10th. That no person do set up any tavern for selling of wine, beer, or strong waters, cyder, or tobacco, to entertain the fishermen; because it is found that by such means they are debauched, neglecting their labour, and poor ill-governed men not only spend most part of their shares before they come home upon which the life and maintenance of their wives and children depend, but are likewise hurtful in divers other ways, as, by neglecting and making themselves unfit for their labour, by purloining and stealing from their owners, and making unlawful shifts to supply their disorders, which disorders they frequently follow since these occasions have presented themselves.

Lastly. That upon the Sundays the company assemble in meet places, and have divine service to be said by some of the masters of the ships, or some others; which prayers shall be such as are in the Book of Common Prayer.

'And because that speedy punishment may be inflicted upon the offenders against these laws and constitutions, we do ordain that every of the mayors of Southampton, Weymouth, and Melcombe-Regis, Lynn, Plymouth, Dartmouth, East Low, Foye, and Barnstable, for the time being may take cognizance of all complaints made against any offender against any of these ordinances upon the land, and, by oath of witnesses, examine the truth thereof, award amends to the parties grieved, and punish the delinquents by fine and imprisonment, or either of them, or of their goods found in the parts of Newfoundland, or on the sea, cause satisfaction thereof to be made, by warrants under their hands and seals. And the Vice-Admirals in our counties of Southampton, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, upon complaint made of any of the premises committed upon the sea, shall speedily and effectually proceed against the offenders.

'Also, we will and ordain, that these laws and ordinances shall stand in force, and be put in due execution until we shall otherwise provide and ordain; and we do require the Admirals in every harbour in this next season ensuing calling together such as shall be in that harbour publicly to

proclaim these presents, and that they also proclaim the same on shore.

'In witness whereof, we have caused these our letters to be

made patent.

'Witness ourself at Westminster, the 10th day of February, in the ninth year of our reign.

'God save the King.

'WILLYS.'

APPENDIX III.

By permission of Her Majesty's Colonial Secretary—the author was permitted to inspect the original of the following letter in the Public Record Office of the United Kingdom.

St. John's, Newfoundland: July 2, 1800.

Sir, I am sorry to inform you, that a spirit of disaffection to our Government has manifested itself here last winter and in the spring. The first symptoms made their appearance about the latter end of February, by some anonymous papers posted up in the night, threatening the persons and property of the magistrates, if they persisted in enforcing a proclamation they had published, respecting hogs going at large, contrary to a presentment of the grand jury. We advertised a hundred guineas reward for the discovery of the author or authors, and the inhabitants viewing it in a very proper light, as the commencement of anarchy and confusion, and destruction of all order, handsomely came forward in support of the magistrates, and offered two hundred guineas more, but I am sorry to say without effect. The next step, still more alarming, was a combination of between forty and fifty of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, to desert with their arms, with a declared intention, as appeared by a letter left behind them, of putting every person to death who should attempt This they put in execution on the night of Their place of rendezvous was the powder shed, back of Fort Townshend, at 11 at night, but were not joined in time from Fort Townshend or Fort William. We know not the reason why the party from Fort Townshend did

to oppose them.

the 24th April.

not join them, but at Fort William Colonel Skinner happened to have a party at his house very late that night, preventing the possibility of their going out unperceived at the appointed hour, and the alarm being made at Signal Hill for those who quitted that post, the plot was blown, when only nineteen were met, who immediately set off for the woods, but from the vigilance and activity used in their pursuit, in about ten days or a fortnight, sixteen of them were taken, two or three of whom informed against the others, and implicated upwards of twenty more, who had not only agreed to desert, but had also taken the oaths of United Irishmen, administered by an arch-villain Murphy, who belonged to the regiment, and one of the deserters, who with a Sergeant Kelly, and a private, have not as yet been taken. We do not know, nor was it possible to ascertain, how far this defection and the united oaths extended through the regiment. General Skerret ordered a general Court-Martial upon twelve of those taken, five of whom were sentenced to be hanged, and seven to be shot; the former were executed on a gallows erected upon the spot where they met at the powder shed, the other seven were sent to Halifax, to be further dealt with as His Royal Highness should think proper, those also implicated by the king's evidence were sent in irons to Halifax; and the Duke of Kent has at length removed all the regiment, except two companies of picked men, to head quarters, and has relieved them by the whole of the 66th Regiment, who are now here. Various have been the reports on this business; the town to the amount of 2, 3, or 400 men mentioned as privy or concerned in this business, and of acting in concert with them, at least so far as to destroy, plunder, and set off for the States, but no names have been particularly mentioned, so as to bring the proof home. In fact, we were at one time in such a situation, as to render the policy of acting very doubtful, until more force should arrive, as we knew not who we could depend upon for support in case of resistance, having every reason to believe the defection was very extensive, not only through the regiment, but through the inhabitants of this and all the out harbours, particularly to the southward, almost

to a man have taken the United Oaths, which is to be true to the old cause, and to follow their heads of whatsoever denomination. Although those heads are not to be known to them till the moment a plan is to be put in action, all this one of the evidences has declared originated from letters received from Ireland. Although a United Irishman, he was yet but a novice, and was not so far let into the secret as to know who the letters were addressed to, or who from. Although we are at present without any immediate apprehension of danger, we have no reason to suppose their dispositions have changed, or that their plans of plunder, burnings, &c., are given up, but only waiting a proper opportunity to break forth. The most probable time for such an event would be towards the close of the winter, when the ships of war are absent, the peaceable and well-disposed part of the community off their guard, and no possibility of succour for two or three months, or of even conveying intelligence of our situation. If such has been their plan, of which here is little room left for doubt, though I believe more for motives of plunder than of conquest, either of which would be equally destructive, it would be absurd to suppose it might not take place again-I should therefore imagine it behoves Government not to risk another winter without obviating its possible effect; and I am firmly of opinion, after taking the whole of what has passed into view, that the security of the trade and fishery, nay, the security and salvation of the island itself will entirely depend upon a proper military force at this place with sufficient strength to afford small detachments to some of the out harbours to the southward to watch their motions, and assist the magistrates when necessary. This force to render security effectual cannot be less than 800 or 1,000 men, particularly while Ireland is in such a state of ferment as it has been and is likely to continue till the business of the Union is settled, for the events of Ireland have heretofore and will in a great measure govern the sentiments and actions of the far greater majority of the people in this country.

I omitted observing that the regiment now here (the 66th)