From the Ecclesiastical Records.

Document No. 48.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BISHOP AND HIS GARDENER, 1677.

Memorandum that it is covenanted and agreed upon this second day of October in the year of our Lord God 1677 between the Right Reverend Father in God Henry Ld Bop of Sodor and Mann on the one part and David Anderson Scotchman on the other part as followeth That wheyas the said David professeth and taketh upon him to have served persons of quality in the respective condicons of a Gardiner Cook Caterar Groome Baker and Brewer and many other usefull imploymts for a housekeeper and now offerath his service unto the Ld Bop and assumeth upon him to assist his lop in all and any of these capacities and not to detract or refuse any lawfull comands of his said Ld and Mr at any time or in any manner wherein hee is capable to serve him but especially in respect of his Domestick employments & more particu-larly in and about his Gardens which hee shall cultivate workmanlike and by digging planting sowing keeping neat and safe shall improve to the best advantage in rearing a seminary of all manner of fruits hearbs flowers seeds roots and other trees both for profit & pleasure which tht soile & clyme of Bopscourt in the Isle of Mann is capable off.

And yearly raising white Thorne and regular hedges for the better defence of the prmises whose orcheards & Gardens are intended by the said Ld Bop to be a seminary and nursary for the supply not onely of his own family Gratis but of the whole Isle at the reasonable charge of the purchaser.

If therefore the said David shall so serve his Ld and Mr as aforesaid constantly obediently diligently & faithfully and shall find himself with meat drink clothes lodging and all necessary Instrumts at his own charge which hee herby covenanteth undertaketh and bindeth himfelf to performe accordingly for the space of seaven yeares without any further charge to the said Bop excepting onely the buying of necessary seeds and setts. The said Ld Bop his Master doth for' and in consideration of all these premises actually and punctually to be performed by the said David, promise & covenant to and with the said David to give & allow unto him yearly the sume of five pounds wages in money to be paid him quarterly and also give him yearly three cowgates and the liberty and some afsistance of building an house for him & his wife to live in some convenient and near place to his Lops palace which the said Ld Bop shall assigne and appoint him upon his Lops land as also the use & benefits of his milne at Bops Court reserving his own his tenant or Farmer of his Demesne of Bops Court that shall ocupy and inhabite his sd capitall messuage mansion house or Palace of Bops Court or any part of their proper grinding and moulter free during the time aforesaid as also receiving unto himselfe and parties aforesaid sufficient supply of all manner of Fruit hearbs rootes Flowers seeds and other benefits and emolumts arising renewing and ...... ing whhe the said Gardens Orcheards and ring hedge of the said Court or capitall messuage wherof the said David herby obligeth himselfe to furnish the said Ld Bop and his relatives aforesaid with three or four good dishes at the least every meale according to the season and after such sufficient supply reserved for his Lop his family and ye ocupants or his or their assignes in case of his or their abscence the said. Bop is willing to allow unto the said David to dispose of unto his own use and benefite the surplusage of the yearly fruites of the said Gardens provided that he shall not give sell or suffer to be conveyed away any trees arising or growing in the same without the privitie & licence of the sd Ld Bop or his assignes nor suffer any catle or horses to come theron according to the true gramaticall and lawfull sense and meaning of this mutuall agreement.

The parties aforesaid doe mutually oblige themselves to each other for the Tearme and space of seaven yeares as aforesaid to comence from the day of the date of these prsents. If the said Ld Bop shall continue to be Incumbent in the Boprick of this Isle so long.

As witness their hands and seales inter-changeably affixed & sett unto the said. respective bargaine contract and covenant one part wherof remaineth in the hands of she said Ld Bop And the other counterpart in the hands of the said David which they mutually acknowledge to be their Act and deed lawfully executed the day and year above written and doe respectively consent that the said contract shall be kept on the Episcopall Records.

Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of

Henric. Sodor

Sacn Wattleworth Wm. Crowe

John Quilliam David Anderson

The above signature, 'Henric Sodor,' is of Bishop. Henry Bridgman (1671-1682).