216 DUTCH AND ENGLISH ON THE HUDSON
promise of reward when they were sold; but seeing that
by this pilfering trade riches did not flow into him fast
enough, and finding the Negroes fit instruments for any
villainy, he then fell upon the schemes of burning the
fort and town, and murdering the people, as the speed-
iest way to enrich himself and them, and to gain their
freedom, for that was the Negroes main inducement.
. . . The conspirators had hopes given them that the
Spaniards would come hither and join with them early
in the Spring; but if they failed of coming, then the busi-
ness was to be done by the Conspirators without them;
many of them were christen'd by the Priest, absolved
from all their past sins and whatever they should do in
the Plott; many of them sworn by him (others by
Huson) to burn and destroy, and to be secret; wherein
they were but too punctual; how weak soever the
scheme may appear, it was plausible and strong enough
to engage and hold the Negroes, and that was all that
the Priest and Huson wanted; for had the fort taken
fire in the night, as it was intended, the town was then
to have been fired in several places at once; in which
confusion much rich plunder might have been got and
concealed; and if they had it in view too, to serve the
enemy, they could not have done it more effectually;
for this town being laid in ashes his Majesties forces in
the West Indies might have suffered much for want of
provisions, and perhaps been unable to proceed upon
any expedition or piece of service from whence they
might promise themselves great rewards; I doubt the
business is pretty nigh at an end, for since the Priest
has been apprehended, and some more white men
named, great industry has been used throughout the
town to discredit the witnesses and prejudice the people