MHS Collections Online

This Indenture Witnesseth,
That Joseph Ruggles, John Davis, Stephen Williams Junr
Thomas Clarke & John Read Esqr. all of Roxbury Gentlemen &
Selectmen of the said Town of Roxbury in the County of Suffolk
and Commonwealth of Massachusetts by Virtue of the Authori
:ty vested in us by Law
hath put himself, and by these Presents doth voluntarily and of his own free Will and
Accord, and with the Consent of his said of two Justices of the Peace for sd. County
put and bind himself Apprentice to David Stoddard Greenough Esqr: of Roxbury
in the County & Commonwealth aforesaid a Negro Child by the
name of Dick Morey.
to learn his Art, Trade, or Mystery, and with him the said David Stoddard Greenough
after the Manner of an Apprentice to serve from the 15th day of April one thou:
:sand seven hundred & eighty six untill the 15th-- day of April One
thousand eight hundred and one to learn the art, Trade or mis:
:tery of a Farmer
During all which Time or Term, the said Apprentice his said Master & mistress
well and faithfully shall serve; his Secrets he shall keep close, and his Commandments
lawful and honest every where he shall gladly obey; he shall do no Damage to his said
Master and Mistress nor suffer it to be done by others, without letting or giving
seasonable Notice thereof to his said Master and mistress he shall not waste the
Goods of his said Master & mistress 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 with any Person during the said 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 & mistress by Day nor Night he shall not absent himself; but in all
Things and at all Times he shall carry and behave himself towards his said Master
& mistress and all others, as a good and faithful Apprentice ought to do, during
all the Time or Term aforesaid.

AND the said David Stoddard Greenough for himself his heirs & assigns
doth hereby Covenant and Promise to teach and instruct, or cause the said Apprentice to
be instructed in the Art, Trade or Calling of a Farmer
by the best Way or Means that he may or can (if said Apprentice be capable to learn)
and to find and provide unto said Apprentice good and sufficient meet, Drink, wash:
:ing, Lodging & Clothing
during the said Term; and at the Expiration thereof shall give unto the said Apprentice Two
Good suits of apparil one suitable for the Lords Day & the
other suitable for working Days

IN Testimony whereof, the said Parties have to these Indentures interchangeably set
their Hands and Seals, the Sixth Day of September in the Year of
our LORD One Thousand Seven Hundred and eighty six.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered
in Presence of

Suffolk ss
We Eleazer Weld and William Bowman
two of the Justices of the Peace for the said County do
hereby declare our assent to the binding the within
mentioned Dick Morey an apprentice to the within
named David Stoddard Grenough Esqr, according to
the Form & effect of the within written Indenture.
Given under our Hands & Seals the fourteenth day
of March     Anno Domini 1787.
Quorum

[Endorsement]