Mr Bacons 24 coming to prisoning Grand the maner of obteyning Mr Bacons actions are vseually attended with worse) he getts the dis- his Comis- Gent, and his rabble vsed reproachfull words of the Govern! (not calling to mind the eminent seruices he hath don, not onely in takeing prisoner ye great Indian Emperour Opechauckenough, makeing tributary all the Neighbouring Indians, without the loss of any English blood, and maineteyning peace for many yeares amongst them) Mr Bacon alsoe with his guard forceably entred amongst the Burgesses, and demanded that severall p'sons who had beene active in obeying the Govern comands, should be made vncapable of beareing any publick office, and for that he was informed the Govern had lately supplicated his May for aid to suppress the tumulto's, itt should be contradicted by the grand Assembly & Letters writt to y Kings Ma in favour of his proceedeings: he also required order against Cap Gardner (who then was his prisoner) for seventy pounds sterl. for his sloope, when in truth she was not worth thirty pounds. The Burgesses answered they were not Cost of Iudicature, and that the Courts were open from whome he might expect Justice. Att this he swore his vseuall Oath (God dam his blood) he would have their order for the 701 These thretnings and compulcons being vpon them, the Assembly granted what ever he demanded, soe that itt was imagined he & his souldiers would martch out of Towne, yett they continued drinking and domineereing, the fronteere Countys being left with very little force, and the next day came the sad news that y Indians had that morning killed Eight people within thirty Myles of towne, in the familys of some of them that were with Mr Bacon, yett they hastned not away, but the next day haveing forced an Act of Indemnity, and the Assembly being att the Burgesses request disolued, Mr Bacon after fower days stay, marched out of Towne. Thus Mr Bacon haveing his Comision, men, Armes, & provision, gave out he would goe agt the Indians, but that (as itt now plainly appeareth) was the last of his thoughts, and in steed of y marched to Gloc Rappahanock & those p'ts. and the better to bring about his wicked designes, he takes away the horses, Armes & Amunicon of those that were not affected to his illegal proceedeings, and Imprisoned Maj: Lawrance Smith & Maj Tho. Hawkins (p'sons. of good courage & conduct & great sufferers by the Indians, who by Comission from the Govern? were raiseing forces to goe against the Indians,) vpon pretence that they were raiseing men against him, (which is altogether false.) Maje Smith & Majr Haw kins Im prisoned. ern' goes to Glock Countys The Govern findeing Mr Bacon made noe dispatch out ag the Indians, in that a Month was neere expired since he had his Comission, and sad Complaints being made of the horrid murders dayly comitted by the Indians, att least a hundred being masacred since M2 Bacon assumed all the power to himselfe, The Govern! therevpon went to Gloc! The GovCounty, being incouraged thereto by S: Henry Chichley, who informed him of the loyalty, and readiness of the people of those p'ts, and soe he resolued if he could possibly raise a force, to goe out agt the Indians. Att the Govern being in Gloc: the Inhabitants there Complained Glo of the many insolencys comitted by Mr Bacons souldiers, of peticon. their being disarmed, by which they their wives & Children were expoased to the cruelty of the mercyless Indians, who were dayly seene in their plantacons. Wherevpon they petitioned for protection, agt those insolencys of M2 Bacons men, and that those few Armes which was remaineing amongst them, might not be forced from them and they left helpless, Which peticon the Govern: most willingly granted, Adding that Mr Bacon had noe other Comission, but with armed men he extracted from the Assembly, which in effect was not otherwise, then if a Theife should take his purse, and make him owne he gave itt freely. Now Mr Bacon haveing att least 700 horse, and 600 foot well Armed, and two Months provision att the charge of the Country, Vnderstanding that the Govern was in Gloc where he would have what assistance, they there could possibly make, gave out that the Govern? was raise M Bacon coms to yo in Midle plan tacon. T Mr Bacon declairs the Govern & severall others Tray tors. of ye shipps in James River. ing forces agt him, thereby enrageing those yt were with him, and haveing stopped all intelligence, he left the fronteere Countys expoased to the fury of the Indians, and on the xxixth day of July came to the midle plantacon within seven Myles of James Towne, and haveing taken possession of the forts in James and yorke Rivers, sent severall p'tys of horse, to fetch in, and secure those that oppoased his proceedeings, and takeing example by the late Tyrant Crumwell, he most audaciously proclaimed the Govern and the severall p'sons hereafter named, Traytors to the Cominality (viz1) S: Henry Chichley, Coll. Spencer, Coll. Bridger, Coll. Ludwell, Mr Ballard, Mr Bray, & Coll. Cole, all which are of the Councell, togeather with Coll. Kemp, Coll. Wormelye, Maj? Beverley, Maj: Lee, Coll. Claiburne, Coll. West, Maj: Hawkins, Cap: ffarrell, Mr Sherwood, Mr Whitacre, Mr Cluffe, Mr Page, & Mr Reede, All which p'sons he required to surrender themselues to him att the Midle plantacon within fower days, vpon forfeiture of their estates, In the mean time Mr Ballard & Mr Bray were taken prisoners, onely Mr Ballard had liberty to walke about vpon his p'oll, (Mr Bacon as is conceived intending to pay him. in p'olls the 200", ster' he owes him) This being noysed caused the Govern? to withdraw to Accomack, and severall of the Gent before named are alsoe withdrawne from the rage and fury of the tumult, but their estates are confiscated as delinqts On the first day of August, Mr Bacon confederateing with one Mr Bland a great fomentor of, and a very busy The takeing p'son in these troubles, dispatched att least 300 men, vnder the comand of Bland and one Carner, to take the shipps in James River, viz: the honnor & dorothy, John Moore Comander, and the Rebecca Capt Larrimore Comander, which shipps after some resistance were taken, & Cap! Larrimore imprisoned for fyering ag them. On board which shipps they have taken severall great Guns from the fort att James Towne, and were fitted to take the shipp Rebecca, Christopher Eveling Comander, not onely to prevent all Chichley Im Mr Bacon did that day himselfe take possession of the Greene Spring, and the Govern estate there, And the The Govestate of Maj Gen Smith, Thomas Ludwell Esq and seized. Coll. parke, are alsoe seized. Dureing M Bacons thus Lording itt, and seizeing the estates of such as he terms Traytors to the Cominality, in which & in revelling & drinkeing most of his forces were imployed, The Indians takeing aduantage of these civill comotions, have comitted many horred murders, in most part of the Country, which is altogeather vnable to resist them, theire Armes & Amunicon being seized by Mr Bacons rabble for feere they should be imployed agt him, and dayly murders were comitted not onely in the fronteere Countys, but in y° inward Countys, for within the last ffive days before Cap Evelings Sayleing, ffifteene of the English ern's estate |