Incidents in the Life of an Anglican Slave
A new play, inspired by a 1723 letter from an anonymous enslaved Virginian to the "Lord arch Bishop of London".
The 1723 letter
1723 letter from an anonymous enslaved Virginian to the Lord arch Bishop of London (page 1 of 3 shown here. Image courtesy Lambeth Palace Library). The anonymous author describes 'a Sort of people that is Calld mollaters' and asks the 'Lord arch Bishop' (with the help of King George and the rest of the rulers) to 'Release us out of this Cruell Bondegg'.
Interestingly, continues the anonymous autho
1723 letter from an anonymous enslaved Virginian. (page 2 of 3 shown here. Image courtesy Lambeth Palace Library):
'and to be plain they doo Look no more upon us then if wee ware dogs which I hope when these Strange Lines comes to your Lord Ships hands will be Looked in to'
1723 letter from an anonymous enslaved Virginian. (page 3 of 3 shown here. Image courtesy Lambeth Palace Library):
'my Riting is vary bad I hope your honour will take the will for the deede'
The letter ends with:
'wee dare not Subscribe any mans name to this for fear of our masters for if they knew that wee have Sent home to your honour wee Should go near to Swing upon the gallass tree'
The play's the thing
Virginia to Barbados
'Flying Fish and Ships' (original in the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University): The journey (in the play) of our character, whose 'name is Secrett' and who is her own brother's slave, takes her from Virginia to Barbados, into the womb of the British Atlantic Slave Empire