Letter – Joseph Richmond to Richard Ridley – 16 Mar 1730

To Richard Ridley Esq			March 16 1729/30



Sr, Having reason from some former Passages to apprehend that whenever I am not qualified to Answer your Lead Commissions Mr Crow may zealously misrepresent what passes between us, of which very probably there has been a late instance, when he was with me last week for a parcell of Lead. My intention hereby is to undeceive you in that particular, by acquainting you that I am always ready to Supply you, on the same Terms I would any other Gentleman in the Town, you are Sensible if at any time the price is raised wee must begin with some Body & I am sure it has at some time or other fallen upon most of the Merchants in Town & was never looked upon unequall dealing but when it happed with you, if you had wanted Lead when I sould Mr Fenwick the last parcell   you shoud have had it very readily on the same terms he had, As to your last message, notwithstanding with what ever usuall Refinmts my Answr may have been returned you, this is the truth I told Mr Crow I had only at Market about 200 ps reduced Lead which I would not sell alone under £15 15s 0d having then a Prospect of selling it so at & above wch price I have since sold it, but for 30 ps he said you wanted for Shot I asked him no more than £15 10s 0d at which I had sold Mr Abm Dixon 300 ps three or four Days before, & if I’d had a quantity of lead at Market I should not have asked you more. I am well assured you think it my Duty to be as solicitious for my Mastrs interest as your Servant can be for yours, but as to these insinuations that I deal not with you on the same Terms as with others if they bear any truth it is in your favour as may be very easily made appear I shall therefore only add that as I have hitherto I shall continue to deal with you, and all other merchts in Town as near upon the Level as the Nature of the thing will admit of 	I am &c 	JR



[Marginal note:] NB This lre was not sent Mr Ridley for reasons occurring since the writing