A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 559 



" But wee most humbly iutreate you to conceive in this (as the 

 schools distinguish the like Similitudo non curritt quatuor Pedibus, 

 many things may be alike, but not alike in all things; for there is as 

 much difference betweene a husbandman's sowing of wheate to halves 

 in England, and planting Tobacco at halves in Somer Islands, as is 

 betwixt black and white. The husbandman hath his hand ready for 

 the plough, and his houses built ; wee noe such thing, He hath bis 

 beasts of labor to plough his land, wee none but our hands, his 

 wheate beeing sowen his labor and charge is little or none till har- 

 vest, ours is daylie and hourely, his crop being housed his care and 

 charge is ended, then is our care greatest and our danger most, yea 

 of so tickle and dangerous a nature is this Tobacco, in the house, 

 that one houres neglect or the least want of helpe may spoyle a 

 whole yeares cropp, neither is it in the power of man to prevent it 

 when it is come to that passe, soe that the comparison in theise 

 respects (and many others that might be alleadged) will never hold, 

 besides many yong youthes are now out of their tymes, and yerely 

 more wil be. And if they should not be hyred what should become 

 of them. There hath been care taken to make publique tennants of 

 them for improving the publique lands, thereby to defray the pub- 

 lique charge we'h can now bee noe further helpe, because that the 

 publique lands are now all disposed of to the best behoofe, Soe that 

 they must be hyred or they will live of the spoyle." 



^c % % % # ^c ^r 



" Our governor bath been pleased to make known unto us that it 

 is yor wills that yo'r severall tenn'ts should be very carefull in mak- 

 ing and curing of tobacco in the house, it is true that in that care, 

 and the tymely and opportune making up consists the greatest diffi- 

 culty, but if you take from us our former allowance of that charge, 

 great inconvenience may arise mauger the endeavors of the most 

 endustrious, for when a season of weather serves to make up tobacco, 

 that man comonly that hath most helpe doth make the best tobacco, 

 we'll if he pay all the making up out of his own pte. all men will 

 strive to make it up with his owne family without hyring, and soe 

 if the season be over before it be dispatched and that the wind come 

 to north, west-north, north east, or at east we'll is comon, all the 

 remaynder may be spoyled." 



After the Bermuda Company ceased to exist, in 1684, the cultiva- 

 tion of tobacco rapidly declined, and was abandoned after 1 7< > 7. 

 Agricultural pursuits of all kinds decreased, with the exception of 

 raising oranges, which flourished for more than a century. The 



