Letter – Robert Hayton – 3 Jun 1808

							Grassington 3rd. June 1808

Hon. Masters,

      On account of my dismissal from your employment, I have been under the necessity of leaving Nenthead to seek a situation in this Country, being determined that Mr. Dodd should not be gratified by seeing me work for bread in the place where I had served you & him as an Agent. I was not a little uneasy that you took no notice of my Letters, not so much that you did not answer them, but that you never asked the Mr. Stagg’s opinion respecting the case. Mr. Stagg & some other of your Agents here are of Opinion you intend to say nothing about the affair ‘till some of you be in the Country, & which is hinted to me, will very likely be some time this Summer. I understand from what I can gather from other people, Viz. such as Mr. Dodd makes free to talk to on the subject, that he has taken particular pains to make me appear as black as possible in your Eyes, & especially with regard to me not delivering up the Books &c I have in my possession belonging to you. There are two reasons may be assigned for my retention of them. First; after Mr. Dodd’s quarrel & mine, his proud & insolent Son threatened to Strike me down one Day. I cou’d not put up with this from a Cousin 10 or 12 Years younger than myself, and of course words began to run very high on both sides. I told him in allusion to nefarious practices that he & his Father might get peculation Sacks & throw them over their shoulders & go & join Lord Melville. For this I was threatened to be prosecuted, & so thought fit to keep the Books, that in case they should proceed in this way, I might produce the Books as a corroboration of what I had said, as there are records in them that would completely establish the above assertion.  The second reason I assign for retaining them is this: As you had not taken any notice of my Letters by way of answer, I thought if the Books &c were in my possession when you came into the country, I would have an opportunity of delivering them to yourselves & letting you see my lame Arm Mr. Dodd threatened to strike off, when perhaps you’d have more mercy on me than Mr. Dodd has had, for it is not possible you can have less. There is a circumstance or two (out of a multitude that cannot be mentioned in the compass of a Letter, but which I could relate, if you would condescend to hear me when you are in the Country) I did not mention to you in my former Letters, which I’m sure if known to you before, you wou’d have laid aside: What I allude to here is first, that Mr. J. Dodd his Brother has made a practice for many years of sending their G. powder into your Magazine for me & Others to deliver out amongst your Workmen, And since Mr. Dodd has ordered such small quantities at a time, they always let your Stock be exhausted before Mr. Dodd gave orders for more, which gave him & his Brother an opportunity of vending a great deal amongst your workmen before your new Stock came in. 2nd. Mr. Dodd gave an order to Mr. Jno. Grey of Newcastle for 20 ½ Casks last Year, & am of opinion, was without your consent: Not only so but I’m very much inclined to think the Workmen were not fairly used in this business. This might be known if you cou’d get an acct. from Jno. Grey what Mr. Dodd paid him pr. Cask for it. I conclude with <observing> it is the general opinion in Alston Moor that <Mr.> Dodd (if you believe him) has deceived you <respecting> him drawing out his security from the Durham Bank. It is very unlikely they will take Jno. Hutchinson’s security (who is a partner with Hornsby & young Dodd in the Shop at Nenthead) for 1000£ or 1500£ of their Notes in his hands when he himself is not worth above  200£ or 300£. I am determined to throw myself upon your mercy when you are in the Country, when I hope my case may be fairly considered. In the meantime, I am 

      Dr. Masters, your unworthy & unfortunate servant,

      Robt. Hayton Jn.



The Gov[erno]r & Company For smelting down Lead/ London