ssession of the Dutch and English. A conflict between the two
ensued and by a series of attacks the English forced the Dutch to
leave. The Spaniards in Porto Rico, alarmed at this rising English
colony so near, exterminated the English in 1650. Soon afterwards the
French at St. Christopher took the island with an expedition. Then in
1653 Louis XIV transferred St. Croix with St. Christopher, St.
Bartholomew and St. Martin to the Knights of Malta. In 1665 a newly
formed West Indian Company purchased the island from the Order of
Malta, but the company being dissolved by royal edict, the island
again became annexed to the Crown. On account of destructive droughts
the island was practically abandoned and the forts were demolished in
1720. The French again took possession of the island in 1727 and held
it until 1733 when it was purchased by the Guinea Company and later
from that firm by the King of Denmark. See Taylor, "A Few Words about
St. Croix," 5-7; and Rochfort, "Histoire naturelle et morale des iles
Antilles," 45.

[371] These regulations were:

1. The leader of runaway slaves shall be pinched three times with
red-hot iron, and then hung.

2. Each other runaway slave shall lose one leg, or if the owner
pardon him, shall lose one ear, and receive one hundred and fifty
stripes.

3. Any slave being aware of the intention of others to run away,
and not giving information, shall be burned in the forehead and
receive one hundred stripes.

4. Those who inform of plots to run away shall receive $10 for
each slave engaged therein.

5. A slave who runs away for eight days, shall have one hundred
and fifty stripes, twelve weeks shall lose a leg, and six months
shall forfeit life, unless the owner pardon him with the loss of
one leg.

6. Slaves who steal to the value of four rix-dollars, shall be
pinched and hung; less than four rix-dollars, to be branded and
receive one hundred and fifty stripes.

7. Slaves who shall receive stolen goods, as such, or protect
runaways, shall be branded, and receive one hundred and fifty
stripes.

8. A slave who lifts his hand to strike a white person or
threaten him with violence, shall be pinched and hung, should the
white person demand it, if not to lose his right hand.

9. One white person shall be sufficient witness against a slave,
and if a slave be suspec