A. D. 1625. 3^1 



were then equal to one pound flerling. She was alfo to have the vahie 

 of 50,000 crowns in rings. [Fcedera, V. xvii, p. 673.] 



The author of an hiftory of the Caribbee ifles (pubUfhed at Paris in 

 1658, and at London, in EngUih, in 1666), relates, that the EngHlTi and 

 French colonies in thofe ifles had their beginning in the tame year 

 (1625) : that Monf. Defnambuc, a fea captain in the fervice of France, 

 and Sir Thomas Warner, an Englifh gentleman, jointly took poiTelhon of 

 the ifle of St. Chriftophers on the very fame day, with about 300 per- 

 fons of each nation, in behalf of their refpedive kings ; in order that 

 they might have a place of fafe retreat for the reception of the fliips of 

 both nations at any time bound for America. In thofe firfl: times, the 

 Englifli, it feems, were wifer than the French, in building good houfes 

 there, and having wives and children ; whereas the French contented 

 themfelves with fuch huts as the Caribbean natives had, i^vj of them 

 being married. The firfl Enghfh planters employed themfelves in raifing 

 tobacco; but afterward, in imitation of Barbadoes, they fell into fugar, 

 indigo, cotton, and ginger, whereby they foon became rich. That ifland 

 had been difcovered long before by Columbus, though never planted 

 till this year by any nation. It was, however, found to poflefs feveral 

 natural advantages, which induced the Spaniards frequently to fl;op at it 

 in their American voyages. But this French author frankly owns, that, 

 for preventing any fecret intelligence between the native Caribs of the 

 ifland and the Spaniards, (who were at this time the common enemy of 

 both nations in America) the Englifti and French, in one night, dif- 

 patched all the moll factious of the Caribs; and, not long after, forced 

 all the refl; to quit the ifland. In the following year the French king 

 incorporated a number of gentlemen for planting the American ifles. 

 This, therefor, according to this author, was the firfl: of all the Wefl:- 

 India ifles planted by either England or France * ; the bold claims of 

 Spain to the fole property of all thofe iflands having deterred other na- 

 tions till now from fettling thereon : but, as the power of Spain was 

 now vifibly declining, thofe nations juftly thought they had a good right 

 to take pofl'eflion of fuch ifles as Spaui had never yet planted on ; as we 

 fliall fee they gradually did on many others of them. 



Our hifl:oriographers of the city of London relate, that it was in this 

 year that hackney coaches firfl; began to ply in London (Ireets, or rather 

 at the inns, to be called for as they were wanted ; and they were at this 

 time only twenty in number. In ten years time they were increafed fo 

 much in number that King Charles then thought it worth his while to 

 iflue an order of council for reftraining their increafe. 



Kii'g Charles now renewed his father's commifllon to twelve commif- 

 fioners of the navy. Thefe feem to have been moftly flationed, as at 



* The Englidi t-olony of Barbadoes was fettled in the year 1614. 



T t 2. 



