Bacon's Rebellion

one he sets to worke (playing som calls itt, that takes delight
to see stately structurs beated downe, and Men blowne up
into the aire like Shutle Cocks) against the Ships, the other
against the enterance into Towne, for to open a pasage to his
intended Storm, which now was resalved upon as he said,
and which was prevented by the Governours forsakeing the
place, and shiping himselfe once more to Accomack; takeing
along with him all the Towne people, and there goods, leaveing
all the grate Guns naled up, and the howses emty, for Bacon
to enter at his pleasure, and which he did the next morning
before day: Where, contrary to his hopes, he met with nothing
that might satisfie eather him selfe or soulders desires, except
few Horses, two or three sellers of wine, and som small
quantety of Indian Corne with a grate many Tan’d hides.

      The Governour did not presently leave James River, but
rested at an Ancor som 20 miles below the Towne, which made
Bacon entertaine som thoughts, that eather hee might have a
desire to re-enter his late left quarters, or return and block
him up, as he had Sir William. And that there was som prob-
abilliety Sir W. might steare such a course was news from Po-
tomack (a province within the North Verge of Verginia) that
Collonell Brent¹ was marching at the head of 1000 Soulders
towards Towne in vindication of the Governours quarill. The
better to prevent Sir Williams designes (if he had a desire to
returne) and to hinder his Conjuntion with Brent (after that
he had consulted with his Cabinett Councell) he in a most
barberous maner converts the wholl Towne into flames, cin-
ders and ashes, not, so much as spareing the Church, and the
first that ever was in Verginia.

      Haveing performed this Flagitious, and sacralidgious ac-
tion (which put the worst of Sperits into a horid Consternation,
at so in-humane a fact) he marcheth his men to the Greene
spring (the Governours howse soe named)² where haveing
stade (feasting his Army at the Governours Cost) two or 3
days, till he was inform’d of Sir Williams Motion, he wafts his
soulders over the River, at Tindells point,³ in to Glocester

       ¹ Colonel Giles Brent, p. 128, note 2.
     ² Three miles above Jamestown. Its brick walls are still standing.
     ³ Tindall’s Point, now Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown (Brown, Genesis of the United States, no. xr,vr).