Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 26 Apr 1766

To Sir W[alte]r Blackett B[arone]t MP in half moon street

Piccadilly London                                                                    Newcas[tle] 26th April 1766

Hon[ou]rd Sir          Tho[ma]s Hepple, one of the lives in the Weardale Leases, has had an ague for sometime; and has neglected it so much that it has thrown him into a bad state of health. He came to Town today and I have prevailed upon him to stay and have put him under Dr Lamberts care who thinks he can recover him if he will but be guided. If he should drop the Bishop will be more difficult to deal with than ever on acco[un]t of Mrs Marshall’s age. There was a treaty on food with his lordship in Aug[u]st 1763 for an Exchange of Mrs Marshalls Life but it went off on his Lordships insisting on reckoning your profits by the value of some small parcells of ore sold by Mr Westgarth and some other Freeholders in Weardale, that was much better than your’s.

To offer to renew that treaty now during Hepple’s illness would I doubt be unsuccessful. Whenever a treaty is entered into it appears, from the experience we have had, that either Mr Halhead’s terms must be submitted to or the real produce of your ore be laid before his Lordship or the whole be suffered to rest upon your own Life. At the worst therefore the Leases will last your time and his Lordship if he reckons right must see his own interest is to renew with you upon reasonable terms. When you come to Newcastle this matter may be entered into more minutely. In the mean time I wish you a good journey I am etc   HR