" Thus came to early and untimely
end the ringleaders of Bacon's Rebellion. In all, by the Governor's
command, thirty-seven men suffered death by hanging.
There comes to us, down the centuries, the comment of that King for whom
Berkeley was so zealous, a man who fell behind his colonial Governor in
singleness of interest but excelled him in good nature. "That old fool,"
said the second Charles, "has hanged more men in that naked country than I
have done for the murder of my father!"
That letter which Berkeley had written some months before to his sovereign
about the "waters of rebellion" was now seen to have borne fruit. In
January, while the Governor was yet running down fugitives, confiscating
lands, and hanging "traitors," a small fleet from England sailed in,
bringing a regiment of "Red Coates," and with them three commissioners
charged with the duty of bringing order out of confusion. These
commissioners, bearing the King's proclamation of pardon to all upon
submission, were kinder than the irascible and vindictive Governor of
Virginia, and they succeeded at last in restraining his fury. They made
their report to England, and after some months obtained a second royal
proclamation censuring Berkeley's vengeful course, "so derogatory to our
princely clemency," abrogating the Assembly's more violent acts, and
extending full pardon to all concerned in the late "rebellion," saving only
the arch-rebel Bacon -- to whom perhaps it now made little difference if they
pardoned him or not.
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