Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/68

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

colony, Jeffreys by virtue of his commission a^sumed the government, and marching his troops to Middle Plantation (now Williams- burg) concluded a treaty of friendship with the neighboring Indian tribes. His sym- jjathies being with the popular side, by his influence the assembly in October, 1677, passed an act of amnesty, and threatened a heavy fine against anybody who would call another "a rebel or traitor." Those, therefore, who had been friends of Sir William Berkeley, received very little favor at his hands, and were denounced by him as the "Grcenspring fac- tion," whose tyranny had been one of the chief causes of the civil war. He incurred the special enmity of Philip Ludwell. who married Ikrkeley's widow, because he would not let him sue Walklett for damages done during that time. In this Jeffreys seemed to be right, as Berkeley had promised Walklett, a leader of the rebels after Bacon's death, indemnity on his surrendering West Point. In another matter in which Robert Beverley, the other leader of the (ireenspring faction, was involved, Jeffreys' position was not as defensible. In order to make a full report he and the other commis- sioners (kmanded of lieverley, who was clerk of the assembly, the journals and papers of the house of burgesses, and when the latter declined to give them up they seized them out of his possession. As this appeared to the house an attack upon their privileges, they passed strong resolutions wh.en they met pro- testing against the action of the commissioners. The growing importance of Middle Planta- tion was shown by a petition from some in- habitants of York county that the place he recommended to the king for the seat of gov- ernment. But the commissioners, including Jeffreys, were not willing to abandon James-

town, and on April 25. 1678. the general assembly resumed its sittings at the country's ancient capital, and steps were taken to rebuild the state house and church. Jeffreys, however, did not long survive this meeting of the assem- bly. He died in Virginia, December 30. 1678. The surviving commissioners made a volu- minous report to the English government, in which, under the thin guise of a censure of Bacon, the entire blame of the civil war was really thrown upon Sir William Berkeley and his friends.

Chicheley, Sir Henry, lieutenant-governor of X'irginia from December 30, 1678. to May 10. 1680. son of Sir Thomas Chicheley of Wimpole. in Cambridgeshire, was born in 1 61 5. matriculated at University College, Ox- ford, April 27, 1632, and was Bachellor of Arts February 5. 1634-35. He served as an officer in the army of Charles I., and for a short time was imprisoned in the Tower of London. In 1649. after the execution of the king, he emigrated to Virginia with many other cavaliers. Here he married in 1652 the widow of Colonel Ralj)h Wormeley. and resided at Rosegill. in Middlesex county. On December 1, 1656. he took his seat in the house of burgesses, having been elected to fill a vacancy. In 1660 he was for a time in England, where he was probably a witness of King Charles II.'s restoration. On November 20. 1673. he was commissioned lieutenant- general of the \^irginia militia, and on Feb- ruary 28, 1673-74. the king gave him a com- mission as deputy governor of the colony. In the beginning of 1676. when the Indians were ranging the frontier. Chicheley had command of the forces raised to subdue them, but his trfK^ps were disbanded by Governor Berkeley