Letter – Christopher Hunter to Edward Chandler – 23 Oct 1743

My very good Lord							Durham, Oct. 23rd. 1743

      With the greatest Pleasure I give this short Return to your Lordship’s kind Desires, concerning your Lordship’s Dues belonging to your Manour of Weredale as the Rectors Tyth of Lead Oar.

      I presume to think the ninth Load taken at the Grooves or Pitts of unwashed Oar, is not better than the Tenth of washed Oar, so cannot pronounce any Injury done to the Rectors, as I’m confident all Traders in Lead must determine.   For tho’ the Act of Parliamt. I hope determins the Ninth to be delivered without Deductions for Working &c I fear it is not to be washed; so that the Bill only can determine.

      Till yesterday I did not hear of Mr. Spearman’s being in the Country, shall wait on him as soon as conveniently I can, & shall seriously advise his taking the Books up for your Lordship to peruse.   Payne the Bookseller at Horace’s Head published a Catalogue of Books to be sold with the Prices therein, behind the Title-page are a Number of MSs. with Prices to them, sett so low that I do not order one of ‘em.  tho’ they are all Physical, This a proper Method to imitate with our Durham Antiquities.

      After my Return shall do myself the Honour to present your Lordship an acct. Of my Success, being My Lord

      Your Lordships most obedt. humble Servt. 

      Chris. Hunter



Neither Bp. Cosons Letters nor Dr Basires mention any Disagreemt. Dr Basire’s Contest being only with Mr Wharton



On verso of the letter is the following:



The Lord Bp of Durham’s Title to the ninth Of all Or from the Lead Mynes in Werdale



1403  Bp. Walter Skirlay grants a Lease for some Lead mynes in Werdale to Roger Thornton of Newcastle reserving every ninth Load thereof during the Term of twelve years.   See Hist. of Newcastle page 205.

1595   Bp Tobie Mathews directed an Enquiry to be made by Examination of the oldest Inhabitants upon certain Articles in number 27 concerning the Manours, Castles, Royalties, Forrest, Privileges, Customes, &c. within the Lordships & Parishes of Stanhope & Wolsingham.   After the Examination a Jury of 16 Inhabitants in the ninth Article of their Verdict affirm as followes. Item, Wee find that the Lot Oar within the said Parish of Stanhope, which is every ninth Load, belongeth to the Bishop of Durham, the which Mr Vaux hath by a Patent granted to him by Bp. Tunstall.



So very plain is your Lordships Right to the ninth Load of all Oar found in Weredale: I next present in proof of the Rector’s Tenth, a Copy in my hands of an Extract of a Proviso in an Act of Parliamt. intituled, 



An Act to inable John Ld. Bishop of Durham & his Successors to make Leases for three Lives of cetain Leadmines                                  Ano 19 Car. 11 numo. 7.

Provided alwaies that the said Humphrey Wharton & his Successors the Moormasters pay or cause to be paid unto Isaac Basire Dr of Divinity & Rector of Stanhope in the County of Duresme, & to his Successors the Rectors of Stanhope aforesaid, as also to the Rector of Wolsingham in the said County for the time being, & his Successors, the full Tithe or tenth Part of all Lead Oare or Ure digged, won, or gotten, or to be digged won or gotten, out of all or any of the Lead-Mines within the Parishes of Stanhope & Wolsingham, in clean, well washed, & dressed Ure, as soon as it is ready for the Smelting-Mill, without any Abatement, or Deduction of any Charges whatsoever, for digging, working, or getting of the same Lead Ure, or for any other Cause whatsoever.

This Dr. Basire took care to be printed, the Act itself being private has not been published.   I find Opposition in the House of Lords from a Copy of a Letter of Bp. Cosin to Mr Wharton, & an Original of the Bp. Of Carlile to Dr Basire dated Savoy Jan. 17. 1666 while the Bill was in that House.