A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 561 



In consequence of conspiracies or fear of insurrections, many free 

 negroes were banished after 1650. In November, 1656, all free 

 negroes were ordered banished at once. A proclamation of Gover- 

 nor Seymour, on July 26, 1664, ordered that all able-bodied free 

 negroes and mulattoes should forthwith depart from the islands, 

 with Capt. Stow, on a ship then ready to sail (destination not 

 recorded). Those that did not do so were to become slaves to the 

 Company, in all respects like slaves purchased. A law was enacted 

 in 1674, that any colored persons brought to the islands and remain- 

 ing more than 24 hours should be seized and made slaves to the 

 Company. 



The first colored slaves, one negro and one Indian, were brought 

 from the Bahamas by the "Edwin," in 1616. Fourteen negroes 

 were said to have been brought to Bermuda in 1616, by a pirate 

 vessel, and sold there. 



From that time forward both negroes and Indian slaves were 

 repeatedly brought from the West Indies. In March, 1660, the 

 " Elisabeth and Annie " brought in 32 negroes from Barbadoes. 

 They were sometimes captured from the Spanish or Dutch, and 

 sometimes the}' were purchased. Capt. John Wentworth, a priva- 

 teer, in 1665, captured about 90 slaves from the Dutch Governor of 

 Tortola and took them to Bermuda. In Bermuda the climate and 

 other conditions were favorable for their natural increase, and before 

 ] 700 they even became too numerous. 



Governor Butler, in 1622, referred to his "gang" of negroes, indi- 

 cating their rapid increase in five or six years. In January, 1623, 14 

 negroes were mentioned as belonging to the "generality," and others 

 t<> individuals. By that time they had, apparently, become numer- 

 ous, for in that year an act was passed by the Assembly to 

 "Restrayne the insolencies of Negroes," by which they were for- 

 bidden to carry weapons or to be out at night except by order of 

 their masters, who were to be held responsible for thefts, etc., com- 

 mitted by their slaves. In February, 1629, it is recorded that Lieut. 

 Buckley was allowed 32 slaves, and this was the regular number 

 allowed the Governors for many years. 



The following extract from one of the letters of Governor Roger 

 Wood to the Company, in 1632, gives some idea of their numbers, 

 at that time, and of their relatively small value, for he intimates that 

 he had more than he wanted, or could clothe: 



" And to the extent you shall see that I am not destitute of this 



Trans. Conn. Acad., Vol. XI. 36 May, 1902. 



