402
NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2S..x.MAY27, 1022.
A CURIOUS DEED OF OBLIGATION
OF this singular bond I have had an exacl
copy among my papers for some years. As
an example of a state of parochial super
vision and control which has passed away
it deserves permanent record, I think, in
the pages of ' N. & Q.'
At the top of the bond there is a double
court stamp. The device is the Tudor rose
within the encircling Garter and Motto
Honi soit, &c. It is surmounted by a roya
crown. Lower down, within the field of the
stamp to the left, there is a capital F, and
in base the price of the stamp vi PENCE.
The bond is in Latin couched in quite
medieval fashion, but the condition is in
homely English, albeit writ by a legal hand
with tautological exactitude. Bond and
condition occupy one page of foolscap.
The date of the instrument is July 26, 1705.
"Novi'nt univ'si p'sentes nos Johem
N et Andream N - de Leonard -
Stanley in com' Glouc' Textores tener'
et firmit' obligar' Joh'i Beard et Joh'i
Hemmin Ecclesic Guardianis de Leonard-
Stanley p'd' et Rob'to Sandford Gen'r'o
et Joh'i Carpenter Pauperu' Curatoribus
de ead' in Quadragint' Libris bone et
leg'lis Monete Angl' sol vend' iisd' Joh'i
Beard . Joh'i Hemmin Rob't' Sandford
successor!!/
et Joh'i' Carpenter aut suis / cert'
Attornat' Executorib' Admin' b' vel As-
signat' suis ad quam quid' solut'onem
bene et fidelit' faciend' obligamus nos
et utrumq' n'rum p' se p'toto et in solido
Hered' Executores et Adrnin'res ii'r's
firmit' p'sentes sigiJlis n'ris sigillat'.
Dat' vicesimo sexto die Julii Anno r'ni
Dom'te n'rse Annae Dei gra' Angl' Scot'
Franc' et Hib'nise R'nae fidei defensor'
&c quart' Annoq' Dom'i 1705.
" The Condition of this Obligation is such
that whereas Rebecca ye Daughter of the
said John N - and Sister of the. said
Andrew N - is with child and intends
(by God's permission) to be delivered
of the same within y e above .said Parish
of Leonard-Stanley Now if the said
John N - and Andrew N - their
heires and Executors or Admin's or any
or either of them shall from time to time
& at all times hereafter fully and clearly
acquit discharge and save harmless as
well the above-named John Beard John
Hemmin Rob' Sandford and John Car-
his mark
ANDREW N
penter Church-wardens & Overseers of
the said Parish & their successors for y e
time being as also all the Inhabitants &
Parishioners of the said Parish which now
are or hereafter shall be for y e time being
and every of them of and from all and all
manner of costs charges and expenses
whoever which shall or may in any manner
of wise at any time hereafter arise happen
come grow or be imposed upon them or
any of them for and by reason or means
of the birth education or nourishing of the
said child whether male or female And
of & from all other actions suits charges
troubles impeachments and demands who-
ever touching and concerning the same
That then this Obligation to be void & of
none effect else to remain and abide in full
force and virtue.
Sealed and de-
livered (y e impres- JOHN N-
sion of y 9 double
stamp appearing,
the word also [suc-
cessoribus] being
interlined) first in
y e presence of
JNO TAYLOR.
her mark X : MARY BURDOCK."
Though the above -quo ted deed is of the
usual form of bond with one surety (in this
case the son) for the faithful performance of
the duties specified, yet it is curious in respect
of its bilingual character and of its extra-
ordinary subject, while to the lay mind it
seems also strange that the father of the
expected child is nowhere defined. Perhaps
the fair but frail Rebecca had been sojourn-
ing in a far country, and had now returned,
like the Prodigal Son, to her father's house.
CHRISTENING, ANNO 1705 Sept. 17. Jno ye
son of Rebecka N was baptized.*
The principal and his son were apparently
poor village weavers, so that the sum in
which they bound themselves, viz., 40,
representing in the days of Queen Anne a far
larger sum, would have told heavily upon
them ; but no doubt the estimate of the
cost of the upbringing of the unwelcome
hild had been fairly and thoroughly thought
out.
Of the witnesses, it is only necessary to
add that John Taylor was the minister of
the parish, and that, of the other persons
lamed, Robert Sandford, gentleman, was
ihe impropriator of the old Priory lands,
- Parish Register.
