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Documents the acquisition of Penn’s first campus, created by the transfer of the Whitefield building and land on the west side of Fourth Street to the Trustees of the Academy and Charitable School of Philadelphia
Transcription of the text:
N.B. Punctuation and line breaks are not in the original text but are supplied here to make the text more readable.
This Indenture made the first day of February in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fortynine Between Edmund Wooley of the City of Philadelphia, Carpenter, and John Coats of the same Place, Brick-Maker, of the one part and James Logan of the County of Philadelphia, Esq.r, Thomas Lawrence of the said City, Esq.r, William Allen of the said City, Esq.r, John Inglis of the said City, Merchant, Tench Francis of the said City, Esq.r, William Masters of the said City, Esq.r, Lloyd Zachary of the said City, Practitioner of Physick, Samuel McCall Jun.r of the said City Merchant, Joseph Turner of the said City, Esq.r, Benjamin Franklin of the said City Printer, Thomas Leach of the said City, merchant, William Shippen of the said City, Practitioner of Physick, Robert Strettell the said City Esq.r, Philip Syng of the said City, Silver Smith, Charles Willing of the said City, Esq.r, Phineas Bond of the said City, Practitioner in Physick, Richard Peters of the said City, Esq.r, Abraham Taylor of the said City, Esq.r, Thomas Bond of the said City, Practitioner of Physick, Thomas Hopkinson of the said City, Esq.r, William Plumsted of the said City, Esq.r, Joshua Maddox of the said City, Esq.r, Thomas White of the said City, Esq.r, and William Coleman of the said City, Merchant, of the other part.
Whereas by Indenture made the Date of the Fifteenth day of September and the Year of Lord One thousand Seven Hundred & forty made between Jonathan Price of the City of Philadelphia Carpenter and Mary his wife of the one part and the said Edmund Wooley and John Coats John Howell the said City mariner and William Price of the said City Carpenter of the other part the said Jonathan Price & Mary his wife for the Consideration therein mentioned it Did grant bargain sell remise release and confirm unto the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, John Howell and William Price
A Certain piece of Ground Situate lying and being on the West Side of Fourth Street in the City of Philadelphia afs.d, containing in breadth North & South One Hundred and Fifty Feet and in length One hundred & Ninety eight Feet be the same more or less, Bounded northward with One Hundred Feet of Ground of the said Jonathan Price and his wife dividing the Ground by the said Indenture granted from Mulberry Street, Eastward with Fourth Street afs.d, Southward with Ground of the said Jonathan Price and his wife, & Westward with Church Burying Ground with the appurtenances, To hold the said Piece of Ground and premises with the appurtenances unto the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, John Howell & William Price their heirs and assigns to the Use & behoofe of the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, John Howell & William Price their Heirs & Assigns for ever, Under proportionable parts of Yearly Quit Rents in the Said Indenture mentioned and under the yearly Rent of Fifteen pounds lawful Money of Pennsylvania payable thereout to the said Jonathan Price & Mary his wife and the Heirs and Assigns of the set Mary for ever as by the said recited Indenture relation being there unto had more fully may appear.
