Letter – Nicholas Walton to Robert Hopper Williamson – 19 Jan 1787

       Farnacres 19th January 1787

Dear Sir,

We inclose you two letters which we have this Day received relative to the Pig of Lead said to be in the Abraham Fawcetts possession at Corbridge and upon which we must request to have your further directions and Opinion. We consider the behaviour of Fawcett to be a matter very serious if under the circumstances he cannot be punished because we shall most assuredly meet with many such instances sh[oul]d it be understood that any person has a right to take up the Property of Greenwich Hospital and keep it unless p[ai]d what they may take it into their heads to demand and therefore we are inclineable to prosecute in any way that shall be most likely in its consequence to operate as a Check to this new method of taking & keeping the Property of another Person in spite of him. So you will be pleased to consider that it w[oul]d be no object to Greenwich Hospital being intitled to Costs upon a Civil process. Perhaps it might be proper for Mr James Mulcaster or Mr Peter Mulcaster to go to Corbridge and demand the Pig of Lead before anything further is done, this you will consider and we sh[oul]d be glad to hear from you as soon as convenient being very desirous that no time be lost in doing <all that you> may think necessary

       Your most H[um]ble Ser[vant]s

       Walton & Turner



PS  I inclose the Opinion already given upon this business and also a Fee for y[ou]r Opinion and Directions.

We have directed this to be left with you tomorrow morning and will order a Servant to call about Noon tomorrow and if you sh[oul]d not then be enabled to send us your Opinion and Directions we will send again in the Evening. Pray return the papers now enclosed and let us have your Opinion and Directions on a separate Paper.