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To Sr.Wr. Blackett Bt London 6 Feb 1756 Hon Sir The petition herew[i]th inclosd was sent by Mr Ellis; who says w[ha]t is therein desired is a very reasonable request. The Subpoenas are servd on the 3 Hexham Gardners, & Mr Ellis apprehends they will not appear, but send you a petition, desiring you will excuse w[ha]t is past, & not charge them with any costs, & th[a]t they will propose to pay ab[ou]t 18d in the Po[un]d for the future, on the rent they pay for their Gro[un]d wch is ab[ou]t £3 an Acre. But to accept of [th]a]y he says will be doing nothing for it is only 4.6 an acre & the Corn tithe of the Gro[un]d they have in Gardens is well worth £10 an acre & the tithe of w[ha]t they produce in thier gardens is worth double that sum. But if you please to grant them any favour he thinks 15s or 12s6d an acre is as little as you ought to agree to take. & as to the Costs if you do not oblige them to pay at least some part thereof you will have a bill to file every y[ea]r ag[ain]st one or other of them. As to Garland he has p[ai]d no tithe for near 20 y[ea]rs & is reckond to be worth £1000 & the two Rennicks mentiond in the bill are in very good Circumstances. there are several more Gardiners at Hexham who are poor, & therefore are not put into the Bill; but they will submit to pay as the above persons are obliged to do. I have made Dukesfield pay; wch has reduced the cash to a very low Ebb, & as here is very little owing in town, the reflux is likely to be very slow; for the Lead trade seems still to decline, nobody chusing to buy any quantities, the public affairs having at present so indifferent an Aspect. I find th[a]t no resolution will be come to ab[ou]t the Town Clerk's place till you come into the Country. I am etc JR
