you from our immediate protection. And whereas,
you desire by your petition that we should confirm this your
declaration and protestation under our royal signet, and
transmit the same to that our colony; these are to signify,
that your acknowledgments of our great bounty and favors
toward you, and your so earnest desire to continue under our
immediate protection, are very acceptable to us; and that as
we had not before the least intention to consent to the
introduction of any company over that our colony; so we are by
it much confirmed in our former resolutions, as thinking it
unfit to change a form of government wherein (besides many
other reasons given, and to be given,) our subjects there
(having had so long experience of it) receive so much content
and satisfaction. And this our approbation of your petition
and protestation we have thought fit to transmit unto you
under our royal signet.

"Given at our Court, at York, the 5th of July, 1642.

"To our trusty and well-beloved our Governor, Council, and
Burgesses of the Grand Assembly of Virginia."[202:A]

It was in this year that the name of Charles City County was changed
into York.

As early as 1619 a small party of English Puritans had come over to
Virginia; and a larger number would have followed them, but they were
prevented by a royal proclamation issued at the instance of Bancroft,
the persecuting Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1642 a deputation was sent
from some Virginia dissenters to Boston, soliciting a supply of pastors
from the New England churches; three clergymen were accordingly sent,
with letters recommending them to the governor, Sir William Berkley. On
their arrival in Virginia they began to preach in various parts of the
country, and the people flocked eagerly to hear them. The following year
the assembly passed the following act: "For the preservation of the
purity of doctrine and unity of the church, it is enacted, that all
ministers whatsoever, which shall reside in the colony, are to be
conformable to the orders and constitutions of the Church of England and
the laws therein established; and not otherwise to be admitted to teach
or preach, publickly or privately; and that the governor and council do
take care, that all non-conformists, upon notice of them, shall be
compelled to depart the colony with all convenience."[203:A] Sir William
Berkley, equally