nd eighty settlers) and Virginia; while the Spaniards, the first
settlers of the coast, still held some feeble posts in Florida.

Sir Thomas Wyat, the governor of the colony of Virginia, on the death of
his father, Sir George Wyat, returning, in 1626, to Ireland, to attend
to his private affairs there, was succeeded by Sir George Yeardley. He,
during the same year, by proclamation, which now again usurped the place
of law, prohibited the selling of corn to the Indians; made some
commercial regulations, and directed houses to be palisaded. Yeardley
dying, was succeeded in November, 1627, by Francis West, elected by the
council. He was a younger brother of Lord Delaware.[180:A]

At a court held at James City, November the sixteenth, Lady Temperance
Yeardley came and confirmed the conveyance made by her late husband, Sir
George Yeardley, knight, late governor, to Abraham Percy, Esq., for the
lands of Flowerdieu Hundred, being one thousand acres, and of Weanoke,
on the opposite side of the water, being two thousand two hundred acres.
This lady's Christian name is Puritanical; another such was Obedience
Robins, a burgess of Accomac in 1630.

James the First had extorted a revenue from the tobacco of Virginia by
an arbitrary resort to his prerogative, and in violation of the charter.
Charles the First, in a letter dated June, 1628, proposed that a
monopoly of the tobacco trade should be granted to him, and recommended
the culture of several new products, and desired that an assembly
should be called to take these matters into consideration. The ensuing
assembly replied, demanding a higher price and more favorable terms than
his majesty was disposed to yield. As to the introduction of new
staples, they explained why, in their opinion, that was impracticable.
This letter was signed by Francis West, Governor, five members of the
council, and thirty-one members of the House of Burgesses.

Sir George Yeardley, the late governor, with two or three of the
council, had resided for the most part at Jamestown; the rest of the
council repaired there as occasion required. There was a general meeting
of the governor and council once in every three months. The population
of the colony was estimated at not less than fifteen hundred; they
inhabited seventeen or eighteen plantations, of these the greater part,
lying toward the falls of the James River, were well fortified against
the Indians by means of palisades. The planters dwelling abov