[We submit here a curious cotemporary account of a highly important and interesting passage in the colonial history of our State, commonly called Bacon's Rebellion, which occurred in the years 1675-6, just a century before our revolutionary contest, and was, in some respects, a very remarkable foreshadowing of that memorable event. The paper has been published several times before; first, by Mr. Jefferson, (or by Mr. Wythe to whom he had sent it for the purpose,) in the Enquirer, of this city, on the 1st, 5th and 8th of September, 1804; from a copy of the original manuscript then in his possession;-2ndly, by the Rev. Dr. Rice, in the Virginia Evangelical and Literary Magazine; in the year 1820; (vol. 3d, p. 128, &c.,) from another copy of the same original then in the Library of Congress, which copy is now in the Library of our Virginia Historical Society, (having been presented to it by Nathan Pollard, a member, after the Doctor's death,) and which we have before us at this time; and, lastly, by Peter Force, Esq., of Washington, in 1836, in his Historical Tracts, (vol. 1st) from the first copy published in the Enquirer. We give it here again, in its proper place, in our chronological order, as one of the select se

ries of "memorials" which we purpose to preserve in our work; as we find it in our copy above mentioned, with Mr. Jefferson's prefatory note, or introduction to his copy of the original, also in it, as follows:]

AN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT.

BY MR. JEFFERSON.

The original manuscript, of which the following is a copy, was communicated to me by Mr. King, our late Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of London, in a letter of Dec. 20, 1803.

The transaction which it records, although of little ex tent or consequence, is yet marked on the history of Virginia as having been the only rebellion or insurrection which took place in the colony during the 168 years of its existence, preceding the American revolution; and one hundred years exactly before that event. In the contest with the house of Stuart, it only accompanied the steps of the mother country. The rebellion of Bacon has been little understood, its cause and course being imperfectly explained by any authentic materials hitherto possessed. This renders the present narrative of real value. It appears to have been written by a person intimately acquainted with its origin, progress and conclusion, 30 years after it took place, when the passions of the day had subsided, and reason might take a cool and deliberate review of the transaction. It was written too not for the public eye, but to satisfy the desire of a minister, Lord Oxford; and the candor and the simplicity of the narration, cannot fail to command belief. On the outside of the cover of the MS. is the No. 3947 in one place, and 5781 in another. Very possibly the one may indicate the place it held in Lord Oxford's library, and the other its number in the catalogue of the bookseller, to whose hands it came afterwards; for it was at the sale of the stock of a bookseller that Mr. King purchased it.

To bring the authenticity of this copy as near to that of the original as I could, I have most carefully copied it with my own hand. The pages and lines of the copy correspond exactly with those of the original. The orthography,

abbreviations, punctuation, interlineations, and incorrectnesses are preserved, so that it is a fac simile except as to the form of the letters. The orthography and abbreviations are evidences of the age of the writing.

The author says of himself that he was a planter, (pa. 20,) that he lived in Northumerland (3) but was elected a member of the assembly of 1676, for the county of Staf ford, (20) Col. Mason being his colleague (21-45) of which assembly Col. Warner was speaker (61.) That it was the first and should be the last time of his meddling with public affairs, (49) and he subscribes the initials of his name, T. M. Whether the records of the time (if they still exist) with the aid of these circumstances, will show what his name was, remains for farther inquiry.

To the right hono'ble Robert Harley, Esq. her Maj'ties Principal Secretary of State, and one of her most Hono'ble Privy Council.

SR. The great honor of your command obliging my pen to step aside from its habituall element of figures into this little treatise of history; which having never before experienced, I am like Sutor ultra crepidam, and therefore dare pretend no more than (nakedly) to recount matters of ffact.

Beseeching yo'r hono'r will vouchsafe to allow, that in 30 years, diverse occurrences are laps'd out of mind, and others imperfectly retained.

So as the most solemn obedience can be now paid, is to pursue the track of barefac'd truths, as close as my memory can recollect, to have seen, or believed, from credible ffriends with concurring circumstances;

And whatsoever yo'r celebrated wisdom shall finde amisse in the composure, my intire dependance is upon yo'r candour favourably to accept these most sincere endeavo'rs of Yo'r Hono'rs

Most devoted humble serv't,

The 13th July 1705.

T. M.

THE BEGINNING, PROGRESS, AND CONCLUSION OF BACON'S REBELLION IN VIRGINIA, IN THE YEARS 1675 AND 1676.

About the year 1675. appear'd three prodigies in that country, which from th' attending disasters were look'd upon as ominous presages.

The one was a large comet every evening for a week, or more at South-west; thirty-five degrees high streaming like a horse taile Westwards, untill it reach'd (almost) the horrison, and setting towards the Northwest.

Another was, flights of pigeons in breadth nigh a quarter of the mid-hemisphere, and of their length was no visible end; whose weights brake down the limbs of large trees whereon these rested at nights, of which the ffowlers shot abundance and eat 'em; this sight put the old planters under the more portentous apprehensions, because the like was seen (as they said) in the year 1640 when th' Indians comitted the last massacre, but not after, untill that present year 1675.

The third strange appearance was swarms of flyes about an inch long, and big as the top of a man's little finger, rising out of spigot holes in the earth, which eat the new sprouted leaves from the tops of the trees without other harm, and in a month left us.

My dwelling was in Northumberland, the lowest county on Potomack river, Stafford being the upmost, where hav ing also a plantation, servants, cattle &c. my overseer there had agreed with one Rob't Hen to come thither, and be my herdsman, who then lived ten miles above it, but on a sabbath day morning in the sumer anno 1675. people in their way to church, saw this Hen lying thwart his threshold, and an Indian without the door, both chopt on their heads, arms and other parts, as if done with Indian hatchetts, th' Indian was dead, but Hen when ask'd who did

that? answered Doegs Doegs, and soon died, then a boy came out from under a bed, where he had hid himself, and told them, Indians had come at break of day and done those murders.

ffrom this Englisman's bloud did (by degrees) arise Bacons rebellion with the following mischiefs which overspread all Virginia and twice endangered Maryland, as by the ensuing account is evident.

Of this horrid action Coll. Mason who comanded the militia regiment of ffoot, and Capt. Brent the troop of horse in that county (both dwelling six or eight miles downwards) having speedy notice raised 30, or more men, and pursu'd those Indians 20 miles up and 4 miles over that river into Maryland, where landing at dawn of day, they found two small paths each leader with his party took a seperate path and in less than a furlong, either found a cabin, which they (silently) surrounded. Capt. Brent went to the Doegs cabin (as it proved to be) who speaking the Indian tongue called to have a "Matchacomicha Weewhio," i. e, a coun-cill called presently such being the usuall manner with Indians) the king came trembling forth, and wou'd have fled, when Capt. Brent, catching hold of his twisted lock (which was all the hair he wore) told him he was come for the murderer of Robt. Hen, the king pleaded ignorance and slipt loos, whom Brent shot dead with his pistoll, th' Indians shot two or three guns out of the cabin, th' English shot into it, th' Indians throng'd out at the door and fled,. the English shot as many as they cou'd, so that they killed ten, as Capt. Brent told me, and brought away the kings son of about 8 years old, concerning whom is an observable passage, at the end of this expedition; the noise of this shooting awaken'd th' Indians in the cabin, which Col Mason had encompassed, who likewise rush'd out and fled,. of whom his company (supposing from that noise of shoote