[77] From the list of Surry grievances we may cite “6. That the 2 s per hhd Imposed by ye 128th act for the payment of his majestyes officers & other publique debts thereby to ease his majestyes poore subjects of their great taxes: wee humblely desire that an account may be given thereof.... 10. That it has been the custome of County Courts att the laying of the levy to withdraw into a private Roome by wch meanes the poore people not knowing for what they paid their levy did allways admire how their taxes could be so high. Wee most humbly pray that for the future the County levy may be laid publickly in the Court house.” From the Isle of Wight grievances, “21. Wee doe also desire to know for what purpose or use the late publique leavies of 50 pounds of tobacco and cask per poll and the 12 pound per polle is for and what benefit wee are to have for it.” Virginia Magazine, ii. 171, 172, 389.
[78] Isle of Wright grievances, “16. Also wee desire that evrie man may be taxed according to the tracks [tracts] of Land they hold.” Virginia Magazine, ii. 388.
[79] “One proclamation commanded all men in the land on pain of death to joine him, and retire into the wildernesse upon arrival of the forces expected from England, and oppose them untill they should propose or accept to treat of an accomodation, which we who lived comfortably could not have undergone, so as the whole land must have become an Aceldama if god’s exceeding mercy had not timely removed him.” So says T. M., whose narrative is by no means unfriendly to Bacon.
[80] Bruce, Economic History of Virginia, i. 402.
[81] Bruce, Economic History of Virginia, i. 405; Hening’s Statutes, ii. 562.
[82] Doyle’s Virginia, p. 261.
[83] Hening’s Statutes, iii. 10.
[84] Doyle’s Virginia, pp. 259-265; Stanard, “Robert Beverley and his Descendants,” Virginia Magazine, ii. 405-413; Hening’s Statutes, iii. 41, 451-571.
[85] William and Mary College Quarterly, i. 66.
[86] From time to time there had been futile attempts to take up the matter afresh; see, for example, Hening’s Statutes, ii. 30.