"[Vellum Manuscript Indenture]",

This indenture serves as testament to a one year lease of a messauage - a dwelling on a small plot of land. The lessors are Michael Laws (a "Gentleman") of Sunderland near the Sea and Thomas Laws (a farmer) of Easington, both in the County of Durham, and the lessee is Robert Ayre (a Keelman), also of Sunderland. The lease requires Ayre to pay 5 Shillings in return for the dwelling on Lombard Street (also known as Pewterers Lane) that measures 15.5 feet from north to south and 23 feet from east to west, as well as an additional 7 feet of land in front of the dwelling. Signed on February 8, 1811.

The top of the indenture is cut in a jagged ("toothed") line, as was the common practice with indentures. The legal contract was duplicated on a single sheet, and then the copies were separated by a jagged edge, so that the two pieces could be fit together again to verify authenticity. The indenture includes tax stamps and two red wax seals.

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Condition: B

There is light soiling and some foxing.