562 A. E. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 



blacke crewe during my government, I think it fitt in this place to 

 show you a catalogue of your negroes, men, woemen, and children, 

 ten children and three women, lyving upon my charge, for they doe 

 little else than to looke to theire children, for no man wil be troubled 

 with them ; neither doe I desyre recompense for the same, neither 

 will I, so long as 3-011 cloathe them as most nobly you have done this 

 yeare, w'ch I will cause to be husbanded soe that you shall not be 

 deceived herein. This clothing and linen will serve I hope for next 

 yeare also ; as for this, I have put out 3 of them to masters, and 

 after the cloathing of these will put out some others when I can fynd 

 such masters as will be careful for their education." .... 



" Altogether 8 men negroes, among w'ch ould Anthonio is past 

 service, 4 woemen negroes, and 13 children." Besides this, he pro- 

 ceeds : — " I want 7 servants of my complete number, which I am 

 not pressing to bee supplyed withall, as not beeing able to cloath 

 these." 



The following quaint record indicates the current value of negro 

 women slaves in 1648, and the condition of the morals then prevail- 

 ing among them. It also indicates that the Bermudiaus were willing 

 to cheat the Spaniards, in a trade, if they could. But perhaps the 

 woman was a sea-cook, at least : 



"It was consented by the Gou'r and some of the councell that Mr. 

 Sherriffe should sell Blacke Moll* one of the Company's negroes for 

 their use, shee beinge a lazie servant and a lewde liver. Mr. Sherriffe 

 accordingly did sell her to the Spaniards, for sixteene pounds 

 sterling." 



There are many records of the lack of employment for slaves, and 

 of their idleness. At a later period more or less of them were some- 

 times sold to American planters, because they could not be profitably 

 employed in Bermuda. Yet many of the more intelligent of the 

 young negroes were apprenticed to learn trades, and many became 

 good sailors. 



Although the negroes were often accused of, and punished for 

 theft and many other crimes, they seem to have rarely been guilty of 

 murder or manslaughter. Whipping was the common punishment. 

 Some colored men, who had been condemned to be hanged, were 



* Another "Black Moll," in June, 165'2. was convicted of stealing various 

 ai'ticles (value 7 sh ) from two dwellings, and sentenced to be hanged. But she 

 was reprieved on condition that she would act as the executioner, to which she 

 agreed. She commenced by hanging a man named Worth, July 14. 1652, who 

 was, apparently, a white man. and one who deserved hanging. 



