Letter – John Bell to George Brooks – 5 Feb 1783

George Brooks Esqr  Green Street                                       Hexham Abbey   5th Febry 1783

       Grosvenor Square   London



Sir

	I was astonished at receiving a Letter from Mr Aldn Blackett the other day intimating that a mistake had happened between Mr Dew & me respecting the Renewal of Lintzgarth & Kilhope & Welhope Leases.  On Thursday the 5th of Decemr last about Ten o’Clock in the Morning I waited upon Mr Dew at Bp Auckland & acquainted him that I came on behalf of Sir Thomas Blackett to treat with about the Renewal of the Leases of Lintzgarth Kilhope & Welhope.  Mr Dew then said I must furnish him with a Rental wch I accordingly did & gave him the Rental of Lintzgarth first which I aver to be no more than £10 a Year but he seemed not satisfied with it & looked at his Books where he found that £14 had been paid for putting in a Life in that Lease in the Year 1760 & he said tho’ he must acknowledge that Land was perhaps 25p Ct lower than a few Years ago yet the Lord Bishop of Durham had never come down in his Fines, to which I replied that Sir Thomas would never differ with His Lordship for so small a Sum as £4 & therefore would agree to give £14 the Sum paid on the last Renewal which was assented to by Mr Dew.

	I then at his Request gave him the Rental of Kilhope & Welhope which is £88.17s.6d out of wch deduct £1.7s.8d the Rent paid annually to his Lordship & there will remain £86.19s.10d the Net Yearly Rent which was agreed to be paid for the Renewal of the last mentioned Estates.  I then asked Mr Dew what Sum his Lordship would require for Exchanging a Life & he answered half the Sum for putting in a Life.  I then took Pen & Ink & put down in my Book in Mr Dews Office 

                                     £  s  d

  For putting in a Life in Lintzgarth Lease 14. 0. 0

  For Exchanging a Life                      7. 0. 0

                                           £21. 0. 0

  

  For putting in a Life in the Lease of 

                     Kilhope & Welhope      86.19.10

  For Exchanging a Life                     43. 9. 9

                                           £130.9. 9



	Now this seems rational for as no more than a Years Rent was ever asked or paid for putting in a Life in the Place of one that was dead certainly Exchanging a Life cannot with Propriety be valued so high for various Reasons.  How the mistake you mention has happened I cannot tell but with great Deference to Mr Dew & yourself I assert it never could have been agreed on the part of Sir Thomas Blackett to have given 3 Years Rent for the putting in a new Life and Exchanging one.  By your mode you Charge 1 Years Rent for the new Life & two Years for the Exchange when the Exchange as I have said before for various Reasons ought to have been less than the new Life.               I am etc    John Bell