Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/64

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

and removed to West Point, which was named for him. In March, i6f>o. a resolution of good will was passed by the general assembly, when in recognition of the many important favors and services rendered X'irginia by "the noble family of the Wests," Captam West, now in his old age, and his family, were exempted irom taxati(jn during his life. Captain West k-ft an only son Lieutenant Col. John West. who resided at West Point and took an im- portant i)art in the affairs of the colony dur- ing his lifetime.

Berkeley, Sir William, governor and cap- tain general of X'irginia from 1642 to 1652 and from 1660 to 1677. was son of Sir Maurice llcrkeley. and brother of Lord Jolm I'.erkeley (jf Stratton. He was born at liruton, in Som- ersetshire, England, about 1610; graduated Master of Arts at Oxford in 1629. and trav- elled extensively in Europe. He was com- missioned by King Charles governor of Vir- ginia, Augu.st 9, 1641. and arrived in the colony in I'\-bruary, 1642. bearing with him the assurance of the king that the charter would not be restored. On April 18, 1644, a second Indian massacre occurred, but this did not prevent his visiting England in June, 1644, where he remained at the king's camp till June, 1645. In his absence his place was fdled by Richard Keni]). a member of the council, who had been its secretary. Another event of jjerk- eley's first administration was the expulsion of the Puritans from Norfolk and Nanse- mond counties. During the civil war in Eng- land many cavalier officers and f)ther friends of the king emigrated to \'irginia. The result was to give a strong royalist sympathy to the colony, .so that the death of Charles T. was denounced by the assembly as murder, and to question the right of Charles II. was declared

treason. At last, in 165 1, parliament sent a fteet to subdue the country, but force was not used, and an accommodation was agreed to by both sides. April 30, 1652, Berkeley was super- ceded in the government by Richard Ben- nett ; whereupon he retired to his country resi- dence, "Greenspring," distant about five miles from Jamestown.

In January, 1660, Governor Samuel Mat- thews died and the general assembly, who had became disgusted with the chaotic state of affairs in England, recalled Governor Berkeley to the government in the March following. He was commissioned by Charles II. July 31,

1660, and Charles II. himself was proclaimed in Virginia, September 20, 1660. In April,

1661, Berkeley was sent by the colony to Eng- land to protest against the navigation act, Col. Francis Morryson acting as governor till Berk- eley's return in the fall of 1662. The reaction of the restoration occasioning much extrava- gance among the government officials finally brought about a great feeling of unrest in Vir- ginia. This discontent, increased by the lavish grants of land by King Charles to certain court favorites, was brought to a head, in 1676, by an Indian attack. The measures taken by Berkeley were deemed ineffective, and the authority of defending the people was assumed by Nathaniel Bacon. Jr., a recent arrival. Sir William Berkeley declared him a rebel, and the colony was torn with opposing factions of armed men for nearly a year. Bacon perished of camp fever, and Berkeley showed much severity in punishing the sur- viving leaders. He was finally recalled by the king and died at Twickenham. July 9, 1677. He wrote two plays, and is the author of a "Description of Virginia," folio, 1663. ^^ was survived by his wife, Lady Frances Berkeley, who was a Culpepcr. and married