OF COLONIAL MARYLAND 25

aging six months. When the survey had been completed it was
signed by the Surveyor General who returned it to the Secretary's
office. A certificate of survey dated Dec. 4, 1639 in Liber 1 of
Patents reads:

Laid out for Mr. William Lewis one neck of land lying upon
the northern side of St. Inigoes Creek and bounding on the
west with St. Andrew's Creek; on the east with the freehold
of St. Maries Hill, and on the north with the town land of
Robert Clerk as it is distinguished by marked trees containing
thirty acres or thereabouts.

JOHN LEWGER (Surveyor)

When the foregoing records had all been completed and if no
objections were forthcoming the patent itself was granted under
the great seal, signed by the Governor and endorsed by the Secre-
tary and the Surveyor General. The patent or grant³² was of the
nature of a deed, and gave the consideration for which the grant was
made, the description of the grant as found in the certificate of
survey and the conditions of tenure. ³³ The following is an example
of a patent:

Caecilius &c: To all persons to whom these presents shall come
greeting in our Lord God Everlasting. Know yee that we for
and inconsideration that George Peake of this province planter,
hath due unto him Three hundred Acres of Land for the trans-
portation of Severall persons into this Province here to inhabitt
as appears upon record. And upon such conditions and terms
as are Expressed in our conditions of plantation of our Prov-
ince of Maryland under our greater Seal at Armes bearing
date at London the Second day of July in the Year of our Lord
God One Thousand Six hundred forty nine with such altera-
tion as in them is made by our declaration bearing date the
twenty Sixth day of August One Thousand Six hundred fifty
one and remaining upon record in our sd Province of Maryland
Do hereby grant unto him the sd George Peake a Parcell of
Land (called Peake Marsh) lying in Talbotts County on the
North side of Choptanck River.... To have and to hold the
same unto him the said George Peake his heirs and assigns
forever To be holden of us and our heirs, as of our Mannor of
Baltemore in free and common Soccage by fealty only for all
manner of Services Yeilding and Paying therefore yearly unto
us and our heirs at our receipt at Saint Maries at the two most

³² These two terms are used interchangeably though the latter usually

refers to what is granted and the former to the record of it.
³³ Mereness, p. 51.