Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/442

 426 reaonable caue to be allowed by a jutice of the peace : but they may part by conent, or make a pecial bargain.

2. pecies of ervants are called apprentices (from apprendre, to learn) and are uually bound for a term of years, by deed indented or indentures, to erve their maters, and be maintained and intructed by them. This is uually done to perons of trade, in order to learn their art and mytery; and ometimes very large ums are given with them, as a premium for uch their intruction: but it may be done to hubandmen, nay to gentlemen, and others. And children of poor perons may be apprenticed out by the overeers, with conent of two jutices, till twenty four years of age, to uch perons as are thought fitting; who are alo compellable to take them: and it is held, that gentlemen of fortune, and clergymen, are equally liable with others to uch compulion : for which purpoes our tatutes have made the indentures obligatory, even though uch parih-apprentice be a minor. Apprentices to trades may be dicharged on reaonable caue, either at requet of themelves or maters, at the quarter eions, or by one jutice, with appeal to the eions ; who may, by the equity of the tatute, if they think it reaonable, direct retitution of a ratable hare of the money given with the apprentice : and parih apprentices may be dicharged in the ame manner, by two jutices. But if an apprentice, with whom les than ten pounds hath been given, runs away from his mater, he is compellable to erve out his time of abence, or make atisfaction for the ame, at any time within even years after the expiration of his original contract.

3. pecies of ervants are labourers, who are only hired by the day or the week, and do not live intra moenia, as Rh