s afterwards, which
was forwarded and assisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John
Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit-rents and all, but
the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged to that colony were
given away--nay, sometimes in those grants he included the very
settlements that had been before made.
Sec. 59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was very unjust and
arbitrary in his other methods of government. He exacted with rigor the
fines and penalties, which the unwary assemblies of those times had
given chiefly to himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council,
and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny grew at last
insupportable; so that in the year 1639, the council sent him a
prisoner to London, and with him two of their number, to maintain the
articles against him. This news being brought to king Charles the first,
his majesty was very much displeased; and, without hearing anything,
caused him to return governor again. But by the next shipping he was
graciously pleased to change him, and so made amends for this man's
maladministration, by sending the good and just Sir William Berkeley to
succeed him.
Sec. 60. While these things were transacting, there was so general a
dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir John Harvey, and
the difficulties in getting him out, that the whole colony was in
confusion. The subtle Indians, who took all advantages, resented the
incroachments upon them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and
disunited among themselves, and by the direction of Oppechancanough,
their king, laid the ground work of another massacre, wherein, by
surprise, they cut off near five hundred Christians more. But this
execution did not take so general effect as formerly, because the
Indians were not so frequently suffered to come among the inner
habitations of the English; and, therefore, the massacre fell severest
on the south side of James river, and on the heads of the other rivers,
but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechancanough kept the seat of
his government.
Sec. 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, noble presence, and
extraordinary parts. Though he had no advantage of literature, (that
being nowhere to be found among the American Indians) yet he was
perfectly skilled in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused
all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had them all
entirely in
|