acted L320 in customs from the factors. When
the company heard of this procedure it immediately asked the king to
enforce the order allowing it to export Negroes free of duty.[68]
Thereupon the king ordered Willoughby to make immediate restitution of
the L320 and to give the company's factors as much encouragement as
possible.[69] Willoughby finally obeyed in a sullen manner. On May 20,
1665 he declared that the company had finally monopolized the Spanish
trade for Negroes and that, because the king refused to permit an
export duty to be levied on them, there was no revenue from that
source.[70] The king's concessions to the Royal Company were of little
avail, however, because the Anglo-Dutch war effectually stopped most
of the company's trade in Negroes including that from Barbadoes to the
Spanish colonies.

In considering the trade in slaves from Jamaica to the Spanish
colonies it is well to keep in mind that this island lay far to the
west of all other English possessions in the West Indies. It was
located in the very midst of the Spanish possessions from which it had
been wrested in 1655 by the expedition of Sir William Penn and Admiral
Venables. The people of the island realized their isolation and
occasionally attempted to break down the decrees of the Spanish
government, which forbade its colonies to have any intercourse with
foreigners. Although the English government began a somewhat similar
policy with respect to its colonies in the Navigation Act of 1660, it
was generally agreed that some exception should be made for the island
of Jamaica in connection with the Spanish trade.

When Lord Windsor became governor of Jamaica in 1662 he was instructed
to endeavor to secure a free commerce with the Spanish colonies. If
the governors of the Spanish colonies refused to grant this trade
voluntarily, Lord Windsor and the council of the island were given
permission to compel the Spanish authorities to acquiesce by the use
of force or any other means at their disposal.[71] Accordingly a
letter embodying this request was written to the governors of Porto
Rico and Santo Domingo, but unfavorable replies were received. In
accordance with the king's instructions the Jamaica council determined
to obtain a trade by force.[72] This was done by issuing letters of
marque to privateers for the purpose of preying upon Spanish
ships.[73]

In the following year, 1663, as has already been mentioned, Charles II
commanded the governo