encroaching on the confines of prerogative, were
suspended by the governor, and thus fell through. Governor Nott procured
the passage of an act providing for the building of a palace for the
governor, and appropriating three thousand pounds to that object, and he
dissented to an act infringing on the governor's right of appointing
justices of the peace, by making the concurrence of five of the council
necessary. An act establishing the general court was afterwards
disallowed by the board of trade, because it did not recognize the
appellate rights of the crown. This assembly passed a new act for the
establishment of ports and towns, "grounding it only upon encouragements
according to her majesty's letter;" but the Virginia merchants
complaining against it, this measure also failed.

During the first year of Nott's administration the College of William
and Mary was destroyed by fire.[376:A] The assembly had held their
sessions in it for several years. Governor Nott died in August, 1706,
aged forty-nine years. The assembly erected a monument to his memory in
the graveyard of the church at Williamsburg. In the inscription he is
styled, "His Excellency, Edward Nott, the late Governor of this Colony."
It appears that he and his successors were allowed to retain the chief
title, as giving them more authority with the people, the Earl of Orkney
being quite content with a part of the salary.

England having now adopted the French policy of appointing military men
for the colonial governments, in 1708 Robert Hunter, a brigadier-general,
a scholar, and a wit--a friend of Addison and Swift--was appointed
lieutenant-governor of Virginia; but he was captured on the voyage by
the French. Dean Swift, in January, 1708-9, writes to him, then a
prisoner in Paris, that unless he makes haste to return to England and
get him appointed Bishop of Virginia, he will be persuaded by Addison,
newly appointed secretary of state for Ireland, to accompany him.[377:A]
Two months later he writes to him: "All my hopes now terminate in being
made Bishop of Virginia." In the year 1710 Hunter became Governor of New
York and the Jerseys, and his administration was happily conducted.

Samuel Sandford, who had been some time resident in Accomac County: by
his will, dated at London in this year, he leaves a large tract of land,
the rents and profits to be appropriated to the education of the
children of the poor. It appears probable that he had served as a