Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 8 May 1736

To Wm Corbett Esqr

Sr                                                                                   Rav.h Castle  May the 8th 1736

	We were favoured with yours of the 22d of April last with the Minutes of the board taken at Salters Hall the 21st of that Month, as also Mr Fra Andersons Letters of the 12th & 15th of the same complaining of some hardships, & in pursuance of the Command given us you have as followeth a true State of Mr Andersons Case.

	Mr Anderson was Tennant to the late Earl of Derwentwater & afterwards to the Commissrs of Greenwich Hospitall, & is so till next Mayday or Whittsuntide, at which time Mr Archibold enters unto the Farme wth a Liberty to Sow a part of the Land that Season, Mr Anderson having no right to a way going Crop as it was when he entered upon it a grass farme and but lately tore out

	When we reced the North Country Rents in January last, we called upon Mr Anderson at Alnwick in our way to Spindleston & Scremerston who complained of his Farme being a hard one, That instead of £44 10 d Mr Watson late Receiver had agreed to take of him £40, That it was still too dear & therefore he desired to be Clear of it.  At that time we were a Little uncertain of the value of the Farme, therefore we thought it not reasonable to quitt him of it; but on his writing to us at Whittingham & again desired to be cleared of his Farmes, we wrote to him that we woud endeavour to gett a Tennant or Tennants for it, & in case we coud meet with agreeable termes, he shoud be gratified in his desire.  This being done we made the letting of it publick & had much better Offers than we expected, & in pursuance of what we had before wrote to him, we writt to him again & told him we had the offer of good Tents & that he might be clear of his Farme as he had desired; it was some time afterwds before either Tyth or Land etc was let, & Mr Anderson had the offer of them in preference to any body & he woud not give more than £40 for what is lett for £49 10 d

	We observe that Mr Anderson says he coud not have the Offer of the Farme or be allowed to take it at any rate.  That he says is part of his Letter that Alnwick house & Closes was £19 10 & in another part of his Letter £14 10 d That Mr Boag had lett it at Marts last, That Mr Archibald entered upon the Farme on or about the 17th March last; none of wch we aver in fact except that part where he says Alnwick House & Close are £14 10 Rent

	The agreement was made wth Mr Archibold the 24 day of March last, & he has since sown a part of the Land wth Barley wch had he not done he coud have had nothing for this years Rent  Mr Anderson was at the expence of plowing part of the Land wch Mr Archibald is willing to make him a Satisfaction as also for the Ealage of the Stubble from Ladyday last to Whitsuntide next, so it shall be Settled by Mr Smart Tennant at Spindeston n to whom is referr’d, but we do nott thyink Mr Anderson is intituled to any Satisfaction at all, but on the Contrary he ought to make a Satisfaction for the Injury he has done the Commrs of the hospital by Tearing out his farme & leaving his hedges in bad repaire.

	Besides he has for some years past done a thing that may be of ill consequence, wch is this We find upon Strict inquiry that this farme was in grass when he entered upon it, that it was exempted from the payment of Tyth Hay, & it is said from Tyth Corn, notwithstanding wch Mr Anderson as Tennant of the Corn Tyths of Alnwick demesne has drawn the Tyths of Corn of Alnwick Closes Since they were tore out.  As appears by a Certificate under the hands of his predecessor & Tennant Thomas Harrison who is now living & near 80 years of Age

	We were also favoured with yours of the 1 May Inst which conveyed to us the boards Minutes of the 29 Ulto.

	We are sorry to find we omited to mention the name of Wm Forster to whom we had lett the farme at Whittles at the old Rent of £55 with a promise to make him some Small allowance if it shall appear to us reasonable, as we before mentioned, in our Letter of the 24 Ulto.

	As we before acquainted you we were obliged after Mr Aynsley with drew his distress to Seize the Goods of the late Tennant Redhead & in pursuance of it his Cattle & Husbandry Utensills were sold for the use of the Hospitall for £42 5 4d of Which £39 9 d is on Six Months Credit.  There is besides the £42 5 4d a low loss wth Mr Redhead for the Support of his Family wch is to remain upon the farme for their use, & is the property of the hospitall, This we thought proper to doe out of Compassion to his family & hope the Direcrs will approve of it

	We have confirmed the agreemt wth the following Gentlemen for the following Tyths for one year from Mayday 1736 to Mayday 1737 Viz

   George Delaval Esqr for Whelpington to pay £130

   Mr Edwd Lumsden for Hartburn        to pay  100

   Robt Midford Esqr for Midford       to pay  100

Major Wanlass has also agreed to pay £5 for Dilston House for One year from Mayday 1736 to Mayday 1737 having the allowance of Coales as usuall, but Mr Busby continues Tennant of the Close for this year, (as he alledges he had not Legall notice) at the usuall Rent of £2 15

