title to property in New Plymouth, in Rappahannock, were John Stone, William Lloyd, Henry Awbrey, and Thomas Gouldman.[1]
Jamestown, instead of deriving any practical benefit from the passage of the Cohabitation Act, suffered a positive disadvantage. The opinion had for some time prevailed in the Colony that the capital was far less favorably situated than many spots which might have been chosen for the same purpose. When the statute of 1680 became a law, there was a general impression that one of the towns to be established under its terms would be selected as the metropolis of Virginia, and in consequence many persons who would have otherwise felt differently and probably acted accordingly, were indisposed to build residences at Jamestown. The expressed wish of the King that the members of the Council and other citizens of prominence and influence should set an example to the population at large by establishing homes at that place, failed to have a general effect. Colonel Bacon built two houses in the town, and Colonel Bridger and Mr. Sherwood laid the foundation of others.[2]
Many of the shipmasters appear to have disregarded the statute of 1680 as if it had no existence,[3] while many discontinued their commercial intercourse with the Colony.
- ↑ Records of Rappahannock County, vol. 1680-1688, p. 2, Va. State library. A plat of the town will be found on p. 1 of this volume of Rappahannock records.
- ↑ Instructions to Culpeper, 1681-82. His reply to § 68, British State Papers, Colonial, Virginia, vol. 65; McDonald Papers, vol. VI, p. 165, Va. State Library.
- ↑ In some cases, the shipmasters who treated the Act with contempt were arrested, and their cargoes of tobacco seized. See information against the Recovery and the Baltimore, Records of Middlesex County, original vol. 1680-1694, p. 60. See appeal of the captains of these two vessels from the warrants issued to enforce the forfeiture of the tobacco which they had taken on board. Ibid., p. 64.
