Letters – Joseph Richmond to Charles Whitaker – 7 Apr 1732

To Mr Whitaker			Newcastle April 7th 1732

      I rece[ive]d your Lre  of the 30th ult wherein you say my L[or]d Bishop does not look upon what pass'd when Mr Blackett & Mr Allgood were to wait on him at Durham, to be notice of their Intention to pay the Lot oar in kind from Candlemass, unless he would abate of the Rent, Mr Blackett has rece[ive]d a Lre  from his L[or]d s[hi]p to the same affair & as he is desirous there may be no misunderstanding about the affairs, agrees to pay the Rent as usuall till the 1st June, At w[hi]ch time the present Contracts with his Workmen will terminate, & the groves be clear'd of what will be <rought> to the day , after w[hi]ch the Lot as it arises, will be deliverd to the Person his L[or]ds[hi]p shall please to appoint.

      I take the Liberty Sir, to add that if my L[or]d Bishop was rightly inform'd of the present Condition of Weardale groves, he would find it his Intrest to abate the £100 p[e]r annum required rather than by Insisting upon a most unreasonable Rent, or taking the Lot in kind, put Mr Blackett under a necessity of laying in the greatest part of those groves, for its very naturall to conclude that he will work none, but what will pay the Lot & tythe & turn to advantage to himself & then I doubt his L[or]ds[hi]p won't make so much of his Lot as the Rent of £250 p[e]r annum offered him for it, this Rent, considering the poorness of the groves & the great fall of Lead from £15.10s.0d to £13.5s.0d, is really much more than can be afforded, but Mr Blackett would submitt to it, rather than give my Lord Bis[ho]p & himself the trouble of paying & receiving the Lot in kind, It's very probable that his Lords[hi]p may have been informed the Lot will amount to more money, & as I can't expect that what might be farther said to the Contrary, will have any weight, I leave it to time & Experience to discover the truth. 

I am etc J.R.