To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker: Bond, 15 May 1767
From James Parker: Bond7
Printed form with MS insertions in blanks: American Philosophical Society
[May 15, 1767]
Know all Men by these Presents, That I James Parker of the City of New-York, Printer, am Held and firmly bound unto Benjamin Franklin, of the City of Philadelphia Esqr in the Sum of Two Hundred and Thirty-One Pounds, Current Money of Great Britain To be paid to the said Benjamin Franklin or to his certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators, or Assigns: To which Payment, well and truly to be made, I bind myself, Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, firmly by these Presents. Sealed with my Seal: Dated the Fifteenth Day of May in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-seven and in the Seventh Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, &c.
The Condition of this Obligation is such, That if the above-bounden James Parker, or his Heirs, Executors, Administrators, or any of them, shall well and truly pay or cause to be paid, unto the above-named Benjamin Franklin, or to his certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators, or Assigns, the just and full Sum of One Hundred and Sixty pounds, ten Shillings Current Money aforesaid, on or before the First Day of January next, with lawful Interest from the Date hereof, and that without any Fraud, or other Delay; then this Obligation to be void, or else to remain in full, Force and Virtue.
James Parker
Sealed and Delivered in
the Presence of
Henry Von Wagonen
Anthy Carr
[Written in upper left corner:8]
| First Parcel | £55: | 6: | 3 |
| Interest Do. | 3: | 3: | 9 |
| 2d Parcel | 50: | 2: | 9 |
| Interest Do. | 1: | 1: | 3 |
| 3d Parcel | 50: | 13: | 0 |
| Interest | 3: | 0 | |
| £160: | 10: | 0 |
Endorsed: March the 10 1769 reseved of 8 peces of 8 [next words indecipherable] £24–0–09
Reseved of mr Parker when he Came to town to Settel with Mr. John Foxcrofte he paid me 6 peces of gold 3 pound peces £18–0–0
7. On May 23 Parker acknowledged receiving from BF letters of February 28 and March 14, neither of which has been found, as well as a shipment of Caslon type he had asked BF to send. Apparently one of the missing letters had said that BF expected a bond to secure payment for the type and other goods received from him in England, for Parker responded that “I have executed a Bond agreeable to your Order.” Below, p. 168. As usual in such situations, Parker obligated himself for more than the face amount of the debt involved.
8. The three “Parcels” are the three shipments BF had paid for and sent to Parker from England since Parker’s bond of Aug. 1, 1765; above, XII, 226–7. As recorded in BF’s account books these were: Sept. 25, 1765, £55 7s. 0d. for stationery; Jan. 29, 1767, £50 2s. 9d. also for stationery; and March 10, 1767, £50 13s. 0d. for type and for insurance on the shipment. Journal, 1764–1776, pp. 5, 10, 11; Ledger, 1764–1776, pp. 4, 6, 7, 10, 24.
9. A little more than a line of this endorsement (all in DF’s hand) has defied all editorial efforts at precise reading. Its substance, however, may be gathered from a passage in a letter from James Parker to DF, March 8, 1769: “I now send you eight Half Joannes, being £24 Your Money, which I would beg you would enter in one Line on the Back of one of my Bonds, it matters not which, as it can be settled when Mr. Franklin comes. You need only write these Words March 10 1769 Received Eight Half Joes which is quite sufficient. Please let me hear if you receive them safe.” APS.