Letter – Thomas Errington to Anna Radcliffe – 23 Mar 1722

May it please yor Ladyshipe 		Capheaton March the 23d: 1721/2



I haue Receiued your Ladyships letter of the 20 Instant foraigne Style last Munday, as to the two Tennants of meldon they are very honest men, the one is a papist, and his name is William Weldon, his Grand ffather, and his ffather now is liueing and has liued all theire lifes att Aydon sheells vnder your late Good Lord and his ancestors, and he now lives att Capheaton, and has been Steward to old Sr John Swinburne and now is to the old Lady Swinburne, the other mans name is Robert Twisle, and lives att Harborne Grange, and has Uued there for some yeares, and that Estate belongs to my young Lord, they are both very able Substantiall men, and when the agreement was made with them for meldon and meldon parke they would not Comply to pay more than £400 for the first three yeares, because the grounds were mush Run out by the former Tennants, that paid all theire Rents to the publike, and by the misfortune of the times, and that after the first three yeares for a Eleauen more they were to pay £448 pr ann and that was Soe Expressed in the account of the advance Rents I sent your Ladyshipe an account of, and that article was Referd to your 

Ladyshipe, I shall take care to mind Patrick Davison the marchant in Hexham there was none Spoke to me but him of what I writt your Ladyshipe in that affaire, I haue not Since seen Admiral Dalaval that I Receiued your Ladyships letter, for he is very Bussye in Parliraentareing, upon his nephews account, but I hope to see him in a short time, I had a letter from one Mr. Nicholas Ridley who is now at London, and he writt me amongst other 

things, that he beleaued the late Coll: Radclyffes Estate, would not be Sett vp to sale this yeare or more, but I cannot beleaue him in that matter, for his Brother Alderman Ridley had and has adesigne in Buying it, and Nicho Ridleys writeing soe is but a Blind, as to the Lead mynes being soe poor, what is allready gott, Cannot be gott againe, and there is noe 

new Tryalls proues worth any thing, I Cannot tell what Mr Bacon may doe at Green Gill, your Ladyshipe may be assured I shall doe all in my power to Encourage the Lead mynes, I am much affraid theire is but litle hopes of that money for the Lead oare that the Comissionrs Enterd vpon, I shall allwayes keep a full yeares annuity of Mr Arthurs in my hand before I pay him another yeare, I thinke it were mush bettor to keep two yeares, for he has noe occasion for it, and what he has he does noe good with it, I spoke to him as your Ladyshipe orderd me Relateing to my Lady Mary Tuder and told him shee was goeing to be maryed, and it woud be a porticular fauour and true freindshipe in him to make a handsome presnt to her at this time, but all the answere I could gett of him was, that his Sister the old Lady Swnburne had Spoken to him a boute that matter and he had told her to write to your Ladyshipe what he would doe in that matter, which I am affraid is nothing at all, I wish they doe not Speake for theire owne Intrests when they make Application to him but please to keep this to your Ladyships Selfe, as to what your Ladyshipe mentiones in yours aboute those Tennants that paid theire Rents to the Gouerment, it is true, that I writt your Ladyshipe that Councell did aduise that such Rents as was paid after my Lords Death to the Gouerment the Tennants would be oblidged to Repay them back if they were able, but there can no thing be done in that matter till the Comissionrs power by act of Parliament is Ended and that will not be till the 24 of June 1723, and Chapes then gett another act of Parliament for a longer time, Mr Edward Ridell of Swinburne Castle dyed last Tuesday, which is a mallancolly death to that famally, for his Eldest Son was in the misfortune with the other Gent, and I am affraid the whole Estate is in a dangerous way, my Lady Mary Radclyfle of Durham is Three Thousand pounds Deep there, all this famally are well and giues theire humble Seruice to your Ladyshipe and famally, and I am, 

yor Ladyshipes Most obedient Soruant Tho: Errington. 



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