	Hall & Joplings Arbitrators have determined the Affair in dispute, with out giving either of them a Satisfaction for their demands, notwithstanding the pretended loss that it has been said Hall sustained.  We in Justice to Jopling begg leave to say that he has been a Sufferer, yett not withstanding he has been ill represented, he has shewn him self otherwise by readly giving a Release to Hall & Redhead as they have also done to him so that this troublesome Affair is at an end Jopling has been a Tennant some years, has always payd his Rt well, & has in this affair been a Sufferer it woud be kind if the Directors woud be pleased to make him some allowance to wards it

	There is in Severall parts of the Estate housing in such repaire as they will not be habitable next Winter with out some helps this Summr yet we woud recommend as little been done as possible till the Leases are granted, but as some repaire are unavoidable we begg such directions there in as the board thinks proper & Convenient

	Mr Gab Hall stands in the Rentall as Tennant of a Colliery at Greenhead in the Mannor of Wark which he has been disposses’d of by some Freeholder, who Claim a right thereto, we have discharged them from working, & they tell us they will not be discharged we desire therefore to have directions how to proceed against them we believe if <Ejecmts> were served that they woud give it up

	Inclosed is our Cash Accot for last Month on wch remains a Ballance in our hands of £12454.10.7 & we are prepairing <remittances> for the Int etc due to Lord Peters, Lady Catherine Radcliff & the heirs of Dr Chamberlain & we are Sr    Your most Obedt Servts

      Walton & Boag





To William Corbett Esqr



Sr                                                                              Alnwick Castle  12 April 1735

	I have been a Tenant to the House & little parcells of Closes of Closes late belonging to the Earle of Derwentwater for 25 Years & upwards att the Yearly Rent of £19 10 Vizt to Mr Errington Mr Busbey John Watson & to Mr Hugh Boag & Partners

	Mr Capt Archibald has taken these Closes att the Same Rent of £14 10 & Letten a part thereof at £5 a Yeare Sowen it up Oates I could not have the Offer of it

	My Rent pay yearly att Martinmas & Whitsuntide ever Since I was Concerned for the 25 Years by past

	But Mr Boag having Letten it att Martinmas Mr Archibald Entered to the Land after I had plowed the Ground which is above 8 Weekes & more before Whitsuntyde Sett on his Coach Chace to plow wth his Bearland Harrows & to Sow it up with Berr this I can prove.  Can Mr Boag eppect the rent when <Ime> I am hindered enjoying my years ending att Whitsontyde

	Lett me but enjoy my yeare att Whittsontyde & take it & let Capt Archbold give me a Consideration for it & then let him doe whatt it Pleases with it  I might have putt him off enjoying it Whitsontyde had come but for the Capt to putt me off Saying Mr Boag will Protest for him it’ a hard Case to turn me out by force when I cannot have Justice but Capt Archbold will doe what he Pleases Spearing over one I doe not value let Mr Archbold tak it

      Yo etc     Fra: Anderson

please to let me know in time





To William Corbett Esqr

Sr                                                                              Alnwick  15th Aprill 1736

	My former would acquainted yor worp how I have Been Used by Mr Archbold who entered to the late Earle of Derwentwaters Estate on or about the 17th March with force & <Earnes> [earnest?] is now Sowing up my Bigg Land which is not due for him to enter to till Whittsontyde next then my yeare ends  I have plowed it out my Selfe what can I doe in Such a Case can I pay up my Whittsontyde Rent & not enjoy it

	But Mr Hugh Boag Sayes he will Warrant & Defend him wth out any more to doe I am resolved to pay no Rent till my Terme Ends at Whittseystide next as I have done for the 25 Yeares & upwards  I can make Oath of this but that there is Some designe agt me  I am but a Servt to his Grace the Duke of Somerset  I have Also my Taxes to be Allowed & a great great Deal of repaire in the House I new lofted the Garretts & Severall other Repaires I Begg Yor pardon for this Trouble from Yor most humble Servant

      Fra: Anderson

I could not have the farme att any rate from Mr Boag who has a farme under his Grace att Swinhoe  this Farme lyes in the Middle of his Graces Land







                                      Alnwick  May the 1st 1736

	I doe Certifye that I was Tennant to the Late Earle of Derwentwater about Four or Five & Twenty year agoe for Radcliffe Closes & a house in Alnwick & that I Entered to the Sd Closes in Grass & left them Also in grass at the Determenation of my Terme

                                                                                 Witness my Hand   Thomas Harrison



	We whose names are under written doe witness that we heard Mr Thomas Harrison Senr Say as above & also See him write his name

      Hugh Boag	Ralph Archbold	Chris Legg	Jno Wade





Memm May the 1st 1736, The Said Mr Thomas Harrison Says these Closes he farmd called Radcliffe Closes never Pd any Hay Thythe during the time he farm’d them nor did he ever know or hear of any Paid Corne Tythe paid to any person for the Said Closes

                                                                                                        Thomas Harrison

Witness Chris Legg	John Wade



Memorandum Mr Anderson has drawn Corne Tythe of them for Severall years

The above a True Coppy witness my hand        Hugh Boag