Introduction.             xli

       Twelve leases, some of considerable interest, are recorded. Three, feudal in
     terms and phrase, are for manor lands (pp. 29, 51-52, 265). On February 23,
     1668/9, Edmund Lindsay, planter, innkeeper, and gentleman, as he was vari-
     ously called, assigned to Benjamin Rozer a lease of 1,000 acres of manor land
     lying in Charles County, which Cecilius Calvert, the second Lord Proprietary,
     had first leased in January, 1663/4, for twenty-one years to “Isaac Allerton
     Gent and Dame Elizabeth his Wife relict and Admintrix of Simon Overzee late
     of St John in the County of St Maries”, in consideration of Dame Elizabeth
     relinquishing certain of her dower rights in other Overzee lands. The annual
     rent, payable semi-annually at the Annunciation of the Virgin and at the feast
     of St. Michael the Archangel, was to be one pound sterling or its equivalent,
     in addition to Allerton's planting orchards of a specified number of apple and
     pear trees, and building and keeping in repair certain houses, barns, and stables
     (pp. 265-6). Allerton, now described as of Northumberland County, Virginia,
     three years later on March 18, 1666/7, assigned his lease to Edmund Lindsay
     on condition that the latter carry out all the terms of the lease (pp. 266-7).
     And, on February 3, 1668/9, Lindsay, for the consideration of 10,000 pounds
     of tobacco, reassigned the lease for the remaining years of its life to Benjamin
     Rozer (p. 267). On August 8, 1674, Thomas Allanton, gentleman, leased to
     Gerard Browne, planter, both of Charles County, 100 acres of his Christian
     Temple Manor lying on the south side of Mattawoman or St. Thomas Creek.
     The duration of the lease was “forever”, and the terms a yearly rent of “the
     sume of foure shillings sterling or the value thereof in vendable Comodities of
     the Countey & on year of Indian corn” (p. 571-2). John Lewger of Charles
     County, gentleman, the former Provincial Secretary, and his wife Martha, on
     August 13, 1666, leased “forever” to John Wright of Maryland, gentleman,
     for the consideration of £50 sterling owing and due by Wright to Lewger, a
     tract of 150 acres, being a certain part of Lewger's manor of 1000 acres on St.
     Elizabeth's Branch upon which Wright now dwells; the amount of the rent to
     be one Roasting Pige and too Capons”, payable upon the fourth day of Decem-
     ber at “the mannor hows of the said Mannor” (pp. 28-30).
       Walter Beane, a justice, and his wife Elizabeth, on June 9, 1666, leased
     “forever” to James Walker, both of Charles County, a tract (unnamed) of 200
     acres on the south side of Wicomico River, with houses, orchards, etc., upon it.
     The land is described as formerly owned by Walker and as having been sold
     by him to Christopher Carnell, deceased, and since owned by several others until
     it was conveyed by Mr. Francis Doughtie “laet Minister tn this County” to
     Walter Beane, the now lessor; the annual rent to be four shillings of good
     current English money, or its equivalent in goods or commodities (pp. 14-16).
     Another lease, of an acre of land and the spring upon it, was recorded Sep-
     tember 3, 1673, by John Jarbo, gentleman, of St. Mary's County, to Thomas
     Baker of Charles County. This spring was on an acre of land which Jarbo
     had reserved when he sold 299 acres of a 300 acre tract of which the one acre
     was a part, to John Nevill, who subsequently sold his 299 acres to Baker,
     who now lives upon it near the said spring. No consideration is mentioned in
     the deed, but the annual rent was to be “one Eare of Sund Indian Corne" (pp.