Known by these pesents That I John Hawkes of Dearefeild in Hampshire wthin ye Province of ye Massachuset Bay in New Engld am Holden & stand firmly Bound & obliged by these pesents To John Pynchon of Springfeild Esqr In the ful sum of Twelve Pounds current money of New England to be pd unto ye sd John Pynchon Esqr his heires executors administr or assignes To ye True Paymt whereof I bind my selfe my heires executors administrators & every of them firmely by these pesents The condition of this obligation is such That If ye above Bounden John Hawkes his heires executors administrators or assignes Doe wel & truly pay or cause to be pd unto ye above named John Pynchon his heires exe= cutors administrators, or assignes, in Springfeild ye ful Sum of Sixe Pounds in current money of New England at or before ye 26th day of March wch wil be in the yeare of or Lord one thousand seven hundred wthout fraud or further delay then this above written obligation to be void & of noe efect otherwise to abide in ful force vertue & power, witness my hand & seale dated in Spring= feild this 9th day of March 1698/9, In ye eleventh yeare of his Matie Reigne John Hawks Witnesses are John Holyoke Edward Allyn John Allen Springfield 17th May 1714 then received of Eliezer Hawkes as Administratour to the estate of Colº John Pynchon deceased the full Sum of Six pounds by and [ ] Province Bills by mee: John Pynchon

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Although the promissory note by John Hawks of Deerfield, Massachusetts, to John Pynchon of Springfield is handwritten, apparently by Hawks himself, the language is similar to other legal promissory notes of the time. Hawks (1643-c1721) is in debt to Pynchon for twelve pounds. The terms further state that if the debt be paid before March 26, 1700, the debt shall be only six pounds. There are three witnesses. The debt is paid to the estate of Pynchon on May 17, 1714, declaring that the "full Sum of Six pounds" has been accepted by the Administrator, even though he is paying well after the March date.

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Promissory note to John Pynchon from John Hawks

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