se that he was "property." He served as a source of revenue, personal property, to be bought and sold, taken for payment of debts. Slavery in early Virginia, writes Hast, "was justified as permissible with heathen people."
By 1700, Hast continues, there were 6,000 slaves in the state of Virginia, and 60,000 whites; in 1705 the law was re vised to legitimize the practice of importing blacks for pur poses of enslavement to work in tobacco fields:
... All servants brought in by sea or land, who were not Christians in their native country, were to be accounted slaves, and 'bought and sold, not withstanding a conversion to Christianity after wards' ... this proviso was Intended to prevent con flict over free or slave status under English law.
The first judicial decision in Virginia to make reference to blacks was Re Davis, in 1630, according to writer A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr.(Higginbotham, 1978, pp. 20-41). It appears that Davis was white, and was being punished for involvement with a black woman:
Hugh Davis to be soundly whipt before an assembly of negroes & others for abusing himself to the dishonor of God and shame of Christianity by de filing his body In lying with a negro which fault he is to actk Next sabbath day.
Higginbotham records that the very first legislative enactment In Virginia regarding blacks was made in 1639; called "Act X," it stated: "All persons except Negroes are to be provided with arms and ammunition or be fined at the pleasure of the governor and council." The initial legis lative act dealing with servants came in Virginia in 1642, requiring servants brought to the colony without indenture to serve four years if older than 20, five years if between 12 and 20, and seven years if under 12. Higginbotham continues:
Between 1642 and 1660 further laws were passed pertaining to the length of service of colonial servants, as were other laws, generally favor able to the intere
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