The Infortunate: The Voyage and Adventures of William Moraley, an Indentured Servant

Jelain Runnels

HPSC 106

Professor Johnson

The Infortunate by S. Klepp & B.G. Smith

Overview:

William Moraley was born in London in the year 1698. The family wasn’t doing horribly, in terms of their way of life, for William’s father was the owner of a fairly large estate. His father doing his best in provisions for the family also looked out for William by placing him as somewhat of an apprentice for a lawyer to help secure him a job.

However, as William will tell you himself in the book, he did not take his potential given by this position and make the best of it. Instead, he spent most of his time bragging and spending nights out on the town when he could’ve been taking himself more seriously. One thing that William Moraley did take seriously was the business of making watches, and he in fact did that quite well. Later on in life the Moraley’s move to Newcastle and in an unfortunate turn of events William’s father dies on a voyage at sea. William marks this event as the beginning of all of the misfortune throughout his life.

The family is devastated by the news and reduced to poverty, but still settle in Newcastle regardless. William, saddened by the news, was still expecting a sizable inheritance waiting for him in his father’s will. Unfortunately, this did not come to pass. He got all of 20 shillings and his fathers working tools. This did not please him at all so he thought his mother to be cheating him of his actual inheritance, so he insisted that she give him his true share. Even when William threatened his mother with being pursued by a lawyer she told him that he got exactly what his father willed him to, and that wouldn’t change, whether or not a lawyer was sent her way.

This left Moraley wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life, for he had no practical or attainable prospects. That’s when he was approached by a man who introduced him to the idea of becoming an indentured servant in the “new land” which was what we now call the United States. Moraley was indifferent to the idea of going to the new land because he didn’t feel that he really belonged anywhere. With no real future, and his mother – according to Moraley – preventing him from his full inheritance, it seemed like the only reasonable option for him. So, Moraley threw caution to the wind, as he often does in this book, and he enlists himself as an indentured servant. The lawyer that he hired to pursue his mother, though, was unaware of these events occurring in Moraley’s life, and learned of it only when he was sent a letter from Moraley when he was already on the ship headed to America.

Moraley’s journey to America was not a pleasant one. He and the other servants on the ship were often given very meager portions of food and drink. People were often sick as a result of being overworked with not enough nourishment. Moraley describes a time he was almost freed from this atrocious lifestyle when a ship sent by the Mayer of his town came to get him. Coincidentally, Moraley was asleep at the bottom of the ship while the captains and indenture master told the rescuing ship that there was no such man aboard because he had already left. Stuck on this nightmarish ship, he retells some stories that he hears in passing that he apparently feels are worth mentioning.

When he finally gets to America, Moraley writes about how he immediately falls in love with Philadelphia, as that is the first place that they dock. But not only did Philly mark the end of their ghastly voyage, but Philadelphia at the point in history was one of the hottest bustling towns of early America. William then spent the rest of his indentured days trying to get back to Philadelphia, but he was stationed mainly in Burlington. When he finally was freed, he did go to Philly, but he wasn’t able to keep a steady job as a watch/clock maker. There were always extenuating circumstances, or simply discomfort that kept William from staying in one place.

After mainly failed attempts at making life in the “new land” work to his advantage, Moraley finally decides he wants to return to England. With his mindset on a new goal he takes on little jobs, like tinkering, to help keep himself afloat while he awaits the next ship headed to England. Moraley endures a vast variety of experiences, including running from creditors, dodging snakes and panther, to even enlisting in the army yet never having to actually perform service. Until one day he is recommended to a ship that is leaving to England soon. Before the messenger is even finished with his message, Moraley is on the ship and talking to the captain, who allows him to ride as a cook for the staff. He gladly takes on the various tasks that are asked of him in order to go back to England, and they are very strange ones indeed.

William Moraley has made it back to England and he lives with his mother for the remainder of her life and is fairly happy. But his bad luck continues when he is cheated – for real this time – out of the inheritance that was left for him by his mother. It is gathered from the editors at the end that Moraley made most of his living off of the books that he wrote and had published.

Personal Thoughts:

The reason Moraley gives for writing this book is to show that not everyone is able to make something great of themselves in their lives. Especially when during his era, it was commonly believed that you could go to the “new land,” the American Colonies, and become wealthy. This clearly just wasn’t the case, and it still remains the same today. Not everyone can make something remarkable of themselves in their lifetime, especially if laziness and a lack of ambition are prominent. If there is one thing that I’ve learned, it is to never allow myself to become satisfied with less than what I know I deserve.