INDENTURE BETWEEN VARIOUS PARTIES 1679 ON PARCHMENT

The item is a 1679 Indenture written in Pen and Ink on Parchment in Reformation English with the following characteristics:

• The main body is dated literally but not completely, "The Fifth Day of March in the Two and Thirtieth year of the reign of King Charles the Second., by the Grace of God .....etc. Anno Dm 1679"
• The open document measures 56cm by 19cm, and is folded three times into a smaller rectangle measuring 12cm by 19cm.  This has writing on on side which includes the date 1679.
• The Indenture when opened is in good condition and while the writing is legible, it would require an expert to fully transcribe it.
• When folded the outer sides are slightly stained, but the writing is still legible.
• The document appears to record the purchase of property in the town of Lewisham in the County of Kent in England, between three members of a Richardson family land a fourth person, probably the seller, also a Richardson.
• The names and signatures of the four parties are each recorded on the main document while separate strips of parchment are each in turn folded through "slits" in the above names and signatures. and are sealed in place with a blob of sealing wax 3cm by 3cm (roughly), each with a separate imprint in the centre. These strips hand loosely but securely like tassles from the bottom of the document, whether open or folded. Each tassle is 10cm long. These tassles have been slightly folded over the years, but are not damaged.