THE CONSPIRACY IN SURRY COUNTY

THE CONSPIRACY OF THE NEGRO’S IN SURRY COUNTY

. . .The Confpiracy of The Negro’s in Surry County and Their Accomplices for
Levying Warr in This her Majeftys Colony was fo happily Dicovered when it was juft
upon the point of Execution That we Think it for The publick Good of The Country to
Recommend to You The Rewarding So Signal a Service. The perfon who gave The firft
information of The Negro’s Defigns and Continued from time to time to Make Known
Their Confultations, was one Will a Negro Belonging to Robert Ruffin of Surry County:
and Tho at his Earneft Defire his Difcovery was as Carefully Concealed as Could be, yet
in a fhort Time he Became fo much Sufperted That Several Negro’s Laid Wait for his
Life, fo That his Mafter Defiring he Might be Removed to a place of More Safety Wee
accordingly Caufed him to be Conveyed into The Northern Neck where he has Been and
is Still Entertained and Since his Mafter hath Loft The Benefit of his Labour and That
wee have Engaged he fhall be paid, wee not only propofe That he may be Sattisfyed for
The fame; but That The Negro may have fuch a Reward for The Service he has Done, As
may Encourage others to The Like fidelity if Ever any Such Occafion fhoul again happen.

And forafmuch as Several perfons were Imployed in Diverfe Countys on James
River to Take up and Guard The Negros Sufpected to be privy to That plot and have
Claims for the fame befoe Your houfe, Wee Think it Neceffary to Acquaint you That
Thofe fervice [were] Done by order of The Government and for The Common Interreft
and Safety Thereof, and we Doubt not you Will Take Care That the Same be Duly paid

. . .Ordered That The faid Bill, with The amendments, be Engroffed
The houfe proceeded to Take into Confideration The Meffage from The Councill
Relationg to The Difcovery Made of the Confpiracy of The Negros in Surry County and
Thereupon
Refolved That Will a Negro Belonging to Robert Ruffin County Who gave The
Information of The Negros Confpiracy in That County, be fet free, and That in
Confideration Thereof There be paid unto his faid Mafter out of the publick Monys in
The hands of Mrs Elizabeth Harrifon Admrx of ye goods & Chattles of ye late Treafurer
the Sum of forty pounds
And after a Debate, the Queftion was put
That The Negro Receive a farther Reward

H. R. McIlwaine. Ed. Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virgina 1659/60-1693.
Richmond, Virginia.