horized, two others who never received their orders." "The natives he
founde uppon doubtfull termes;" so that when the twelve years of Sir
Thomas Smith's government expired, Virginia, according to the
"judgements" of those who were then members of the Colony, was "in a
poore estate."[A]

From the moment of Yeardley's arrival dates the real life of Virginia.
He brought with him "Commissions and instructions from the Company for
the better establishinge of a Commonwealth heere."[B] He made
proclamation, "that those cruell lawes by which we" (I use the words of
the Ancient Planters themselves) "had soe longe been governed, were now
abrogated, and that we were to be governed by those free lawes which his
Majesties subjectes live under in Englande." Nor were these
considerations made dependent on the good will of administrative
officers.

"And that they might have a hande in the governinge of themselves," such
are the words of the Planters, "yt was graunted that a generall
Assemblie shoulde be helde yearly once, whereat were to be present the
Gov^r and Counsell w^{th} two Burgesses from each Plantation, freely to
be elected by the Inhabitants thereof, this Assemblie to have power to
make and ordaine whatsoever lawes and orders should by them be thought
good and proffitable for our subsistance."[C]

In conformity with these instructions, Sir George Yeardley "sente his
summons all over the country, as well to invite those of the Counsell of
Estate that were absente, as also for the election of Burgesses;"[D] and
on Friday, the 30th day of July, 1619, the first elective legislative
body of this continent assembled at James City.

In the relation of Master John Rolfe, inserted by Captain John Smith in
his History of Virginia,[E] there is this meagre notice of the Assembly:
"The 25 of June came in the _Triall_ with Corne and Cattell in all
safety, which tooke from vs cleerely all feare of famine; then our
gouernor and councell caused Burgesses to be chosen in all places and
met at a generall Assembly, where all matters were debated thought
expedient for the good of the Colony."
This account did not attract the attention of Beverley, the early
historian of Virginia, who denies that there was any Assembly held there
before May, 1620.[F]

The careful Stith, whose work is not to be corrected without a hearty
recognition of his superior diligence and exemplary fidelity, gives an
account[G] of this first legislative body, though