BOOK II. CHAP. XIII. 297 



that, if Moles had ever taflcd it, he certainly would not have been 

 lb unkind towards his followers as to include it in his catalogue of 

 uon-eatables ; for I do not know any thing more likely to convert 

 a Jew who wavers in faith in this part of the world, than the temp- 

 tation of this delicious food ; and it may be owing to the juft con- 

 lideration of human frailty, that the rabbis here are too politic to 

 interdi6l abfolutely the moderate ufe of it to the members of their 

 congregation, or perhaps to abftain wholly from it themfelves. In 

 regard to other feds, fome quakers were formerly fettled here, 

 I who came principally from Barbadoes. They had a meeting-houfe 

 in Kingfton and a burial ground, lituate Weft from the town, 

 the walls of which are ftill remaining. They afterwards difperfed, 

 and the greater part retired to New-England and Philadelphia. 

 Very few here at this time openly profefs themfelves of this order. 

 The chief inducement for their quitting Jamaica probably was no 

 other than the indifpenfable obligation nnpofed by its laws, on 

 every man in the illand, to bear carnal weapons in the militia. This 

 ordinance was incompatible with their non-refifting tenets ; and all 

 fuch as adhere to them fo rigidly, are doubtlefs very unlit inhabi- 

 tants for a fugar-colony, which cannot be defended either from 

 foreign or inteftine enemies by a flock of Iheep. In 1732, there 

 appears to have been a remnant of them in the illand^; for a law, 

 palled in that year, entitles them to vote ateledions, proving their 

 qualification by affirmation, infteadof oath. 



A party of Moravians are fettled here, who in fome particulars 

 feem to hold refemblance to the quakers. They are chiefly, I 

 believe, confined to an eftate in the parifh of St. Elizabeth. In 

 the year 1763, the freeholders of that parilli prefented a petition to 

 the aflembly, letting forth, " that, for fome years part, many per- 

 «' fons, who called themfelves Moravians, had arrived there ; that 

 " they always refufed to do military duty, pleading an exemption 

 *' by .aft of parliament, of which they had particularly availed 

 *' themfelves during the late rebellions; that it was conceived fuch 

 *' a pretext entirely frullrated the ends of the deficiency-law, and 

 *' prevented a number of white perfons, capable of bearing arms, 

 *' from being employed upon the eftates where thefe drones had 

 « met with encouragement." It does not appear that the aflembly 

 Vol. IL Q q interfered 



