Letter – Edward Blackett to James Mewburn – 12 Dec 1709

James                       								Dec  12



      I Recd. yrs with Skepsey and Slaters Leases, you have made a Clause at the bottom of Skepseys Lease wch I do not at all approve of, which is that in case Skepsey at any time lye to Grazing any of his tillage ground he may plow up other Lands in the Region of it, however, you say it must be with the Approbation & Licence of my Selfe & wife, so that Condition is needless to be inserted for if at any time he can make it Appear to us that it is for the Advantage of the Ground he may be Sure we can readily Consent to it, in all Leases you make you must be sure to to putt in such a Clause, that in case he plow up more ground than is Covenanted in his lease without the Consent of the landlord first obtained for every Acre so plowed up to pay as an Addition of Rent forty shillings for by above Lease you cannot hinder any tenant from plowing without such a Clause, And as for the Stubbing of the Whins you must take care that what Whins you stubb one year the tenant do take care to keep them down the next year for some of them Always be coming up, the very best time of Stubbing of them to destroy them is at midsummer, for plowing never will Destroy them for as soon as the ground is laid to Pasturing they will come up thicker than Ever, but if it be laid to meadow the frequent mowing then will destroy them, As for Slaters Lease his Rent is but £2.19s a year, so I would gladly know what the charge of putting his house in Repair will be, I think you had much better Allow him some small matter, and lett him repair then himself, & let me know what he aske.  He writ me some time agoe and desired he might have a Lease, I writ him I was willing he should have a Lease to do him a kindness but that I would be at no manner of Charge whatsoever in Repair.

      Am sorry you have lost Rickaby for a tenant, you may be Reveng’d of Twizle and Distrain all his Goods for Arrears of Rent in case he be in any, and that will make him wiser hereafter.  Pay Mr Stephenson his <bill> and Inclose me his Rect for the for the Wine I doubt you will not get much Abated

      Fail not to pay Mr Brummell on Saturday for the last Bill of Exchange I had of him and in case you have not Money in Town Receive as much of Mr Reay, Am sorry you did not pay him last Saturday as you design’d, Be sure you discharge it now, Am sorry Mr Fenwick has no mind to part with his Parrott, however when you see him again you may speak to him by the by of it, tho’ not from my Selfe, I perceive Sir Jno. Delavall is made Vice-Admiral by a land Vice Admiral and no Sallary only a feather in his Cap, Mr Wm Carr of Newcastle was Vice Admiral before him and could make nothing of it, so desired my Lord Scarborough to name another as being Ld Lieut. for Bishoprick and <North> he has power to name Vice admirals for both Counties; there is no haste of the Haddocks for they will be much better nigh Christmas than now, Give my service to my Coz Wilkinson and Coz Simpson and know how they all do, and tell him I have given absolute power to Jacob Peart to dispose of Fallowfield Lead Mines to him & his partners, and whatsoever Agreement he makes with them shall be confirmed by Me, yr full Answer of this per Saturday night’s post to yr Assured



      Upon Rect. of this Letr carry the man down to Mr Stephenson who brought my wine, if you do not know his name Mr Brumel will Acqt you and where he lives and he will Satisfy Mr Stephenson that one of the h[ogs]heads that he brought for me he carried himselfe to Burrbridge and delivered it to the postmaster there, who <draws> wines  So I doubt not but he’ll use him as well as he does any of the <…tals> in Newcastle for he may be a better Customer and take more Wine of him than any three of them, he lives nigh Mr Wilkinson, So he’ll Aqt. Mr Wilkinson the same, For he is one of Mr Stephenson’s partners.  Peruse and deliver the Inclosed and let the lease be made for the full Rent and every halfe year you shall give him 10s back



Mr Ja. Mewburne