Amongst the hundreds of documents that we have transcribed this is surely the pinnacle of tedium – an Indenture between John Tregonwell and John Harding, Charles Rawleigh, Thomas Radford, Robert Freke, 1678.

Here is a sample:

………if she the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell shall so Long happen to Live Subject to the seve[ra]ll Annuetys hereafter Lymitted & Expressed And after the end & Expiration of the said Terme To the use of the s[ai]d John Hurding Cha[rle]s Rawleigh Tho[ma]s Radford Robert Freke & Sam[ue]l Pitt & their Heirs for & dureing the Life of the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell and after the Decease of the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell then To the use of the First Son of the Body of the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell Lawfully to be begotten & of the Heirs Males of the Body of such First Son Lawfully to be begotten And for Default of such Issue To the use & behoofe of the 2^nd Son of the body of the said Katherine Tregonwell Lawfully to be begotten & of the Heirs Males of the Body of such Second Son Lawfully to be begotten & for Default of such Issue To the use & behoofe of the 3^rd Son of the Body of the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell lawfully to be begotten & of the Heirs Males of the Body of such third Son Lawfully to be begotten And for Default of such To the use & behoofe of the 4^th. 5^th. 6^th & all & every Son & Sons of the body of the said Katherine Tregonwell Lawfully to be begotten Successively one after another to each of them & the Heirs Males of their respective Bodies to be begotten the one and his Heirs Males of his s[ai]d Body to take before the other & his Heirs Males of his Body According to Priority of Age & Seniority (of – crossed out) in Birth of every such Son & Sons respectively And for Default of such Issue then To the use & behoofe of the Dau[ghte]r & Dau[ghte]rs of the body of the said Katherine Tregonwell to be begotten and of the (and of the –crossed out) Heirs of the Body of such Dau[ghte]r & Dau[ghte]rs Lawfully to be begotten The said seve[ra]ll Remainders to the said severall Son & Sons of the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell & the Heirs of the Body of such Son & Sons and for Default of such Issue to the Dau[ghte]r & Dau[ghte]rs of the body of the s[ai]d Katherine Tregonwell & the Heirs of theirs Body to be Subject to the seve[ra]ll yearly Rents & Sums hereafter Limited And Of & for Concerning the other Undivided Moiety………

There are many pages just like this.

Many thanks to our transcriber, Shirley Chick, who has the patience, concentration and fortitude to tackle such a tedious document.