Harvard College Records

    Part IV

    Documents, 1638–1722

    1 The Stephen Day Indenture

    [June 7 1638]

    Noverint universi per presentes me Stephanum Day de Cantabrigia in Comitatu Cantabrigiensi Locksmith teneri et firmiter obligari Josse Glover Clerico in Centum libris legalibus monetae Angliae Solvendis eiedem Josse aut suo certo Attornato executoribus vel administratoribus suis Ad quam quidem solutionem bene et fideliter faciendam Obligo me haeredes executores et administratores meos firmiter per presentes Sigillo meo sigillatas datas Septimo die Junii Anno regni domini nostri Caroli dei gratia Angliae Scotiae Franciae et Hiberniae regis fidei defensor etc. decimo quarto Annoque domini 1638

    The Condition of this obligation is such That whereas the above named Josse Glover hath undertaken and promised to beare the charges of and for the transportation of the above bounded Stephen Day and Rebecca his wife and of Mathew and Stephen Day, theire Children and of William Bordman and three men servants which are to be transported with him the said Stephen to New England in America in the shipp called the John of London. And whereas the transportation of all the said parties will cost the summe of Forty and Fower pounds which is to be disbursed by the said Joos Glover. And whereas the said Joos Glover hath delivered to the said Stephen Day ketles and other iron tooles to the value of Seaven pounds both which summes amount to the summe of Fiftie and One pounds. If therefore the said Stephen Day doe and shall with all speed shipp himselfe and his said wife and children and servants and the said William Bordman in the said shipp and cause him and themselves to be transported in the said shipp to New England aforesaid with as much speed as winde and weather will permitt. And also if the said Stephen Day his executors administrators or assignes doe truly pay or cause to be paid to the said Josse Glover his executors or assignes the summe of Fiftie and One pounds of law [ful money] of England within Twenty and fower monethes next after the arivall of the said Stephen Day the father in New England aforesaid. Or within Thirty daies next after the decease of the said Stephen Day the father which of the said tymes shall first and next happen to come or bee after the date above written. And also if the said Stephen Day the father and his servants and every of them doe and shall from tyme to tyme labor and worke with and for the said Josse Glover and his assignes in the trade which the said Stephen the father now useth in New England aforesaid at such rates and prizes as is usually paid and allowed for the like worke in the Country there. And also if the said Stephen the father his executors or administrators doe and shall with the said summe of Fiftie and One pounds pay and allow unto the said Joos Glover his executors or assignes for the loane, adventure, and forbearance of the same summe such recompence, damage and consideration as two indifferent men in New England aforesaid to be chosen for that purpose shall thinke fitt, sett downe and appoint. And lastly, if the said Joos Glover his executors and assignes shall and may, from tyme to tyme detaine and take to his and theire owne uses towards the payment of the said summe of money and allowances aforesaid all such parte and soe much of the wages and earnings which shalbe earned by the workes and labours aforesaid (not exceeding the principall summe aforesaid) as the said Joos his executors or assignes shall thinke fitt. That then this obligation to be void or else is to to stand in force and Vertue.

    Sigillum et ded[. . .] in suo nom[ine]

    Stephen Daye

    Ric. Preice1

    Fran. Nelmes

    Henr. Colbron

    [Endorsed:] Glover vs Dunster County Court April 1656.

    Henry Dunster Papers. Like so many of the Dunster documents here presented, this was introduced in the law suit John Glover brought against Dunster for an accounting of his mother’s estate. Dunster married Jose Glover’s widow, Elizabeth in 1641; she died in 1643. For capsule accounts of Dunster and Glover see Morison, Founding, pp. 376–377 and 379–380 respectively. The Latin is copied, with expansions, from Samuel A. Green, Ten Fac-simile Reproductions Relating to New England, p. 3, where a translation is also printed. For Day, who set up the first printing press in the English colonies, see D. A. B.