Untitled - African American History

SLAVERY IN GREAT BRITAIN. CXXV
whatever any man shall give them in God's name, or
they, at any of their 1
moments, may deserve."
The working of slaves on the Sabbath, however, was
expressly forbidden, and the penalty therefor was the
freedom of the slave. If a freedman worked on that
day, without his lord's command, he forfeited his freedom.
If a slave worked on that day, without his lord's
command,
2
"let him suffer on his hide."
The harborer of a fugitive slave was required to pay
the owner the value of the slave. 3 The slaves themselves
were not allowed admittance into sacred
"
orders, ante
libertatem." 4
legitimam
The written contracts of that day, which have been
preserved, enable us to give accurately the prices of slaves,
5
A half pound was the average price. They were purchased
for exportation, until that was forbidden; and
Henry states, that at Bristol a brisk slave-trade was carried
on, in purchasing Englishmen and exporting them
to Ireland for sale. 6 And William of Malmsbury states,
that it seems to be a natural custom with the people of
Northumberland,
to sell their nearest relations. 7
It would seem, from the fact that slaves purchased
their freedom sometimes, that the indulgence of masters
allowed them something similar to the Roman peculium.
Theft appears to have been a common offence with them,
and the master was made responsible therefor, unless he
showed, by his oath and compurgators, that it was done
without his command. In the event of their committing
homicide, they were required to be- delivered to the
and for other offences, branding was
avengers of blood ;
1 Laws of King Alfred, ch. xliii.
8 Laws of King Ina, 30.
2 Dooms of King Ina, I 3.
4 Laws of Henry I, ch. Ixviii.
Bk. VII, ch. ix.
5 Turner has collected several ;
6
Hist. vol. iv, p. 238 j Barrington on Statutes, 274 Bancroft's United
;
States,!, 162.
7 Lib. I, ch. iii ; consult also Strabo, Lib. IV, p. 199 (ed. Paris, 1620).