COLONIAL COUX'CILLORS OF STATE
145
Gov. Berkeley had appointed Digges to the
pkice prior to his own letters patent to Light-
foot, and that Digges was "a person every
way tit f(ir said office," chrectcd Berkeley to
suspend Lightfoot and substitute Digges.
Moryson in a letter to Lord Arlington said
that Berkeley's commission to Digges "bore
date long before Captain Lightfoot did so
much as sue for his," and objects to Lightfoot
on the grounds that at the time when he re-
ceived his comrnission he was not a member of
the council or a resident of Virginia, "so that
if he hath the place he must be forced to
eyecute it by deputy, which is contrary to
law," and that he was reported to have "many
great debts upon him, one no less than a
statute of i/OO." In 1681 reference is made
to Lightfoot as having married Anne, daugh-
ter of Thomas Goodrich, lieutenant-general in
Bacon's rebellion, and in 1692 we are told that
John Lightfoot, "lately come into the coun-
try," was a councillor. It is probable that he
had lately returned from a visit to England.
On Sept. 5, 1695. the lords justices, on recom-
mendation of the committee of trades and
plantations, directed that John Lightfoot be
added to the Mrginia council. In 1699 he was
collector for the country between James and
York rivers, and in 1701 voted with other
ccuncillors for the recall of Nicholson. He is
also mentioned as having been commander-in-
chief of King and Queen county. He died
May 28, 1707, leaving issue.
Ludwell, Philip, was the son of Thomas Ludwell, of Bruton, in Somersetshire, Eng- land, who was church warden of the parish in 1636, and steward of Sexey Hospital in Bru- ton. Thomas Ludwell died at Discoe, in the parish of Bruton, and was buried July 7, 1637. Philip Ludwell's mother was Jane Cottington, a relative of Sir William Berkeley, and only
VIR— 10
daughter of James Cottington, of Discoe, a
brother of Philip, Lord Cottington. Philip
Ludwell, who belonged to a royalist family,
was born about 1638, and probably came to
\irginia about 1660 to join his brother
Tliomas, who was then secretary of state. He
v.-as captain of the James City county militia
in 1667, and on March 5, 1675, took the oath
as a councillor of state. During the absence
of his brother Thomas in London, at this time,
he was acting secretary of state for two years
(1675-1677). During Bacon's rebellion (1676)
he was one of the most efficient supporters of
Gov. I^erkeley. He showed distinguished
courage and discretion in capturing an expedi-
tion under Giles Bland sent to Northampton
county to siege the governor. After Berke-
ley's death, in 1677, Ludwell married his
widow and became the head of the "Green
Spring Faction," as it was called, comprised of
friends of the late governor. From being the
si:pporters of government Ludwell and Bev-
erley became the champions of the rights of
the general assembly and the people. Gov.
Jeffreys had Ludwell excluded from the coun-
cil. Jeffreys died and Lord Thomas Culpeper
came over to Virginia in 1681. He was a
cousin of Ludwell's wife, Lady Berkeley,
whose maiden name was Frances Culpeper,
and at the request of the whole council he re-
stored Ludwell to his seat in that body. When
Lord Howard, of Effingham, came as gov-
ernor to Virginia in 1686 he tried to increase
the power of the executive and instituted a fee
for the use of the state seal to land grants,
lie was opposed by Ludwell and the fee was
ordered to be discontinued, but he again lost
his place in council. The dismissal only served
to increase Ludwell's popularity, and the
assembly sent him to England as their agent to
petition for relief. While he was in attend-
