eral men-of-war.[78] Just how much weight
should be attached to this opinion is doubtful since Lynch was
probably so much interested in continuing privateering against the
Spaniards, that he cared little how much this would interfere with the
company's attempt to develop the Negro trade.

Lynch's opinion was not shared by the king, who had heard that the
privateers were continuing their hostilities against the Spaniards. He
therefore informed Modyford that he could not adequately express his
dissatisfaction at the daily complaints made by the Spaniards about
the violence of ships said to belong to Jamaica. Modyford was strictly
commanded to secure and punish any such offenders.[79] The governor
issued a proclamation in accordance with the king's instructions,[80]
and also notified the governor of Havana that offenders against
Spanish commerce would hereafter be punished as pirates.[81]

After the Anglo-Dutch war began the company imported very few Negroes
to Jamaica for the Spanish trade or for any other purpose. The king's
stringent orders regarding privateers were gradually allowed to go
unnoticed. Modyford again began to issue letters of marque, a
procedure which naturally destroyed all possibility of commerce
between the Spanish colonies and the Royal Company.

At the time the desultory trade in Negroes was being started with the
Spaniards at Barbadoes, Richard White, of Spain, came to England as an
agent for two Spaniards, Domingo Grillo and Ambrosio Lomoline.[82]
These two men had been granted the assiento in Spain, that is, the
privilege of furnishing the Spanish colonies with Negro slaves. In
order to wrest some of this trade from the Dutch West India Company
the Royal Company entered into a contract with White, in the year
1663, to furnish the Spanish assientists with 3,500 Negroes per year
for a definite number of years. According to this contract the slaves
were to be delivered to the vessels of the assientists in Barbadoes
and Jamaica; one of the company's factors was to be placed on board
such ships; and the necessary safe conducts were to be procured for
their voyage to and from the port of Cadiz.[83] Sir Ellis Leighton,
secretary of the Royal Adventurers, obtained permission for Grillo's
agents to reside in Jamaica and Barbadoes.[84] Sir Martin Noell, one
of the most important West Indian merchants, as well as a prominent
member of the African Company, seems to have been intrusted with the
collection o