u and
every of you shall swear upon the holy Evangelist, and in the sight of
God, to deliver your opinions faithfully and honestly, according to your
best understanding and conscience, for the general good and prosperity
of the country, and every particular member thereof, and to do your
utmost endeavor to prosecute that without mingling with it any
particular interest of any person or persons whatsoever."

The governor and members of the council were declared to be entitled to
seats in the assembly, and were required to take the same oath. This
assembly, which met on the 20th of April, 1652, appears to have sat
about ten days. There were thirty-five burgesses present from twelve
counties, namely: Henrico, Charles City, James City, Isle of Wight,
Nansemond, (originally called Nansimum,) Lower Norfolk, Elizabeth City,
Warwick, York, Northampton, Northumberland, and Gloucester--Lancaster
not being represented.[224:A] Rappahannock County was formed from the
upper part of Lancaster in 1656.

At the commencement of the ensuing session of the assembly, which met in
October, 1652, Mr. John Hammond, returned a burgess from Isle of Wight
County, was expelled from the assembly as being notoriously a scandalous
person, and a frequent disturber of the peace of the country by libel
and other illegal practices. He had passed nineteen years in Virginia,
and now retired to Maryland; he was the author of the pamphlet entitled
"Leah and Rachel."[224:B] Mr. James Pyland, another burgess, returned
from the same county, was expelled, and committed to answer such charges
as should be brought against him as an abettor of Mr. Thomas Woodward,
in his mutinous and rebellious declaration, and concerning his the said
Mr. Pyland's blasphemous catechism. These offenders appear to have been
of the royalist party.

In the year 1653 there were fourteen counties in Virginia, Surry being
now mentioned for the first time, and the number of burgesses was
thirty-four. The people living on the borders of the Appomattox River
were authorized to hold courts, and to treat with the Indians. Colonel
William Clayborne, Captain Henry Fleet, and Major Abram Wood were
empowered to make discoveries to the west and south. In July, some
difference occurred between the governor and council on the one side,
and the house of burgesses on the other, relative to the election of
speaker. The affair was amicably arranged, the governor's views being
assented to. Bennet appea