And Whereas by Indenture bearing the Date the Fourteenth day of November in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred & forty made between the said Edmund Wooley John Coats John Howell and William Price of the one part and the Rev.d M.r George Whitefield of [blank] in the Province of Georgia, Clerk, William Seward of London in the Kingdom of Great Britain, Esq.r, John Stephen Benezet of the said City of Philadelphia, Merchant, Thomas Noble of the City of New York in the Province of New York, merchant, Samuel Hazard of the said City of New York, Merchant, Robert Eastburn of the said City of Philadelphia, Blacksmith, James Read of the said City of Philadelphia Gentleman, Edward Evans of the said City of Philadelphia, Cordwainer, and Charles Brockden of the City of Philadelphia, Gent., of the other part reciting among other things the said herein before recited Indenture and also Reciting
That Whereas A Considerable number of Persons of different Denominations in Religion had united their Endeavours to Erect a large Building upon the Land above described, Intending that the same should be appointed to the Use of a Charity School for the Instruction of Poor Children Gratis in useful Literature and of the Christian Religion And also that the same should be used as a House of Publick Worship,
And that it was agreed that the Use of the said Building should be under the direction of certain Trustees vizt. the said George Whitfield, William Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburn, James Read, Edward Evans & Charles Brockden and other Persons to be appointed by them or the Majority of them & the Survivors of them or the Majority of such Survivors from time to time as Occasion should require so that the number of Trustees should not exceed the Number of [blank] nor be less than [blank] at any time if it could be conveniently prevented; which Trustees before named & thereafter to be chosen Were from time to time to appoint fit & able School-Masters and School-Mistresses for the service of the said School and introduce such Protestant Ministers to Preach the Gospel in the said house as they should judge to be sound in their Principles Zealous & faithful and the discharge of their Duty & acquainted with the Religion of the Heart and experimental Piety without any regard to those distinctions or different Sentiments in lesser Matters which have to the scandal of Religion unhappily divided Real Christians.
By which said Indenture last Mentioned the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, John Howell and William Price for the more effectual preserving the Land afs.d and the Building thereon erected thereafter to be erected for the afs.d Uses Did thereby declare & agree that today the said Edmond Wooley, John Coats, John Howell and William Price and their Heirs would from thenceforth stands seized of & entrusted in the said Land & premises and the Buildings thereon erected and to be erected and in Trust for the above named George Whitfield, Williams Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburn, James Read, Edward Evans and Charles Brockton & the Survivors and Survivor of them & their Heirs of such Survivor to and for the only use benefitt & behoofe of the said George Whitfield, William Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburn, James Read, Edward Evans and Charles Brockton & the survivors and survivor of them and the Heirs of such survivor forever;
And the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, John Howell & William Price for themselves severally thereby did Covenant and Agree to & with the said George Whitfield, William Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburn, James Read, Edward Evans and Charles Brockden & the Survivors of them that the set Edmund Wooley, John Coats, John Howell and William Price & their respective Heirs at the proper Costs & Charges in the Law and upon the reasonable request & demand of the said George Whitfield, William Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburn, James Read, Edward Evans and Charles Brockden & the Survivors & Survivor of them & the Heirs of such Survivor would grant and convey in due form of Law the above mentioned Land and premises with the appurtenances & every part & parcel thereof to such Person or Persons to and for such uses & purposes and in such manner as they the said George Whitfield, William Seward, John Stephen Benezet, Thomas Noble, Samuel Hazard, Robert Eastburn, James Read, Edward Evans and Charles Brockden or the Major part of them, or the Survivors of them, or the Major part of such Survivors or the Survivor of them, or the Heirs of such Survivor should by Writing under their Hands or Hand subscribed in the presence of Two Witnesses nominated and appointed, As by the said last recited Indenture relation being thereunto had more fully may appear;
And Whereas since the Execution of the said Indenture A large Building hath been erected on the said recited premises;
And Whereas the said John Howell and William Price two other Grantees in the first recited Indenture are since dead And William Seward & Thomas Noble named in the said Indenture last recited are also deceased;
And Whereas the abovenamed John Stephen Benezet,* Edward Evans, Robert Eastburn, James Read & Samuel Hazard being the major part of the Survivors of the Cestuique Uses in the last recited Indenture named,* to the End the said Building and appurtenances may at length be applyed to the goods & pious Uses originally Intended and Justice done to Sundry Persons who advanced Sums of Money for the necessary covering securing and Compleating the said Buildings beyond their respective Gifts and Subscriptions,* have agreed, ordered and appointed that the said Edmond Wooley and John Coats shall grant and convey the said recited Ground and premises & all the Buildings thereupon erected with the appurtenances thereunto belonging to the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman in the manner and to & for such use and Purposes as hereinafter is mentioned and expressed.
