[Footnote 1:  New International Encyclopaedia, Article “Slavery.”]

Meanwhile in the young colonies across the sea labor was scarce, and it seemed to many an act of benevolence to bring from England persons who could not possibly make a living at home and give them some chance in the New World.  From the very first, children, and especially young people between the ages of twelve and twenty, were the most desired.  The London Company undertook to meet half of the cost of the transportation and maintenance of children sent out by parish authorities, the understanding being that it would have the service of the same until they were of age.[1] The Company was to teach each boy a trade and when his freedom year arrived was to give to each one fifty acres, a cow, some seed corn, tools, and firearms.  He then became the Company’s tenant, for seven years more giving to it one-half of his produce, at the end of which time he came into full possession of twenty-five acres.  After the Company collapsed individuals took up the idea.  Children under twelve years of age might be bound for seven years, and persons over twenty-one for no more than four; but the common term was five years.

[Footnote 1:  Coman:  Industrial History, 42.]

Under this system fell servants voluntary and involuntary.  Hundreds of people, too poor to pay for their transportation, sold themselves for a number of years to pay for the transfer.  Some who were known as “freewillers” had some days in which to dispose of themselves to the best advantage in America; if they could not make satisfactory terms, they too were sold to pay for the passage.  More important from the standpoint of the system itself, however, was the number of involuntary servants brought hither.  Political offenders, vagrants, and other criminals were thus sent to the colonies, and many persons, especially boys and girls, were kidnapped in the streets of London and “spirited” away.  Thus came Irishmen or Scotchmen who had incurred the ire of the crown, Cavaliers or Roundheads according as one party or the other was out of power, and farmers who had engaged in Monmouth’s rebellion; and in the year 1680 alone it was estimated that not less than ten thousand persons were “spirited” away from England.  It is easy to see how such a system became a highly profitable one for shipmasters and those in connivance with them.  Virginia objected to the criminals, and in 1671 the House of Burgesses passed a law against the importing of such persons, and the same was approved by the governor.  Seven years later, however, it was set aside for the transportation of political offenders.