ade by the trade of their Indians, they inspired them
with such a hatred to the inhabitants of Virginia that, instead of
coming peaceably to trade with them, as they had done for several years
before, they afterwards never came, but only to commit robberies and
murders upon the people.

Secondly. The Indians upon their own frontiers were likewise inspired
with ill thoughts of them. For their Indian merchants had lost a
considerable branch of their trade they knew not how; and apprehended
the consequences of Sir William Berkeley's intended discoveries,
(espoused by the assembly,) might take away the remaining part of their
profit. This made them very troublesome to the neighbor Indians; who on
their part, observing an unusual uneasiness in the English, and being
terrified by their rough usage, immediately suspected some wicked design
against their lives, and so fled to their remoter habitations. This
confirmed the English in the belief, that they had been the murderers,
till at last they provoked them to be so in earnest.

Sec. 96. This addition of mischief to minds already full of discontent,
made people ready to vent all their resentment against the poor Indians.
There was nothing to be got by tobacco; neither could they turn any
other manufacture to advantage; so that most of the poorer sort were
willing to quit their unprofitable employments, and go volunteers
against the Indians.

At first they flocked together tumultuously, running in troops from one
plantation to another without a head, till at last the seditious humor
of Colonel Nath. Bacon led him to be of the party. This gentleman had
been brought up at one of the Inns of court in England, and had a
moderate fortune. He was young, bold, active, of an inviting aspect, and
powerful elocution. In a word, he was every way qualified to head a
giddy and unthinking multitude. Before he had been three years in the
country, he was, for his extraordinary qualifications, made one of the
council, and in great honor and esteem among the people. For this reason
he no sooner gave countenance to this riotous mob, but they all
presently fixed their eyes upon him for their general, and accordingly
made their addresses to him. As soon as he found this, he harangued them
publicly. He aggravated the Indian mischiefs, complaining that they were
occasioned for want of a due regulation of their trade. He recounted
particularly the other grievances and pressures they lay under, and