To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker: Bond, 1 August 1765
From James Parker: Bond
Printed form with MS insertions in blanks: American Philosophical Society
[August 1, 1765]
Know all Men by these Presents, That I, James Parker of the Township of Woodbridge, in East New Jersey Printer am held and firmly bound unto Benjamin Franklin, Esq. of the City of Philadelphia in the Sum of One Hundred and Thirty One Pounds four Shillings lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid to the said Benjamin Franklin his certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators or Assigns.6 To which Payment well and truly to be made I bind myself, my Heirs, Executors and Administrators, firmly by these Presents. Sealed with Seal Dated the First Day of August in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty five and in the Fifth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, &c.
The Condition of this Obligation is such, That if the above-bounden James Parker his Heirs, Executors, Administrators, or any of them, shall and do 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 Sixty five pounds Twelve Shillings Sterling, lawful Money, as aforesaid, on the First Day of August next ensuing, with Interest from the Date hereof, and that without any Fraud or further Delay, then the above Obligation to be void, or else to be and remain in full Force and Virtue.
| Sealed and Delivered | James Parker [Seal] |
| in the Presence of | |
| Anthony Car7 | |
| Lewis Jones |
[On the second page:] Philadelphia. Jan. 25. 1766
Received of James Parker Forty-one pounds, five Shillings Philadelphia Money on Account of the within Bond. Exchange being 165 is supposed to be equal to Twenty five Pounds Sterling
per D Franklin
[On the third page:] This Bond is given on this Occasion
The first of February 1765 Benjamin Franklin paid a Debt for James Parker to Wm. Strahan, in London, of £163 13s. Sterl.8 On advice thereof James Parker repaid to Mrs. Franklin in Phila. £100 Sterl. and the Interest of the other £63 13s. Sterl. being computed to the Day of the Date of this Bond, it is executed for the Payment thereof.
[On the fourth page:]
Endorsed: J Parker’s Bond to B. Franklin for £65 12s. Sterl. dated Aug 1. 1765
6. This is the bond Parker executed at BF’s demand to secure the debt incurred when BF took over Parker’s obligation to William Strahan. Above, XI, 414, 470–1, 520, and this volume, pp. 174–5.
7. Anthony Car and Lewis Jones were two of Parker’s apprentices. On Jones, see above, X, 344–5 n.
8. BF had actually paid Strahan £163 13s. 7d. sterling on Parker’s behalf. Evidently DF had been content to ignore the 7d. when Parker undertook to execute the bond.