Page 140 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686
P. 140

contempt  of  the  blacks,  as  creatures  of  another  specics,  whu  had  no
                               right  to bc  instructed  or  adniitted  to  i he sacrnnients."  [lf')
                                   While  criticizing  such  an  attitude,  he  ïclt  tliat  niaiiy  plaiiteis  {car
                               that  if  they baptized  their  slaves, they would  be  cornpelled  to  Iree  theni.
                               The Bishop hastened to reassure hem, bnt warned  them ihat ala\.es mn~t
                               he treated  with justice  arid  eharity.  Bishop Beikeley  makes an  interest-
                               ing cornparison  between  the  British  Protcatant poliey  to~rard~ .;ISVPS  and
                               coloured ~eouIe and that of  rhc Latin  Calholics.  "It  must be i~wried that
                                       1  1
                               our  refnrm  planters  with  respeet  to  the  natives  arid  slaves might  Icari~
                               {rom  thnse  of  the Church  tif  Rrime,  how  it  is  in  their  interests  aiid  duty
                               to behave.  Bolh  French antl  Spaniards have inter-married with  lndians,
                               to the great strength, security and incrcase of  their  colonie!.   The!  take
                               eare to  instruct  both  theni and their  Ycgrnes  in  the  Popish  reli~icin. tci
                               the repioach of  those who profess  a belter.  Thcv alsn  have llishops and
                               Seminaries for clergy;  and  it  is  not  inurirl  tliat  ~heir colotiies  are woroe
                               snhjaets  or  depend  less  on  their  Mother  Country."(]')
                                   Whrri  speakiri~ nf  meritalities  in  hi~tor~ ichich  tolerate  or  actually
                               cherjsh  instirulirins niiw cnrideniriril hv niueh  iif  ~oeieiv. we must examine
                                                                            , ,
                               whelher  [lie inatiiuiinri  was  not  mcrrlv  iinil  amtingst  niany.  Slavery  is
                               the depth  of  servitutlr.  Servituilr of  various kinds was  part of  daily life
                               ii~ Europ~an aoeiety  in  thr  rrnturir~ under  corisideratiou.  Euglarid
                               knew  indenturrd  seruanta.  apprrntires.  different  kirids  of  servanrs,  nnd
                               knew, tori, that ironi Linir  IO tirnr ihe bartiarv pirares carried off  European
                               Christians  into  filosIrni  slaverv.  The  pages  oi  the  T,ondon  Gazette  in
                               almost  every  issue  froni  IN9 to  1672  earrv  advertisements  put  in  by
                               irate masters whose  srrvnnts  have  run  off rvith  livery,  ~old and  "several
                               other  things".   The  London  Cazcrte  of  the  w-eek  16th  January,  1670,
                               iulormed  the  publie  that  those  with  relatii-es  or  friends  who  have
                               rweiitly  heeii  eapturrd  bv the  barbary  Turks eould  obtain  theii  release
                               hy  opplying  io  a  Cotntnittce  set  up  bv  the  Lords-iu-Council  and  by
                               ~'aying rsiisnm  of Fifty Pounds.  For those  who  had no  such ivell-to-do
                               relatives  rir  Iriends,  a  public  suhscription  +vas  opened.  These  depre-
                               dations  of  ~he North  AIrican  Piraies  were  not  riew.  Aeeonuts  of  kid-
                               napped  sailors. and of  ntlier Christian slaves are to be found  iu  the papes
                               of  Purchas.  Evrn  in  Chtistinn  rciutitries  snch  as Spain,  Portugal  arid
                               France.  and  Italian  Hepubtics  euch  as Venice,  ~hew werc  in  stinie  enses
                               househuld  slsves.  nnd  in  all  tliere  iuere  galle!  :laves.
                               Some  Generrsl  Remarks
                                   Lord  Wydham in  his  bricik,  The  Athtir: and  SI~very, rnakes  the
                               point  ~hat generally speaking ihe Negro  slaves were heiter  off under ihe
                               Spaniards than  under  ariy  other  slave-owniug periple  exeept  the  Portu-
                               guese.  Lord  Wyndham  attributes  this  to  the  CathuIic  religion  of  the


                               (1")   Uerkeley,  George, A  Sermon  Preorhed  Beiore  the  InriirpruirJ  Sririptc  Jvr
                                   the  Propogaiion  oj  the  Gospel  in Foreign  Paris;  ut  the  Pan'sh  Chirrrh  01  51.
                                   Mury-le-Bow, Friday,  18  Februory,  1731,  Duy  u] Ann~rrrsary Me~irrr~, 1732,
                                   London,  J.  Downing,  pp.  19-20,
                               (1:)   Idem,  p.  20.
                                                         - 21  -
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