Letter – Henry Richmond to Ralph Clark – 27 Jul 1762

To Mr Ralph Clark at the Oxbridge to the care of Mr Archibald Reed, at the sign of the Windsor Sloop, commonly called the Sloops Arse in Stookholm 		Newcastle 27th July 1762                 



Sir / The opinion wch Sir Wr. Blackett had that you wo[ul]d be a long lived man made him insert your Life some years ago with 2 others in a trifling Lease wch he holds of the B[isho]p of Durham.

One of the others, namely, Fenwick Bowman is dead & it is necessary, in order to have the Lease renewed, that we show that you are a live & in good health. Therefore Sir Wr. Blackett desires you will take the trouble of getting the minister of the parish you live in & two of your churchwardens to set their names to the inclos’d certificate after having filled up the blanks wch I have left therein. As soon as you get it signed pray return it to me by the post, or any other safe conveyance, & if you are at any expence ab[ou]t this matter, or were at any ab[ou]t the former certificate, wch we got ab[ou]t 2 yrs ago, I beg you will let me know it, & I shall take care to have it repaid you. P.S. If you direct for me in Ne[wcastle] it will be sufficient- if they sho[ul]d make any objections to certifying you are in good health; the certificate had better in that case be wrote over again & they may only certify that you are living at the Oxbridge near Stockton & aged ab[ou]t 52 years.  I am etc     HR



These are to certify whom it may concern that Mr Ralp[h] Clark of the parish of                in Stockton in the Co[unty] of Durham is living & in good health. As witness our Hands this first day of Augst. 1762

NB. I gave Mr Halhead the Certificate signed in the same form by the minister & 2 Churchwardens by this 29th Augst 1762