Promising sons were sent to England to school and university.

But the lack of means to knowledge for the mass of the colony began to be painfully apparent.
In the time of Charles the First one Benjamin Symms had left his means for the founding of a free school in Elizabeth County, and his action had been solemnly approved by the Assembly.

By degrees there appeared other similar free schools, though they were never many nor adequate.
But the first Assembly after the Restoration had made provision for a college.

Land was to have been purchased and the building completed as speedily as might be.

The intent had been good, but nothing more had been done.
There was in Virginia, sent as Commissioner of the Established Church, a Scotch ecclesiastic, Dr.James Blair.