tho' they be naturally of a barbarous and cruel temper,
yet are they kept under by severe discipline upon occasion,
and by good laws are prevented from running away, injuring
the English or neglecting their business. Their work (or
chimerical hard slavery) is not very laborious; their
greatest hardship consisting in that they and their
posterity are not at their own liberty or disposal, but are
the property of their owners; and when they are free they
know not how to provide so well for themselves generally;
neither did they live so plentifully nor (many of them) so
easily in their own country where they are made slaves to
one another, or taken captive by their enemies. Their work
is to take care of the stock, and plant Corn, Tobacco,
Fruits and which is not harder than thrashing, hedging, or
ditching; besides, though they are out in the violent heat,
wherein they delight, yet in wet or cold weather there is
little occasion for their working in the fields, in which
few will let them be abroad, lest by this means they might
get sick or die, which would prove a great loss to their
owners, a good Negroe being sometimes worth three (nay four)
score pounds sterling, if he be a tradesmen; so that upon
this (if upon no other account) they are obliged not to
overwork them, but to clooth and feed them sufficiently, and
take care of their health."

The planters, supplied with greater facilities for the work, now
increased the size of their tobacco plantations, "taking up new
ground" (clearing the land) and planting a much larger area. The first
exportation of the colony's tobacco was brought into competition with
that of much finer flavor, which had acquired an established
reputation long before the English began the culture of the plant in
the New World. The Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese had long monopolized
its culture and trade, and brought from St. Domingo, Jamaica, St.
Thomas, the Philippine Islands, West Florida, and various parts of
South America, several varieties of tobacco of excellent quality, and
which sold at an exorbitant price. On testing the tobacco grown by the
London and Plymouth companies it was found to be sweet and mild in
flavor, of a light color, and well adapted for smoking. On its first
introduction into England it sold for 3s. per pound, but as its
culture increased the price lessened, un