Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 23 Mar 1741

      Ravensworth Castle. March 23. 1740

To William Corbett Esqr.



Sir

      We reced. yours of the 18 Inst with the Boards Minutes of that date which we duly observe. & in Answer to that part relating the sale of the Derwentwater Woods we think the properest way to sell them at their Value, woud be to receive proposalls by you and us in the same Man.r we have always done in the letting Farmes ; in the doing of which as people know we have an Exact Valluation, we think few woud be unwilling to give less than what we and the Valluers Should Assure them the Woods have been Carefully Vallued to  In Order to do this we Apprehend it will be necessary to sett the present bidding asside by an Affadavitt that the woods are sold Under their Value, & that we expect to have ready by Fridays Post. If this Method Cannot be pursued you may be assured of our using all the Means we Can to bring people as Near as we Can to the Valuation, by Any fair Means the board shall direct.

      Upon Our Receiving the Boards Minute relating a Fresh Security in the rood of Collonel Liddell, we Wrote to Sir William Middelton the Member for the County of Northumberland desiring he wou’d become our bonde man, to which we had for Answer last Post, that he would be so obliging. We begg you will please to Accquaint the Board therewith & that you will if they approve it, gett him to Sign the Bond before he Leaves the Town. He Intends to wait upon the Board for that purpose.  We are

      Sir, Yours &c

      Walton & Boag



PS. Since the writing of the letter on the otherside, we have got Mr Ambrose Hopper one skilld in wood & allso one of them that Valued the Derwentwater wood to take an Affadavit that the Derwent[water] wood offer’d to Sale is of More Valuye then £8100 - to Sett the Present biding aside & their is a letter gone this post to Mr Airey, from one Mr Cuthbert Hunter of Medomsley in the County of Durham to offer for the Northumberland Woods £4500 - which is £500 an advance. To have 12 Y.rs  to Cut & Remove the Timber, to pay the Money in 7 Years in Equal Payments, The first payment to be Christmas 1741 Provided the agreement be so soon made as that he can have a fall this Spring if not the first payment Christmas 1742. with usewuall liberty of making Sawpitts & Charcoal Pitts &c

Inclosed is Mr Hoppers affadavit which please to forward to Mr Radley when have perused it. we are 

      Sr Your Hble Servts

      Walton & Boag