562 A. EF. 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 you 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 8 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 S 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 Bermudians were willing 
to cheat the Spaniards, in a trade, if they could. But perhaps the 
woman was a sea-cook, at least : 
“Tt 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, 1652, was convicted of stealing various 
articles (value 7s") 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. 
