ms, incests, and adulteries; so that what my
Grandfather was forced to do for necessity, they did for wantonness; nay
not confining themselves within the bound of any modesty, but brother
and sister lay openly together; those who would not yield to their lewd
embraces, were by force ravished, yea many times endangered of their
lives. To redress those enormities, my father assembled all the Company
near unto him, to whom he declared the wickedness of those their
brethren; who all with one consent agreed that they should be severely
punished; and so arming themselves with boughs, stones, and such like
weapons, they marched against them, who having notice of their coming,
and fearing their deserved punishment, some of them fled into woods,
others passed over a great River, which runneth through the heart of
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