It is a long time since I read through the various Hochstetter stuff, and I
may be mistaken, but I was left with the impression that the Lake District
venture made massive losses and was kept going for largely political
reasons. Apart from being used as an excuse to seize the mine from the Duke
of Northumberland (on the probably spurious grounds that it was a Mine
Royal) I do not remember silver featuring that much.
The only one to get much silver was probably Queen Liz, who was paid it for
the mining rights. Along with more silver from other monopolies which she
granted. Speaking of Liz I, did anyone else spot the error on last night's
'Millionaire' (it was too wet to go to the pub!) - which asked which one of
the four options was a catholic Queen. We were meant to answer Mary I, but
they also gave Elizabeth I - who was also a catholic (whether she wanted to
be or not) until Pope Pius V excommunicated her in 1569.
Mike
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