City of New-York, ss : Be it remembered, that on the [blank] day of [blank] in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, before me, Richard Varick, Esquire, mayor of the said city, personally appeared [blank] ... and acknowledged [blank] to be indebted to the people of the state of New-York, in the sum of fifty pounds ... if failure be made in the performance of the conditions following ...