White and Black Laborers in the Early Chesapeake

A number of bound laborers, apprehended as they attempted to escape from their master's plantation, received the following sentences for their crime. The excerpt is from the legal records of early Virginia.

July 22nd, 1640. Whereas complaint has been made to this Board by Capt. William Pierce, Esqr., that six of his servants and a negro of Mr. Reginald's has plotted to run away unto the Dutch plantation from their said masters, and did assay to put the same in Execution upon Saturday night, being the 8th day July, 1640, … [and did take] the skiff of the said Capt. William Pierce, their master, and corn, powder and shot and guns to accomplish their said purposes, which said persons sailed down in the said skiff to Elizabeth river, where they were taken and brought back again, the court taking the same into consideration as a dangerous precedent for the future time (if left unpunished), did order that Christopher Miller, a dutchman (a prime agent in the business), should receive the punishment of whipping, and to have thirty stripes and so be burnt in the cheek with the letter R and to work with a shackle on his legg for one whole year and longer if said master shall see cause, and after his full time of service is Expired with his said master to serve the colony for seven whole years, and the said Peter Milcocke to receive thirty stripes and to be Burnt in the cheek with the letter R, and after his term of service is Expired with his said master to serve the colony for three years, and the said Richard Cockson, after his full time Expired with his master, to serve the colony for two years and a half, and the said Richard Hill to remain upon his good behavior untill the next offence, and the said Andrew Noxe to receive thirty stripes, and the said John Williams, a dutchman and a chirurgeon [surgeon] after his full time of service is Expired with his master, to serve the colony for seven years, and Emanuel, the Negro, to receive thirty stripes and to be burnt in the cheek with the letter R and to work in shackles one year or more as his master shall see cause….

1			What does the wording of the document suggest about the awareness of ethnic and racial differences among early Virginians?
2			What does the document suggest about relations between servants and slaves in early Virginia?
3			Did differences in punishment correspond to ethnic or racial differences?
4			Why was the act of running away seen as a “dangerous precedent” deserving of serious punishment? What does that indicate about the court’s perception of the social order in early Virginia?