A Copy of a Letter Written the third of September 1651. by John Hedworth of Harraton in the County of Durham Esquire, unto John Dodgson Constable at Harraton, John Lax a Leader of Coals there, Steven Pattason a Stathe-man there, Ralph Hinderson a Leader of Coals there, Robert vicars Overman there, Thomas Rutlas a Digger of Coals there; and to all other Workmen whatever, that belong either to the Coalpits, Stathes, or Keels of Harraton Colliery.  
Neighbour's all,  
Though I have never but dealt Neighbourly with you all; yet divers of you have dealt otherwise with me: and yet before I take that course against you that both nature, Law, and reason will afford me: I cannot but hereby under my hand acquaint you, That per advice upon Saturday last was 7 days, being the 23 of August 1651. I went to James Liddall your Steward or Overseer, and in the presence of Richard Lilburn Esquire; Lieut. Col. John Lilburn his son; and Mr. Richard Grey my brother in Law; And told him, That Sir John Hedworth deceased, my Father, was Lord, Owner and Proprietor of the Manor of Harraton, and all the Colemines thereunto belonging; which were now Legally and justly descended unto, or upon me, as his Eldest Son and Heir: and being of late fully attained to the age of 21 years, I could not in silence suffer myself any longer to be deprived of my Right and Inheritance by will and power. And therefore I told him that he as Steward, set workmen at work upon my Cole-mines, against my will and mind; and it must be under the pretence of a Lease belonging to Mr. Josiah Primate, or to Mr. Thomas Wray; but whether of them had the most right to the said Lease, it was not much material to me now. But sure I was, that by both their leases (under one of which the (I am sure) present possessors claims) there is a rent reserved of 40 s per week to be paid to the said Sr. John Hedworth my father, or his heirs, for their House-keeping, in case there be so many Coals wrought as amounts to so much money; with a clause of Reentry upon the said Colliery for the said Sir John Hedworth and his Heirs, in case of nonpayment of the said 40 shillings a week rend. And I further told him, I was therefore in a fair and friendly way come unto him with these my friends, as may witnesses, to demand of him my said 40 shillings rend for the last week, and forty shillings per week for all the rest of the weeks arrear, ever since his Master Sir Arthur Hesilrig, or any other of his Masters wrought them: And in case immediate payment thereof was not made, I would make a formal seizure of the said Cole-mines, and discharge all Persons whatsoever from working thereof. And in case they would not cease, I would do my best (as by Law, equity, and Reason I might) to sink the Keel, and break the 'Gins that should endeavour to work and carry away my Coals, seeing my Tenants could have no Legal fair proceed, either from Sir Arthur, or the Commissioners above; and therefore as a Civil man, desired him to go to his Master Sir Arthur Haslerig, or to Major Tolhurst, or whom else he pleased, and acquaint them with so much, that so in a fair way I might have paid unto me without delay my said Rent, and all the Arrears thereof since they wrought my Colliery, which is now about two years: And he taking his horse that day, and riding off the ground; At night the same day I repaired again to the said James Liddall your Steward, accompanied with my Uncle, Master Ralph Rocksby, and my Brother Master Richard Grey, and demanded his answer; which was, That he had been with Major Tolhurst, who had authorized him to tell me, That he would pay me no Rent at all, but that I must seek it where I could get it; and being denied my own, the aforesaid Saturday night, I discharged all the workmen I could meet with, and commanded them at their perils to cease to meddle in any kind with my Cole-mines, without my express leave and consent.  
