Letter – Peter Mulcaster to Robert Hopper Williamson – 10 Jan 1787

Particulars extracted from Peter & Jas. Mulcasters Letter of 10 January 1787 for Robt. Hopper Williamson Esq’s Opinion and Direction respecting a Pig of Lead which it is said is in the Custody of Abraham Fawcett of Corbridge, and said to be the property of the Commissioners and Governors of Greenwich Hospital.



The Pig of Lead found or pretended to have been found at Corbridge by Abraham Fawcett cannot be come at, Robert Wilson finds himself a Pig short at Dukes Hall, & at his desire James Mulcaster gave him a Line to Fawcett desiring the Pig might be delivered to him, he has however refused to deliver it, tho’ Wilson bid him at first Sixpence, then a Shilling, and at last Two Shillings. He refused even to let him see the Lead, and said if Mr Wilson himself was there he should not either see or have the Lead delivered him til he was paid Five Shillings for it; after being told the above by Robert Wilson, a Brother of Abraham Fawcett came to Peter Mulcaster, & seemed as if he wanted to treat with him about the delivery of the Pig of Lead. P.M. however thought fit to behave a little stiffly with the man by telling him that as the Pig of Lead had been refused being delivered to the Person we ordered to receive it, we should not treat with either him or his brother about it til we received Directions from you, which we expected soon to get & also expected his Brother would find himself wrong in withholding the Lead from the Man we sent to take it, for if five shillings can be demanded, and got, for every Pig of Lead that may be taken upon the Road, a very lucrative trade of that sort may be carried on. This Abraham Fawcett tells Robert Wilson that he knows of another Pig of Lead that has lain buried in Wide Haugh about Three years, we supposed he would discover it also for being paid another five shillings, we therefore beg your Directions what we must do in this Affair, for til then we shall do nothing, for we look upon it as a serious Affair the giving Fawcett five shillings for the taking up a Pig of Lead dropped from the Cart in the open Street of Corbridge; if it had been let lay there, it would most likely have been found by the man who droped it on his return home, it would in our opinion be quite a wrong precedent such as would occasion a vast more of Five Shillings to pay, & yet no less Lead lost. 

Peter Mulcaster could not see Wm. Bell yesterday, he was however told that he is a Pig short at Dukes Hall, that it is a Slag Pig which he wants, for which reason Robt. Wilson wanted much to have seen the Pig in Fawcetts Hand at Corbridge as he could then have known whether it is Wm. Bells Pig or his own, his being a Refined Pig.