An Enslaved Man in Connecticut Denounces Slavery, 1754

[on verso: "Negrow Grinnig of Canterbury"] 

this the 29 day of March 1754 

As I have ben Instructed by the Lord so I think it is Nesseary to Indite fue things which I have brought Into the church[,] Broth brotherin some say that we are the seed of Canaan and some say that we are the Tribe of Ham but Let that be as it will Justise must Take Plase therefore I will I shou you how Abraham came by his servents in the 15 Chapt of Geneseis 18 wher the Lord Covenant with Abraham saying unto thy seed have I given this Land from the river IW eupherates and the kenites and the kenizites and the kadmonites and also in the 17 Chap of Genesies and 8 vers and I will give unto the[e] and to thy seed after the Land wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be the[i]r God and In the 12 vers and he that is eight days old shall be circumsized among you every man child In your Generation he that Is born In thy house or bought with mony of any strangers which Is not of thy seed and now bretherin thes strangers that Abraham bought with mony were of Ca kanites now bretherin cast your eyes upon the fase of the earth how god hath set the bounds to the nation and that non [e] shold impose upon another nation 10 Chapter of Genesis 20 vers these are the sons of ham after there families after there Tongues In their Contries and in their nation and now bretherin suppose any nation shold have a continual war amongst themselves and any of you should supply them of ammonition and when you have don this you will steel as many of them and bring them over Into your Contry to make slaves of them their soul and body as much as in thereby [?] 3 Chap of proverbs and 30 vers strive not with a man without Cause if he hath don the[e] no harm and now in the 21 first Chapter of Exodus and 16 vers and he that steel A man and seleth him or if he be found in his hands he shall surely be put to death the first of kings and 9 Chapter 16 verse and 20 vers their you will se[e] how pharaoh king of Egypt had gon yup [ie, up] and taken gezer and given as a present unto his dafter Solomon wife theis were of Cannaan and so to the 21 vers and their Children that were left after them in their Land whome the Children of Israel were not able utter destroy upon thoes did Solomon levy a tribute of bonds service unto this day and they were Cannanits Jeremiah 34 Chapter and 14 verse at the end of seventh year let you go every man his brother in hebrew which hath ben sold unto the[e] and when he hath served the six year thou shall let him go free from the[e] and now bretherin you may se[e] for your selves th[r]ou[gh]out the Scriptures that every nation that is taken by conquest you may make slaves