Letter – Nicholas Walton to Benjamin Skutt – 23 Sep 1741

      Ravensworth Castle Sep 23 1741

To Mr Ben’ Skutt



Dear Sir

	I Rece’d yours with your Acc’t and vouchers 	& yesterday one in Ansr to mine about the Lead Trade, which I will shew [the expenses ] & I dar say it will be thought a full Ans’r, it is very much so to me & a very P’ticular acct for which you have my thanks.

	Mr Boag & I yesterdays post had a Letter from Mr John Maull one of the clarks at Greenwich, desiring we would advance him one hundred pounds on his Bond, to discharge the like sum he was Bound for a Relation for, & as he is a person we have a good deal of concrn with we have agreed to Lend him the money & this day have wrote him a Joint Letter to call upon you for it. I must desire therefore you will do so & get a Bond fill’d up to Mr Boag & Me both of Ravensworth Castle in the County of Durham payable 3 months after date at 5 pCt Interest. You will be so good as be a Witness to the Bond your self  & if Mr Maull has no objection to it we would be glad to have Mr Horne who is Mr Corbitts clark to be the other Witness, this we have mentioned to him, so that when he waits upon you, you will be so good as say you are desired to get Mr Horne to be  a Witness if he Mr Maull has no objection, but if he has then you may get any other person you please. There is One pticular Convenience in having Mr Horne to be a Wittness […]  that  his knowing Mr Maulls circumstance into which you might enquire as from your self, & in case it shou’d be found that we run any hazard then that you wou’d stop proceeding. This I desire you will doe if Mr Horne is allow’d to be a Witness & as from your selfask him if he thinks we run any hazards, but I beg you will doe it in such a way as not to explose poor Mr Maule, for whom we have a very great regard. And if you see it upon the whole necessary to stop proceedings till you write to us, you must take the thing upon your self, as being without direction & only a necessary caution for you to use for your friends in the Country. I hope you will not have occasion for this stratagem for it will give me pleasure to hear that Mr Maulls circumstance is such as that we may with safety relieve him in this distress. I will take care after I hear from you to remit you the money after what you will send me down the Bond. Pray give our services to Mr Maule & to Mr Horne if you see him & I am, Dr Sr  Yrs &c

      Nicho’s Walton