Now this Indenture Witnesseth that the said Edmond Wooley & John Coats in pursuance of the said recited Direction and appointment and for the Consideration of the uses hereinafter mentioned and also for and in Consideration of the sum of Seven hundred & Seventy five Pounds eighteen Shill:s & eleven pence, three farthings lawful Money of Pennsilvania to them in Hand paid by the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman at and upon the Execution hereof to be by them justly divided among the Several Creditors on account of the said recited New Building viz.t
To Samuel Hazard for himself and other persons of the Presbyterian Congregation under the pastoral care of the Rev.d M.r Gilbert Tennent in full discharge of sundry sums of by them advance beyond their respective Contributions towards Completing the said Building the sum of Four hundred & twentynine pounds, eleven Shill:s & 4d,
To Hugh Cordrey who lent Money for the same purpose the sum of One Hundred Pounds,
To John Nichols and discharge of his Just Account for work done beyond his contribution the sum of Forty two Pounds, three Shillings & one penny,
To Thomas Betson in discharge of his just Account the sum of Seven Pounds, Eighteen Shillings & three pence,
To John Worrel in discharge of his just Account the sum of Seven Pounds, Six Shillings & Nine pence, –~–~
To William Rush in discharge of his just account the sum of Five Pounds twelve shillings & four pence,
To the estate of William Price in discharge of his just Account the sum of Ten Pounds, Nineteen Shillings & ten pence,
To Thomas Bourne in discharge of his just Account the sum of Six Pounds, four shillings & five pence,
To John Couzins in discharge of his just Account the sum of Four Pounds, ten Shillings & six pence, –~–~
To James Bambridge in discharge of his just Account the Sum of Ten Pounds,
To Edward Evans in discharge of his just Account the sum of Twenty five Pounds which sum he agrees to accept in lieu of Forty Pounds justly due to him being so much advanced by him beyond his Subscription or Contribution to the said Building, he now remitting & freely Giving the remaining Fifteen Pounds towards the Charity School herein after mentioned and
to themselves the said Edmond Wooley & John Coats the remaining One hundred & twenty six Pounds, twelve Shill:s & 5d – ¾.rs in Discharge of their respective just Accounts for work performed and Materials and Money advanced beyond their respective Subscriptions or Donations towards the Necessary Securing and Compleating the said Building which accounts do justly amount to Forty Pounds more but the sum of Twenty Pounds is remitted and freely given by the said [end of first sheet] Edmond Wooley and the Sum of Twenty Pounds more is remitted and freely given by the said John Coats for and towards the Charity School herein after mentioned The Receipt of which said Sum of Seven hundred & Seventy five Pounds 18 Shill:s & 11d ¾qrs the said Edmond Wooley and John Coats to hereby acknowledge and thereof acquit & forever discharge the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman their and every of their Heirs, Executors & Administrators by these Presents Have granted, bargained, sold, released & Confirmed And by these presents by and with the Advice, consent, direction & appointment of the said John Stephen Benezet, Edward Evans, Robert Eastburn, James Read and Samuel Hazard testified by their Affixing & Setting their Hands and Seals hereto Do grant, bargain, sell, release and confirm unto the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman (in their actual Possession now being by Virtue of A bargain & sale to them thereof made by the said Edmond Wooley & John Coats in Consideration of Five Shillings bearing the Date the Day next before the date hereof & by Force of the Statute for Transferring of Uses into Possession) & to their Heirs All the said herein before recited Piece of Ground and Premises & all Buildings & improvements erected and made thereon together with all & singular Ways, Waters, Watercourses, Rights, Liberties, Privileges, Hereditaments & appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging And the Reversion and Reversions, Remainder & Remainders thereof And all the Estate, Right, Title, Interest, Use, Possession, Property Claim and Demand whatsoever of them the said Edmund Wooley & John Coats of in and to the same
To Have & to Hold the said piece of ground and premises hereby granted or mentioned and intended to be hereby granted with the Appurtenances aforesaid unto the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman their Heirs and Assigns forever;
Subject to all such Rents as therefore or thereout are or shall become due & payable And upon to & for the Uses, Trusts, intents & purposes and Under & Subject to the agreements herein after on such behalf contained, limited, declared & agreed upon, That is to Say, It is hereby considered, covenanted and agreed upon by and between all the said Parties to these Presents for themselves & their survivors and survivor or of them and the Heirs & Assigns of such Survivors & Survivor, that in and upon the said Ground, Building and Premises hereby granted with the appurtenances Shall be placed, erected, founded, Established or Kept by the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman A House or place of Public Worship and also one Free School for the Instructing, Teaching, Education of Poor Children or Scholars within two Years from the Date of these Presents;
