It is agreed between the Master, Seamen, and Mariners of the Ship Versailles bound for Nantes in France that in Consideration of the Sums as monthly Wages affixed to our Names that the said Seamen and Mariners will perform a Voyage from Boston in the State of Massachusetts Bay to [France] and back to Boston in s'd State promising hereby to obey the lawful Orders and Commands of the said Master, or of other Officers of the sd Ship Versailles and faithfully to do and perform the Duty of Seamen, as required by said Master, by Night and by Day, on board the said Ship, or in her Boats, and on no Account or Pretence whatever, to go on Shore without Leave first obtained from the Master or Commander of said Ship hereby agreeing that Forty-eight Hours Absence without such Leave shall be deemed a total Desertion; and in Case of Disobedience, Neglect, Pillage, Embezzlement or Desertion, the said Mariners do forfeit their Wages, together with all their Goods, Chattels, &c. on board said Ship; hereby for themselves, Heirs, Executors or Administrators, renouncing all Right and Title to the same. And the Master of said Ship hereby promises and obliges himself, upon the above Conditions, to pay the said monthly Wages as set against the Names of the Seamen and Mariners of the s'd Ship Versailles upon return of said Ship to the Port of Boston in s'd State, or on her Arrival at the Port of her Discharge.

It is understood that the Mariners of said Ship upon her Arrival at the aforesaid Port in France, shall either be dischar:g'd, or kept in pay & return'd home in some other Vessel, as they shall choose —

In Testimony of our free Assent, Consent and Agreement to the Premises we have hereunto set our Hands, the Day and Date affixed to our names.

Boston Jany 23. 1777 charged
the above advance wages to Accot
Current — Joseph Chapman

N B. The Sums with this Mark X should be but £6 as Capt Chapman returned ½ a Months wages for each of those Men —