Indentured servitude first hand account

1 Loving and kind father and mother,

2 ….This is to let you understand that I your child (though at 16 years hardly a child) am in a most heavy
3 case by reason of the country, which causes much sickness, such as scurvy, dysentery, and diverse
4 other diseases, which maketh the body very poor and weak. And when we are sick there is nothing to
5 comfort us; for since I came out of the ship I never ate anything but peas, and loblollie (similar to
6 oatmeal). As for deer or venison (deer meat) I never saw any since I came into this land. There are indeed
7 some fowl (birds), but we are not allowed to go and get them. We must work hard both early and late for
8 water gruel and a mouthful of bread and beef...
9
10 For we live in fear of the enemy Natives every hour. We have had a combat (fight) with them...and we took
11 two alive and made slaves of them...We are in great danger because our plantation is very weak due to
12 death and sickness of our company. For we came but twenty for the merchants, and they are half dead
13 just….And of the last year's twenty, there are but three left. We are hopeful to get other men to plant this
14 land with us; and yet we are but 32 to fight against 3000 Natives if they should come...last [time] they
15 Natives slew (killed) 80 persons.
16
And I have nothing to comfort me, nor is there nothing to be gotten here but sickness and death. But I
17
have nothing at all, not a shirt on my back but two rags, nor clothes but one poor suit, nor but one pair of
18
shoes, but one pair of stockings, but one cap….
19
20 Goodman Jackson pitied me and made me a cabin to lie in when I would come up to Jamestown, and he
21 would give me some poor fish to take home with me, which comforted me more than peas or water gruel.
22 Oh, they be very generous folks…. And he was shocked that you would send me to be a servant; he said
23 I would have been better off if I had got knocked on the head. And indeed so I find it now, to my great
24 grief and misery; and I say that if you love me you will redeem me (save me / take me back), for which I
25 do entreat and beg.
From: Virtual Jamestown - dated 1623

Analysis Questions - Document 1b

1) What are the living conditions like for this indentured servant? Describe at least two
challenges he has to face (Lines 2-8, 16-18). Cite evidence from the text to support
your claims.

2) What can we learn about the relationship between Natives and Europeans from this
source? (Lines 10-15) Cite evidence from the text to support your claims.

3) Does this indentured servant wish to remain an indentured servant? What does he ask
his family to do? (Lines 20-25)