A true & exact history of the island of BarbadosLigon, Richard
History
A true & exact history of the island of Barbados
Ligon, Richard
Barbados -- Description and travel; Plants -- Barbados; Sugar -- Manufacture and refining -- Barbados
A hint of this, I will give you in a lively example; and it was in
a time when Victuals were scarce, and Plantins were not then so
frequently planted, as to afford them enough. So that some of the
high spirited and turbulent amongst them, began to mutinie, and
had a plot, secretly to be reveng’d on their Master, and one or
two of these were Firemen that made the fires in the furnaces, who
were never without store of drie wood by them. These villains, were
resolved to make fire to such part of the boyling house, as they were
sure would fire the rest, and so burn all, and yet seem ignorant of
the fact, as a thing done by accident. But this plot was discovered,
by some of the others who hated mischiefe, as much as they lov’d
it; and so traduc’t them to their Master, and brought in so many
witnesses against them, as they were forc’t to confesse, what they
meant should have been put in act the next night: so giving them
condigne punishment, the Master gave order to the overseer that the
rest should have a dayes liberty to themselves and their wives, to
doe what they would; and withall to allow them a double proportion
of victual for three dayes, both which they refus’d: which we all
wonder’d at knowing well how much they lov’d their liberties, and
their meat, having been lately pincht of the one, and not having
overmuch of the other; and therefore being doubtfull what their
meaning was in this, suspecting some discontent amongst them, sent
for three or foure of the best of them, and desir’d to know why
they refus’d this favour that was offer’d them, but receiv’d such
an answer: as we little expected; for they told us, it was not
sullennese, or slighting the gratuitie their Master bestow’d on them,
but they would not accept any thing as a recompence for doing that
which became them in their duties to do, nor would they have him
think, it was hope of reward, that made them to accuse their fellow
servants, but an act of Justice, which they thought themselves bound
in duty to doe, and they thought themselves sufficiently rewarded
in the Act. The substance of this, in such language as they had,
they delivered, and poor _Sambo_ was the Orator; by whose example
the others were led both in the discovery of the Plot, and refuseall
of the gratuitie. And withall they said, that if it pleas’d their
Master, at any time, to bestow a voluntary boone upon them, be it
never so sleight, they would willingly and thankfully accept it: &
this act might have beseem’d the best Christians, though some of them
were denied Christianity; when they earnestly sought it. Let others
have what opinion they please, yet I am of this beliefe; that there
are to be found amongst them, some who are as morally honest, as
Conscionable, as humble, as loving to their friends, and as loyall to
their Masters, as any that live under the sunne, & one reason they
have to be so, is, they set no great value upon their lives: And
this is all I can remember concerning the _Negroes_, except of their
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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