1743 Land Grant from William COALE to William CROSS

CHARLES, Absolute Lord Proprietary of the Provinces of Maryland and Avalon, Lord Baron of Baltimore, etc.

To all persons to whom these presents shall come,

Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting,

Know Ye, that for, and in Consideration that William Crofs of Baltimore County, in our said Province of Maryland, hath due unto him twenty three acres of land within our said Province by virtue of an assignment for that quantity from William Coale part of a Warrant for fifty acres granted said Coale the Sixth day of May seventeen hundred forty three as appears in our Land Office, and upon such Conditions and Terms, as are expressed in our Conditions of Plantation of our said Province, bearing Date the Fifth Day of April, Sixteen Hundred and Eighty-four, and remaining upon Record in our said Province, together with such Alterations as in them are made by our further Conditions, bearing Date the Fourth Day of December, Sixteen Hundred and Ninety-six; together also with the Alterations made by our Instructions, bearing date at London, the Twelfth Day of September, Seventeen Hundred and Twelve, and registered in our Secretary's Office of our said Province together with aparagraph of our Instructions bearing Date at London the fifteenth day of December seventeen hundred & thirty eight as registered in our Land Office,

We Do thereforehereby Grant unto him the said William Crofs all that Tract or parcel of Land called "Crofses Lott" lying on the East side of the Patapsco Falls a branch of the Patapsco River.

Beginning at abounded Hiccory and two bounded red Oaks standing at the head of a branch on the East side of the Patapsco Falls contiguous to the Indian Road and running thence North forty five degrees East sixty perches, North seventy degrees East ninety perches, South twenty five degrees West sixty two perches and thence by a straight line to the Beginning,

containing and laid out for twenty three Acres, More or Lefs. according to the Certificate of Survey thereof, taken and returned into our Land Office, bearing Date the Day of Seventeen Hundred and forty three and there remaining, together with all Rights, Profits, Benefits, and Privileges thereunto belonging, Royal Mines excepted,

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same, unto him the said William Crofs, his Heirs, and Assigns, for ever, to be holden of Us and Our Heirs, as of our Manor of Baltimore in free and common Soccage, by Fealty only for all manner of Services, Yielding and Paying therefore, yearly unto us, and our Heirs, at our Receipt at our City of St. Mary's, at the Two most usual Feasts in the Year, viz. the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and St Michael the Arch-Angel, by even and equal Portions,

the Rent of Eleven pence half penny Sterling, in Silver or Gold, and for a Fine upon every Alienation of the said Land, or any Part or Parcel thereof, one whole Year's Rent in Silver or Gold, or the full Value thereof, in such Commodities as we and our Heirs, or such Officer or Officers as shall be appointed by us and our Heirs, from time to time, to collect and receive the same, shall accept in Discharge thereof, at the choice of us or our Heirs, or such Officer or Officers aforesaid:

PROVIDED, That if the said Sum for a Fine for Alienation shall not be paid unto us and Heirs, or such Officer or Officers aforesaid, before such Alienation, and the said Alienation entered upon Record, either in the Provincial Court, or County Court, where the same Parcel of Land lieth, within one Month next after such Alienation, then the said Alienation to be void and of no Effect.

GIVEN under our Great Seal of our said Province of Maryland, this first Day of November Anno Dom. Seventeen Hundred and forty three.

WITNESS, our Trusty and Well-beloved Thomas Blanden Lieutenant-General and Chief Governor of our said Province of Maryland, Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal thereof.

Contributed by Alynne, owner of the original sheepskin or pigskin document