of war; but they continued to feel the arm of insulted power in Cromwell; he rigidly enforced an act of Parliament, which he had obtained upon his accession, "That the plantations should not import or export any foreign commodities, except in ships built and navigated by Englishmen; and that they should not hold correspondence with any nation, or colony, not subject to England." Although the submissive disposition of the other colonies had obtained for them some indulgence, and even a free trade under

this act, yet Cromwell enforced it with rigour upon Virginia. This severity humbled the colony, and the frequent changes in her governors during the administration of the Protector, kept her down ; and whilst she saw with indignation the commercial prosperity of her neighbours, she was compelled quietly to submit. Upon the death of Cromwell, 1659, and the accession of Charles II. 1660, the colony of Virginia hoped to enjoy a free trade in common -with the colonies of New-England; but their hopes were disappointed: the rigors of the act of trade, stiled the Navigation Act, were still enforced, and the tobacco trade of the colony was greatly injured. Virginia indulged these hopes with the greater confidence, not only because she had resisted the usurpation of Cromwell; but because she had expressed her attachment to a monarchical government, in the year 1642, by the following legislative resolve" That as they were born under a monarchy, they would never degenerate from the condition of their births, by being subject to any other government."

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When Gov. Matthews, who was appointed by Cromwell under the commonwealth, had died, Virginia taking advantage of the weakness of the government of Richard Cromwell, in the year 1659, proceeded to elect Sir William Berkeley as their governor, and published their declaration in favour of Charles II. Sir William, upon the strength of this, ventured to proclaim Charles II. as king of England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Virginia, and thus anticipated the restoration several months before it was accomplished in England. Virginia paid severely for her attachment to monarchy; her lands and even her plantations had been, and continued to be split up into divisions, and conveyed away by proprietary grants, and thus her ancient charter was abrogated, and her chartered rights wantonly destroyed. The colony complained, and even remonstrated to the king. They presented to his majesty a humble adVOL. II.

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