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If it will not be too much trouble, I wd beg the favour of an abstract of the several reserved Rents in the Helmdon leases, both in Corn and money; for the deductions you mention do not seem to me (at present) to be adequate to the outgoings upon average. Pray do you set your Fines upon Land and upon Buildings by one rule? If so, it certainly is not right; for seeing Freehold Lands at Helmdon are worth 30 years purchased, when ye very best homes are hardly worth 20, the Fines for renewing a Term in Houses; ought to be in proportion to Land, at most as two to three. And this is a Rule that we universally observe in setting copyhold fines; when we rate an home or other Building at 30/s improved Rent, we call it only 20; so that a year and Quarters Rent of a Home of 30/s a year is only 1:5:0 and this I think I can demonstrate to be an higher rate than a full Year and a Quarter upon Land. I may have made some Errors in my Estimate of the Rents, but I am pretty confident none of very great account, and that all your considerations put together will not reduce the Fines to what you have hitherto taken, unless there be Quit Rents pensions, or other payments issuing out of the Estates which I know not of. I will not fail to make a further Review, and to acquaint you with the Result of it. You are very kind in not mentioning the Contents of my last Letter, at present; and you will pardon me if I beg that when hereafter it may be necessary to do so, my Name may, if possible, be kept within the Limits of the College. It hath escaped in some late instances, somewhat to my disadvantage, the particulars of which are not worth troubling you with; But as some part of my living depends upon my being upon good Terms in this neighbourhood, and as an offence given to one Farmer is too apt to catch another, I hope you will indulge me a little in this caution, which, however, shall on no occasion interfere with the Duty I owe to you and the College.
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