Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 31 Jul 1739

      Rav. Castle July 31st 1739

Sir

	In pursuance of the boards Commands we advertiz’d the Winning of Scremmerston Colliery to be Lett, & after Continuing it in the Newcastle papers Sev<eral> weeks we recd. the following proposals Viz:

      Mr Amos Barnes propose to drive a fair & suficient levell from the Sea banks, to link Stapple Shafte find all timber, Carry in air & find Work Utensills, for Carrying on the said Work & Compleating the same ready for Coale Work for the Sum of 						£530 – 0 – 0 

	NB He will find Security for his performance.



Mr Thomas Fetherston proposes to drive the said Levell as above for 		£500 – 0 – 0 

	NB He can give no Security for his peformance other than Leaving one halfe of the money which shall be come due to him, in the Rec[eivers] hands as it becomes due till the work is finished.



Mr Thomas Stokoe proposes to drive the said Levell as above for 			£495 – 0 – 0 

	NB He will find a Security for his performances.



Mr John Byerley proposes to dive the said Levell  provided the same does not Exceed 420 yds for £430, & to be paid over & above the said £430, what it Exceeds the said 420 yds at the rate of £1 for every yd, or will abate of the said £430, hat ever it falls short of 420 yards at the said Rate of £1-6s for every yard that it shall so fall short								£430 – 0 – 0 

	NB He will find Security for his performances.



These are all the proposalls we have had, the last of which seems the most reasonable, tho as the length of the Levell is uncertain, we do not know but it may be as dear as any. We believe the Proposers may be all very Sufficient to undertake the Works, but Mr Barnes & Mr Stokoe are most to be depended upon. We shall Wait the Boards directions in this Affair & pursue whatever is their pleasure to order therein in the best manner we Can.

	The Tennants of Scremerston Colliery have given us notice that they Cannot Continue at the present Rent longer, & that unless they have a very great abatement they can’t subsist, & of Consequence must be obliged to give the Colliery up, till the Levell is drove, & then they say they will perform all their Covenant. The men have acted very honestly & pd their Rent so farr very well & we believe might be persuaded to goe on till the levell is finished at the old Rent, or it may be Sixty or Seventy pounds per Ano & as we hope they will be good Tennants for the remaining part of the Term at £220 we begg leave to recommend it to the Directors to make them such abatement as they think fitt till the levell is drove.

	We reced. the Boards Minute of the 25 July Inst which shall be duly observed, but we are Concern’d to find such a misrepresentation as has been made in regard to the Woods on the D[erwentwate]r estate. We hope it will appear to be so far from a Misrepresentation, that there has not been any Tim[be]r Cutt for sale at all in all the Woods on the Estate, nor not one Tree for the Repaires, or other uses on the Estate, but what could not be avoided. There has been some Timber Cutt in the Man.r of Thornthwaite by the Ten.ts. who Claim a right to it by Custom, of wch the board has been acquainted, but Except that we do not know of any Tim<be>r of any kind having been Cutt & carryed off the Estates at all. The Bayliffs have orders strictly to survey the Sev.l Woods & we are taking all other proper methods to Inform ourselves of any thing relating this Affair, wch may have happend in the Estate, & have not Come to our knowledge, in order that we may give the Board a thoro’ Satisfaction therein & we hope to doe it in a few posts & are Sr Yours &c

      Walton & Boag



PS We have actually Cutt no Timr of any kind in any pt of the estate, Except for rep[airing] a Ten.t’s gate or style, or for laying a Barne floor, for a necessitous Ten.ts, & for building a sheep house at Keswick out of dead decayd Trees.