Letter – Edward Blackett to John Ward – 17 Aug 1710

      Augt 17

Mr Ward

      Inclosed you have a Coppy of the fine that was <sued> out in the Court of Durham for Sockburne Estate, pray make it your business to get acquainted with an attorney or too that has been practised in passing of fines & recoveries in that Court I do not know what attorney in Durham was Imployd in this business you may Inquire but I would not have you Discourse him for he for his own advantage will say tis Just & right I here came very fortunately a Gent here the other day whose sole practise is in passing fines & recoveries above he perusd the bill & said he would make <it> appear it was above double Charg[e] & would have it taxd accordingly but as for fines & recov[eries] past at the Cour[t] at Durham he was alltogether a stranger [to] fees of that Court & so could say nothing to it, you would do me a piece of great service if you could light of a honest man that would Examine this bill & compare it with the fees that is due at that Court upon such occasions Mr Mowbray is my particular friend & mig[ht] be Depended upon but I don’t know whether he has been us’d to pass fines & recoveries for such a one must by all means be Enquired after & w[ha]t Charge you are shall be thankfully repayed you by

      Your assured friend



To Mr John Ward at Dinsdale Nigh Smeeton p[er] Northallerton bagg