This letter was written in the year 1623 by Richard Frethorne (link below). Frethorne writes of his experiences as an indentured servant in 15th century Virginia. His letter is written to his “loving and kind mother and father”, and it paints quite a picture of what life might be like for the average indentured servant in the early 1600s Colonial British America.
“…Oh! That they were in England without their limbs and would not care to lose any limb to be in England again…” Frethorne states theatrically part way through his letter. He would give anything, even his own limbs, to back in England, as opposed to in Virginia where, when you are a servant “…there nothing to be gotten here but sickness and death…” He begs his parents openly to send food, as he is starving, and is only being fed “…a mess of water gruel and a mouthful of bread and beef.”
Indentured servitude was a highly popular way for the British to quickly populate and profit from American Colonies. Indentured servants were depicted by the British in a wholly different light than what Frethorne is telling us, which is nothing short of the harshest form of slavery. To the British, and indentured servant was given a free trip to the British American Colonies, and after a short term (5-7 years or so) of servitude, they would be freed, as well as given a sum of money, clothing and land. However, the fact of the matter is that many servants did not even live to see the end of their servitude. According to Frethorne, he believes he may not even live to see a response from his parents he states “…if I die before it come…”. This was not altogether a good thing for the British, as they needed to keep the supply of unpaid workers up, this way their profits from the New World would continue to rise. This letter, informing others of Frethorne’s horrible life in the colonies would most likely not be something the British government would want other’s see, as it might stop others from coming over to America as indentured servants.
Rights for an indentured servant were not clearly written out, and they were beaten, starved and overworked. If a servant made it through the period of indentured service, it was not likely that they would prosper. As you are able to see from Frethorne’s pleading letter, the life an indentured servant was highly unfavorable. Even if Frethorne survives his years as a servant, what kind of life will have afterward? After enduring the horrible treatment, he is bound to be weakened, physically and mentally. From the way he speaks of England, it seems likely that once his years of servitude are over, he will return to England. Which is again, mostly likely, not what the British government would want.
This letter really shows us the beginnings of a country that will soon be completely dependent on forms of brutal and unjust slavery/servitude. Frethorne was living as a servant in the years before the onslaught of the massive influx of African slaves, and gives us an idea of how those without rights are treated. This is letter gives us small look into the beginning of slavery in America from a first hand perspective. It shows us that American was not founded with benevolent laws and freedom for all, but that it was founded with the extreme efforts of those without rights and by the British government. A government that became highly intoxicated by the profit it was gaining from an unpaid labor force. This system of profit bled into American life in the coming centuries, setting a precedence for how much profit can be gained with a minimal effort.
Richard Frethoner
"The Experiences of an Indentured Servant" First Hand Accounts of Virginia, 1575-1705
1623
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/jamestown-browse?id=J1012
No comments:
Post a Comment