Letter – Edward Blackett to William Lowes – 23 May 1711

May 23 1711

Honest Will

      I p[er]ceive by a Letter from Will Armstrong this day that he bought a score of trees of you about a year agoe & honestly paid you for them & that there was one tree & severall peices of timber which he had not wrought up so i give him his own time to worke them up & Carry them away when he pleases which have wrote him so by this post as allso if he have occasion for 20 or 40 trees or more I orderd you to let him have them & not a dear penneworth for I have a kindness for the man

      Last night I rec[eive]d your Letter by the Engineer & he thinks you have taken the right way in Defending the ground from the water he advises that the places that stands more need may be done this summer & that Cannot be very much because haytime and harvest will come on in a short time however I would have you to be doeing as much as possisbly you can 

      when ever you sell any wood be sure you name the no. of trees for ile not Dispose of all the wood in a Lordship without knowing the No. of them I wish you could sell a 100 or 200 trees this sap time to Defray the Charges I shall be at in Defending the ground, for it is too late this year for any wood mongers to come from NewCastle never sell any wood without Extrordionary good security If Will Armstrong have occasion for 50ls worth of wood or more he shall have it upon his own word without any security whatsoever for I have a very good opinion of him have write him to this purpose by this post I am

      Your Assured freind