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Every land owner was given an allowance or a reduction of taxes if he
planted mulberry trees for the development of a silk industry which was
to block French imports of silk into the British empire.  In the autumn
of 1663 the Virginians and the Marylanders agreed to plant only limited
crops of tobacco, in the hope of raising prices, but the agreement was
violated. There was, however, so much dissatisfaction with the Governor
and his new regime that he asked and received of guard of twenty
uniformed soldiers to accompany him wherever he went.
 
 
In spite of all these efforts, there was no recovery in the tobacco
colonies, and in 1666 the populations everywhere were suffering
intensely.  Four years later the Governor thought to secure his power
by pressing through the House of Burgesses a law limiting the ballot,
even for vacancy elections, to freeholders, a measure already adopted
in Maryland.  Sir William and his Manorial Council of Carters,
Chicheleys, Lees, Ludwells and Wormeleys maintained their autocratic
position with great difficulty.  In 1672 there was imminent danger of
Virginia's deserting the Stuarts and taking the side of the Dutch in
their war for free