And that the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman and the Majority of them & the Majority of the Survivors of them and the Assigns of such Survivors shall have Power, License & Authority at their Will & Pleasure from time to time and at all times hereafter to nominate & appoint to be taught and instructed therein such Numbers of Poor Children or Scholars as Shall be Suitable to the funds that they shall have in their Hands for that purpose and to choose A Committee of their Number yearly to take especial care of the said school, And likewise to nominate & appoint one or more learned it able & sufficient Person or Persons as Master or Masters, Usher or Ushers, Mistress or Mistresses to teach & instruct the said Children gratis in useful Literature & the Knowledge of the Christian Religion, And likewise from time to time to introduce such Preacher or Preachers whom they shall judge qualified as in the above recited Indentured is expressed to preach & teach the Word of God occasionally in the said place of Publick Worship, but yet so that no particular Sect is fixed there as A settled Congregation, And shall at all reasonable times permit & suffer in his reasonable turn any regular Minister of the Gospel to preach in the House or place on the Premises which shall be set apart for Publick Worship who hath signed or hereafter shall sign certain Articles of Religion a copy whereof is hereto annexed, and whom they shall moreover judge to be Otherwise duly qualified as above, and particularly shall permit the free and uninterrupted use of the Place of Worship to the Rev.d M.r George Whitfield whenever he shall happen to be in this City and desire to preach therein;
And further that the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman and the Survivors of them, or a Majority of them, or of the survivors of them, or of the Assigns of them, or the survivors of them shall & may from time to time and at all times hereafter at their Will and Pleasure make set down and appoint such Rules & Ordinances for the Rule, Government and well ordering of the said Place of public Worship & School and of the said Master or Masters, Mistress or Mistresses, Usher or Ushers, Scholars & Children from the time being as to them or a majority of them the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman or the Survivors of them or the Assigns of such Survivors shall seem meet & convenient so as Such Rules or Ordinances be consistent with & shall not contain any Matter or thing contradictory to the true intent & design of these Presents, And further that the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman and the Survivors of them & their Assigns and the Heirs and Assigns of such survivors shall have full power to found, erect, Establish & continue in and upon the said House & Premises such other School, Academy, College or other Seminary of Learning for instructing Youth in the languages, Arts and Sciences, and generally to improve the Premises to such other use or uses for the benefit of Mankind & the good of Society as to them or the Majority of them, or the survivors of them, or the Assigns of such survivors shall seem meet so that the same be not inconsistent with the above declared originally intended uses which are bona fide to be always fulfilled and preserved and never impeded, interrupted or discontinued;
And further that the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman & the Survivors & Survivor of them and the Assigns of them and the Survivors of them shall be Governours, Rulers, Directors & Trustees for the purposes herein contained and mentioned untill A Charter of incorporation from the Governor of this Province of Pennsilvania for the time being to the said Trustees or the Survivors of them or their Assigns shall be obtained for the uses and intent herein contained;
And as often as any Ten –~–~ or more of them the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman or their Successors shall happen to die, the Survivors of them shall be good and sufficient Conveyance or Conveyances, Assurance or Assurance in the Law Convey & Assure all the said Ground and Buildings thereon erected or to be built & erected with the appurtenances in fee simple to and upon the same Uses, Trusts, Intents & Purposes and subject to & under the same Covenants & Agreements herein contained and specified to Twenty four –~–~ Lawfull true and honest Christian Men to be named and appointed by the Majority of the Survivors of them the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman or their Assigns for the Uses, Trusts, Intents & Purposes afs.d so that if possible there may be always for ever hereafter the Number of Twenty four such Persons as afs.d in being to Rule, Govern, Order & direct in about and concerning the Premises & the good purposes hereby intended;
