LETTER FROM RICHARD GRAY a.d. 



1558. 



our olde hempe is spunne and wrought in tenne 



cables from fifteene ynches to ten the least, and 



thirteene Hausers from sixe ynches to three ynches : 



and all may weigh white eight and twenty thousande 



pounde weight and upwarde. There is in hempe 



ockam five thousand pound two hundred weight in 



twelve sackes at the least : the flaxe that came downe 



in the Nassadaes with those seven podes that came 



last is all spunne with a good part of that hempe 



that came last. God send more shortly, for all that 



is here and that is comming in the three other 



sleddes, will bee dispatched by the fourth weeke in 



Lent. Within these few dayes I bought thirteen podes, 



seven pound of hempe that cost two robles, twenty 



eight altines, foure pence, which together with that 



that was bought before, shall bee laide in dipping 



and sounding lines, for it is very good. There are 



spent above fiftie barrels of tarre alreadie : you shall What quanti- 



understand that these eight workemen will spinne tieo fh em P e %< 

 j 1 1 r 1 ,1 j j workmen will 



and lay above rourescore and tenne thousand pound ^ ■ 



of hempe, so it bee dressed readie to their hands, yeere. 



having two to turne the wheeles, and two to winde 



up. Therefore I have agreed with these two boyes 



to serve the worshipfull companie foure yeeres a 



piece. One of them windeth up and is very apt to 



spinne : therefore I will have two other young men 



Russes to spinne, if they can finde good sureties for 



their trueth. I have bene in hand with these two yong 



men that came out of the Trinitie, and they with me, 



but under seven pound a yeere they will not serve, 



nor Thomas Bunting that was Roger Bunting his 



servant. Therefore I would have three Russes at the 



least to spinne, five of them will be as good as these 



three, and will not be so chargeable all, as one of these 



would be. I thinke it were good that our Nassada were 



somewhat strengthened in her floore on both sides with 



plankes of five or sixe ynches thicke, from the stemme to 



the sterne, as I have written to Thomas Hawtrey at 



395 



