but in truth the people of the colony in general thought themfelves little concerned in the difpute. There being three parties interefted in thefe feveral charters; what pafTed between the firft and fecond it was thought could not affeft the third. If the king feized on the powders of the company, they only paffed into other hands, without increafe or diminution, while the rights of the people remained as they were. But they did not remain fo long. The nor- thren parts of their county were granted away to the lords Baltimore and Fairfax;
the firft of thefe obtaining alfo the rights of feparate jurifdiftion and government. And in 1650 the parliament, confidering itfelf as ftanding in the place of their de- pofed king, and as having fucceeded to all his powers, without as well as within the realm, began to affume a right over the colonies, paffing an a6l for inhibiting their trade with foreign nations. This fucceffion to the exercife of kingly autho- rity gave the firft colour for parliamen- tary interference with the colonies, and produced that fatal precedent which they continued to follow after they had retired, in other refpeds, within their proper fundlions. When this colony, therefore, which ftill maintained its oppofition to Cromwell and the parliament, was induced in 1 65 1 to lay down their arms, they previoufly fecured their moft eflential rights, by a folemn convention, which having never feen in print, I will here infert literally from the records.
*^ ARTICLES agreed on and concluded at James Cittie in Firginia for the surrendering and ' settling of that plantation under the obedience and goiiernment of the common wealth of England by the Commissioners of the Councill of state by an- thoritie of the parliamt, of England and by the Grajid assembly of the Governour, Councill and Burgesses of that countrey, " First it is agreed and consted that the plantation of Virginia^ and all the inhabitants thereof shall be and remain in due obedience and subjection to the Comon wealth of England^ according to the laws there established^ and that this subt?iission and subscription bee acknowledged a voluntary act not forced nor constrained by a conquest upon the coun- trey.