The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By HimselfEquiano, Olaudah
History
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By Himself
Equiano, Olaudah
Enslaved persons -- Great Britain -- Biography; Enslaved persons -- United States -- Biography; Equiano, Olaudah, 1745-1797
more embraces his beloved mistress, after she had been ravished from
his arms!--All within my breast was tumult, wildness, and delirium! My
feet scarcely touched the ground, for they were winged with joy, and,
like Elijah, as he rose to Heaven, they 'were with lightning sped as I
went on.' Every one I met I told of my happiness, and blazed about the
virtue of my amiable master and captain.
When I got to the office and acquainted the Register with my errand he
congratulated me on the occasion, and told me he would draw up my
manumission for half price, which was a guinea. I thanked him for his
kindness; and, having received it and paid him, I hastened to my
master to get him to sign it, that I might be fully released.
Accordingly he signed the manumission that day, so that, before night,
I who had been a slave in the morning, trembling at the will of
another, was become my own master, and completely free. I thought this
was the happiest day I had ever experienced; and my joy was still
heightened by the blessings and prayers of the sable race,
particularly the aged, to whom my heart had ever been attached with
reverence.
* * * * *
As the form of my manumission has something peculiar in it, and
expresses the absolute power and dominion one man claims over his
fellow, I shall beg leave to present it before my readers at full
length:
_Montserrat_.--To all men unto whom these presents shall
come: I Robert King, of the parish of St. Anthony in the
said island, merchant, send greeting: Know ye, that I the
aforesaid Robert King, for and in consideration of the sum
of seventy pounds current money of the said island, to me in
hand paid, and to the intent that a negro man-slave, named
Gustavus Vassa, shall and may become free, have manumitted,
emancipated, enfranchised, and set free, and by these
presents do manumit, emancipate, enfranchise, and set free,
the aforesaid negro man-slave, named Gustavus Vassa, for
ever, hereby giving, granting, and releasing unto him, the
said Gustavus Vassa, all right, title, dominion,
sovereignty, and property, which, as lord and master over
the aforesaid Gustavus Vassa, I had, or now I have, or by
any means whatsoever I may or can hereafter possibly have
over him the aforesaid negro, for ever. In witness whereof I
the abovesaid Robert King have unto these presents set my
hand and seal, this tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six.
Robert King.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of Terrylegay,
Montserrat.
Registered the within manumission at full length, this
eleventh day of July, 1766, in liber D.
Terrylegay, Register.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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