saw how it should fare with
themselves. From hence it came to pass, that when they were settled
there in a comfortable way of subsisting a family, they grew
sensible of the misfortune of wanting wives, and such as had left
wives in England sent for them, but the single men were put to
their shifts. They excepted against the Indian women on account of
their being pagans, as well as their complexions, and for fear
they should conspire with those of their own nation to destroy
their husbands. Under this difficulty they had no hopes but that
the plenty in which they lived might invite modest women, of small
fortunes, to go over thither from England. However, they would not
receive any but such as could carry sufficient certificate of their
modesty and good behavior. Those, if they were but moderately
qualified in all other respects, might depend upon marrying very
well in those days, without any fortune. Nay, the first planters
were so far from expecting money with a woman, that 'twas a common
thing for them to buy a deserving wife that carried good
testimonials of her character, at the price of one hundred pounds,
and make themselves believe they had a bargain.

'Sec.67. But this way of peopling the colony was only at first. For
after the advantages of the climate and the fruitfulness of the
soil were well known, and all the dangers incident to infant
settlements were over, people of better condition retired thither
with their families, either to increase the estates they had
before, or to avoid being persecuted for their principles of
religion or government.

'Thus in the time of the rebellion in England _several_ good
cavalier families went thither with their effects to escape the
tyranny of the usurper, or acknowledgment of his title. And so
again, upon the Restoration, many people of the opposite party took
refuge there, to shelter themselves from the king's resentment. But
Virginia had not many of these last, because that country was
famous for holding out the longest for the royal family of any of
the English dominions.[13] For which reason the Roundheads went,
for the most part, to New England, as did most of those that in the
reign of King Charles II were molested on account of their
religion, though some of these fell likewise to the sh