Letter – John Dover to Bishop Edward Chandler – 2 Dec 1743

My Lord								Stanhope Decr. 2. 1743

      I am honour’d with your Lordships Letter of the 26th Ulto., and have on the other side ascertained the Sum due from Mr Blacket to your Lordship for the Lot oar of the last year, I cannot foresee any way whereby they can reduce it lower, unless by deducting £4.15s from the dues of 45 bings got at Prydale, for which they will perhaps alledge they ought but to pay 20s per bing, because it is within the enclosures; and by reckoning the oar of Dodhill at 39s only, whereas it really ought to be reckoned 47s per bing, because got in 1741, though not deliver’d till March last: however both these deductions I have made that if your Lordship shoud think them reasonable, you may make your Demand accordingly.   A good quantity of oar got the last year at Pykestone has been lately deliver’d, so that there is a considerable difference in the article between this and the account I sent up in October – I do not think any part of the Poorcess will be wanting; I receivd 6l 7s 6d from Mr Whitaker & that, I believe, will do till Christmas; but the agent has got for the two years ending the 30th of June last 28l 3s 4d only, so that if he is to have 20l per annm. as he expects, and as Mr. Keene pays his agent, there is an arrear of 11l 16s 8d yet due to him.

      Mr. Keene is not gone southward, nor does he intend to leave Stanhope till the new year, if then.   He bids me acquaint your Lordship that he has some time ago made the concessions you and he had agreed upon, but that Mr Blacket had hitherto protacted his answer, and this was the reason of his not writing to your Lordship.   I cannot see but Mr Richmond persists in his resolution of not working the mines, and will hurt his Master in order to hurt your Lordship & Mr Keene, & whilst he is in this Disposition, all the Groves, excepting the tacks, must be in a very poor situation.   Peart the elder continues wrong in his head but is succeeded by his brother, who is no better manager, but has a little more manners than the other.   I shall think myself very much honour’d in your Lordships Commands, and am with the greatest Respect & Duty

	Your Lordship’s most obliged And most Obedient humble servant

		Jo. Dover



[On verso:]



‘Oar got out of the Leadmines in Weardale June the 30th 1742  to June the 30th  1743

                   B h [s]     s d      L  s           L  s

Mr Blackt.s Mines 923:0:0  at 39:0 = 1799:17: 0     Lot= 199:19: 8

Rispy mine        337:2:0  at 39.6 =  666:11: 3     Lot=  74: 1: 3

Cutt<ing>s of Rispy 8.3.0   @ 27.0 =   11:16. 3     Lot=   1: 6: 3

Dodhill Grove      13:3:1   @ 47.0 =   32:12: 1 1/2 Lot=   3:12: 5 1/2

Pyke Stone         12:3:1   @ 47:0 =   30:05: 1 3/4 Lot=   3: 7: 2 3/4

Pyke Stone more    46:3:0   @ 39:0 =   91:03: 3     Lot=  10: 2: 7

Dodhill –           2:8:9                                                   

                            The total amount of the lot  292: 9: 5 1/4

                            The Land Tax deducted         22. 3. 8

So that if the Land tax only is to be 

  allow’d yr Ldshp’s demand is                           270. 5. 9 3/4



But if the dues of the 45B:3:h:1[s] got at Prydale 

be reckond at 20s per bing only, & Dodhill which 

ought to be at 47s be reckon’d at no more than 39s 

the deductions will be for                                 5: 9: 2 1/4

Prydale (copyhold [……])     4:16:10 1/4

& for Dodhill                 12. 4

                           £5: 9: 2 1/4 

In which case there will be due no more than             264:16: 7

[scribbled in a different hand 

beneath is the following sum:]                            22  3  8

                                                         242 12 11



[in the same hand as this sum is the following:]

[…] The quantity of oar delivered <Since … last> from Pikestone & got in 1742 & to be accounted in the reckoning for 1742?



An account of the mony I have Receiv’d  How disburs’d

To the Ninth of 216B:1h got at Rispy    Paid to Mr Whitaker 40:00.00 



From august the 1 1742 to octobr 1741   To the Agent        28: 3.<4>

3rd. 1741 at 48s per Bing                To the Overseer of

                                          The Forest Quarter 6: 7: 0

                              L                                                      

Receiv’d of the Company      57:13. 4                                                                                        

Of Mr. Whitaker for poorcess  6  7: 6

Det <..> For T.Walton        10:10. 0

                            £74:10:10                      L74:10:10



[In the same scribbled hand as the insertions above is the following:]

Agent pd to June 30 1743

                             28: 3: 4  by Mr Dover

                             11 16: 8        Still Due

                             40  0  0  for 2 yrs