70 HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF NEWFOUNDLAND 



and it is very doubtful whether any settler ever wandered 

 further inland than six miles before the second half of the 

 eighteenth century. 

 As Cover- Sir D. Kirke, the first Governor under the new re'gime, 



nor, Kirke mac j e Ferryland his capital, occupied it with his settlers, who 



introduces r 



rent, were variously estimated at thirty or one hundred persons 



licences, ^ ^638), made Lord Baltimore's house (which was within a 

 1 638-53, quoit's throw of the sea) his residence, mounted in ' Ferryland, 

 St. John's, Bay Bulls, etc.', ' some few,' or according to 

 others fifty-six cannon ; and, if settlers were so insubordinate 

 as to live by the shore or to sell strong drink, he fined them, 

 or, in other words, levied rent and licence fees. He also 

 levied, or said that he levied, under a special power in his 

 charter, an excise of five per 120 fish on alien fishermen. 

 He loved the air, which, he said, perfectly well agreed with 

 all God's creatures except Jesuits and schismatics ; and was 

 loath to leave what he loved in 1640, when he was re-called, 

 and replaced for awhile by two merchants named John 

 Downing and William Rigby. In 1649, by special request 

 from Charles I, his sister Lady Hopkins joined him, his 

 wife and family, at Ferryland ; 1 and in 1651 he was summoned 

 home by Cromwell's Council of State on suspicion of complicity 

 in/o -which with Prince Rupert. Commissioners were appointed to 

 sinter" inquire into Kirke's profits from licences, rents, and excise, 

 inquire ; to collect the same, and to stand possessed of his property, 

 especially his cannon, pending inquiry. New Commissions, 

 for one year only, were issued in 1652 and 1653 to the same 

 effect. Sir D. Kirke was allowed to return to Ferryland in 

 1652, but died in 1653, probably in an English prison, where 

 he was detained at the suit of Cecil, the then Lord Baltimore. 

 Before his death he was cleared of complicity with Prince 

 Rupert and his possessions were restored. It was said by 

 Cecil, Lord Baltimore, that before his death he curried favour 

 with Cromwell by making Cromwell's son-in-law, Claypole, 



1 Charles I's letter, Nov. 16, 1648, is in Egerton MSS. 2395, fol. 36. 



