tive, was foon obfcured by the fuperior abil ities and ambition of his younger brother Opechancanough. Both of them renewed and confirmed the peace which Powhatan had made with the Colony; and Opechancanough finally engroffed the whole power of government; for the Indians do not fo much regard the order of fucceffion, as brilliancy of talents, and intrepidity of mind in their chiefs. To ingratiate themselves with this Prince and attach him more closely to their interest, the Colony built an houfe for him, after the English mode. With this, he was so much pleased, that he kept the keys continually in his hands, opening and fhutting the doors many times in a day and fhowing the machinery of the locks, to his own people and to ftrangers. In return for this favour, he gave liberty to the English, to feat themselves, at any places, on the fhores of the rivers, where the natives had no villages, and entered into a farther treaty with them for the discovery of mines and for mutual friendship and defence.* This treaty was at the request of Opechancanough engraven on a brafs plate, *Purchas, v. 1786, 8. plate, and faftened to one of the largest oaks, that it might be always in view, and held in perpetual remembrance. Yeardley, being rid of the trouble of calling Argal to account, applied himself to the bufinefs of his government. The first thing which he did was to add fix new members to the Council, Francis Weft, Nathaniel Powel, John Pory, John Ralfe, William Wickham, and Samuel Maycock. The next was to publish his intention to call a General Affembly, the privileges and powers of which were defined in his Commiffion. He alfo granted to the oldeft planters a discharge from all fervice to the Colony, but fuch as was voluntary, or obligatory by the laws and cuftoms of nations; with a confirmation of all their eftates real and personal to be holden in the fame manner as by English fubjects. Finding a great fcarcity of corn, he made fome amends for his former error by promoting the cultivation of it. The firft year of his administration (1619) was reinarkable for very great crops of wheat and Indian corn, and for a very great mortality of the people; not lefs than 300 of whom died. In the month of July of this year, the first General Assembly of the Colony of Virginia met at James-Town.* The deputies. were chofen by the townships or boroughs, no counties being at that time formed. From this circumftance the Lower Houfe of Affembly was always afterward called the Houfe of Burgeffes, till the revolution in 1776. In this affembly, the Governor, Council and Burgeffes fat in one houfe, and jointly "debated all matters, thought expedient for the good of the Colony." The laws then enacted were of the nature of local regulations, and were tranfmitted to England for the approbation of the Treafurer and Company. It is faid that they were judiciously drawn up; but no veftige of them now remains. Thus, at the expiration of twelve years from their fettlement, the Virginians first enjoyed the privilege of a Colonial legislature, in which they were reprefented by perfons of their own election. They received as a favour, *Beverley (p. 35) fays that the firft affembly was called in 1620. But Stith, who had more accurately fearched the records, fays that the firft was in 1619, and the second in 1620. P. 160. +Chalmers, 44 favour, what they might have claimed as a right; and with minds depreffed by the arbitrary fyftem under which they had been. held, thanked the Company for this favour, and begged them to reduce to a compendium, with his Majefty's approbation, the laws of England fuitable for Virginia; giving this as a reason, that it was not fit for fubjects to be governed by any laws, but those which received an authority from their Sovereign. It seems to have been a general fentiment among these Colonists, not to make Virginia the place of their permanent refidence, but after having acquired a fortune, by planting and trade, to return to England.* For this reason, moft of them were deftitute of families, and had no natural attachment to the country. To remedy this material defect, Sir Edwin Sandys the new Treasurer, propofed to the Company to fend over a freight of young women, to make wives for the plant ers. This propofal, with feveral others made by that eminent ftatefman, was received with universal applause; and the fuccefs answered their expectations. Ninety girls, "young and uncorrupt," were fent over at one time;† * Stith, 165. Purchas, v. 1783. (1620) (1620) and fixty more," handfome and well recommended" at another. (1621) Thefe were foon bleffed with the object of their wishes. The price of a wife, at first, was one hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco; but as the number became fcarce, the price was increafed to one hundred and fifty pounds, the value of which in money was three fhillings per pound.* By a fubfequent act of affembly, it was ordained, that "the price of a wife fhould have the precedence. of all other debts, in recovery and payment, because, of all kinds of merchandise, this was the most defirable."+ To this falutary project of the Company, King James was pleafed to add another, which he fignified to the Treasurer by a letter; commanding them to fend to Virginia, one hundred diffolute perfons, convicted of crimes, who should be delivered to them by the Knight Marshal. The feafon of the year (November) was unfavourable for tranf portation; but fo peremptory was the King's command, and fo fubmiffive the temper of the Company, that they became bound for the fubfiftence of thefe wretches till they could Chalmers, 46. + Stith, 197. Stith, 167. |