The Declaracon of the People.
- For haveing upon specious pretences of publiqe works raised greate unjust
taxes upon the Comonality for the advancement of private favorites and other
sinister ends, but noe visible effects in any measure adequate, For not
haveing dureing this long time of his Gouvernement in any measure advanced
this hopefull Colony either by fortificacons Townes or Trade.
- For haveing abused and rendred contemptable the Magistrates of Justice, by
advanceing to places of Judicature, scandalous and Ignorant favorites.
- For haveing wronged his Majesties prerogative and interest, by assumeing
Monopoly of the Beaver trade, and for haveing in that unjust gaine betrayed
and sold his Majesties Country and the lives of his loyall subjects, to the
barbarous heathen.
- For haveing, protected, favoured, and Imboldned the Indians against his
Majesties loyall subjects, never contriveing, requireing, or appointing any
due or proper meanes of sattisfaction for theire many Invasions, robbories,
and murthers comitted upon us.
- For haveing when the Army of English, was just upon the track of those
Indians, who now in all places burne, spoyle, murther and when we might with
ease have distroyed them: who then were in open hostillity, for then haveing
expressly countermanded, and sent back our Army, by passing his word for the
peaceable demeanour of the said Indians, who imediately prosecuted theire
evill intentions, comitting horred murthers and robberies in all places,
being protected by the said ingagement and word past of him the said Sir
William Berkeley, haveing ruined and laid desolate a greate part of his
Majesties Country, and have now drawne themselves into such obscure and
remote places, and are by theire success soe imboldned and confirmed, by
theire confederacy soe strengthned that the cryes of blood are in all
places, and the terror, and constimation of the people soe greate, are now
become, not onely a difficult, but a very formidable enimy, who might att
first with ease have beene distroyed.
- And lately when upon the loud outcryes of blood the Assembly had with all
care raised and framed an Army for the preventing of further mischeife and
safeguard of this his Majesties Colony.
- For haveing with onely the privacy of some few favorites, without
acquainting the people, onely by the alteracon of a figure, forged a
Comission, by we know not what hand, not onely without, but even against the
consent of the people, for the raiseing and effecting civill warr and
distruction, which being happily and without blood shed prevented, for
haveing the second time attempted the same, thereby calling downe our forces
from the defence of the fronteeres and most weekely expoased places.
- For the prevencon of civill mischeife and ruin amongst ourselves, whilst
the barbarous enimy in all places did invade, murther and spoyle us, his
majesties most faithfull subjects.
Of this and the aforesaid Articles we accuse Sir William Berkeley as guilty
of each and every one of the same, and as one who hath traiterously attempted,
violated and Injured his Majesties interest here, by a loss of a greate part of
this his Colony and many of his faithfull loyall subjects, by him betrayed and
in a barbarous and shamefull manner expoased to the Incursions and murther of
the heathen, And we doe further declare these the ensueing persons in this list,
to have beene his wicked and pernicious councellours Confederates, aiders, and
assisters against the Comonality in these our Civill comotions.
Sir Henry Chichley William Claiburne Junior
Lieut. Coll. Christopher Thomas Hawkins
Wormeley William Sherwood
Phillip Ludwell John Page Clerke
Robert Beverley John Cluffe Clerke
Richard Lee John West
Thomas Ballard Hubert Farrell
William Cole Thomas Reade
Richard Whitacre Matthew Kempe
Nicholas Spencer
Joseph Bridger
And we doe further demand that the said Sir William Berkeley with all the
persons in this list be forthwith delivered up or surrender themselves within
fower days after the notice hereof, Or otherwise we declare as followeth.
That in whatsoever place, howse, or ship, any of the said persons shall
reside, be hidd, or protected, we declaire the owners, Masters or Inhabitants of
the said places, to be confederates and trayters to the people and the estates
of them is alsoe of all the aforesaid persons to be confiscated, and this we the
Comons of Virginia doe declare, desiering a firme union amongst our selves that
we may joyntly and with one accord defend our selves against the common Enimy,
and lett not the faults of the guilty be the reproach of the inocent, or the
faults or crimes of the oppressours devide and separate us who have suffered by
theire oppressions.
These are therefore in his majesties name to command you forthwith to seize
the persons above mentioned as Trayters to the King and Country and them to
bring to Midle plantacon, and there to secure them untill further order, and in
case of opposition, if you want any further assistance you are forthwith to
demand itt in the name of the people in all the Counties of Virginia.
- Nathaniel Bacon
- Generall by Consent of the people.