11 Great Queen Street, Westminster
Monday Mar: 19.
My dear Talbot.
I am vexed that I should have been so careless as to omit to date my letter; as your answer <1> has but just been forwarded to me from Hartham, though dated the 14th By the by, I may as well say at once that the present date as to place is permanent, as I have a long lease, & am promised the refusal of the freehold.
And now for the subject of my former letter. It was written at the express request of the Duke, <2> with the impression that Inwood <3> must form a part of the disputed Country, because it lies as it were in the midst of it; Harman & Ld Lansdowne <4> & Mr [Hanbie?], & Captain Rook <5> & Methuen <6> & [me?] I being all round you, or nearly so - But the Duke scrupulously abstained from applying to anyone, whose Coverts<7> were not within his own personal knowledge included in the Badminton Hunt; or he would have called on you long ago. Being now convinced that Inwood must be included in the range, he has asked me to make this explanation for him, as being your near neighbour, & to solicit the signature, which you are kind enough to say you are quite willing to give on such an express application.
I will therefore thank you to enclose the Paper to me with your name appended, & I will take care that it shall not be used to your annoyance if it should turn out that there is any mistake as to your being properly included in the terra litigata. <8>
Of course you know we are all free to warn off, or request off, either & any party; though it is desirable first to get the dispute at rest in this - the best way possible. Lord Holland & Lord Carnarvon, & Mr Harman & Mr Poynder, & Scrope, <9> & Lord Lansdowne &c have approved the Document; Lord Lansdowne only stipulating for a particular Referee, because he had previously told Mr Horlock <10> he should be guided by said Referee's advice. With kind regards to Mrs Talbot <11>
Always yours very truly,
H. H. Joy
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Not located.
2. Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort (1792-1853).
3. Inwood, near Lacock, Wiltshire.
4. Ezekiel Harman; Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863), MP, WHFT's uncle.
5. A misspelling for Captain Frederick William Rooke (1782-1855), of Lackham, Wilts.
6. Paul Methuen, Baron Methuen (1779-1849), MP.
7. Thickets where game can take refuge.
8. Contested territory.
9. Henry Richard Vassal Fox, 3rd Lord Holland (1773-1840); Henry John George Herbert, Lord Porchester, 3rd Earl of Carnarvon (1800-1849). Thomas Poynder (see Doc. No: 05256), and George Julius Duncombe Poulett Scrope (1797-1876), MP & scientist.
10. Knightley William Horlock (1802-1882), author and huntsman.
11. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811-1880), WHFT's wife.