received by the council as Governor and Captaingeneral of the islands. The colonists were now numerous, and every day showed strong disposition to break through the selfish and harsh regulations of the Proprietors. The task of enforcing obedience to the rules laid down in the Order-book, consequently became daily a work of greater difficulty. Sir John appears to have been a man of energy, and on every occasion caused his authority to be respected; but the correspondence of the Company teems with complaints against the quality of the tobacco and oil shipped to London, as well as the quantity. The people were forbidden to cut the cedar without special license, and as they were in the habit of exporting their oranges in chests made of this wood, this regulation operated very materially to the prejudice of the place. Previously to the promulgation of this order in 1671, several homeward-bound West Indiamen arrived in Castle Harbour to load with this fruit for the English market. They had fortunately completed their lading before the regulation reached the colony, with the exception of two, which were compelled to leave without cargoes.*

Whaling was claimed as an exclusive privilege, and was conducted for the sole benefit of the Proprietors by the sheriffs, who conducted the business of deputies, termed husbands, who for their trouble appear to have participated in the profits. Fettered as the fishery was, considerable quantities of oil were, however, exported, as 192 tons were shipped in the year

*Public Records, No. II.

1666 and 1669, besides the annual rent of the tobacco.*

Numerous attempts were made in 1670-1 to boil sugar, but as the manufacture was unprofitable, it was abandoned, not, however, before the Company directed the Governor to discourage and prevent it, as too much wood would be required to boil the juice of the cane.

A resolution was passed by the Governor and Council on the 4th of January, 1677, that all readers and clergymen should keep records of births, marriages, and deaths for each parish, of which they were required to deposit certified copies with the Secretary, at the end of each year.†

Determined to make an effort to throw off the oppresssive yoke of the Company, the principal inhabitants addressed a strong memorial to his Majesty King Charles II., appealing to him for protection. This was immediately noticed, and the Lords of the Committee for Trade and Plantations were ordered on the 16th of May, 1697, to examine their grievances and report upon them. Their statement favoured the colonists, and it was ordered by the Royal Council, on the 14th of November following, that in case they did not consent to refer the complaints of the planters to the

* One ship, the Marygold, had received, as a part of her return cargo, in 1670, no less than 250,000 pounds of this article.

+ There is some reason to think that these valuable documents were regularly transmitted to the Company in London, particularly as no vestage of them can now be found in the colony, and as this course was always pursued with papers of consequence. It is much to be regretted that this laudable rule had not been made a law of the land, as these important Records have been, and are still, shamefully neglected.

decision of the Lords of Trade and Plantations, the powers of their charter should be left to a trial at law, by a scire facias or quo warranto.* No sooner had this intelligence reached the islands than the people began to question the power of the Proprietors, and refused to pay the duties levied by them, alleging that they had no legal authority over them. This disaffection became so general, countenanced as it was by some of the Adventurers themselves, who had settled on their lands in the colony, that the Governor was compelled to report it to the Company, who forthwith laid the information before his Majesty. In consequence of this, an order was issued to the Bermudians, dated 25th of February, 1680, directing them to obey the Adventurers until the writ of quo warranto was decided. This was, however, very reluctantly complied with. The last public act of Governor Heydon was to proclaim a day of fasting and humiliation on the 5th of August, 1681. A few days after he left the islands, and was succeeded by Captain Florentius Seymour, as Lieutenant-Governor.

* Appendix, F.

E

CHAPTER III.

Governors F. Seymour-Richard Cony-Dissolution of the Bermuda Company-Governors Sir Robert Robinson-Isaac Richier-John Goddard-Samuel Day-Benjamin Bennet-Henry Palleine-Benjamin Bennett-John Hope-President John Trimingham-Governor John Pitt-President Andrew Auchinteck--Governor Allured Popple -President Francis Jones-Governor William Popple-President F. Jones-Governor William Popple-President F. Jones-Governor George James Bruere.

THE colonists had now (1682) become so open in their violation of the orders of the Company, in defiance of the Royal Orders, that Governor Seymour was forced to issue several strong proclamations, to which, however, very little attention was paid; his administration was popular but short, as he died at Sandys on the 3rd of November after a brief illness. The council assembled on the 9th and unanimously elected Captain Henry Durham of Southampton to fill the vacant office, and he was qualified immediately after; he was superseded by Colonel Richard Cony, who arrived on the 29th January, 1683.

The Company appear to have declined referring the petition of the planters to the Lords of Trade and Plantations, as an order was issued by His Majesty in Council, dated at Whitehall, November 23rd, 1683,

directing Sir Robert Sawyer, the Attorney-General, to appoint such person or persons as he should think fit to peruse the books, records, letters and papers of the Bermuda Company, not only in England but in the islands, and to take such copies as would facilitate the prosecution of the quo warranto which had been brought against the Company's Charter. In consequence of this Mathew Morris and Thomas Smith were appointed for England, and Samuel Trott, William Peniston, William Righton, and John Stone, or any two of them, for the colony.* The order for the last named persons to proceed with the business confided to them reached the islands on the 9th of June; they were all men of importance in the colony, and Mr. Peniston was one of the Company living on his shares. Between him and Governor Cony there appears to have been a bitter quarrel, no doubt arising from the oppressive regulations of the Proprietors from which Mr. Peniston thought perhaps he should be exempt as he was one of the Adventurers; he had just been dismissed from his seat at the council table and as a personal enemy of the Governor was most unfit to discharge the delicate duty of inspecting the affairs of the place. On application to Colonel Gony he at first refused to allow the public records to be examined, but after hastily consulting his council he on the following day overlooked the harshness of Mr. Peniston and offered him and his colleagues every facility.

The Spaniards had recently taken forcible possession of the island of New Providence, one of the Bahamas, * Appendix, G.