This document is an apprentice indenture that describes the terms and conditions for Isaiah Thomas to learn the trade of printing.
That Jacob Wendall Andrew Oliver Esqr. Isaac Walker Ebenezer Storor John Barratt Nathanael Greenwood Royall Tyler Thomas Flucker John Tudor and William Phillips Gentlemen Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Boston in the County of Suffolk in New England, by and with the Consent of two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for said County, Have placed and by these Presents do place and bind out Isaiah Thomas a poor Child belonging to said Boston unto Zachariah Fowle of Boston aforesd. Printer and to his Wife and heirs and with them after the Manner of an Apprentice to Dwell and Serve, from the Day of the Date of these Presents, until the Eighth day of January which will be in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty Nine at which time the said Apprentice if Living will Arrive to the Age of Twenty One Years During all which said Time or Term, the said Apprentice his said Master & Mistress well and faithfully shall Serve, their Secrets he shall keep close, their Commandments lawful and honest every where he shall gladly obey : he shall do no Damage to his said Master &c nor suffer it to be done by others, without letting or giving seasonable Notice thereof to his said Master &c he shall not waste the Goods of his said Master &c nor lend them unlawfully to any : At Cards, Dice, or any other unlawful Game or Games he shall not play : Fornication he shall not commit : Matrimony during the sd. Term he shall not contract : Taverns, Ale-Houses, or Places of Gaming he shall not haunt or frequent : From the Service of his said Master &c by Day nor Night he shall not absent him self ; but in all Things and at all Times, he shall carry and behave him self towards his said master &c and all theirs as a good and faithful Apprentice ought to do to his utmost Ability during all the Time or Term aforesaid. And the said Master doth hereby Covenant and Agree, for himself his Wife and heirs to teach or Cause the said Apprentice to be taught by the best way and means he Can the Art and Mistery of a Printer also to Read write & Cypher. And also shall and will, well and truly find, allow unto, and provide for the said Apprentice, sufficient and wholsome Meat and Drink, with Washing, Lodging, and Apparrell and other Necessaries meet and convenient for such an Apprentice, during all the Time or Term aforesaid : And at the End and Expiration thereof shall dismiss the said Apprentice with two good Suits of Apparrell for all parts of his Body One for the Lords days the other for working days Suitable to his Degree
In Testimony whereof the said Parties have to these Indentures interchan-geably set their Hands and Seals, the Fourth Day of June In the 29th Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second King Over Great Britain &c.. Annoque Domini, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Six.
Suffolk ss Boston July 7th 1756 Assented to by |
Signed Sealed and Delivered In Presence of us Samuel Eddy William Seymour John Phillips John Hill |
Justices of the Peace |
Jacob Wendell Isaac Walker Eb. Storer Jn. Barrett Nathl. Greenwood Royall Tyler Thos. Flucker Wm. Phillips |