TALBOT4020

Chippenham ¹

4 Feby 1840

Dear Sir,

With your letters of Yesterday I received one from Mess^ers Villier & C^o stating that your office commenced yesterday, and that they had so written to the late Under Sheriff – M^r King ² is perhaps not aware of the late Act (3<c4?> W^m 4. C. 99) which simply substitutes a Warrant Signed by the Clark of the Privy Council instead of a Patent under the G^t Seal &^c with numerous other formulæ formerly in use – and the “Sheriff so appointed and upon taking the Oath of Office shall thereupon have & exercise all powers usually exercised & enjoyed by Sheriffs” – I have today been to Devizes & received from M^r Tugwell such Books &c as were ready for delivery His list of Prisoners &c will be handed to me in a day or two, i:e: as soon as he receives them from the Gaoler. The turn over from the Sheriff preceding M^r Phipps ³ was made on the 9^th of Feb^y a few days later than in your Case in consequence (I presume) of M^r Phipps having taken the Oath in the County instead of in Town –

With respect to the Clothing for the Javelin ⁴ then I am informed that it will be provided from the Sheriffs Fund in addition to £100. But I will write to the Captain at Salisbury for greater certainty –

If you should have delayed signing my Appointments as Under Sheriff till you hear from me I think you had better send it by return of Post as I have now process delivered to me by the late Sheriff to be executed – perhaps you will desire Mess^ers Villier to wait upon you that they may see that it is all correct and according to the prescribed forms – I have had your Seal corrected, as to the Motto.

I remain Dear Sir
Your obliged & obed Serv^t

West Awdry