Bacon's Rebellion

78          NARRATIVES OF THE INSURRECTIONS          (1676

try how it would behave it selfe under a foole. Bacon had
not long bin dead, (though it was a long time before som
would beleive that he was dead) but one Ingram¹ (or Isgrum,
which you will) takes up Bacons Commission (or ells by the
patterne of that cuts him out a new one) and as though he
had bin his natureall heire, or that Bacons Commission had
bin granted not onely to him selfe, but to his Executors, Ad-
ministraters and Assignes, he (in the Millitnry Court) takes out
a Probit of Bacons will, and proclames him selfe his Successer.

      This Ingram, when that he came first into the Countrey,
had gott upon his Back the title of an Esquire, but how he
came by it may pussell all the Herolds in England to finde out,
u[n]till he informs them of his right name: how ever, by the
helpe of this (and his fine capering, for it is saide that he could
dance well upon a Rope) he caper’d him selfe in to a fine
(though short liv’d) estate: by marying, here, with a rich
Widow, vallued at som hundreds of pounds.

      The first thing that this fine fellow did, after that he was
mounted upon the back of his Commission, was to Spur, or
Switch, those who were to pay obedience unto his Authorety,
by geting him selfe proclaimed Generall of all the forces, now
raised, or here after to be raised, in Verginia: Which while it
was performing at the head of the Army, the Milksop stoode
with his hatt in his hand, lookeing as demurely as the grate
Turks Muftie, at the readeing som holy sentance, extracted
forth of the Alchron.² The Bell-man haveing don, he put on
his hat, and his Janessarys threw up there Caps, crying out as
lowde as they could Bellow, “God save our new Generall,”
hopeing, no dout, but he, in imitation of the grat Sultaine,
at his election, would have inlarged there pay, or ells have given
them leave to have made Jewes of the best Christians in the
Countrey: but he being more than halfe a jew him self, at pres-
ent forbad all plundrings, but such as he him selfe should be
parsonally at.

     ¹Of Laurence Ingram, who became leader of the movement after Bacon’s
death, almost nothing is known, beyond what is stated in the narrative. He
had recently come to Virginia, apparently with Captain Grantham, on one of
the latter’s various voyages. Isgrum, or Isengrim, is the wolf, in the old beast-
epic of Reynard the Fox.

 ² Alkoran.