Letter – Edward Blackett to James Mewburn – 25 Nov 1714

25 9br – 1714

James 

      I perceive by yrs of the 20th as also by mr Fenwick tht the lead was was most shamefull weight, I wondr you should write me so foolishly tht I may depend on four times as much over weight, as wanted in the last if so no man can carry a pigg of lead it will be prodigiously heavy, I do not doubt but none but they will make good wt yt is according to agreemt , but I will make thm allow oer a fother wt is too little for the lead wch was weighd off last to mr fenwick wch was 600 odd peices, hereafter I will have no lead brought down before you see every dividual piece weighd, & then will be yr fault, if you do not see I have good weight, let me know as soon as you can what numbr of pieces lays at the mill both of lorains lead & what is made of the dead heaps & what they judge they may have by Xmas day as for tenants at Seaton you must allow thm so much an acre according to the Custom of the country for all sorts of corne they grew last year yt is <…> say for the one half Tyth, if you do not rightly understand it, shall order Will Lowes to  <assist you> for I perceive it is a very common thing, a certain rule over the whole country, tht is to say so much for Wheat, so much for Rye, & so much for each other graine, tht is to say for their one half tyth though I am very well assured their farmes are so good they need not insist upon any thing for the tyth, however please thm  according to the custom of the country, am very glad tht you are likely to make a considerable advancemt of Seaton lands, so besure do not faile to do it it is not in my power at present to let a longer lease this for one year because my Ld Chancellor cann[ot] make a decree, by reason the tenants has not as yet pd their martinmass Rents then we must have a commission from Chancery to Swear the Steward what clear monys he has Recd, if they had pd their Rents immediately I might have made an End this term, after martinmas) however besure to hasten thm wth all possible speed, if they do not pay destrain, for it is upon a case of necessaty tht I may have a decree in a very short time acqt my the price curt of lead I am 

      Yr Friend