 Several laws dealt with indentured servitude , a legal status whereby a person would work off debts or be given training in exchange for a period of unrecompensed service . The law required that all indentured servants had to be registered by the Governor or one of the Assistants , and that no period of indenture could be less than six months . Further laws forbade a master from shortening the length of time of service required for his servant , and also confirmed that any indentured servants whose period of service began in England would still be required to complete their service while in Plymouth . 
