The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave. Related by Herself. With a Supplement by the Editor.

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

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text excerpt

My master and mistress [Mr and Mrs John Adams Wood Jr.] went on one occasion into the country, to Date Hill, for a change of air, and carried me with them to take charge of the children, and to do the work of the house. While I was in the country, I saw how the field negroes are worked in Antigua. They are worked very hard and fed but scantily. 

[…]

While we were at Date Hill Christmas came; and the slave woman who had the care of the place (which then belonged to Mr. Roberts the marshal), asked me to go with her to her husband's house, to a Methodist meeting for prayer, at a plantation called Winthorps. I went; and they were the first prayers I ever understood. One woman prayed; and then they all sung a hymn; then there was another prayer and another hymn; and then they all spoke by turns of their own griefs as sinners. The husband of the woman I went with was a black driver. His name was Henry. He confessed that he had treated the slaves very cruelly; but said that he was compelled to obey the orders of his master. He prayed them all to forgive him, and he prayed that God would forgive him. He said it was a horrid thing for a ranger to have sometimes to beat his own wife or sister; but he must do so if ordered by his master.

excerpt from 'The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave. Related by Herself. With a Supplement by the Editor.' pp. 16 (244 words)

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1628588049214