Bacon's Rebellion

thense and preserved from Burning). The towne consisted of
12 new brick Houses besides a considerable number of Frame
houses with brick chimneys, all which will not be rebuilt (as
is computed) for fifteen hundred pounds of Tobacco.¹

      Now those who had so lately deserted it, as they rid a little
below in the River in the Shipps and Sloopes (to their shame
and regret) beheld by night the Flames of the Towne, which
they soe basely forsaking, had made a sacrifice to ruine.

      Bacon goes next to Greene Spring, and during his stay
thereabouts draws a protest or oath against the Governor and
his Party, which is said to be imposed on the People and taken
by above 600 at once in Gloster County, and also forced upon
others in several parts of the Country and is as follows:

Bacons Oath of Fidelity.

     Whereas Sir William Berkeley Knight, late Governor of Vir-
ginia hath in a most Barbarous and abominable manner exposed
and betrayed our lives, and for greediness of sordid Gaine did defer
our just defence and hinder all the Loyall endeavours of his Majesties
faithfull subjects; and further when the Country did raise a suff-
cient Force for the effectual proceeding against the Indian Enemy,
he did, contrary to all Equity and Justice and the tenors of his com-
mission, endeavour to oppose the said Forces by himself and the
Assembly sett forth: of which attempts being severall tymes defeated
by the Peoples abhorrence of soe Bloody a design he left the country
in a small vessell, it being unknown to all People to what parts of
the world he did repair, and whereas as our army upon his departure
betaking themselves to the care of the Frontiers did march out
against the Indians and obtain soe great a victory, as hath in a man-
ner finished all the disaster and almost Resettled the country in a
happy Peace, yet notwithstanding Sir Wm. Berkeley with Forces

      ¹For recent excavations on the site of old Jamestown, see Samuel H. Yonge,
Site of Old “James Towme,”1607-1698, enlarged edition (Richmond,1907).
James- town was destroyed September 19, 1676. Lawrence, the first to act, set fire
to his own house “with all its welth and a faire cupbord of plate”; Bacon with his
own hand set fire to the church, the first there built. Other houses and goods
burned belonged to Colonel Thomas Swann, Major Theophilus Hone, and Wil-
liam Sherwood. Berkeley in his “Vindication” mentions houses of his own
burned at Jamestown. A number of the houses destroyed were unoccupied at
the time.