Letter – Edward Blackett to Matthew Featherstone – 24 Jan 1710

Sir          



      I perceive by yrs of the 21 that you have been at Fallowfield and that all things were prais’d [ie. appraised] except the washing Tubbs & bellows, I design to set on as many Work people as possibly I can to get all the dead heaps Wash’d up, and notwithstanding that I believe they will take longer <than> yr Lease before they be well <sought> thro for I look upon them to be worth a great many hundred pounds, You write me that you are mightily Cry’d out for giving 1/5, I can assure you I could have had 1/5 and a considerable Sum of Money for a <fine> from two Gentleman that you know very well, and had certainly bargain’d with them but that I had signed the Lease, and then twas too late, I have let a lease for 21 years of one of my Lordships where there was never known to be a Lead Mine, and they’re working at the places at this very time, and never offer’d me less than 1/6 there is a vein found in another Lordship I have tho’ never wrought, and I shall not take under 1/5 and a Good Sum for 21 years, So you may Judge then what a hopefull bargain you have, that may come to Oar when you please, if you do not desire to work at the old shafts I’ll work them my Selfe for I can get Some profit by them, as for the Royaltys of  Fallowfield & Acomb they are mine and the further Lordship wch they call Wall the Royalty belongs to my nephew, which if there were Occasion could have for a [word obscured by ink blot], Am very well Satisfy’d you’ll not work thro’ Fallowfield & Acomb Lordships tho’ yr Lease was for Sixty Years.

      As for the 1/5 wch I aim to have Smelted, there can be no trouble at all in it, for when all yr Lead come to Newcastle I have the 1/5 part of it paying a 1/5 part of the carriage, and what you mean by 32s.6d for 1/5 in Lead I do not understand so in yr next pray make it more plain to me.

      There never was any Pays made in Fallowfield house in my father’s time, for he built a house for the purpose in the Town, As long as I have any furniture there any of the partners are wellcome to the house, but I do not know how soon I may dispose of the Goods, for I perceive by Jacob they go mightly to decay.

      I am inform’d by a very good hand that the Duke of Marlbro’ was heard to say last week that we should have a very Speedy Peace, you may depend upon’t for a Truth   

      I am Sir yr Very humble Servt



Mr Featherstone & Comp.