BOOK II. CHAP. VII. 89 



the ifland, or that have eloped and been detained in a few years pafr, 

 computed at eight hundred ; the value of which, that is, the ac- 

 tual lofs to their owners, at the lowed calculation, cannot be rated 

 •at lefs than 40,000/. Jamaica money. Had they taken a loaded 

 fliip from us of half that value, the whole body of merchants 

 would have rung the alarm, and the clamours of the nation would 

 have fpeedily reached the cabinet at Madrid. Why the injury done 

 to our planters has been lefs held in eftimation, why no redrefs has 

 been obtained for them, for their paft lofles, nor fecurity againfl 

 the future, notwithflianding this affair has been flrenuoufly repre- 

 fented, I am unable to difcover. Our Britifh courts of juftice, 

 adopting the principle of Gronovius, inform us, that a Negroe, 

 coming from one of our own colonies into Great-Britain, in what 

 manner foever, becomes inftantly difcharged from the fervice of his 

 owner. Perhaps a Spanilh Gronovius has been found, to aflert 

 the propriety of this kidnapping by the like rule of, " Servus pere- 

 " grinus, Jimul (ttque terram Hifpanicam ietiger'it, eodem momenta 

 *-'■ Hher jiat\'' under this referve, however, that he is free only 

 quoad his Britifh owner, but not fo quoad the king of Jerufalem \r\ 

 But, to have done with a fubjecl on which perhaps I may be 

 thought to have fa id too much, I return to the parifh of St. Anne. 

 From White River to Rio Bueno, its Eaftern and Weftern boun- 

 daries, there is a continued pretty level ground, for about twenty- 

 four miles in length, along the coaft, extending in breadth in few 

 places more than one mile to the foot of the hills, which rife gra- 



[r] It is probable, that the ecclefiaftics derive fome pecuniary benefit from this praftice, as it 

 conforms to fome of the Romifh doctrines ; agreeably to the true fpirit of which, that canon was 

 injoined by the pope to the bifliop of Worcetter, in the year 1497, viz. " that a man (hould be 

 «' permitted to retain the property of another perfon, by what method foever he had feized or ac. 

 " quired it, provided he gave a certain portion thereof to the pope's commilTaries, or fubllitutes." 

 Irenasus was the firll who broached this infamous tenet, in his argument to juftify the Ifraelites for 

 having robbed the Egyptians of their plate and jewels. The ftale pretext of the Spaniards, 

 founded on their zeal in the caufe of holy mother-church, and the tenor of the royal cedula, 

 feem to correfpond exaftly with the fame abominable principle, trnd encourage the Negroes of our 

 iilands to rob their mailers, and defert to them ; who maintain, that, if a fliare of the plunder be 

 but given to their church, the converfion from paganifm to their faith is fufticient of itfelf to ex- 

 tenuate all preceding crimes. Such pofitions are fuitable only to a community of thieves, or to the 

 deluded votaries ot fuch a religion. They may apply to tliemfelves and their difciples, with great 

 propriety, the words of a French gentleman, mentioned by Lord Orrery : Four 'vom dire la ivcrite, 

 noiiijommes tous iki h»n catboUques ; man pour la religion, nous 71 en avons point. " To fay the uuth, 

 " we are all good catholicsj but, as for religion, we have none." 



Vol. II. N dually 



