our Countrey, hazarding drowning to escape punishment; But the grandest offender of them all was taken, whole name was John Phill, the second son of the Negro-woman that came with my Grandfather into this Island. He being proved guilty of divers ravishings & tyrannies committed by him, {{18 }} was adjudged guilty of death, and accordingly was thrown down from a high Rock into the Sea, where he perished [73]in the waters. Execution being done upon him, the rest were pardoned for what was past, which being notified abroad, they returned from those Defait and Obscure places, wherein they were hidden. Now as Seed being cast into stinking Dung produceth good and wholesome Corn for the Indentation of mans life, so bad manners produceth good and wholesome Laws for the preservation of Humane Society. Soon after my Father with the advice of some few others of his Counsel, ordained and set forth these Laws to be observed by them. 1. That whosoever should blaspheme or talk irreverently of the name of God should be put to death. 2. That who should be absent from the monethly assembly to hear the Bible read, without sufficient cause shown to the contrary, should for the first default be kept without any victuals or drink, for the space of four days, and if he offend therein again, then to suffer death. 3. That who should force or ravish any Maid or Woman should be burnt to death, the party so ravished putting fire to the wood that should burn him. 4. Whosoever shall commit adultery, for the first crime the Male shall lose his Privities, and the Woman have her right eye bored out, if after that she was again taken in the act, she should die without mercy. 5. That who so injured his Neighbour, by laming of his {{19 }} Limbs, or taking any thing away which he possesseth, shall suffer in the same kind himself by loss of Limb; and for defrauding [74]his Neighbour, to become servant to him, whilst he had made him double satisfaction. 6. That, who should defame or speak evil of the Governour, or refuse to come before him upon Summons, should receive a punishment by whipping with Rods, and afterwards be exploded from the society of the rest of the inhabitants. Having set forth these Laws, he chose four several persons under him to see them put in Execution, whereof one was of the Englishes, the Off-spring of Sarah English; another of his own Tribe, the Sparks; a third of the Trevors, and the fourth of the Phills, appointing them every year at a certain time to appear before him, and give an account of what they had done in the prosecution of those Laws. The Countrey being thus settled, my father lived quiet and peaceable till he attained to the age of ninety and four years, when dying, I succeeded in his place, in which I have continued peaceably and quietly till this very present time.