[14] Charles Davenant, II., 3. Velasco, the minister of Spain to England, writes to Philip III. from London, March 22, 1611: “Their principal reason for colonizing these parts is to give an outlet to so many idle and wretched people as they have in England, and thus to prevent the dangers that might be feared from them.” Brown, p. 456. [15] Force, _Tracts_, I., 19. [16] _Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, 1661-1668._ Abstracts 101, 772, 791, 858. An admirable discussion of “British Convicts Shipped to American Colonies,” by James D. Butler, is found in _The American Historical Review_, October, 1896. [17] Eddis says, p. 66, that Maryland was the only colony where convicts were freely imported; but Virginia seems to have shared equally in the importation. [18] In Pennsylvania and Virginia transported criminals were so numerous that laws were passed to prevent their importation. [19] William Smith, _History of the Province of New York from its Discovery to the Appointment of Governor Colden in 1762_, pp. 207-210. John Watson, pp. 485-486, quotes from contemporaneous writers in opposition to the practice in Pennsylvania, _circa_ 1750; Hening, II., 509-511. [20] “It is a shameful and unblessed thing to take the scum of people and wicked, condemned men, to be the people with whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth the plantation; for they ever live like rogues, and not fall to work; but be lazy, and do mischief, and spend victuals, and be quickly weary, and then certify over to their country to the discredit of the plantation.” Bacon, _Essays_, _Of Plantations_. [21] Bruce, I., 606, says that the order of the General Court of Virginia prohibiting the introduction of English criminals after January 20, 1671 (Hening, II., 509-511), was confirmed by a royal order announcing that the importation of Newgate criminals was to cease, and that this rule was to apply to all the Colonies. But the frequent protests against the practice found in other Colonies at a much later date would seem to show that it could not have been generally observed. [22] Eddis, pp. 71-75. [23] _Ibid._, pp. 69-71. [24] Berkeley’s Report, Hening, II., 515. Brantly, in Winsor, III., 545. [25] “In the year 1730 ... Colonel Josiah Willard was invited to view some transports who had just landed from Ireland. My uncle spied a boy of some vivacity, of about ten years of age, and who was the only one in the crew who spoke English. He bargained for him.”—“Mrs. Johnson’s Captivity” in _Indian Narratives_, p. 130. [26] Hildreth, III., 395. [27] Samuel Breck writes under date of August 1, 1817, “I went on board the ship John from Amsterdam, ... and I purchased one German Swiss for Mrs. Ross and two French Swiss for myself.” _Recollections_, pp. 296-297. [28] _Winthrop Papers_, Pt. VI., p. 387, note. [29] Barber, _Connecticut Collections_, p. 166. [30] Scharf, p. 209.