Letters – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 9 Feb 1733

To Wr. Blackett Esq[ui]re                                          Newcastle the 9th Febry 1732/33

Hon[ou]rd Sr.

      I have rec[eiv]ed your Lre  of the 3rd & shall have the horses in order to send up when you appoint by Rob[er]t Colly, if you choose to rather to send Rob. down for them. The state of your Exchequer has been very low since Weardale pay for Trade is now at a stand, & no money to be got till the Spring is further advanced, tho there is above £1000 owing in Town, I can’t get a penny either in money or Bills if the Exigency was never so great. The Balance of the Cash Acco[un]t this day is £449,,8,,0 if you please to draw for £250 I can answer it at sight or shall send it by the carrier as you direct; against this 1st May. I shall no doubt be quallify’d to answer your Draught for £7 or £800 but desire you will not make your Bills pay all at one time. Moohope & Coalcleugh raise Oar pretty well, but the price of Lead its thought will drop by reason of the great quantities every were got.

      Mr. Allgoods Answer prepared by Mr Wilson is now before Mr. Grey & Mr Allgood is here upon the affair, so that its to be hoped it will be dispatched, I do not yet hear whether theres any objections to Mr Wilsons Draught.

      Mr. Reay has been with severall more of the Comp[an]yes in all which he meets with the most agreeable Reception on your acco[un]t. After he has finished his speech in your Favour, he adds  two or three words in favour of Mr Fenwick, & then Mr Cuthb[er]t Fenwick seconds him & declares his Brother will stand. This will not I hope at last turn any way to your prejudice, but Mr Carrs Friends make a hande of it as mentioned in my last, & at the same time please themselves that as Mr May[o]r is <disfarobleg’d> at the Measures taken by Mr Rheay & Mr Fenwick, he will at last joyn Mr Carr, if Mr Fenwick will not give up the cause.

      I am desired by Mr Reay to write you, that if you have Mr Montagues Intrest, the sooner he signifies it to his Agents here the more service it will be of to you, & the same as to Mrs Crowley’s. John Bulman keeps an Inn at York, Sr. Wm. frequented his house as before the last Elecon wrote to him to secure what single Votes he could at Hull, Scarborough, Leeds, Wakefield, York &c as he engaged 4. wch cost about 15£ Sir Wm. had also 40 down from London which stood him in 6 Gu[inea]s a Man besides their Expences, but I hope you’l have no Occasion for him. 

      The Inclos’d  Lre  was brought me this morning by Mr. Wilkinson Curate of St. Andrews who with his Fa[the]r & <Bra.r> are free of the Tanners Comp[an]y, the Vicar is now in London, has the desposall of the Curacy at All Saints when it becomes Vacant, but I believe has left it to the Magistrates to put in whom they please, & therefore Mr. Wilkinson desires you will write to some of them, I acquainted Mr Reay & Mr. Fenwick herewith, & tho Mr Wilkinson will scarce succeed, yet if you please to write any thing to them, or to mee that I may share, it will answer the Expectations of the Comp[an]ys whether he succeed or not, 

      I am yours etc JR