government upon this occasion, with a view to sooth the feelings of the venerable general, offered him an earldom, and the rank of Field Marshal, both of which he at that time rejected. The office of Field Marshal, however, he ac. cepted on the 30th of July, 1796. He died at his seat in Kent, August 3d, 1797, aged eighty American Biography.

years.

No. VIII.

SAMUEL ARGAL, deputy governor of Virginia, came to that colony in the year 1609, to trade, and to fish for sturgeon. The trade was in violation of the laws, but as the wine and provisions which he brought were much wanted, his conduct was connived at, and he continued to make voyages for his own advantage and in the service of the colony. In the year 161 he arrived at the island now called Mount Desert, in the district of Maine, for the purpose of fishing, and having discovered a settlement of French, which was made two years before,

he immediately attacked it and took most of the settlers prisoners. Gilbert de Thet, a jesuit father, was killed in the engagement. This was the commencement of hostilities between the French and English colonists in America. Captain Argal soon afterwards sailed from Virginia to Acadie, and destroyed the French settlements of St. Croix and Port Royal.

The pretext for this hostile expedition in time of peace, was the encroachment of the French on the rights of the English, which were founded on the prior discovery of the Cabots. Argal on his return subdued the Dutch settlements at Hudson's river. In the year 1614 he went to England, and returned in 1617 as deputy governor. On his arrival he found the public buildings at Jamestown fallen to decay, the market place and streets planted with tobacco, and the people of the colony dispersed in places which they thought best adapted for the cultivation of that pernicious weed. To restore prosperity to the colony, Argal introduced some severe regulations. He prohibited all trade or familiarity with the Indians. Teaching them the

use of arms was a crime to be punished with death. He ordered that all goods should be sold at an advance of twenty-five per cent., and fixed the price of tobacco at three shillings per pound. None could sell or buy it at a different price under the penalty of three years imprisonment. No man was permitted to fire a gun before a new supply of ammunition, except in self defence, on pain of a year's slavery. Absence from church on Sundays or holy days was punished by confinement for the night and one week's slavery to the colony, and on a repetition of the offence the punishment was increased.

The rigorous execution of these laws rendered Argal odious to the colony, and the report of his tyranny and his depredations upon the revenues of the company reaching England, it was determined to recal him. Lord De la War was despatched to Virginia, with directions to send the delinquent home to answer the charges brought against him; but as his lordship died on the passage, his letter of instructions fell into the hands of Argal. Perceiving from it that the rich harvest which he was gathering would be

soon ended, he redoubled his industry. He multiplied his acts of injustice, and before the arrival of a new governor in 1619, set sail in a vessel loaded with his effects. He was the partner in trade of the earl of Warwick, and by this connexion was enabled to defraud the company of the restitution which they had a right to expect. Nothing more of Argal is known, except that in the year 1620 he commanded a ship of war in an expedition against the Algerines, and that in 1623 he was knighted by king James.

His character, like that of most who were concerned in the government of Virginia, is differently drawn; by some he is represented as a good mariner, a man of public spirit, active, industrious, careful to provide for the people, and to keep them constantly employed; and by others he is described as negligent of the public business, selfish, rapacious, passionate, arbitrary and cruel; and harassing the colonists by every species of extortion and oppression. He was without question a man of talents and art, for he so foiled and perplexed the company, that they were never able to bring him to any account or punishment. American Biography.

No. IX.

WILLIAM BERKELEY, governor of Virginia, was born of an ancient family near London, and was educated at Merton college, Oxford, of which he was afterwards a fellow. He was admitted master of arts in the year 1629. In 1630 he travelled in different parts of Europe. He succeeded sir John Hervey in the government of Virginia, about the year 1639. This gentleman had conducted in so arbitrary a manner, that the inhabitants of Virginia seized him and sent him home a prisoner. King Charles restored him, but very soon afterwards recalled him, and appointed in his stead a more just and worthy man, sir William Berkeley. On his arrival he found the country engaged in an Indian war, which much interrupted its prosperity. The war was occasioned by the encroachments of governor Hervey, in the grants of land which he had given. The natives had massacred about five hundred of the colonists, and were still carrying on the work of destruction; but sir William, with a party of horse, surprised the aged Opechancanough, and brought him prisoner to

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