Now! Then! Abraham Sharp (16), later mathematician and astronomer, undertakes not to fornicate for the next eight years and is apprenticed to a York textile merchant

Excerpt

Witnesseth that the said Abraham Sharp hath put and bound himself apprentice unto the said William Shaw and after the manner of an apprentice with him to dwell from the making hereof unto the full end and term of eight years from thence next ensuing fully to be complete and ended, during all which said time the said Abraham Sharp the apprentice him the said William Shaw as his master well and truly shall serve, his secrets shall keep, his commandments lawful and honest everywhere shall do, fornication in the house of his said master nor without he shall not commit, hurt unto his said master he shall not do, nor consent to be done, but to his power shall it not, and forthwith give his said master warning thereof; taverns of custom he shall not haunt, unless it be about his said master’s business there to be doing; at cards, dice, or any other unlawful games he shall not play, the goods of his said master inordinately he shall not waste, nor them to any other person send without his said master’s licence, nor shall trade for himself or any other person except for his said master in any kind of merchandise neither beyond the seas nor at home during the said term without his said master’s licence; matrimony with any woman he shall not contract, nor any marry or take to wife within the said term without his said master’s licence; from his said master’s service he shall not absent himself either by day or night, but shall behave himself as a true and faithful servant ought to do as well in words as in deeds, yielding to his said master a just and true account so often as he shall be required during the said term, and in which said term the said William Shaw, the master, him the said Abraham Sharp, his apprentice, in the trade or mystery of a mercer which he now useth, and shall teach and inform or cause to be taught and informed, and in due manner shall chastise him, finding to his said apprentice meat, drink, and cloth linen and all other things necessary for such apprentice after the custom of the City of York; and shall give yearly to his said apprentice during the said term six pence in the name of his stipend or salary.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

£20 was paid for the pleasure, but Sharp didn’t complete his term.

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Original

This indenture made the four and twentieth day of May … between William Shaw, of the city of York, mercer, on the one part, and Abraham Sharp, son of John Sharp, of Little Horton in the county of York, clothier, on the other part:

Witnesseth that the said Abraham Sharp hath put and bound himself apprentice unto the said William Shaw and after the manner of an apprentice with him to dwell from the making hereof unto the full end and term of eight years from thence next ensuing fully to be complete and ended, during all which said time the said Abraham Sharp the apprentice him the said William Shaw as his master well and truly shall serve, his secrets shall keep, his commandments lawful and honest everywhere shall do, fornication in the house of his said master nor without he shall not commit, hurt unto his said master he shall not do, nor consent to be done, but to his power shall it not, and forthwith give his said master warning thereof; taverns of custom he shall not haunt, unless it be about his said master’s business there to be doing; at cards, dice, or any other unlawful games he shall not play, the goods of his said master inordinately he shall not waste, nor them to any other person send without his said master’s licence, nor shall trade for himself or any other person except for his said master in any kind of merchandise neither beyond the seas nor at home during the said term without his said master’s licence; matrimony with any woman he shall not contract, nor any marry or take to wife within the said term without his said master’s licence; from his said master’s service he shall not absent himself either by day or night, but shall behave himself as a true and faithful servant ought to do as well in words as in deeds, yielding to his said master a just and true account so often as he shall be required during the said terme, and in which said terme the said William Shaw, the master, him the said Abraham Sharp, his apprentice, in the trade or mystery of a mercer which he now useth, and shall teach and inform or cause to be taught and informed, and in due manner shall chastise him, finding to his said apprentice meat, drink, and cloth linen and all other things necessary for such apprentice after the custom of the Citie of York; and shall give yearly to his said apprentice during the said term six pence in the name of his stipend or salary.

In witness whereof the parties named in these present indentures interchangeably have set their hands and seals the day and yeare first above written, Anno Domini, 1669.

476 words.