Letter – Michael Blackett to William Blackett – 23 Feb 1678

Newcastle feb the 23 1677/8

Honoured Sir

I have att present to acquaint you the best I cann wth all the needfull att your Leed Mines In doing of wch shall bee breefer this time then formerly I used to bee by reason that when I demanded the Condition of the Severall Groves and how much Oare was a forehand att each, itt was answered mee that I should wth a letter att home, wch would give mee satisfaction for that p[ar]ticular and that noe allteration hadd happened since sd letter was written, but when I came home and made Inquirey for the letter itt seemes itt was conveyed unto you yesterday morening wch I hope is come safe to your hands



The whole pay looks as followeth          £562 10  1 ½

Vizt

The heads pay                             £219 10  2 ¾                                                     

  but payd Rich:                          £252  -  -                                                           Plankey pay                               £ 48 13  6 ½ 

  towards wch pd John                     £ 40  -  -

paid att Mill as p[er] p[ar]ticulars      £158 10    ½ 

pd att Fallowfield as p[er] p[ar]ticulars £112  -  1 

                                           562 10  1 ½ 

for wch money you had smelted att Duxfield Mills 68 fodder of Leed and 140 B[ings] 3 horse of Oare brought thither from the follow[in]g groves



                     Bings horse

from the heads          60 3

from Reed Groves         3

from Jeffreyes Grove    15

from Fallowfeild        62

                       140 3                                                                                                                 



Leed from sd place to Bladen 50 p[iece]s and from the Cragg to Bladen 44 p[iece]s 93 sacks of wood brought in last Moneth att 8d 1245 sackes att 8½d and att Planky you had smelted 18 foodd & 1 p[iece]s Leed and 72 Bing & 2 horse of Oare brought thither from the following Groves



                      Bing horse

from the heads          47

from Reed Groves         5

from Coale Clough        5

from Wellhope           13 2

from Bayts hill          2

                        72 2



      311 Sacks of Esquire Whitfields Wood brought thither att 8d p[er] Sacke and 40 Sackes of some others att 7 ½ d but noe Leed stired from thence otherwise no Tickets come for I am certayne none is acco[un]ted for noe <chge> att the Mill but for want of Oare, but that I hope (As they doe likewise) will soone bee mended the weather now beginning to be good and wayes drye att fallowfeild they have pretty good getting wch I suppose the Inclosed from Mr Copwhite will confirme unto you As also advise you more fully then I am able to doe in all those afore mentioned & all other pticulars in your concernes And soe shall aquisse [acquiesce]

      John Mowbray desired mee to signifie unto you that hee cannott gett Wood Croft lett, to any Man for 3 years, neither can have the vallew In Rent for itt, for noe Man hath beene to take itt, will bidd £80: - p[er] Ann for itt and besides none of them will take itt unless they cann have itt for 9 yeares that is from 3 to 3 till 9 they loose att every 3 and that fast, But Christopher Wall is willing to hold his farme a nother yeare accordingly as itt was vallewed in the purchase That is £16: p[er] Anno, And likewise James Foster will let his farme and would take £5 p[er] Ann more wch will make <his> Rent £20 p[er] Ann soe those 2 will forme £36: p[er] Ann, As for the remaynder the most of itt will bee Corne Land and Meaddow soe that you may either keepe Stocke of itt, or Winn the hay and Sell itt this yeare & there is an able man that Intends to take itt all next yeare, hee sayth hee hath gott all the Corne Land tilled and will sow itt wth corne in dew time, one thinge more is that they are Scarce of hay there for the goods, soe hee intends to remove 16 of them to Melkriddge to eate hay that hee cannott sell there and hee thinke they may Grasse [graze] there on the Common all summer and bee very well if my Lord Howard stay in this Nation, but it nott there may bee some danger.

      2 Greate floods hath occationed some harme att the Weares att Wood hall butt p[ar]te of this dammage is made good and the remaynder will bee as fast as is possible, And likewise the places you ordered in Melkrigg haugh

      They Leed Carriers are like to goe of from there bargaine, wch they made wth you att 

7s 2d p[er] foodder & sayth they will have 8s soe your answer is desired as alsoe about a draught Horse for Wood Croft for itt seemes you will nott have the Stoned Horsse wrought wch did the the worke formerly soe desireing your acceptance of my delay prayinge for your health and hapinesse and earnestly craveing your blessing I remayne MB