nt," James Stuart set himself with obstinacy and some cunning
to the Company's undoing. The court party gave the King aid, and
circumstances favored the attempt. Captain Nathaniel Butler, who had
once been Governor of the Somers Islands and had now returned to England
by way of Virginia, published in London "The Unmasked Face of Our Colony
in Virginia", containing a savage attack upon every item of Virginian
administration.

The King's Privy Council summoned the Company, or rather the "country"
party, to answer these and other allegations. Southampton, Sandys, and
Ferrar answered with strength and cogency. But the tide was running
against them. James appointed commissioners to search out what was wrong
with Virginia. Certain men were shipped to Virginia to get evidence
there, as well as support from the Virginia Assembly. In this attempt
they signally failed. Then to England came a Virginia member of the
Virginia Council, with long letters to King and Privy Council: the
Sandys-Southampton administration had done more than well for Virginia.
The letters were letters of appeal. The colony hoped that "the Governors
sent over might not have absolute authority, but might be restrained
to the consent of the Council.... But above all they made it their most
humble request that they might still retain the liberty of their
General Assemblies; than which nothing could more conduce to the publick
Satisfaction and publick Liberty."

In London another paper, drawn by Cavendish, was given to King and Privy
Council. It answered many accusations, and among others the statement
that "the Government of the companies as it then stood was democratical
and tumultuous, and ought therefore to be altered, and reduced into the
Hands of a few." It is of interest to hear these men speak, in the year
1623, in an England that was close to absolute monarchy, to a King who
with all his house stood out for personal rule. "However, they owned
that, according to his Majesty's Institution, their Government had some
Show of a democratical Form; which was nevertheless, in that Case, the
most just and profitable, and most conducive to the Ends and Effects
aimed at thereby.... Lastly, they observed that the opposite Faction
cried out loudly against Democracy, and yet called for Oligarchy; which
would, as they conceived, make the Government neither of better Form,
nor more monarchical."

But the dissolution of the Virginia Company was at hand. In October,