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Source
2a
[The complaint of the sugar planters of Barbados against the Royal Africa
Company]
...... the small wages they yearn, and the many casualties that attend them,
we cannot reasonably hope they should ever work out their price; soe that
the buying of Negros, at these rates, must, in a short time, exhaust and
undoe us. And whereas the Royal Company doe now offer us Negros, at fifteen
pounds per head one with another, Beehold it much worse than to give them
their price of two and twenty pound for good Negros.
In former times wee were plentifully furnisht with Christian servants from
England and Scotland, but now wee can get few English, having noe lands
to give them at the end of their time, which formerly was their main allurement.
Nor have wee many Scotch servants, in regard our intercourse with that kingdom
is almost wholy cut off by the Act of Navigation, for men will not bring
servants thence, when they bring noe other commoditys, nor carry our commoditys
thither. And for Irish servants wee find them of small value; our whole
dependence therefore is upon Negros. And unless your Majesty bee graciously
pleased to vouchsafe us your effectual and favor, some of us must bee undone
by buying them, and the rest by wanting them. And a considerable part of
this once flourishing Island will soon lye unwrought and deserted for want
of hands, to the utter ruine of Your poor subjects in these parts, the destruction
of the Sugar trade, and the great diminution of Your Majesties Customs both
here and in England.
Source 2b
[The reply of the Royal Africa Company]
......Trade, making it their particular care to furnish all the Plantacons
with a plentifull supply of Negro servants, and that yeare sent out Fifteen
Ships to the Coast of Africa and thence ordred Six of them to the Island
of Barbados with about two thousand Negros which their Factors disposed
of, at several rates, as the market would give leave, many of them at a
much lower price than was usual before this Company was etablished.
And the last year, for a farther supply they sent out twenty Ships more
to Africa, and have appointed eight of them, with about three thousand Negros,
to Barbados, which, by this time, wee may reasonably beleeve are, for the
most part, arrived, and the rest on their way thither.
And whereas they are pleas'd to allege that wee have sold our Negros at
20 and 22 pound per head; for your Lordships more right informacon therein,
wee have examined our Books, and the accounts of Sales of all the Negros
sold by our Factors out of each particular ship, and find they come out
at a much lower rate, viz. about 15 pounds per head. |
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