Letters – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 12 May 1759

To Sir Wm Blackett Bt MP London						Newc 12 May 1759



Hon[oure]d Sir



I have made Weardale pay for your own mines, but Mr Bacon c[oul]d not be ready to make the partnership mines pay I intend to pay the leadmills on thursday next.       Mr Scott sent you his opinion on Mr Ords bill sometime ago.  If you think proper to stir any further into that matter Mr Wentworth & the other parties to the bill sho[ul]d in their answers desire that not only the testimony of the witnesses examined on y[ou]r part at the reference but also of such other old witnesses as can be obtained, may be perpetuated, for Mr Harrison says he has two material witnesses that have not been examined who can speak possitively to their taking up waifs on the disputed Ground in right of the Manor of Hexham wch may invalidate what has been said on that head by Mr Ords witnesses, but if you were to proceed in the affair I doubt it will be all at your expence.      PS   The Wallington tenants have p[ai]d but badly and half of the money was to pay for work going on there.      Tweddle and Pickering have paid nothing and as to the Berwick tenants they are all greatly in arrears.  Corn is at a low price, for we have no demand from abroad, the corn in the ground looks very well, but the Cold Easterly winds we have had for sometime keeps back the Spring very much     I am & c JR