- Indenture
__NOTOC__An Indenture is a legal
contract between two parties, particularly for indentured labour or a term ofapprenticeship but also for certain land transactions. The term comes from the medieval English "indenture of retainer"cite book|last=Morgan|first=Kenneth O.|title=The Oxford History of Britain|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford, England|date=2001|pages=p126|chapter=The Early Middle Ages] — a legal contract written in duplicate on the same sheet, with the copies separated by cutting along a jagged (toothed, hence the term "in"dent"ure") line so that the teeth of the two parts could later be refitted to confirm authenticity. [See for example Brown, M.P., "A Guide To Western Historical Scripts From Antiquity to 1600", British Library, 1990, pp. 78-9.] Each party to the deed would then retain a part. When the agreement was made before a court of law a "tripartite" indenture was made, with the third piece kept at the court. The term is used for any kind ofdeed executed by more than one party, in contrast to adeed poll which is made by one individual. In the case of bonds, the indenture shows the pledge, promises, representations and covenants of the issuing party.In
England the earliest surviving examples are from the thirteenth century. These are agreements for military service, proving that a paid, contract army was then in existence, although other evidence indicates that the method had already been in use for at least two hundred years.Exchequer records of Henry V's French campaign of 1415 (the "Agincourt" campaign), including the indentures of all the captains of the army agreeing to provide specified numbers of men and at what cost, may still be read. [cite book
last = Barker
first = Juliet
authorlink = Juliet Barker
coauthors =
title = Agincourt: the King the Campaign the Battle
publisher = Little Brown
date = 2005
location = London
pages =
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0316726486] An Indenture was commonly used as a form of sealed contract or agreement for land and buildings. An example of such a use can be found in the National Archives, where an indenture from ca. 1401 recording the transfer of the manor of Pinley,Warwickshire , is held. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Catalogue
work = Item details SC 8/333/E1104
publisher = National Archives
date =
url = http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=-5089817&CATLN=7&Highlight=&FullDetails=True
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-03-28]In the early history of the United States, many European immigrants served a period of indentured labour in order to pay the cost of their transportation. This practice was common during the 17th and 18th centuries, where over half of immigrants worked off an average of three years servitude.
Modern usage
Bond Indenture (also trust indenture or deed of trust) is a legal document issued to lenders and describes the
interest rate ,maturity date , convertibility, pledge, promises, representations, covenants, and other terms of the bond offering. [ [http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-bond-indenture.htm What is a Bond Indenture?] ]References
ee also
*
Capital markets
* Prospectus
*Securities law
*Indentured servant External links
* [http://www.adkins-family.org.uk/hist-caleb_1733.htm English property indenture from 1804]
* [http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/revenuebonds/2005sample/2005_BOND_INDENTURE.PDF Example of Bond Indenture]
* [http://www.whefa.com/files/Marquette2007B.pdf Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authorities Revenue bonds]
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