had been passed in Virginia in accordance with
the English act of uniformity, and enforcing attendance at the parish
church. The toleration act was little understood in Virginia; Davies
examined it carefully, and satisfied himself that it was in force in the
colony, not, indeed, by virtue of its original enactment in England, but
because it had been expressly recognized and adopted by an act of the
Virginia assembly.

In October, 1748, licenses were with difficulty obtained upon the
petitions of the dissenters for three other meeting-houses lying in
Caroline, Louisa, and Goochland. Davies was only about twenty-three
years of age; yet his fervid eloquence attracted large congregations,
including many churchmen. On several occasions he found it necessary to
defend the cause of the dissenters at the bar of the general court. When
on one occasion, by permission, he rose to reply to the argument of
Peyton Randolph, the king's attorney-general, a titter at first ran
through the court; but it ceased at the utterance of the very first
sentence, and his masterly argument extorted admiration; and during his
stay in Williamsburg he received many civilities, especially from the
Honorable John Blair, of the council, and Sir William Gooch. Samuel
Davies happening to be in London at the same time with Peyton Randolph,
some years afterwards, mentions him in his Diary as "my old adversary,"
and adds, "he will, no doubt, oppose whatever is done in favor of the
dissenters in Hanover." Davies, who was a man of exquisite sensibility,
repeatedly alludes to the torture to which his feelings had been
subjected by the mortifications that he suffered when appearing before
the general court.

There was eventually obtained from Sir Dudley Rider, the king's
attorney-general in England, a decision confirming the view which Davies
had taken of the toleration act. He expressed himself in regard to the
governor and council as follows: "The Honorable Sir William Gooch, our
late governor, discovered a ready disposition to allow us all claimable
privileges, and the greatest aversion to persecuting measures; but
considering the shocking reports spread abroad concerning us by
officious malignants, it was no great wonder the council discovered a
considerable reluctance to tolerate us. Had it not been for this, I
persuade myself they would have shown themselves the guardians of our
legal privileges, as well as generous patriots to their country, which
is t