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 COLONIAL COUX'CILLORS OF STATE

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Gov. Berkeley had appointed Digges to the pkice prior to his own letters patent to Light- foot, and that Digges was "a person every way tit f(ir said office," chrectcd Berkeley to suspend Lightfoot and substitute Digges. Moryson in a letter to Lord Arlington said that Berkeley's commission to Digges "bore date long before Captain Lightfoot did so much as sue for his," and objects to Lightfoot on the grounds that at the time when he re- ceived his comrnission he was not a member of the council or a resident of Virginia, "so that if he hath the place he must be forced to eyecute it by deputy, which is contrary to law," and that he was reported to have "many great debts upon him, one no less than a statute of i/OO." In 1681 reference is made to Lightfoot as having married Anne, daugh- ter of Thomas Goodrich, lieutenant-general in Bacon's rebellion, and in 1692 we are told that John Lightfoot, "lately come into the coun- try," was a councillor. It is probable that he had lately returned from a visit to England. On Sept. 5, 1695. the lords justices, on recom- mendation of the committee of trades and plantations, directed that John Lightfoot be added to the Mrginia council. In 1699 he was collector for the country between James and York rivers, and in 1701 voted with other ccuncillors for the recall of Nicholson. He is also mentioned as having been commander-in- chief of King and Queen county. He died May 28, 1707, leaving issue.

Ludwell, Philip, was the son of Thomas Ludwell, of Bruton, in Somersetshire, Eng- land, who was church warden of the parish in 1636, and steward of Sexey Hospital in Bru- ton. Thomas Ludwell died at Discoe, in the parish of Bruton, and was buried July 7, 1637. Philip Ludwell's mother was Jane Cottington, a relative of Sir William Berkeley, and only

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daughter of James Cottington, of Discoe, a brother of Philip, Lord Cottington. Philip Ludwell, who belonged to a royalist family, was born about 1638, and probably came to \irginia about 1660 to join his brother Tliomas, who was then secretary of state. He v.-as captain of the James City county militia in 1667, and on March 5, 1675, took the oath as a councillor of state. During the absence of his brother Thomas in London, at this time, he was acting secretary of state for two years (1675-1677). During Bacon's rebellion (1676) he was one of the most efficient supporters of Gov. I^erkeley. He showed distinguished courage and discretion in capturing an expedi- tion under Giles Bland sent to Northampton county to siege the governor. After Berke- ley's death, in 1677, Ludwell married his widow and became the head of the "Green Spring Faction," as it was called, comprised of friends of the late governor. From being the si:pporters of government Ludwell and Bev- erley became the champions of the rights of the general assembly and the people. Gov. Jeffreys had Ludwell excluded from the coun- cil. Jeffreys died and Lord Thomas Culpeper came over to Virginia in 1681. He was a cousin of Ludwell's wife, Lady Berkeley, whose maiden name was Frances Culpeper, and at the request of the whole council he re- stored Ludwell to his seat in that body. When Lord Howard, of Effingham, came as gov- ernor to Virginia in 1686 he tried to increase the power of the executive and instituted a fee for the use of the state seal to land grants, lie was opposed by Ludwell and the fee was ordered to be discontinued, but he again lost his place in council. The dismissal only served to increase Ludwell's popularity, and the assembly sent him to England as their agent to petition for relief. While he was in attend-