Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 18 May 1802

Colonel Beaumont							Newcastle 18th. May 1802

Portland Square London				



Dear Sir

      I wrote to you the 15th. inst. respecting the Claim made by the Bishop of Durham.   I have this Morning consulted Mr. Williamson on this Matter, he was much surprized at this extraordinary Claim, & he is clearly of Opinion that the Agreement entered into with the Bishop will be fully binding on him; he recommends that you may as soon as possible wait on the Bishop (taking some proper Person with you) & acquaint him, that having been informed by me of the Claim which his Lordship had made, that you took the first Opportunity of acquainting him with your Resolution on the Subject of his Claim: that you looked on the Agreement with his Lordship for the Lot Ore as legal and binding on him, & that you would abide by it; Mr. W. advised that you do not enter further into the Business with the Bishop: Mr. W. has no Doubt of the Bp’s having been put on this very ill advised Measure by his Agent, & that on finding you resolute, that he will drop all further Proceedings in it, but should the B. be advised otherwise Mr. W. cannot be employed on either side as he is likewise concerned for the Bishop, Mr. W. excused himself from giving a written Opinion on that Account, & he declined taking a Fee, at the same time he desired that his Name may not be mentioned in this Business.

      As to what the B. alledges that he had a solemn Assurance from me that the Sum offered him, was a full Compensation for his one ninth part of the Ore on an Average; I deny having made any such Declaration, neither could I with any Consistency – I possibly may have said, that circumstanced as Sir Thos. Blackett was at the time the Agreement was entered into respecting the Contingency of those Mines, & the Inability that he must be under of working the most expensive part of those Mines without a considerable Loss to himself, unless he had the Dues on low Terms, & the Obligation that he was under of paying the Composition in Case the Mines were laid in, that these Matters being considered I was of Opinion that the Composition offered and accepted of was fair & reasonable. ---

      In Case Mr. Bowns should not be in Town, Mr. R.Wilson (on being informed of the Business) may be a proper Person, to go with you to the Bishop.---

      Mr. Mowbrays bringing Mr. Cassells with him on making this Claim, without giving me the least previous Notice, was very unhandsome, & indeed unfair; it was meant that taking me by surprize they might reap some Advantage from it, but they failed in their Attemp.   

      I am &c J.E.B