Letter: Thomas Ellis [curate of] Holyhead to James Le Marchant, Senior Bursar

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 221 WD7/2/43
  • Alternative Id.
      GB 221 WD/7/65
  • Dates of Creation
      1741 - 1742 Mar. 15
  • Language of Material
      English
  • Physical Description
      1 item

Scope and Content

LETTER: Thomas Ellis [curate of] Holyhead to James Le Marchant, Senior Bursar giving figures for the letting of the tithes for that year which amounted to £275 of which Mr Owen only pays us [the curates] £140.

Mr Owen should therefore advance his rent or pay the old fine at least.

'Tis Mr Owen's happiness to be so exceedingly well beloved in these parts, that I believe no one here w[oul]d deprive him of his bargain; nor w[oul]d I desire any one sh[oul]d, in case he advances, a[nd] gives as much for it as he may fairly afford; otherwise my advice is that Mr Prichard the attorney of Carnarvon s[houl]d be employed to give publick notice of this Tythes being to be let a[nd] be empowered to grant a lease to the highest bidder (a man of Substance) if such a one can be found; w[hi]ch I question pretty much; so that after all I believe (for the above reason) that the tythe will ly at Mr Owen's mercy; but hope my intelligence will enable you to make a good bargain with him, else, as a 4th belongs to me, I shall be the greatest looser - I beg you w[oul]d let this letter be a secret among y[ou]r selves, else such is my situation, that I may as well almost write treason - it will gain me ill will and make me be lookt upon as a College spy or a tell-tale, tho' I write nothing herein but wh[at] I am obliged to, as an honest man'.

He could not understand how the Rectory which was worth £200 to the College and curates in 1648 should have sunk so much.

The value of tithes let yearly rises and falls with the prospect of the crop at Midsummer.

For the last 3 years the markets have been high, higher than England, with the importation of corn to neighbouring parts.

The tithes set well there as there is little or no expense, trouble or risk.

If the setter makes losses, it is the setter's fault for choosing weak takers or setters.

'Wish some effectual vigorous method may be taken with Mr Robert Hughes ab[ou]t Mr Bold's affair'.

'Wish I was a moneyd man for ye sake of these tythes.

Twd be a sufficient preferm[en]t of its self'.

Appended

CONFIDENTIAL NOTE asking the recipient to remind the Principal of his promise to the sender about applying to the Visitor on his behalf at Llangeinwen, cvo. Ang.,(which was in the King's books) when it was vacant as was likely.

He wished this hinted to the Visitor beforehand lest the Bishop 'play a slippery trick'.

Mr Morgan of Henblas asks Mr Humphrey Owen to buy a specified book, giving instructions for its delivery.

'My Parish is very sickly and I'm so taken up with Welsh sermons, explanations of ye catechism, haranguing ye sick etc. that I've almost lost my jocular, punning, storytelling vein'.

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