English translation of the medieval German text

 


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... To this Johann Gutenberg answered: that Johann Fust was to advance 800 guilders, with which sum he [Gutenberg] was to manufacture and prepare his apparatus, and he was to be satisfied with this sum and use it to his advantage, and that the apparatus of the aforementioned Johann was his pledge and that Johannes [Fust] was to furnish him with a yearly sum of 300 guilders to cover costs, viz. servants' pay, domestic costs, parchment, paper, [printer's] ink, etc. Should their agreement come to an end, he [Gutenberg] was to return his 800 guilders, upon which his apparatus should be free. As he understood it, he was to carry out this work [manufacture of the apparatus] with the money he [Fust] loaned him against his pledge ...

Transcription

Comment by Geldner (lines 37-47)