William Berkley

a Knights son, was born of an ancient and honorable family near to, and in the Diocess of, London, elected probationer Fellow of Merton Coll. in 1625, and four years after was admitted Master of Arts. In 1630 he travelled into various Countries, and at his return he was much valued for his experience and knowledge in many matters. In 1646 he was sent to Virginia about publick concerns, and in 1660 when Colonel Mathews the then Governour of that Country died, this our Author being then a Knight, was (in consideration of the service he had done there in defending the people thereof from being kill’d by the Natives, and destroying the great number of the Indians without the loss of three men of his own) made Governour thereof by the unanimous Votes of all that Country, and there continued in that honorable Office till 1676, in which year he was sent for into England, where he soon finished his course. He hath written,

The lost Lady, a Trag. Com. Lond. 1639. fol.

Description of Virginia—Printed in fol. and said in the title to be performed by an eye-witness.

The Laws of Virginia now in force, collected out of the Assembly records, and digested into one vol. Revised and confirmed by the grand Assembly, 23 Mar. 1661. &c. Lond. 1662. fol. Published by Franc. Moryson, and by him dedicated to Sir Will. Berkley, in whose Epistle ’tis said that Sir William was Author of the most and best of the said Laws, and that little addition had been made to what he himself had done during the time of his Government, only what vitious excrescencies had grown in the body of them, by the corrupt humour of the times. This Sir Will. Berkley was buried in the middle Chancel of the Par. Church of Twittenham or Twickenham near Hampton Court in Middlesex on the 13 of July in sixteen hundred seventy and seven.1677. Afterwards a Vault being made for the Lord J. Berkley in the south Chancel of the said Church, Sir William’s body was removed to it, and there deposited 4 Septemb. 1678.