Under date of March, 1639, Winthrop says, “a printing-house was begun at Cambridge by one Daye, at the charge of Mr. Glover, who died on sea hitherward. The first thing which was printed was the freeman's oath; the next was an almanac made for New England by Mr. William Peirce, mariner; the next was the Psalms newly turned into metre.” 2 Many years ago, the late Thaddeus William Harris, M. D., then Librarian of Harvard College, gave me a copy of an ancient document preserved in the archives of that institution, which manifestly relates to this affair, though, perhaps for prudential reasons, no mention is made in it concerning printing. It is a bond in the usual form, given by Stephen Day3 of Cambridge, county of Cambridge, locksmith4 to Josse Glover,5 clerk, in the penal sum of one hundred pounds, and dated June 7, 1638. The condition is thus stated:
The condition of this obligation is such, that, whereas the above named Josse Glover hath undertaken and promised to bear the charges of and for the transportation of the above bounden Stephen Day and Rebecca his wife, and of Matthew6 and Stephen Day, their children, and of William Bordman,7 and three menservants, which are to be transported with him the said Stephen to New England in America, in the ship called the John of London; and whereas the transportation of all the said parties will cost the sum of forty and four pounds, which is to be disbursed by the said Joos Glover; and whereas the said Joos Glover hath delivered to the said Stephen Day kettles and other iron tools to the value of seven pounds, both which sums amount to the sum of fifty and one pounds; If,
