alf; till the further perfecting
whereof, their lordships do, will, and require you, the
present governor and council there, to apply yourselves with
all seriousness, faithfulness, and circumspection, to the
peaceable and orderly management of the affairs of that
colony, according to such good laws and customs (not repugnant
to the laws of England) as have been heretofore used and
exercised among you, improving your best endeavors as for
maintaining the civil peace, so for promoting the interest of
religion, wherein you will receive from hence all just
countenance and encouragement. And if any person shall
presume, by any undue ways, to interrupt the quiet or hazard
the safety of his highness' people there, order will be taken,
upon the representation of such proceedings, to make further
provision for securing of your peace in such a way as shall be
found meet and necessary, and for calling those to a strict
account who shall endeavor to disturb it.

"Signed in the name and by the order of the council.

"H. LAWRENCE, _President_.

"Whitehall, 7th September, 1658."

Superscription, to the "Governor and Council of his Highness'
Colony of Virginia."

Upon the reading of this letter, the governor and council withdrew from
the assembly; and the house of burgesses unanimously acknowledged their
obedience to his Highness, Richard, Lord Protector, and fully recognized
his power.[241:A] So much truth is there in Mr. Jefferson's
remark,[241:B] that in the contest with the house of Stuart, Virginia
accompanied the footsteps of the mother country. The government of
Virginia under the Commonwealth of England was wholly provisional. By
the convention of March the 12th, 1652, Virginia secured to herself her
ancient limits, and was entitled to reclaim that part of her chartered
territory which had been unjustly and illegally given away to Lord
Baltimore. In this, however, owing to the perplexed condition of affairs
in England, Virginia was disappointed; but she secured, by the articles
of convention, free trade, exemption from taxation, save by her own
assembly, and exclusion of military force from her borders. Yet all
these rights were violated by subsequent kings and parliaments.[242:A]

The administration of the colonial government, under the Commonwealth of
England, was judicious and bene