Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 17 Apr 1737

To Wm Corbett Esqr

      Ravensworth Castle  April 17th 1737

Sir

	Inclosed we Send you a Draught for a Lease of one of the Derwentwater Farmes, which has been perused by Lawyer Gray, & after it has met with the approbation of the Board, & that the Directors have been pleased to give the necessary directions as to the Engrossing, we will take care to Send you are Draughts weekly or as it Shall be otherwise approved of, in which you will be pleased to give us proper Orders.  One thing we begg the Directors will give us directions in & that is whether the Leases are to be granted to Partners Joynt or Seperate, as for Instance where a Farme is Confirmed to one Man & Partners & they require Seperate Leases whether they will grant them in that way.  This is the case at Hartburn Grainge which was confirmed to Yallowley & Liddell wch will be enjoyed at the Rents following, & there will be Severall Farmes in the Same Way Vizt



                                                                                    Rent per Ann

Hartburn Grainge Mr Robert Twizle  £91.13. 4

                 Wm Yallowley       45.16. 8

                 George Liddell     45.16. 8

                 Saml Arthur        36.13. 4

                                  £220. -. –



we think in this case the Hospital will no way Suffer by granting Seperate Leases, as we Shall require Security wherever we Suspect there is occasion & we hope the Directors will approve thereof

	You will observe the place at which the Rent is reserved to be pay’d is the Guild Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne, on which we have made a Qry as the Directors may Judge it at proper to be at Dilston hall.

	As the Season of the year is coming on for cutting down Timber for Repaires & as we imagine the Directors will think it proper to make use of such Timber as is growing upon the Estates for the necessary repairing & Building Housing thereon, we begg their directions for cutting down what is necessary for those purposes.

	We have had some Information & upon the Strictest Enquiry at Amble in Northumberland, we find there is an Estate of about £230 per Ann value at Amble aforesaid late in the possn of Colll Wm Radcliffe Uncle to James Earle of Derwentwater who is said to have dyed at Rome about two years agoe without Issue.  By the Information we have this Estate was Settled upon the said Colll Radcliffe and his Heirs, & failing them to Revert to the Derwentwater Family & if so we hope the Hospital has a good Claim.  The Estate is now enjoyed by Mr Ralph Radcliffe in Devonshire Square who we believe was no way Entitled as a Relation, therefore he should we think be obliged to Shew his Title.  The Original Settlemt would make it Clear.

	We some time agoe had a List Sent us by You of Arrears due at Martinmas 1734 from Several of the Derwentwater Tennts in which is £90 due from the Executrs of John Charleton for Midford Tyths.  £14-14 from James Wilkinson of Scremmerston.  £4-10 from P Horseman at Corbridge & £6 from Walter Blackett Esqr & we find an Extent is Sent down to the Under Sherriff for the County of Northumberland Against the Persons in the Inclosed Paper, part of which we apprehend is a part of our List, but as we are uncertain about it, we desire you will please to Lett us know, whether it is so or not.  & what Steps we are to take for the recovery of the remainder.  Wm Lee the Hospital’s Tennant at Lowbyre, is also in our List £16-12-31/2 in Arrear of whom we have made a Demand & he gives us his Answer which you have Inclosed, Claiming an Allowance for Severall Repaires amounting to £7-17-6 which we are Credibly Informed was laid out by him & in case it appears that the late Receivers did not allow it we are humbly of oppinion that it Should be allowed now, & hope the Directors will approve thereof. We are Sir yours etc       

      N.W   H.B.