294 JAMAICA. 



but obliged to raife among them a certain annual tribute, which 

 the aflembly varied at pleaCure. During the government of Sir 

 Thomas Lynch, they were aflcffed the annual fum of 750/., be- 

 fldes one fliilling in the pound on their rents. In governor Molef- 

 worth's time, they began to make a confiderable figure, and were 

 permitted to ered fynagcgues, and perform divine worfliip according 

 to their own ritual. And from this period we begin to date their 

 deliverance out of bondage in the ifland. 



It is uncertain, whether at the fiime period they purchafed the 

 intereft of a commander in chief to obtain the royal inftruftion, 

 forbidding the governor for the time being to give aflent to any bill 

 impofmg this partial taxation ; but it was probable from this origin 

 their cuftom began of prefenting every new governor, upon his ar- 

 rival, with a peace-offering, confifting of a purfe of doubloons, I 

 have heard, that the firfl oblation of this fort was, for decency-fake, 

 conveyed in a pyc ; whence it has obtained this nick-name. The 

 ■fnialler douceur, prefeuted to a lieutenant-governor, is ftyled a tart; 

 "and the flill fmaller perquifite, to the fecretary, a tartlet \_y\ Op- 

 preflion had taught them, that no argument was fo powerful as 

 this in foliciting for proteflion. It muft be acknowledged, how- 

 ever, that thefe people have fhewn themfelves very good and 

 tifeful fubjec^s upon many occafions. When the French invaded 



Pllloles. 



[_>>] Their prefeiit to a new governor In cliief has generally been, as I am told, about 200 



*Fo a lieutenant-governor, — ■ ■ ' - ■ 1 50 



To a prefident, I fiippofe the llime. 



To the governor's, fi^c. fecretary, —— C^q 



I fliall take the opportunity of inentioning here, what I omitted in the proper place, that the 

 governor's fecretary has no "tixetl falary ; nor any fees allowed by law, except a trifling fiwn oil cer- 

 -tificates of freedom taken out, which are renewal^le only once in feven yeaiis: but his income is 

 rated by foine at about 1000/. flerling per annum; and by others much higher. It arifes from 

 the gratuities he receives on all civil and military commillions and warrants iifiied by the governor, 

 efpecially upon entrance of the latter into office ^ at which time' it has been often the pradlice to 

 renew fuch commillions, &c. merely to put money into the fecretary's pocket. And fome go- 

 vernors have condescended to take a fhare in the profits ; for they are i'lmetimes confiderable, fitty 

 pilloles h.iving often been given for aii honorary poff in the militia. ' Other emoluments accrue 

 from let-paflfs, granted to foreign veilels entering Port Royal harbour (« hich may be recktined 

 among the number of impolitic rcllric^ions laid upon the trade of tiio illaiid) ; likewife from 

 orders lor furveying crown-lands, and_/«/j; and, in fhort, tVom every other inftrument veiling 

 any ofKce, preferment, or commilfion, within the governor's gift or appolritu^cnt. F>ut the prin- 

 .cipal harveitis gleaned, intiiaeof v.-ar, t'rora the grant of letters of muniue, and flags of truce. 



this 