And the said Edmond Wooley & John Coats Do hereby for themselves their Heirs, Executors & Administrators covenant, promise & agree to and with the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman And the Survivors & Survivor of them & the Heirs & Assigns of such survivors in matter following, that is to say, that they the said Edmund Wooley and John Coats or either of them have not nor hath done or committed, nor will they or either of them or the Heirs of them or either of them hereafter do or commit any Act Matter or thing whatsoever to hinder or defeat the Effect of this Deed or the intent hereof;
And the said [end of second sheet] James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman Do hereby for themselves and their Survivors & Survivor of them their Heirs, Executors, Administrators & Assigns and every of them covenant, grant, promise and agree to & with the said Edmund Wooley & John Coats and each of them their Heirs, Executors & Administrators and every of them in the manner following, Viz:t
That they the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman and the Survivors of them their Heirs, Executors & Administrators or some of them shall & will from time to time and at all times hereafter well and truly pay the Rents & perform the covenants and agreements in this said herein before recited Indenture reserved, mentioned & contained which on the Grantees or Tenants part are or ought to be paid or performed according to the true intent & meaning of the said first recited Indenture and thereof and therefrom and of and from and against all Actions, suits, costs, charges, expenses, troubles, Damages & Demands whatsoever which shall or may arise, happen be commenced or prosecuted against the said Edmund Wooley & John Coats their Heirs, Executors or Administrators or any of them, or which they or any of them shall or may sustain, suffer or be put unto for or by reason or means of the nonpayment of the said Rents or the Breach or Nonperformance of the said Covenants or Agreements or any of them shall & will at all times hereafter well & sufficiently save, defend, keep harmless and indemnified them the said Edward Wooley & John Coats their Heirs, Executors and Administrators forever by these presents;
And further, Whereas the said Edmund Wooley & John Coats with the above mentioned Edward Evans and Robert Eastburn did by Publick Advertisements in the Pennsylvania Gazette requested Contributions towards the said Building and did in the said Advertisements declare the Uses to be for A Charity School & House of Publick Worship & did accordingly receive divers Sums of Money of sundry Persons to & for the Uses, They the said Edward Wooley, John Coats, Edward Evans & Robert Eastburn do hereby for themselves their Heirs, Executors and Administrators and every of them further covenant, promise, agree to and with the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman and the Survivors & Survivor of them their Heirs, Executors and Administrators & every of them that the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, Edward Evans & Robert Eastburn have bonâ fide lay’d out & expended all the said sums of Money so received & more in and upon the said Building & Premises with the appurtenances, And the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman for themselves and the survivors & survivor of them their Heirs, Executors, Administrators & Assigns and every of them do hereby covenant, grant, promise and agree to and with the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, Edward Evans, & Robert Eastburn their Executors & Administrators and every of them that against all Actions, Suits, Claims and Demands which shall or may arise happen be commenced sued or prosecuted against the said Edmund Wooley, John Coats, Edward Evans and Robert Eastburn their Heirs, Executors or Administrators or any of them by the Donors or Persons their Executors or Administrators who gave & contributed as afs.d to the Uses afs.d of any or by Reason of the Nonperformance of the promises or engagements or any of them in the said Advertisements mentioned concerning the Uses to which the said Contribution Moneys were to be applied & disposed, they the said James Logan, Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall Jun.r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettell, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Thomas Hopkinson, William Plumsted, Joshua Maddox, Thomas White & William Coleman & the survivors and survivor of them, their Heirs, Executors and Administrators and every of them shall and will at all times hereafter well and sufficiently save, defend, keep harmless & indemnified them the said Edward Wooley, John Coats, Edward Evans & Robert Eastburn their Heirs, Executors and Administrators and every of them.
In Witness whereof the said Parties have to these Presents set their Hands & Seals the Day & Year first abovewritten.
