bmitted
to the usurpation; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and he
never took any post or office under the usurper.

Sec. 66. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but he began to
contrive how to keep them under, that so they might never be able for
the time to come to give him farther trouble. To this end, he thought it
necessary to break off their correspondence with all other nations,
thereby to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and
other warlike provisions. According to this design, he contrived a
severe act of Parliament, whereby he prohibited the plantations from
receiving or exporting any European commodities, but what should be
carried to them by Englishmen, and in English built ships. They were
absolutely forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject to
the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered to manage a trade
or factory in any of them. In all which things the plantations had been
till then indulged, for their encouragement.

Sec. 67. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector never
thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently changed their
governors, to prevent their intriguing with the people. So that, during
the time of the usurpation, they had no less than three governors there,
namely, Diggs, Bennet and Mathews.

Sec. 68. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plantations,
exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhumanity to forbid them
all manner of trade and correspondence with other nations, at a time
when England itself was in distraction; and could neither take off
their commodities, nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither
had they ever been used to supply them with half the commodities they
expended, or to take off above half the tobacco they made. Such violent
proceedings made the people desperate, and inspired them with a desire
to use the last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless
usurpation. In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened; for
Governor Mathews died, and no person was substituted to succeed him in
the government. Whereupon the people applied themselves to Sir William
Berkeley, (who had continued all this time upon his own plantation in a
private capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again.

Sec. 69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an unshaken loyalty
for the royal family, and therefore generously told the people, that he
could not