bacco, called a "stint," they would improve the quality and enhance
the price of it. The merchants, to whom the planters were indebted, were
favorable to a stint; but although they would certainly be benefited by
its operation, yet they were apparently not willing to abate any part of
their claims against their debtors. The nett proceeds derived from the
sale of the staple were barely enough to furnish the planters with
clothing. As some remedy for this state of things, the legislature
ordered looms and work-houses to be set in operation at the charge of
each county. Bounties were again offered for encouragement of the
raising of silk, and measures were adopted to foster the culture of flax
and hemp.

In the year 1666, while London was desolated by fire and depopulated by
the plague, war added her horrors. A government imbecile and corrupt, a
court frivolous and debauched, darkened the shadows of the gloomy
picture. The English colonies shared in the miseries of the mother
country. It is remarkable that a book published in England many years
before contained a prediction that the year 1666 would be the very
climax of public disaster.[266:A] It was not unreasonable to conclude,
that the wickedness of men had been directly avenged by a visitation of
Heaven. Evelyn[266:B] says: "These judgments we highly deserved for our
prodigious ingratitude, burning lusts, dissolute court, profane and
abominable lives."

The assembly met in September, 1664, by prorogation from the preceding
September--a compendious mode of dispensing with the popular election.
However, in act vi., the assembly, declaring that the principal end of
their coming together was to provide for the people's safety, and to
redress their grievances, ordered that in future due notice of the
convening of the burgesses should be given to the people by publication
in the parish churches, so that they may then make known their
grievances. The act for a "cessation" passed in June, 1666, commanded
that no tobacco should be planted between the 1st of February, 1667, and
the 1st of February, 1668.[266:C] The governor of Carolina at this time,
and the first governor of that province, was William Drummond, a native
of Scotland.

Similar acts were passed by Maryland and Carolina, but the latter
province, owing to trouble with the Indians, not having given formal
notice by the day agreed upon, Maryland availed herself of the
informality to decline enforcing the cessation.