That did not please Sir William Berkeley at all. He took away the
right from a good many people. When he came back to power too he
found the House of Burgesses much to his liking. So instead of having
it re-elected every year he kept the same members for fourteen years
lest the people should elect others who would not do his bidding.
This made the people discontented. But they soon had greater causes
for discontent. First there was the Navigation Law. This Law had
been passed ten years before, but had never really been put in
force in America. By this Law it was ordered that no goods should
be exported from the colonies in America except in British ships.
Further it was ordered that the colonies should not trade with any
country save England and Ireland or "some other of His Majesty's
said plantations." It was a foolish law, meant to hurt the Dutch,
and put gold into the pockets of British merchants. Instead it
drove the colonies to rebellion.
Virginia had yet another grievance. Virginia, which for eight years
had been self-governing, Virginia which had begun to feel that
she had a life of her own, a place of her own among the nations,
suddenly found herself given away like some worthless chattel to two
of the King's favourites -the Earl of Arlington and Lord Culpeper.
The careless, laughter-loving King owed much to his friends who
had rescued him from beggary, and set him upon his father's throne.
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