Bacon's Rebellion

house where the Governour and Councill went forth to him;
We Saw from the Window the Governour open his Breast,
and Bacon Strutting betwixt his Two files of Men with his
Left Arm on Kenbow¹ flinging his Right Arm every Way both
like men Distracted; and if in this Moment of fury, that En-
raged Multitude had fal’n upon the Governour and Council
We of the Assembly Expected the same Immediate fate; I
Stept down and amongst the Crowd of Spectators found the
Seamen of my Sloop, who pray’d me not to Stir from them,
when in Two Minutes, the Governour Walk’d towards his
Private Apartm. a Coits² cast Distant at th’ other end of the
Statehouse, the Gentlemen of the Council following him, and
after them Walked Mr. Bacon with outragious Postures of
his Head, Arms, Body, and Leggs, often tossing his hand from
his Sword to his Hat and after him came a Detachment of
Fusileers (Musketts not being there in Use)³ Who with their
Cocks Bent presented their Fusils at a Window of the Assem-
bly Chamber filled with faces, repeating with Menacing Voices,
“We will have it, We will have itt,” half a Minute when as
one of our house a person known to many of them, Shook
his Handkercher out at the Window, Saying “You shall have
it, You shall have itt,” 3 or 4 times; at these Words they sate
Down their fusils, unbent their Locks and stood Still untill
Bacon coming back, they followed him to their Main Body;
In this hubub a Servant of mine got so nigh as to hear the
Governours Words, and also followed Mr. Bacon, and heard
what he Said, who came and told me, That When the Governour
opened his Breast he Said, “Here! Shoot me, foregod, fair
Mark, Shoot,” often Rehearsing the same, without any other
Words; Whereto Mr. Bacon Answer’d “No May it please
your honor, We will not hurt a hair of your Head, nor of any
other Mans, We are Come for a Comission to save our Lives
from th’ Indians, which you have so often promised, and now)
We Will have it before we go;”

    But when Mr. Bacon followed the Governour and Councill
with the forementioned impetuos (like Delirious) Actions whil’st
that Party presented their Fusils at the Window full of Faces,
He said “Dam any Bloud, I’le Kill Governr Councill Assem-

    ¹Akimbo.
    ²Quoit’s.
     ³The fusil was a flint-lock gun, of lighter construction than the musket.