And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

Some were indeed powerful men belonging to powerful families, exercising authority and influence, but the vagueries of colonial economic conditions made their holdings precarious.

So we about shipped and started back (did not the steamboat men swear some then)?

This poeticall licence is a ſhrewde fellow, and couereth many faults in a verſe, […] and to conclude it turkeneth all things at pleaſure, for example, ydone for done, adowne for downe, orecome for ouercome, tane for taken, power for powre, heauen for heavn, thewes for good partes or good qualities, and a numbre of whiche were but tedious and needleſſe to rehearſe, ſince your owne iudgement and readyng will ſoone make you eſpie ſuch aduantages.]