Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 18 Mar 1737

To William Corbett Esqr

      Ravensworth Castle  March 18th 1736/7

Sir

	Inclosed herein we Send you our Cash Accot for last Month, on wch Remains a Ballance of £99.6.73/4 in our favour.

	We have Lett Dilston Hall & Gardens for one Year to James Thompson at £6 & Gills Close to Edwd Winsop for one Year at £3 and the other Grounds wch Mr Thomlinson was to have a long with the Hall  James Thompson & partners are to have at the Rent they formerly paid which we hope the Directors will Approve off.  Mr Thomlinson would not be Concern’d unless he had the Allowance of 80 fothers of Coales Annually & as Thompson has Agreed to take only 90 fothers we think what will be made of the Surplus Coales will be more than equall to Mr Thomlinson’s Offer.

	Mr Gray has been ill which has prevented his getting the Draugt of the Lead mines Lease Ready to be Sent this post as Expected, but as he is Recovered so well as to doe Business we hope to Send you it on Sunday or Tuesdays post.  Most of the Tennants agree to the Covenants to be incerted in their Leases, so that we will imediatly goe upon preparing the Draughts to Send you a number weekley as they are finished.

	Ralph Readhead has been with us Severall times, but does not Offer any thing as a Satisfaction for the Injurys he has done the Hospitall but desires a particular of the Severall Articles he is Charged with & says he will then give answers to ‘em on Oath if Required.  As to the last we make no doubt but he will make Oath & not Stick at any thing to serve his Turn but we hope the Hospitall will look upon this as mere trifling, & it is certain till he is Compell’d to it that he will make no Satisfaction at all.  The Directors will therefore be Pleased to give us Such orders therein as they think proper.

	We have had a Conference with Atty Anesly abt the Ovingham Estate who says the Deed of Settlement was Burnt sometime agoe; but that he not only has a Copy of it but can produce two Witnesses to prove the Burning of the Original, so that by making him a party in the Bill, he will be Oblidged to discover & we doubt not but the Estate will be Recovered to the Hospitall.

	There is one thing with regard to this Estate that we hope may be of use and that is this.  one Wm Hall of Ovingham Sent a Sume of Money to Robt Fenwick on Mortgage of this Estate at Ovingham (now in Dispute) & after sometime Fenwick not Paying off the Mortgages & Alledging his Estates to be Intailed, Hall was putt upon filing a Bill in Chancery, by which he Distressed Fenwick & Entered upon the Estate.  Now as Fenwick or his Son afterwards enjoyed the Estate againe and as the Bill had Answers in there Severall Causes wou’d probably make a discovery of the Title we think it would be very Proper to Search for them.  These Transactions were and will be found recorded some time betwixt the Year 1705 & 1725 We are Sr Your most Obedt Servts 

      Nichos Walton   Hugh Boag