Horses

Horses in the colony went unshod, which caused no damage or inconvenience as the roadbeds were part level and sandy. The ordinary pace of the Virginian riders was a sharp hand gallop which led to the expression "a planters pace" as an indication of the energy with which they travelled and the fleetness of their steeds.
Source: Clayton's Virginia, p. 35.

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The Morning Draught

The morning draught was a popular expression of the earliest colonists. This was the draught with which the day was begun, and it was the popular belief that such a draught was the surest means of obtaining protection against the miasmatic exhalations of the marshes.

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English Beer is Healthy

The reason that the colonists drank English spirits is because the process of boiling the water to make beverages killed bacteria had in the many English rivers and streams.  In fact, during all of the period of plagues, 1300s and 1400s, malaria and dysentery also killed people.  The fact is that the water was contaminated.  That is why you see in some of the old brochures promoting colonization in America that English beer was considered healthy and was regularly transported into the colonies.

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French Wine

The Virginia colonists looked upon French wines as being very dear, moreso even than England. Claret was widely used and in 1666 and 1671 was rated at eight shillings a gallon. This rating was the highest sum at which it could be sold. The Navigation Laws affected costs which was higher than in the Portugeuse islands. Naturally, the colonists consumed English spirits and were transported into the colony from the spot upon which they were manufactured. In 1671 English brandy commanded ten shillings a gallon in Virginia, part of the coasts being a duty of three pence every four quarts. In 1691 the general tax was increased to four pence.

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Daniel Gookin and Anthony Lawson

In 1690 the battle of Boyne occurred between the rivals to the English, Scottish and Irish thrones.  Afterwards, many of the Irishmen who were captured were imported into Virginia as agricultural servants. Earlier, most of the Irish settlers were of English blood, their fathers having received grants of confiscated lands in that country. Such was the case of Daniel Gookin who patented lands at Newport News in 1622 and Anthony Lawson of Lower Norfolk.


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Giles Bland

Giles Bland was known to have a temper. On one occasion he had a heated discussion with a member of the Ludwell family which ended in an exchange of gloves and an appointment to fight a duel the following morning. Bland appeared punctually at the hour agreed upon, but Ludwell failed to come. In his resentment
, Bland nailed the glove to the door of the State-House. Ironically, Bland died on the gallows for the part he took in the Rebellion of 1676 (Bacon's Rebellion). Source: Lower Norfolk Records, Vol. 1675-86, Orders, May 15, 1684.

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Abraham Piersey

In 1639 the accumulated wealth was comparatively small. Sir John Harvey stated that Virginia at this time consisted of very poor men. The largest estate belonged to Abraham Piersey whose occupation as a Cape Merchant had provided considerable advantage, although most of his wealth had probably been gotten in England.

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Judith Randolph

Judith Randolph, wife of Henry, was a lady of high social position. Her last will and testament dated in 1690 is available to members of Virginia Pioneers  It appears that Mrs. Randolph had angry words with card players
Mr. John Piggott and Mrs. Charles Featherstone concerning a wager not exceeding fifteen half crowns. During the course of the game, two bottles of liquor were consumed. Piggott was fond of gambling. In 1682 he was found engaged in a game of cross and pile with Martin Elam and John Milner in Elam's house. The stakes were partly coin and partly tobacco taking place at the home of Mrs. Randolph. He won 300 pounds of tobacco, but claimed on the morning afterwards that he had won 700 pounds. Source: Henrico County Records, Vol. 1677-92, pp. 28, 224.

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