Letter – Ralph Grey – 21 Nov 1674

      Newcastle: November the 21 (74)

Sir

Yours of the 17th instant wth the inclosed came to safe hand for which & all other favors I send you many thanks as for the inclosed I find little incouridgement all things considered other <than> lead or coles but if god bless me I shall fright a ship in spring wth lead coles & <kerseys>, We have some ships going for Rotterdam wth souldiers who gives 25<s> per lead  but the great incouridgement is 28<s> p <Cpll> which is about your London chalder [for] coles, all the lead in towne is bought up at 13£ per fother they have a great fleet come out of the east [which] have made corn fall from 128 <pqC> to 100 <pqC> as we are informed by our intelligencers, pray when you write to Mr Willit present my service to him, I shall trouble him with some coles & lead in the spring; here is great supplies of corn expected from Holland it faling their, & coles giving a great price above duble what usuall will make them adventure, which otherwise they would not. I admire coles should be soe cheap at London at 25 <ty>it is the worst market  I know of & if it were not for our ships in Holand that our M[aste]rs did buy & hoped to have made free your city had been in great want of some I am concerned in would not have used the trade but perforce , I thank you for honouring my bill wth acceptance & payment,  I did fine noe error in the acct, but what was realy just & due, or else I had not sent it I have here inclosed sent you Mr Willitts letter wherein I perceive your sons at Rouen, my sonn is at Bourduax should have come overland to have wayted of your son, but I hope he is come away with a ship of brandy of 300 <tts> for this port, rye sold here at 19£ 10s per last to the merchant, wheat at 14s & 1d per boll oats 2s4d per bushell if good beans 3s9d per bushell  other grayn proportionable I think it will hardly fall of price corn proving generally faulty that they cannot for present make use of any, it riseth in the west

This what needful from yours Ralph Grey