876 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



The next year a woman was tried for criticising this trial and exe- 

 cution, and was sentenced to be hanged, but was finally reprieved by 

 the Governor " in his great mercye," and remained a " condemned 

 person," and perhaps a " slave to the company," which was the usual 

 mercy shown in such cases at that time. 



According to Gov. Lefroy : 



" The trial of Nicholas Gabriell, labourer, of Pembroke tribe, [May, 1617] is 

 partly legible. ' He was seiitanced to be banged' as Smith says, ' for conceal- 

 ing some speeches Mr. Pollard and Mr. Eich shonld use, tending to the disrepu- 

 tation of the Governour and his injustice and cruelities, and it appears that 

 when he was brought unto the place of execution, the hangman not yet having 

 done his worke, the Governor in mercy granted a reprive and did sentance him 

 to be a slave unto the colony until by his good behaviour he should deserve a 

 free pardon from him.' " 



But Gov. Butler remarks that this was an "irregular and unwar- 

 rantable condition, contrary to the laws and customs of England." 

 Disrespect toward other officials was also punished : 



" Att a Councell Table held the 6th day of September, 1627 : 



Nicholas Jones of Hambleton Tribe (for saying he was as good a man as Mr. 



Devenish although hee was one of the Governers counsel!) was censured to bee 



laid necke and heeles togeather for one hour upon the wharfe at St. Georges 



near the pillorie, with this inscription written over his head : FOR slighting, 



CONTEMNING, AND COMPARING HIMSELFE WITH THE GOVERNOURS COUNSELL." 



Governor Butler, in 1622, according to his History, had a much 

 more serious case of seditious and mutinous language, for which 

 Thos. Harriot was tried and convicted : 



" Hereupon, accordinge to these profes. and confessions, a censure passed upon 

 him by the Governour and Counsell, sittinge publickly in Court, the which with 

 a very uuusuall unanimitie was as followeth : — 



"That be, the sayd Thomas Harriott, their prisoner at the barre, being 

 accused and convicted of all the turbulent behavior and seditious speeches con- 

 teyned in the articles aforesayd, should be conveyed manacled quite through 

 the maine unto Southampton Tribe (wher he had acted the most part of his 

 insolencyes and mutinys) ther to have one of his ears nay led to a whippinge post 

 (which was purposely to be erected and called Harriotts Post) soe to stande the 

 space of halfe a houre, then to be brought back to the towne of St. Georges, and 

 in the pillory ther to lose his other eare : to pay a fine of one thousand poundes 

 of tobacco to the use of the Honourable Company, and to remaine a prisonnour 

 in the gayle of St. Georges dureinge the sayd Companyes pleasure." 



" The which sentence was shortly after executed upon him, only in pity and 

 commiseration the Govei'nor spared him one of his eares, upon his future good 

 behavior, haveing bin also very favourably used in the takeing away only of a 

 peece of the other." 



A stringent law against gambling was passed in 1623. 



