In the silence of the Meeting Houses where such documents were housed in every town,
was the 1641 Massachusetts Body of Liberties that condemned to slavery
the Native captives of the Pequot War,
the African men and women for whom the Pequot captives were traded in Barbadoes,
and the children of the Irish and Scots who had opposed Cromwell.

"There shall never be any bond slaverie, villinage or captivitie amongst us
unles it be lawfull captives taken in just warres,
and such strangers as willingly selle themselves or are sold to us.
And these shall have all the liberties and Christian usages
which the law of God established in Israel concerning such persons doeth morally require.
This exempts none from servitude who shall be judged thereto by authoritie."
General Court, Massachusetts Body of Liberties, clause 91, 1641