Lesson 2 Document 8
Plymouth Colony Records and Court Orders -disputes between Masters and Servants
PCR Volume 1, 1633-1640
PCR Volume 2, 1641-1651
PCR Volume 3, 1651-1661
Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, edited by Nathaniel Shurtleff and David Pulsifer (New York: AMS Press).
Edited / language updated
January 10, 1632
Thomas Brian, the servant of Samuel Eedy, was brought before the Governor … because the said Thomas had run away and absented himself five days from his masters service, and being lost in the wood, and found by an Indian. Was forced to return; and for this his offence was privately whipped before the Governor
Aug.15, 1633
Whereas Robert Barker had bound himself an apprentice to John Thorpe, in the trade of carpentry, the said Thorp being dead, Alice, his wife hath turned over his time, which will be expired the first of Apr.1637, to William Palmer, nayler [carpenter], of Plymouth., by the free consent of the said Robert; the said William promising to instruct [and] teach him his said trade of nayling, and]at the end of his time to give him only two suits of apparel.
February 4, 1638/1639
Concerning Mr. Stephen Hopkins and Dorothy Temple, his servant, the Court doth order, with one consent, that in regard by her covenant of indenture she hath yet about two years to serve him, that the said Mr. Hopkins shall keep her and her childe, or provide she may be kept with food and payment during the said term; and if he refuse so to doe, that then the colony provide for her, [and] m[r] Hopkins to pay it.
James Till, of Scittuate, for purloining corn [and] a shirt from William Parker of Scittuate, when he was servant to him in his house, as also for purloining corn from John Emerson [and] others, when he was servant to them, which were confessed by him in Court, was censured to be whipt [and] burnt in the shoulder, and to make restitution to his master Emerson, for the corn he stole from him, six bushels of corn, wither in service, corn, or otherwise.
June 8, 1655
Imppr, we present Susanna, the wife of Robert Latham, for being in a great measure aguilty, with her said husband, in exercising cruelly towards their late servant, John Walker, in not affording him convenient food, payment, and lodging; especially in her husbands absence, in forceing him to bring a log beyond his strength.