Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 2.djvu/54

 to the servant at the end of his term was, in the absence of any provision in the indenture, fixed by custom with as much precision is if it had been prescribed by law. He was entitled to such a quantity of grain as would furnish him a support for one year. This, at the end of the century, was estimated at ten bushels. He was also to receive two sets of apparel, &#8212; including in general two suits, one of kersey, the other of cotton, a pair of canvas drawers, two shirts, one of which was made of canvas, the other of lockram, and one felt hat. In the time of Beverley, a gun worth twenty shillings was added. The value of the grain, clothing, and other articles thus received was estimated at ten pounds sterling.

The impression prevailed in England that every servant was also entitled to fifty acres. For this belief, however, there seems to have been no ground, &#8212; at least, previous to the administration of Culpeper. In 1679, this Governor was enjoined to lay off for each person of that class at the end of his term fifty acres of land, and a similar order was given to Sir Henry Chichely in January 1681-82, by the Committee for Trade and Plantations, which was renewed in a somewhat modified form in 1685