Edmund Wooley [seal] John Coats [seal]
| J Stephen Benezet | Wm. Plumsted | Phineas Bond | Thos Leech | Wm Masters | |
| Edward Evans | Josh. Maddox | Richard Peters | W.m Shippen | Lloyd Zachary | Tho Lawrence |
| Robert Eastburn | Tho.s White | Abram Taylor | Robt Strettell | Sam: McCall Jun.r | Will: Allen |
| James Read | W:m Coleman | Th Bond | Philip Syng | Jo Turner | John Inglis |
| Saml. Hazard | W:m Coleman | Cha.s Willing | B Franklin |
Signed, Sealed & Delivered in the presence of us. by all the Persons within named intended & which ought to Sign & Seal (except James Logan Esq.r, Tench Francis & Thomas Hopkinson Esq.r)
John: Moland
George Read
Received from the within named Grantees the within mentioned Sum of Seven hundred & Seventyfive pounds eighteen Shill:s & 11 pence 3 farthings being the Consideration Money in the within written Deed expressed. Witness our Hands the Day & Year first within written.
Witnesses Present
John Moland Edmund Woolley
George Read John Coats
The twenty third Day of November in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fifty three Before me Anthony Morris Esq.r one of the Justices &c. Came the within named Edmond Wooley and John Coats and Acknowledged the within written Indenture to be their Act and Deed and desired the same may be Recorded as their Deed. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the Day & Year abovesaid.
Antho. Morris
Certain Articles whereunto the annexed Deed refers –
We Believe
That there is one eternal God upholds and governs all things Visible & Invisible who hath revealed himself to Mankind by his works of Creation & Providence & also by his written Word which he has given by divine inspiration & is contained in the Scriptures of the Old & New Testament from whence we learn and believe that the Father is God that the son is God and that the holy Spirit is God the same in essence power & glory yet that there are not three Gods but one God.
That God made Man upright after his own Image and Knowledge and Righteousness with A Power of Acting agreeable thereto that immediately after Man’s Creation God entered into a covenant with him in which Adam for himself and as the Representative & Father of all his Posterity promised perfect & perpetual Obedience to the Will of God which he well knew & was able to perform and God upon condition of his Obedience promised to him & his Posterity Immortality and everlasting Happiness and upon condition of his Disobedience threatened him and all his Posterity with Death Spiritual temporal and eternal.
That Man through the Temptation of the Devil broke the covenant which he had made with God whereby he & all his Posterity instantly fell under the Sentence of Death threatened on his Disobedience which awfull sentence began on the Day of his Transgression to be executed upon him and that guilty Fear that overwhelmed his Soul and caused him to hide himself from God in his loss of the divine Image whereby he perceived that he was naked in his Banishment from Paradise & the Favour and Presence of God in that Curse which was brought upon the Ground for Man’s sake under which the whole Creation groans and travelleth in Pain even unto the Day hereby the whole humane Nature descending from Adam by ordinary Generation is naturally become ignorant at Enmity with him & under Bondage of Satan & destitute of Power and Will ever to return to God and to regain its Happiness which every child of Adam is born under the curse of this broken covenant is loaded with the Guilt & defiled with the Pollution of the first Transgression and consequence of it temporal Death hath reigned and still continues to reign over every Generation of Mankind & every individual of humane Race from the very moment of its first existence stands exposed on the account of thereof to the bitter Pains of eternal Death.
That God in his infinite Mercy & Compassion to Man foreseeing his Fall did in his eternal Council decree the Means of his Recovery & Salvation and in order to render it effectual the Father gave to the Son a chosen People from among Men which the Son accepted of and covenanted with the Father to redeem & save
That this gracious design of God was revealed to the first Parents of Mankind soon after the Fall in that promise that the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent’s Head & was afterwards more clearly revealed at sundry times & in diverse manners to the Fathers by the Prophets under the Old Testament Dispensation till at length in the fullness of time God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law who being very God & very Man in one Person did for Man and in his stead fill Righteousness by a perfect Obedience to the Law which Man hath broken & to make satisfaction for Man’s Transgressions of that Law did endure the curse of it in his afflicted Life & ignominious Death & thereby to the eternal covenant between the Father & the Son did work out and purchase a compleat redemption for his Chosen People and Testimony whereof he rose from the dead and is ascended into Heaven where he sits at the Father’s right Hand & ever lives making Intercession for them
That in order to Mans being made partaker of this Redemption the blessed Son of God before his ascension commissioned his Disciples to go & Teach all Nations the Things concerning himself & has promised to be with them in so doing to the End of the World & also hath according to his promise made to his Disciples before his Passion set down his holy Spirit into the World to convince Men of sin and of their Fall & Apostasy from God to make them feel their Misery thereby & to see their utter inability to save and deliver themselves therefrom to lead them to the knowledge of Christ & to discover to them his Ability & Willingness to save them to pursue & enable them heartily to approve of and consent to the Way of Salvation by him & with a deep sense of their unworthiness and thankful acceptance of offered Mercy to give up their souls into his Almighty Hands to be taught ruled & saved by him.
