Folios 164-165. Joseph Northcott of London corn merchant, to the Duke of Newcastle....

Folios 164-165. Joseph Northcott of London corn merchant, to the Duke of Newcastle. Petition complaining of great numbers of 'disorderly persons' in Cornwall and Devon who, 'in the last six weeks', have broken into the granaries and forcibly carried off large quantities of corn 'to the great loss of several traders' in particular Northcott. The Justices of the Peace and others have been threatened with murder and the burning of their houses if they attempt to interfere. Unless speedy action is taken he says all the corn trade in the West of England will inevitably be stopped to the loss of the rest of the country especially in and around London and therefore prays that the Justices of the Peace and others be protected 'and that for the future the corn trade in and from the West of England may be freed from all such obstructions in such manner as the Duke sees fit'. He mentions Morlham, Falmouth, Castick [Calstock], Holden [? Helston], Gorden [? Gorran], Saltash, Pentilly [Pentillie], St Germans, Tavistock and Ilfordcombe [Ilfracombe]. [Note Joseph Northcott died 1 February 1744].