Blount MSS, C 117/56

1. Lady Mary Crispe to MS. 3 May 1730 (NS) (answered 3 May 1730 OS). Blount MSS, C 117/56

Lady Mary Crispe in Brussels to Mannock Strickland at Grays Inn, enclosing a copy of a letter from Sir Harry Englefield1 to [a young lady in Lady Crispe's convent] (a near relation of Sir Harry) concerning an estate in Clerkenwell settled by entail on his aunt Mrs Armstrong (the young lady's grandmother), with a rental of the estate (all ground rents in Clerkenwell amounting to £190 13s 4d; tenants’ names given), and asking his advice as to what the young lady may insist upon, she being 21 next July and not being willing to sell ‘at an under rate.’ Michael Blount I (also a relative of the young lady) will call to provide further information. With a copy of Sir Henry Englefield's letter and a rental of Mrs Armstrong's estate as delivered to him by her London agent Thomas Carnan. Englefield states that it is entailed on his aunt Armstrong (the girl's grandmother) for life, then on her mother, then on her and then on him; she cannot receive any benefit from it during her aunt's life, and her father's reputed assignment of the reversion to a London merchant is probably invalid as he had no claim to it during her mother's lifetime. Lady Crispe is concerned that if the young lady dies without heirs the estate goes to Sir Henry.