Cupido van Bengale1

M, #15450, b. circa 1660, d. after 3 February 1681

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Last Edited06/03/2016
BirthOrigin*Cupido was from Bengal and perhaps born there circa 1660. The toponym 'van Bengale' or from Bengal was a term loosely applied during the period of VOC dominance to enslaved or formerly enslaved people from any of the countries bordering the Bay of Bengal.1 
Marriage De facto In 1678/79 Cupido van Bengale and Anna Elisabeth Rooleemo were in a de facto relationship. both before and after Anna Elisabeth Rooleemo's marriage to Jan van Leeuwarden. She does not seem to have been sanctioned for this behaviour.2 
Death*He died after 3 February 1681 (Cape Town), he had been sentenced to be hanged and burned under the gallows for the rape of Risie Jacobs.3
 
Crime and relatedBefore 3 February 1681 Cupido van Bengale forcefully raped Risie Jacobs. Her age is unknown but she was a minor. She was the daughter of his owner.4
Slave TransactionsCupido van Bengale and Claas van Bengale were sold by Joan Putman, to Henrik Crudop on 12 March 1676, for f 120. Putman wished to buy the slaves back if he were to return to the East.5,6
On 14 October 1679 Cupido van Bengale was sold by Henrik Crudop to Jacob Jansz, for Rds. 60. I have assumed this to be the same slave purchased by Crudop in 1676.7

Citations

  1. [S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700 (Cape Town: Tafelberg, 1977), p. 131. Hereinafter cited as Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700.
  2. [S205] Mansell G. Upham 'Keeping the gate of Hell… 'subliminal racism' & early Cape carnal conversations between black men & white women', First Fifty Years, Uprooted Lives Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), (http://e-family.co.za/ffy/ui66.htm), 18 October 2012. "On 3 February 1681 Cupido van Bengale was charged with the crime of having had criminal conversation with his master's daughter. His situation was further aggravated by additional charges of fornication about three years ago. This had been with another European female (Anna Elisabeth Roleemo of whom see later), both before and after her marriage diverse en ontallige maalen on various and numerous occasions “thus adding to his offence the greater crime of adultery”.
    ...She appears to have escaped censure."
  3. [S205] Mansell G. Upham 'UL06 Keeping the gate of Hell…', Uprooted Lives Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), "This had been with another European female (Anna Elisabeth Roleemo of whom see later), both before and after her marriage diverse en ontallige maalen on various and numerous occasions “thus adding to his offence the greater crime of adultery”.
    ...
    He was sentenced to be hanged and burned under the gallows. The minutes of the Council of Justice state that “the prisoner had nothing to say in his defence, but left all to the will of the court”."
  4. [S205] Mansell G. Upham 'UL06 Keeping the gate of Hell…', Uprooted Lives Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), "The slave belonging to the constable at the Castle, Jacob van der Voorde and his wife, the vroedvrouw Jelletie Hartmans, was accused of creeping up against the minor child of his master, Risie Jacobs, one night. He sexually molested her in cas van onkuysheijt en collicitatie meaning that the slave had used force to gain his ends. Her age at the time is unknown, but we do know that her sister Helena was baptised (1676) so that she must have been at least seven-years old. On 3 February 1681 Cupido van Bengale was charged with the crime of having had criminal conversation with his master's daughter. His situation was further aggravated by additional charges of fornication about three years ago. ...He was sentenced to be hanged and burned under the gallows. The minutes of the Council of Justice state that “the prisoner had nothing to say in his defence, but left all to the will of the court”. Risie Jacobs and her parents left the Cape soon after the incident. What became of her later is not known."
  5. [S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700, p. 131 12.3.1676: Cupido and Claas from Bengal, sold by merchant Joan Putman to Hendrik Crudop for f120. Putman expresses the wish to buy these slaves back should he return to the East.
  6. [S607] J.L. (Leon) Hattingh, "Kaapse notariële stukke waarin slawe van vryburgers en amptenare vermeld word (II), Die tweede Dekade 1671-1680", Kronos (Die notariële stukke II) 15 (1999): 12.3.1676          [Verlore]
    Koopman Joan Putman verkoop aan Hendrik Crudop die slawe Cupido en Claas van Bengale vir f 120. Putman spreek die wens uit om by sy terugkeer na die Ooste weer die slawe terug te koop.. Hereinafter cited as "Die notariële stukke II."
  7. [S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700, p.138. 14.10.1679: Cupido from an unknown origin sold by Hendrik Crudop to Jacob Jansz van Biervelt for Rds. 60.
 

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