ponents of Calvinism, then so much in vogue. Each ship was also equipped with a full supply of Bibles and Books of the Psalms for the services which were held daily when time and circumstance permitted.
The moral welfare of the crews was specially entrusted to "preachers," who accompanied all the larger ships. Evidence of the pains taken to select these early predecessors of the Indian chaplains is to be found in the Company's minutes. Apparently candidates for the office had to preach trial sermons before the directors. Nor when they had emerged from this ordeal successfully were they sure of selection, for a careful scrutiny of their antecedents was made, and if any adverse facts came to light a ban was put upon the applicant. One, a certain William Evans, who had "practised physic for twenty years in France and England and studied divinity for eight years," was rejected because it was found that "as ill a report goeth as any about this town of his coat (cloth)," while another failed to pass muster as it was discovered that "he hath a straggling humour, can frame himself to all company as he finds men affected and delighteth in tobacco and wine."
The Company's commanders re-inforced the teachings of the regular ministers of religion. A discourse of Keeling to the factors he took out with him, which figures in the records, dwells upon the care which the Company took to furnish them with things needful for their spiritual comfort and the health of their bodies, and admonishes them to be more "respective," and "to shun all sin and evil behaviour that the heathen may take no advantage to blaspheme our religion by the abuses and ungodly behaviour of our men." In a similar strain Nicholas Downton enjoined the representatives he left behind at
