Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/637

 the uprising in Scotland had been suppressed with a merciless hand, a considerable proportion of the prisoners were shipped to America. The King in that year addressed a letter to Lord Culpeper, ordering him to permit Ralph Williamson to bring into the Colony and to dispose of fifty-two persons, who had been banished from Scotland for being implicated in the insurrectionary movements which Claverhouse succeeded in putting down with so much cruelty, and Culpeper was still further directed to suffer Williamson to land all others guilty of the same offences in Scotland, who might hereafter be delivered to him. It is a notable feature of these instructions, that Charles commanded his representatives in Virginia to treat as invalid the law prohibiting the importation of felons who had been convicted in the English courts, and to sweep away all hindrances which might be opposed to the execution of the royal wishes. This would seem to indicate that the King anticipated objection on the part of the people to the introduction even of political offenders, an element of population having, as a rule, superior intelligence and training, and comparing most favorably in character with the great body of the agricultural servants of the Colony. In 1685, when the rebellion, led by Monmouth and sustained by a large number of English farmers and laborers, had been crushed at Sedgemoor, a circular was issued to all the Governors of the English possessions, directing them to receive the different batches of rebels sent out of the kingdom, and not to allow them to return or to redeem themselves by the payment of money until the terms for which they were sentenced had expired. Lord Howard, who was at the head of affairs in Virginia at this time, received a copy of this