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Select Papyri, 1.48


LEASE OF A MILLING-BAKERY

Greek text:   POxy 1890
Date:   A.D. 508.

The year after the consulship of our master Flavius Anastasius the eternal Augustus, for the third time, and Venantius the most illustrious, Choiak 1, 2nd indiction, at Oxyrhynchus. Aurelius Apphouas also called Cataminas, son of Pieous and Olympiane, and his son Abraham, whose mother is Herais, both inhabitants of this illustrious city of Oxyrhynchus, bakers and master-millers, to the most noble Serena daughter of Peter of blessed memory, of the said city, greeting. We acknowledge on our mutual security that we have voluntarily and of our own choice leased from your nobility from the present day, which is Choiak 1 of the current l85th=154th year in the present 2nd indiction, up to Hathur 1 of the (D.V.) 3rd indiction, for the bread-making of the said 3rd indiction, the milling-bakery which belongs to you, situated in the western desert of this city in the monastery called that of Abbot Copreous, which belongs to your nobility and came to you by cession from Copreous the most discreet monk, containing 3 baking-ovens, 2 mills, a stone for crushing corn with a mortar, a covering stone with a mortar, and all the other receptacles and utensils or properties pertaining to the said bakery, on condition that we take up the lease of it on mutual security and will perform the baking and milling work there for the said period and pay to your nobility by way of rent or charge for the said period for 4 baking-ovens one doorkeeper's loaf, and for the mills and mortar 3 solidi of gold, and for festivities 3 chickens and 30 eggs, with the understanding that your nobility provides us with 12 solidi of gold by way of advance. Moreover we acknowledge that we will on our mutual security keep for you the possession and ownership of the said objects unimpaired and uninjured, with all the rights appertaining to them, and will restore them to your nobility after the termination of the said period without any objection or delay, and on these terms, having been personally questioned by your nobility, we gave our consent, pledging for the observance of this lease all our property present or future as security and by right of pledge. This lease, made in one copy, is valid, and in answer to the formal question we have given our consent.

{1st signature}   Abraham.

{2nd signature}   We, Aurelius Apphouas called also Cataminas, son of Pieous and Olympiane, and his son Abraham, whose mother is Herais, the aforesaid bakers and master-millers, have on our mutual security taken this lease of the said milling bakery and all the aforesaid objects and properties in it, and we will return them on our mutual security in the manner before stated, and we agree to all the terms of the deed as stated above, and in answer to the formal question we have given our consent. I, Aurelius Serenus son of John, have written for them by request, Apphouas being illiterate and Abraham signing his name before me.

{Signed by notary}   Executed by me, Ninousus.

{Endorsed}   Lease of Apphouas also called Cataminas and his son Abraham . . .

papyrus 49


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