William Jamieson depones, that in spring 1741, and for some years before and after, the deponent resided with his family in the town of Old Meld rum, which he reckons to be twelve computed miles from Aberdeen; that the deponent had a son named John, who was, in the spring 1741, between ten and eleven years of age; that about that time the said John Jamieson having been amissing from his house, the deponent was informed by the neighbours in Old Meldrum, the day after he was amissing, that they saw a man, whom they said was a servant to John Burnet, late merchant in Aberdeen, who was commonly called Bonny John, with the deponent's said son, and two other boys much about the same age, travelling towards Aberdeen, and that his son would be sent to the plantations: that in two or three days after receiving this information, the deponent went to Aberdeen, where he found the said John Burnet, who told him that he had several boys, but did not know whether the deponent's son was amongst them; but said, that though he was, the deponent would not get him back, because he was engaged [1] with him: that the deponent upon this left Mr Burnet, and went down to the shore, where he had been informed the boys were out getting the air; that when he came there, he observed a great number of boys, he thinks about sixty, diverting themselves; that they were attended by a man, who the deponent was informed by the people of the town was employed for that purpose by the said John Burnet; that this man had a horsewhip, and the deponent observed him striking the boys therewith when they went out of the crowd.

Depones, that he observing his own son John among the boys, and called upon him; that the boy came unto him and told him, that he would willingly go home with him if he was allowed; that immediately upon this the person who was Mr Burnet's overseer, came up and gave the boy a lash with his whip, and took him by the shoulder and carried him amongst the rest, and immediately drove them off, and carried them to a barn, where the deponent saw them locked in by the forementioned overseer, who put the key in his pocket: that the place where the boys were standing when the deponent spoke with his son as above deponed on, was on the shore, and the deponent thinks, as far distant from the fore-mentioned barn as from the Writer's Court to the Netherbow Port; that when the boys were marching up to the barn, the deponent kept pace with the overseer, who followed immediately after the boys, entreating of him to get liberty to speak to his son; who answered him, that he should get leave to speak to him by and bye, when they were come to the barn ; but when they came there, the overseer locked the door, as above mentioned, and refused the deponent access: that the deponent never saw his son after this: that the deponent, in passing through the town of Aberdeen, after his son was locked up from him, was told by several trades people and others to whom he had told the story of his son, that it would be in vain for him to apply to the magistrate to get his son liberated; because some of the magistrates had a hand in those doings as well as the said John Burnet; upon which the deponent went home. That in summer thereafter, the deponent came up to Edinburgh, to take advice what he should do in this matter, being certainly informed by the voice of the country that the ship on board of which his son was put had sailed for Maryland about a fortnight or so after that day when the deponent was at Aberdeen, and saw his son as before mentioned.

That after the deponent came up to Edinburgh, he was recommended to the deceased Mr William Seton, writer to the signet, who gave him a libelled summons against the said John Burnet, before the Lords of Council and Session, for restitution of the deponent's son: that none of the messengers in Aberdeen would execute the summons against John Burnet, because they would not disoblige him for any thing the deponent could give them; which obliged the deponent to send a messenger from Old Meldrum to Aberdeen: that the deponent having insisted in this summons, the said John Burnet applied to the late Earl of Aberdeen, who sent for the deponent's father, his tenant, and the deponent's father came and carried him to the house of Haddo, where the Earl and John Burnet were at that time: that at this meeting it was agreed, that the said John Burnet should give the deponent his bond to restore his son to him within the space of a twelvemonth, under the penalty of £50 sterling: that the deponent did not get the said bond, but that the Earl of Aberdeen promised that he would cause John Burnet to grant the bond: that the deponent thinks, to the best of his remembrance, this meeting was in the end of summer 1742: that shortly thereafter Lord

Aberdeen died, and the deponent having enlisted as a soldier, was sent over to Flanders, where he served some years, and upon his return John Burnet was become bankrupt, and had left the country; and the deponent knows not whether his son is dead or alive, having never heard of him since he was carried from Aberdeen, and never got the bond before mentioned from John Burnet.

It is abundantly clear, that in 18th century Britain, once a businessman could get a hold of a child long enough to feed him and be able to claim the incurring of other fees, such as stabling, overseeing and clothing expenses [real or imagined] in excess of what the parent could reimburse, than the only possible legal recourse was an audience with a distant high official, which typically could not be had until after the child had been shipped off into slavery.

These brutal practices were built on a system of indentured apprenticeship that seems to have been intended to work for the interest of both parties, and did in fact elevate excellent men, such as Captain James Cook, from poverty to fame and great works. [See end notes for the details of Cook’s indenture, for an example of the theoretical promise of the practice in operation.]