And carrying a tender regard to the peace and welfare of my Native Country, now invaded by robbers and strangers. And for avoiding as much as in me lay the just occasion of raising any tumults that might seem to have the face of my advantage to our public enemies (the aforesaid invadors) I was as sparing as could be in doing of that which was necessary for me to do, in order for regaining my own right and just inheritance, which hath been by force and violence taken from me and my Tenants, and to this day as unjustly detained from us both, without the least shadow or colour of Law or Justice (as my true friend and Counsellor Lieutenant Colonel John Lilburn hath fully proved in his Epistle to four of the Commissioners for Compounding, sitting at Haberdasher's Hall at London, dated the 30 of July 1651, a Printed Copy of which I herewith send you for your serious perusal) and therefore with an Hatchet, I only cut two of the Ropes that drew up the water; and the next day being Sunday, came five men in the habit of Country men (and so calling themselves) with great Cudgels in their hands, pretending they came to keep the States right; but yet afterwards the aforesaid Liddal, your chief Steward, and one Richard Gillary, another of your inferior Stewards, or Overseers, told me, and some of my friends, that they were Soldiers, and of the said Major Tolhurst own Company. And further, the said Liddall told me, in the presence of my aforesaid Uncle and Brother, That the said Major Tolhurst told him, that I must not strive with him for the Colliery, unless I could bring thirty thousand men by force to take it from him. And upon Monday after, being the 25 of August 1651, Ralph Hinderson, Stephen Pattason, and others, were leading of my Coals, which by my authority were discharged from leading thereof by my Father in Law Master George Grace; and did all accordingly cease; but there being since an addition of six Soldiers armed with Pistols and Swords, said to be of the said Major Tolhursts own Company; but yet produced no Commission under any man's hand (but absolutely denying that they have any such) but only act by the verbal (and unwarrantable) order of the said Major, a man that hath no power nor authority at all to command them hither: And yet like men subject to no Law, Rule or Government; by their wills, Swords and Pistols, they assume unto themselves a power to set a Guard upon my Coalpits both night and day (after I am violently rob of almost threescore head of my , and a great part of my Land of Inheritance by Sir Arthur Haslerig and the Commissioners of Sequestration) and threaten, beat, most shamefully abuse, nail up the doors, force quarters from, and compel several of my friends and neighbours to yoke in their Horses and Oxen into Wains and Carts, and to lead my Coals; nay, and have come to myself, and have commanded, and violently hindered me to lead my own Corn, and would produce unto me no written Commission or Order they had from any man so to do, although I earnestly demanded it of them: Upon which I yesterday, being the second of September present, repaired to Durham to Colonel Francis Wren, and Master Thomas Dallivel, Commissioners for Sequestration for this County, and in the presence of my said Father Grey, and his Son Master George Grey, acquainted them herewith, and desired to know of them if the said Soldiers had their Order for coming to the said Harraton, and using me as they do; and they both averred they had none of theirs, nor they never heard any thing of it, until I told them. In which regard, I have no other ground at all, but to look upon the said pretended Soldiers (as a company of desolate persons, sturdy rogues, thiefs, and robbers) and as such most fit by the Civil Magistrate to be apprehended, and clapped in Goal, there to be kept until they receive a Trial for their lives, which I shall endeavour to do, to the utmost that Law will enable me; but in the interim I desire you at your perils (unless they produce you a Legal and written Commission, or order under some Hand or Hands legally authorized thereunto, to Quarter upon you, and command you as they do) That you no longer entertain them upon my ground, which Order I am sure of it must be under two of the Commissioners hands of Sequestration, none else in this County having any power to pretend to send Soldiers to me, by violence to keep my estate from me, being neither Papist nor Delinquent; and I am sure of it, Sir Arthur Haslerig at most is but one Commissioner (if that) and his Major Tolhurst none at all. And therefore his written Warrant is no ways to be obeyed by you; who are no way under his Jurisdiction, Put however, what written Warrant is sent unto you from any hand whatever, I desire to see it, and to take a Copy of it. And I further advise you upon sight hereof, for your own safety, That you repair to Sir Arthur Haselrig himself, and acquaint him with all passages, and desire to know whether he will justify that he hath given a written Order to his Soldiers to come to Harraton, and to do as they do; and if he say no: then do you desire him to send for them as prisoners, and severely punish them according to Law and Justice, and all those that have so unwarrantably sent them: And also that you repair to Major Tolhurst, and tell him what is done, and know of him whether he sent them, or no, and will justify it; and in default of satisfaction from him, repair to the said Commissioners, and demand of them their pleasure in the thing, as also their Order to command them away. And I further warn you; and every of you, without a written Order from some Legal Magistrate or other; meddle nor make not with (upon any verbal command from any power whatsoever) to dig any more of my Coals in Harraton Colliery, to draw them, or any water out of my Pits, to throw them on the banks, lead them to the Water side, or any other places whatsoever, to carry any of them away by Keels, Lyters, Wanes, Carts, or any other means whatsoever, at your utmost peril of being apprehended by me, according to Law, as Thiefs and Robbers of me, of my goods and Chattels: And having all other extremities exercised towards you, that the Law will afford me to inflict upon you, or any of you.  
And this I send you on purpose to forewarn you of your own danger, and to leave you without the least excuse, both before God and man.  
And in the presence of those whose names as witnesses are hereunto Subscribed, I set my Hand at my own House at Harraton this third day of September 1651. John Hedworth.  

Witness  
Richard Lilburn  
John Lilburn  
George Grey  
Ralph Grey.