Letter – Joseph Richmond to Lancelot Allgood – 20 May 1729

				Newcastle 20 May 1729

To Mr Allgood,

	Since my last, Mrs featherston has sent me on the Reckoning Books from the last Pay to the time of her husband’s death in wch are so many mistakes & corrections that I do not think it proper or safe for me to meddle with that part of the mill pay till you are present being apprehensive that it will be attended with a deal of clamour & confusion. She refuses to give a due paper or Pay bill signed wch to prevent mistakes in the pay & disputes afterwards in settling her husbands acct. I thought it expedient to desire of her & notwithstanding the delay of making the pay is now by the People charg’d on her only, she will raise no money towards it & indeed it can’t be exactly known what is due from her till such time as a Pay is made, unless wee were to reckon before, with all the people wch would take a deal of time to go through with. Do you approve of my paying to her the sum of £1252 due from you to compleat a Pay for Mr Featherston’s time & to take her receipt in full, provided she will agree to pay that sum before us in Dukesfield house, in wch case she only would become answerable to the people for all deficiency or would you have me make a pay for Mr Hunter’s time or lastly defer both till you come to the country.

	I have just now received your order to deliver one of the colts to Mr Neal, the other two are still unsold. The Chesnut hare[?] runs on Monday next at Blyth for a £10 plate; where the colts will be between <here> & one of Sir Edwards, I think wee shall stand no chance with Thirkeld this year for the Gold Cup <here> being my Ld Galtaway, Beesoms mare & Billings horse to enter for it, if wee get him not in for the Galloway plate will you please to let him go to Leith if we hear of no top ,hares. Going that way to run for the £50 plate. Perrys inclinations leads him there where he says we stand fairest this year for a Plate & wch at his desire I mention for your directions before the 3rd of mext month if you approve of it.

	Lead continues at £16 but none at market, wee having only got 180 pieces in since the 12 April notwithstanding all possible endeavours to get it down & Mr Hunter says he’s under some difficulty with respect to the ore carriage for tho the weather is fine & the ways good the severity of the winter & dearness of corn & the want of money has been so great that the <Cattle/Cutble> are yet scarce able to do anything. I let Mr Hunter have £100 on Friday last to make people easie for the present.

	I am & c  JR