Richard Frethorne, the author of An Indentured Servant 's Letter Home. Richard was a young male, who wrote his letter exclusively to his loving father and mother in 1623. Richard was an indentured servant that lived in Virginia, who originally came from England. In his letter, Richard Frethorne mentions all the hardships and struggles of living in a Virginia colony. Which included a lack of sufficient food, “A mouthful of bread for a penny loaf must serve for four men which is most pitiful” (Frethorne 19). A lack of adequate clothing, “But I have nothing at all- no, not a shirt to my back but two rags”(Frethorne 19). Periodic illnesses, “I am in a country which causeth much sickness, such as scurvy bloody flox and other diseases” (Frethorne
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Indentured servants were typically very poor, and usually couldn 't afford a trip across the atlantic. However, they were able to sign an indenture, in return for a passage to the New World. After working for a few years, they were free to work for themselves. Virginia became the first established colony in 1607. Even though indentured servants were able to escape religious persecution, life in the colonies was grueling, laborious, and often times exhausting. In fact Richard writes in his letter, that he and the others would lose a limb to be back in England. It took a certain amount of bravery for a indentured servant to sign a contract, considering he had to sail a six to twelve week voyage, that wasn 't guaranteed to make it to the colonies. On top of that servants lost their freedom, anywhere between three to ten years, or until their indenture was paid of. Going into a New World blindy, also had a degree of uncertainty. Perhaps the servants thought of going to the New World was an opportunity to start a new life, to make something of themselves, something they couldn 't accomplish in England. Nevertheless most indentured servants prefered to return back home to England, rather than to continue living in the colonies. Especially servants such as Richard Frethorne, for he was one of the first to arrive to the colonies. The meaning of Richard 's letter was to convince and beg his parents to
Indentured servants were typically very poor, and usually couldn 't afford a trip across the atlantic. However, they were able to sign an indenture, in return for a passage to the New World. After working for a few years, they were free to work for themselves. Virginia became the first established colony in 1607. Even though indentured servants were able to escape religious persecution, life in the colonies was grueling, laborious, and often times exhausting. In fact Richard writes in his letter, that he and the others would lose a limb to be back in England. It took a certain amount of bravery for a indentured servant to sign a contract, considering he had to sail a six to twelve week voyage, that wasn 't guaranteed to make it to the colonies. On top of that servants lost their freedom, anywhere between three to ten years, or until their indenture was paid of. Going into a New World blindy, also had a degree of uncertainty. Perhaps the servants thought of going to the New World was an opportunity to start a new life, to make something of themselves, something they couldn 't accomplish in England. Nevertheless most indentured servants prefered to return back home to England, rather than to continue living in the colonies. Especially servants such as Richard Frethorne, for he was one of the first to arrive to the colonies. The meaning of Richard 's letter was to convince and beg his parents to