Indentured Servants In Maryland
Indentured servants, who generally worked for tobacco farmers in seventeenth-century Maryland, had little control over their lives. They could ask local courts or county councils, however, to intervene if they were severely abused. In Document 2.2 Sarah Tailer accuses her master and mistress of physical abuse. Although she did not win this case, evidence of repeated abuse led the court to free her two years later. In Document 2.3 several male servants charge their master with providing them insufficient food. Many of the witnesses in such cases were other servants, while those hearing the cases were property-owning white men.
Sarah Tailer Charges Captain and Mrs. Thomas Bradnox with Abuse, 1659
A Court holden on Kent the first day of October 1659
Sarah Tailer Complaineth to the Majestrate mr Joseph [W]ickes of divers wronges & abuses given her by her Master and Mrs, Capt Thomas Bradnox & Mary his wife. . . .
John Jenkins sworne in Court Examined saith That he never saw Capt Bradnox or his wife strike his Servant Sarah Tailer with either Bulls pisle [whip] or Rope but he saw the said Sarah have a blacke place crosse one of her shoulders & this Deponent heard her Mrs give her som bad words. . . .
Tobias [W]ells on oath saith that he saw Sarah Tailer Stript & on her backe he saw severall blacke spotts and on her Arme a great black spott about as broad as his hand. . . .
Mr Joseph [W]ickes doth Informe the Court that Mrs Mary Bradnox broake the peace in strikeinge her Sarvant before him beinge a Majestrate, And on the time when the said Sarvant was there to make her Complaint which the said [M]r [W]ickes could not in Justice passe by or suffer, which was one blow or stroke with a Ropes ende.
Source: J. Hall Pleasants, ed., Archives of Maryland, vol. 54, Proceedings of the County Courts of Kent, 1648–1676 (Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1937), 167–69.
John Smith et al. Petition the Governor and Council for Redress, 1663
To the hon[ora]ble the Go[v]ernor & Councell
The humble Pet[itio]n of John Smith, Richard Gibbs, Samuel Coplen,
Samuel Styles &c: Ser[v]ents to W Rich: Preston Senior Sheweth
That Mr Preston doth not allow yor Pet[itione]rs sufficient Pro[v]isions for the [e]nablemt to our worke, but streightens us soe far that wee are brought soe weake, wee are not able to performe the [e]mploymts hee putts us uppon. Wee desyre but soe much as is sufficient, but hee will allow us nothing but Beanes & Bread. These premises seriously considered yor Pet[itione]rs humbly addresse themsel[v]es unto yor honors to relei[v]e our wants, & provide tht Our Master may afford us such sustenance as may enable us to goe through wth our labors for the future, & yor Pet[itione]rs shall as in duty bownd E[v]er pray &c:
[U]ppon these Pet[itio]ns of Mr Richard Preston [who complained of his servants’ refusal to work] & his ser[v]ants, & uppon Examina[tio]n of the s[ai]d ser[v]ants prsent in Court: The Court taking the same into serious Considera[ti]on, Ordered tht these ser[v]ants now Petitioning (Viz) John Smith, Richard Gibbs, Samuel Coeplen, Samuel Styles, Henry Gorslett, & Thomas Broxam bee forthwth whipped wth 30 Lashes each. Then the Court further ordered tht Two of the mildest (not soe refractory as the other) should be pardoned & tht those two soe pardoned should inflict the censure or punishm[en]t on their other Companions. And thereuppon the s[ai]d Ser[v]ants kneeling on their knees, asking & Cra[v]ing forgi[v]enes of their Master and the Court for their former misdemeanor & promising all complyance & obedience hereafter, Their Penalty is remitted or suspended att prsent. But they are to bee of the good beha[v]ior towards their s[ai]d Master e[v]er hereafter (uppon their promise of amendmt as aforesd).
Source: J. Hall Pleasant, ed., Archives of Maryland, vol. 49, Proceedings of the Provincial Court (Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1932), 9–10, http:/
Interpret the Evidence
How would you compare the complaints of Sarah Tailer and those of John Smith and his fellow servants?
What do the rulings in these two cases suggest about the power of indentured servants to defend themselves against abuse by masters and mistresses?
Put It in Context
Why was indentured servitude so important to Maryland in the 1650s and 1660s, and why was it gradually replaced by African slavery by the end of the century?
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