1704 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 565

or take effect unless the deed conveying the same shall be exe-
cuted, acknowledged and recorded as herein provided; except
that whenever a lease [of an initial term of not more than
seven years contains an option or options of renewal entitling
any party to said lease to extend the total duration thereof
to a period of more than seven years from the original date of
the initial term, this section shall apply, but no provision for
a renewal, automatic or otherwise, in a lease shall make this
section applicable if it may be terminated by either party
within seven years after the original date of the initial term. ]

[Strike-through, see page image for text. ]

EXCEPT THAT THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY
LEASE OR SUB-LEASE FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF NOT
MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS WHICH CONTAINS ANY
PROVISION FOR RENEWAL FOR ONE OR MORE SUC-
CEEDING STATED TERMS OF NOT MORE THAN
SEVEN YEARS EACH, IF UNDER SUCH PROVISION
FOR RENEWAL THE RIGHT TO EFFECT OR PREVENT
EACH SUCH RENEWAL TERM SHALL BE OPTIONAL
WITH EITHER THE LANDLORD OR THE TENANT; AND
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT WHENEVER A LEASE
OR SUB-LEASE TO WHICH THIS SECTION SHALL
APPLY HAS BEEN EXECUTED, BUT HAS NOT BEEN
ACKNOWLEDGED OR RECORDED OR NEITHER AC-
KNOWLEDGED NOR RECORDED, AS HEREIN PRO-
VIDED, SUCH LEASE OR SUB-LEASE SHALL, NOT-
STANDING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, BE
VALID AND BINDING, AND OF FULL FORCE AND
EFFECT BOTH AT LAW AND IN EQUITY, BETWEEN
THE ORIGINAL PARTIES TO SUCH LEASE. All such
deeds shall be acknowledged before some one of the officers
named in Sections three, four, five and six of this Article, and
any unmarried woman between the age of eighteen years and