Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/75

 COLONIAL PRESIDENTS AND GOVERNORS

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Spencer, Nicholas, president of the coun- cil and acting governor after Lord Cnlpeper's departure from Virginia, May 28, 1683. to the incoming of Francis Lord Howard of Efifing- ham in February. 1684. He was tlie son of Nichohis Spencer, Esq., of Cople, in iJedford- shire, England, by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir bxhvard Gostwick. He first engaged in merchandizing in London, and hke many merchants became interested in X'irginia, to which he emigrated in \y). He settled in Westmoreland county, where the parish of Cople was named in honor of the home of his family ; was a member of the house of bur- gesses from 1666 to 1676; and was secretary of state from 1679 till his death in 1689. Placed by Lord Culpeper, who was his cousin, at the heafl of the council, he succeeded him as acting governor, on his departure from Virginia, in September. 1683, according to an order issued shortly before by the privy council establish- ing the rule which was always afterwards fol- lowed that the president of the council should succeed to the executive duties in case of the absence or death of the incumbent. Spencer's administration was quiet, except for some in- roads of the Seneca Indians, who were driven otT with the aid of the tributary tribes. In February, 1684, Lord Howard arrived, and Spencer acted as one of his councillors till his death. September 23, 1689. He married Frances, daughter of Colonel John Mottrom. of Northumberland county, and left several children who have descendants in \'irginia.

How^ard, Francis, Baron of El^ngham, gov- ernor of \"irginia from February, 1684 to October 20, 1688, was a distant kinsman of Charles Lord Howard of Efifingham, who commanded the English fleet in 1688 in its famous battle with the Spanish Armada. lie

was son of Sir William Howard of Lingfield, in Surrey count}', England, by his wife b>ances, daughter of Sir George Courthope, of Whiligh, county of Sussex, knight, and suc- ceeded in 1 68 1 to the title of Lord Howard of Effingham on the death of Lord Charles Howard, grandson of the hero of the battle of the Armada. He was commissioned governor of \'irginia, Sei)tember 28, 1683, and arrived in \'irginia in February, 1684. Among his first proceedings was one to summon Robert IJeverley before the council on the old charge of instigating the plant cutters. Found guilty, Beverley was released on his making an humble and abject apology, wdiich doubtless, like Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., on a similar occa- sion, he regarded as a mere formality. It was far from making him submissive to the governor's will, and when the governor set to work to exalt his prerogatives at the expense of the liberties of the assembly, Beverley as clerk, and his friend Philip Ludwell, firmly resisted him. Hitherto the governors of Vir- ginia had seldom, if ever, used their negative on the laws of the assembly. Lord Howard asserted this right, and was successful in making it a part of the constitution ever after- wards. He attempted to get the house to authorize himself and the council to lay taxes on urgent occasions, but failed. He exacted a fee for attaching the seal of the colony to land grants and. erecting a new court of chan- cery, made himself a petty lord chancellor. All who opposed him in any way were made to feel the effects of resentment. Robert F>everley was removed from his office as clerk and Ludwell was susjiended from the coun- cil. In one measure, at least, Howard deserved the gratitude of the people. In the summer of 1684 he went to Albany, and there with the governor of New York made a treatv with the