Thank you, Eve. Much appreciated. Liz in Melbourne On Thursday, March 25, 2004 12:09 PM, Eve McLaughlin [SMTP:eve@varneys.demon.co.uk] wrote: > > > > >In a will of 1655, the following occurs > >"...Thomas Ham[m]ond of Threshfield gent hath by Indenture of mortgage secured > >some landes in Threshfield to my [sic - me] my Executors administrators > >and Assignes for twoe thousand yeares with a Provisoe that the > >estate thereof be voyd upon payment of Twoe hundreth poundes > >to me my executors or Assignes upon the second day of February > >which shalbe in the yeare of our Lord 1656 and of Interest > >yearlie for the same untill it be paid..." > > > >Was there some reason in particular why a mortgage would be for two thousand > >years? Was this wording common? > 1000 was, as an incentive to the borrower to get up and scrape together > the money and repay it on time. So 2000 is just a doubly sure incentive? > > However, these were difficult times (Commonwealth) hence possibly > Thomas was a crypto royalist, and what he was really doing was > apparently giving his estate away, to avoid having it confiscated by > Parliament under the provision for 'malignants' estates'. > -- > Eve McLaughlin