464 Assembly Proceedings, Sept. — Oct. 1663.

U. H.
Journa
1659-61
p. 163

Now soe itt is that the Complt intending to returne out of
this Province into England with his wife there to Reside,
and to leave the managem^t of his affayres in this Province
with Richard Hotchkeyes and M^rs Anne Tilney one John
Nicholls an Inhabitant of this Province who had been long
and much indebted to the Complt; and from yeare to yeare
forborne by him without ever takeing one penny of him for
the damage of non payments being growne very poore and
vnable by his labo^rs to pay his debts, and mayntayne himselfe
wife and Children did some two or three moneths before the
Compl^ls departure for England in the yeare 1659 sell the Complt
his plantacon And more to lessen his Charge did by the me-
diation Of the S^t Rich^d Hotcikeys M^rs Anne Tilney and

others earnestly Jmportune the Complt. & his wife to take his
eldest daughter named Hester being ab^t 10 or 11 yeares ould,
an Apprentice for five yeares which the Complt refused and
yett att last by the earnest sollicitacon of the sd Nicholls him-
selfe and others in his behalfe. And in Commiseracon of his
poore Estate and the sd childs who was in a very poore Con-
dicon for want of Cloathes as well Linnen as woollen, did Con-
discend to accept her for seaven yeares, And accordingly an
Jndenture was drawne Signed & Sealed by the said Nicholls
and his daughter in the p^rsence of the s^d Hotchkeys and John
Abington without any other Condition than w^t was Conteyned
in the s^d Jndent^r And whereas in a petⁿ to this hono^ble Courte
the 11^th of February 1661 Jtt is falsly alledged by the s^d
Nicholls that the Complt did earnestly press him for his s^d
daughter promising she should doe nothing else but wayte
vpon his wife who itt is well knowne wanted noe Attendants
of farr better fashon, And was shortly intended to goe for
England with the same mayd she brought with her, with noe
Resolucon as was well knowne to the s^d Nicholls of returning
againe into this Province. And to bee att the Charge of trans-

p. 164

porting or keepeing such a Rude Rawe ill bred Childe for or
in England where Servants of all sorts may be had on Easyer
tearmes is altogether Jmprobable yett how otherwise she should
doe nothing else but wayte vpon his wife or that he the s^d Cap^t
should take as much Care for her as his owne Child which is
also Sworne by his Confederate Edward West, he humbly de-
sires this hono^ble Court to take into their serious Consideracon
as alsoe the last Clause of the s^d Nicholls his petⁿ wherein he
Craves that his daughter may not be made a Slaue a tearme
soe Scandalous that if admitted to be the Condicon or tytle of
the Apprentices in this Province will be soe distinctive as noe
free borne Christians will ever be induced to come over ser-
vants, of all which falsetyes the s^d Nicholls and West were soe
Conscious (as the Complt hath reason to beleive that they