ARTICLES of Agreement indented made concluded and agreed upon this ____ day of April Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and eighty, between George Mason of Gunston-Hall in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Esquire of the one Part, and Sarah Brent of the Town of Dumfries in the Commonwealth aforesaid of the other Part.
WHEREAS a Marriage, by God's Permission, is shortly to be had & solemnized between the said George Mason and Sarah Brent, they the said Parties, in Consideration thereof, do mutually covenant, promise, and agree in Manner & Form following, Videlicet; IMPRIMIS, that immediately upon the said intended Marriage taking Effect, the Possession and Use of all and every of the Slaves belonging to the said Sarah Brent shall be vested in the said George Mason, and be held by him during the Coverture; and in Case there is no Issue of the said Marriage, living at the Time of its Dissolution by the Death of either of the said Parties, then the said Slaves and their Increase shall return to the said Sarah Brent, and the absolute Property thereof be vested in her Heirs, or such Person or Persons as she shall devise the same to by her last Will & Testament.
ITEM, that in case the said Sarah Brent shall survive the said George Mason, and there shall be no Issue of the said Marriage living at the Time of his Death; in that Case the said Sarah Brent shall be put into Possession of 400 Acres of the said George Mason's Land in Dogues Neck in Virginia, and hold the same during her natural Life, in Lieu and in full Satisfaction of her Dower & legal Share of & in the said George Mason's Estate real & personal.
But in case the said Sarah Brent shall survive the said George Mason, and there shall be Issue of the said Marriage living at the Time of his Death, then the above Agreement, and every Part thereof shall be utterly void to all Intents & Purposes as if the same had never been made; and in that case the said Slaves, and their Increase shall be considered as Part of the said George Mason's Estate, and the absolute Property thereof be vested in him & his Heirs; and the said Sarah Brent shall be entitled, as his Widow, to her Dower & legal Share of and in the said George Mason's Estate both real & personal, any Thing herein contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. IN WITNESS whereof the Said George Mason and Sarah Brent have here unto set their Hands & Seals the Day & Year above written.