Bacon's Rebellion

bly and all, and then Ile Sheath my Sword in my own heart’s
bloud”; and afterwards ’twas Said Bacon had Given a Signall
to his Men who presented their fusils at those Gasing out at
the Window, that if he shoud draw his Sword, they were on
sight of it to fire, and Slay us, So near was the Masacre of us
all that very Minute, had Bacon in that Paroxism of Phren-
tick fury but Drawn his Sword, before the Pacifick Hand-
kercher was Shaken out at Window.

      In an hour or more after these violent Concussions Mr.
Bacon came up to our Chamber and Desired a Commission
from us to go against the Indians; Our Speaker sat silent,
When one Mr. Blayton a Neighbour to Mr. Bacon and Elected
with him a Member of Assembly for the same County (Who
therefore durst Speak to him,) made Answer, “’twas not in
our Province, or Power, nor of any other, save the Kings
Vicegerent our Governour”; he press’d hard nigh half an hours
Harangue on the Preserving our Lives from the Indians, In-
specting the Publick Revenues, th’ exorbitant Taxes and re-
dressing the Grievances and Calamities of that Deplorable
Country, Whereto having no other Answer, He went away
Dissatisfied.

     Next day there was a Rumour the Governour and Councill
had agreed Mr. Bacon shou’d have a Commission to Go Gen-
erall of the Forces, We then were raising, Whereupon I being
a Member for Stafford, the most Northern frontier, and where
the War begun, Considering that Mr. Bacon dwelling in the
most Southern Frontier County,¹ might the less regard the
Parts I represented, I went to Coll: Cole (an active Member
of the Councill) desiring his Advise, if Applicacions to Mr.
Bacon on that Subject were then Seasonable and safe, which
he approving and earnestly Advising, I went to Mr. Laurence
who was esteemed Mr. Bacons Principall Consultant, to whom
he took me with him, and there left me where I was Entertained
2 or 3 hours with the particular relacions of diverse before re-
cited Transactions; and as to the matter I spake of, he told
me, that th’ Governour had indeed promised him the Com-
mand of the forces, and if his Honour shou’d keep his Word
(which he doubted) He assured me the like care shoud be
taken of the remotest Corners in the Land, as of his own Dwell-

     ¹ Henrico.