152 A. BE. Verrill— The Bermuda Islands. 564 
(2) It is likewise ordered that the negroes that are free men and 
women shal be banished from these Islands, never to returne eyther 
by purchase of any man, or otherwise, upon payne of forfeiting 
their said purchase in that case.” 
In 1673, a “daingerous plot” was discovered among the negroes, 
some of whom confessed their guilt. Six were condemned to be 
branded or “stigmatized in ye face [forehead] with an hott iron, and 
their noses slitt, and whipped; and ye rest of ye negroes stigmatized 
and whipt.” ‘The hot iron bore the letter “ R.” 
A conspiracy which was discovered among the slaves in 1761, to 
rise and massacre the whites, caused great alarm, for a time, and 
martial law was declared by the Governor. One negro slave, sup- 
posed to be the leader, having been convicted was burned and 
hanged in Warwick Parish, but the evidence against him was not 
very positive. Several persons were believed to have been poisoned 
by the slaves at that time. 
During a large part of the slavery period in Bermuda, the slaves 
were allowed very few religious privileges and very little education, 
but in these respects the custom varied at different times. Many 
religious differences among the clergymen and sects were partly due 
to disagreements as to the propriety of allowing the slaves certain 
religious privileges, like christening, baptism,* or burial services. 
In the 17th century clergymen of the Established Church seem to 
have been generally opposed to such innovations, though there were 
exceptions. This reluctance to grant religious privileges continued 
down to the time of the abolition of slavery. 
One great reason for the strenuous persecution of the Quakers, in 
the 17th century, was because they desired to teach the negroes. 
In the official statement of the Company, in 1679, they mentioned 
that only about one-half the negro children were christened. 
The slaves were allowed legal marriage from the first, and when 
man and wife belonged to different owners, they were allowed by 
law or custom to be together Sundays or other specified times, and 
their children alternately were to become the property of each owner 
of the parents. 
In 1656, the owners of slaves were required to take them to church 
with themselves, wherever they went. 
*Tt is mentioned that when the slaves had been baptized, they believed that 
they had thereby acquired a right to theirfreedom. When any funeral ceremony 
was held, it usually consisted in the reading of the burial service by some aged 
colored man. 
