218 ~  [June 1692] Agreement for construction of a sailing vessel

 Articles of Agreement had, made & concluded between Ralph Milbourne of Somerset County in the Province of Maryland of the one part & Andris Derrickinson, William Swetnam, Peter Lewis & Peter Rayman of the other part as followeth (viz.) Imprimis, the said Ralph Milbourne doth for himself his heirs etc Covenant agree to and with the said Andreas Dickinson, William Swetnam, Peter Lewis & Peter Rayman, their heirs or assigns, that he the said Ralph Milbourne, shall fully build, compleat & finish, to a cleate, a certain Vessel now on the stocks at the town of Snow Hill in Somerset County aforesaid. He the said Ralph Milbourne hereby covenanting to find all such material as is here expressed (viz) all & all manner of Timber, plank, board, pitch, tarr, okum & whatever else is convenient for the said Vessel, to the finishing & launching thereof, and likewise the workemanshipp & the hire & payment of the sd Workemans hire, untill the sd Barke or vessel shall be launched & floted in the water  ~~  ~~  ~~  ~~  ~~

Item, the said Andreas Derrickinson, William Swetnam, Peter Lewis & Peter Rayman doe for themselves their heirs & (assigns) Covenant & agree to & with the said Ralph Milbourne that for & in consideration of the above mentioned premises & to the performance of the building compleating & finishing of the above specified Barke or Vessel, joyntly to find & buy all & all manner of nails, spikes, bolts & iron worke, whatsoever to the compleating & finish the said Vessel as above  (allwayes provided the said Ralph Milbourne his heirs  or assigns paying  & finding their part & proportion of the said nails, spikes, bolts & iron worke whatsoever according to the part that he himself shall retain & hold. The said Andreas Derrickson, William Swetnam, Peter Lewis & Peter Rayman doe further covenant & agree to & with the said Ralph Milbourne that they shall & will pay or cause to be paid the sum of one pound fifteen shillings p/ tonne for building & finding as above.  And for confirmation thereof have (at the ensealing & delivery hereof)  paid unto the said Ralph Milbourne the sum of fourty pounds current money of this Province of Maryland, and at the launching & when the said Barke or Vessel shall be floted as above, then they hereby for themselves their heirs etc covenant to pay the remaindor according as the said Barque or Vessel shall measure by the rule, at the rate of one pound fifteen shillings (current money of  Maryland) p/ tonne aforesaid. The said Ralph Milbourne by these obliging himself that the said Barke or Vessel shall be launched & in the water floted by the last day of October next ensuing the date hereof  (allwayes provided that nothing be wanting - - - hindrances made on the contrary part to be performed) and then the said Ralph Milbourne at the payment of the remainder as above to give a Bill or Bills of sale, according to the their respective parts and as the Law in that case requires.

Item, the parties both sides above mentioned to the true performance of all and every the premises above mentioned to severally oblige themselves in the penal sum of two hundred pounds current money of Maryland aforesaid.  IN WITNESS whereof they have hereunto sett their hands & seals this thirteenth day of June in the year of our Lord 1692.   ~~  ~~  ~~  ~~

Signed & Sealed  & Delivered                                              Ralph Milbourne

in the presence of us ~                                                             Andris Dirrickson

James Maynard                                                                         William Swetnam

Robert Peale                                                                              Peter Lewis

Roger Corbett                                                                                        Peter Rayman