That whosoever is enabled thus to give up himself to Christ and Trust & reposes his soul in his saving Hands is made one with him and on account of what Christ hath done & suffered is delivered from the Curse of the Law & of his servile Subjection to Satan his Sin is pardoned & he is accounted righteous in the Sight of God A beam of divine Light shining into his soul dispell the natural Darkness & ignorance of his Mind A new Heart is given him his natural Enmity to God is slain the Dominion of Sin within him is broken he is created a new in Christ Jesus & an entire change is produced in the Temper & Disposition of his soul he is born of God and is adopted into his Family & brought into A State of Favour & Friendship with him he is made an Heir of eternal Glory his Title to it is infallibly secured and he sometimes enjoys the foretastes of the holy Spirit dwells in him leads & guides him in all the Ways of well doing quickens him when he is Dull revives him when drooping raises him when he falls heals his Backslidings restores him from the Wanderings resolves his Doubts & makes his Way plain before him succours him under all Temptations helps him to Mortify his corruptions to overcome the world & Vanquish the Devil sanctifies him Day by Day & causes him to grow in every Grace and every Virtue till at length in a future life the divine Image which by the Fall was lost is compleatly restored and the soul having obtained an entire Victory over all its Enemies is thro’ free Grace and mere Mercy made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all Eternity.
That those who attain to years of discretion & live under the sound of the Gospel who never See the Evil of Sin & their Apostasy & Fall from God nor feelt [sic] the misery that it hath brought upon them that have no sense of their Want of Jesus Christ to save them and all others that having but an imperf[ec]t sense of their sin & misery do either in the whole or in part trust to & depend upon some supposed good thing in them or to be done by them intitle [sic] them to the divine Favour & either neglect or Reject the Way of Salvation by the free Grace of God in Christ all such Persons remain under the curse of the Law the Dominion of sin and the slavery of the Devil and the Wrath of God abides upon them.
We Believe that this Life & this Only is the Day of Gods Patience wherein he is waiting to be gracious to the Sons of Men that in the Gospel Salvation is offered freely to all that will believe in & obey Christ Jesus that he affords his Grace and Spirit to assist those in so doing who being deeply sensible to their Want of his Help to earnestly & sincerely seek it that notwithstanding that universal pravity & Depth of Misery into which Mankind is fallen yet God in every age hath had a People to serve him who have been made willing in the Day of his Power that when the Number of the Elect are accomplished Christ will appear to judge the Quick & & [sic] Dead that he will in that great & terrible Day of Judgment render to every man according to his Deeds done in the Body that the Wicked shall go into everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life eternal.
We do also give our Assent & Consent to the 9:th 10:th 11:th 12:th 13:th & 17:th Articles of the Church of England as explained by the Calvinists and their Litteral [sic] & Grammatical Sense without any equivocation whatsoever[.] We mentioned these in particular because they are a summary of the foregoing Articles[.] We believe all that are sound in the Faith agree in these whatever other Points they may differ in
Entered in the Office of the Recording of Deeds for the City & County of Philadelphia in Book H. Vol. 5. Page 168 &c. The 19.th Day of June A.o D.i 1754 As Witnesseth my Hand and seal of my Office.
C. Brockden Rec.d