Summary

To seek treatment for his infection, a free nègre named Pierre Almanzor sought help from the king’s doctor. Exhausting other resources, Almanzor depended on Prat to cure him. Pierre Almanzor negotiated an agreement so that once he became healthy again he would work for five years for Doctor Prat without wages in return for the treatment he received.

Transcription
Translation
Notes

Transcription (French, diplomatic)

[feuille 1 recto] [digital 2]

[Marginalia:] Mars 2 1737 almanzor negre Engagement A M^r. prat

(2004.) F^o. S

(7960.)

fut present en sa personne pierre almanzor Negre Libre Lequel se trouvant attaqué dune maladie venerienne et estant yndispensable partous les sintomes [symptômes] de la faire passer par les grands Remedes nous a declaré
quil n[‘]avez [n’avait] pour se faire traitter cequil desire cependant attendu le Risque ou Il est de perir Indubittablement [;] et pour cet Effet s[‘]est Engagé volontairement et sans
Contrainte pour servir Mr. Prat medecin du Roy pendant L[‘]espace de Cinq ans soit en qualité de Cuisinier ou
autres choses a quoy Il pourra se Rendre utile excepté a travailler a la hache et a la terre et ce moyennant le tem[p]s et espaces de cinq années devolues et accomplies [;] lesquelles commenceront a courir du tem[p]s quil sera parfaitement guery pendant lequel tem[p]s monsr. sieur
Prat L’entretiendra suivant sa qualité, au moyen de quoy Il s[‘]oblige de le traiter medicamenter et alimenter et luy Fournir tous les remedes nouritures et ustenciles qui luy seront necessaires pendant sa maladie et luy donner tous ses soins pour tacher de le guerir Radicalement ainsy quils sont convenus[;] promet[tant] Obligeant [&] Renon[cant] fait et passé a la n^[ouvel]le orleans [faded] En [L’]Etude lan mil sept cent trente sept le deuxieme
mars presence des sieurs francois gautreau [page déchirée] [garde magasin] du Roy et Couturier temoins y demeurant et led^[it] almanzor declaré ne scavoir [page déchirée] [Ecrire] ny Signer de ce Enquis suivant l[‘]ord^[onnan]ce.

[Signé:] Couturier [Signé:] Prat [Signé:] Gautreau [Signé:] Henry

Translation (English, modern)

[page # 1] [digital 2]

[Marginal note:] March 2nd 1737

Almanzor negre Engagement
To Mr Prat

(2004.) F^o. S

(7960.)

[Before the Council] Pierre Almanzor¹ himself, free nègre,* finding himself afflicted by a
venereal
disease² and [it] being essential, because of all the
symptoms, to cure it with the great remedy [mercury]², declared to us that although he does not have enough [money] to be treated, he nevertheless desires this, without a doubt, even given the risk of dying[;] and for this purpose he has committed himself voluntarily and without constraint to serve Monsieur Prat, doctor of the king,
for five years either as a cook or in any other capacity in which He will be able to make himself useful, except
working with the axe and on the land, and this, in return for the
time and interval of five years allotted and completed; which will run once he is completely cured, during which time Monsieur
Prat will maintain him as befits his
position, by which he obliges himself to treat, medicate, and feed him and to provide him all the remedies, food and utensils which will be necessary for him during his illness and give him all his care in order to attempt to cure him completely, such as they have agreed, promising,
obliging, and renouncing, made and approved in New Orleans in the notary’s office, the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven, the second of March, [in the] presence of Sieurs François Gautreau [page torn] [store guard] of the king and Couturier, witnesses residing there, and the aforementioned Almanzor declared not knowing how [page Torn] [to write] nor to sign, in accordance with the ordinance.

[Signed:] Couturier [Signed:] [Jean] Prat [Signed:] [François] Gautreau [Signed:] [Nicolas] Henry

Notes