"Davies Gilbert, Esq., M.P."
The opinion of Mr. Williams' elder son, Michael, has been given.[150] Some of the family were quakers. No further money payment for the saving of fuel followed this carefully civil note, until Trevithick, on his return from America, called at Scorrier House in a very threatening attitude on 31st October, 1827, when Mr. Williams, sen., said his reason for not continuing the payment was from his belief that the term of the patent had expired. Then came the following lawyer's letter:—
"Penzance, 7th November, 1827.
""Sir,
"I was at Captain Trevithick's yesterday, who observed to me he saw you at Scorrier a few days ago, and requested you would be good enough to settle the arrears on the savings on some of the engines in the mines for which you acted, none having been paid for a year or two, when you stated that the payment had been discontinued on account of the patent having expired. I find on a reference to the patent that it will not expire till May, 1830.
"Iam, Sir,
"Your obedient servant,
"Rd. Edmonds.
"John Williams, Esq., Scorrier."
"Hayle, January 24th, 1828.
"Sir,
"Yesterday I called on Mr. Williams, and after a long dispute brought the old man to agree to pay me 150l. on giving him an indemnification in full from all demands on Treskerby and Wheal Chance Mines in future. He requested that you should make out this indemnification. I could not possibly get them to pay more, and thought it most prudent to accept their offer rather than risk a lawsuit with them.