36 A PICTURE OF THE IRON TRADE. 



trees were reserved. For coleing, the cordwood offal wood, 

 topps and lopps were made use of, and the giants of Sherwood and 

 the Rivelin were rather sacrificed to repair the great losses in the 

 Dutch war, or to supply timbers for building purposes. 



In February, 1664, it is the intention to cut down 2000 trees 

 in Sherwood, and all that are useful (i.e. will make planks) for the 

 navy, possibly 3000 in all, the tops, lops, and offal may be worth 

 ,£500 or near it. Our iron merchant was anxious to buy these 

 trees, and would pay in planks if necessary ; and a tedious course 

 of bargaining, lasting from January, 1663, to May, 1665, or even 

 longer, commences, and throws much light on the waste of the 

 public service, and the extreme corruption and venality of the 

 officials of the period, every one of whom had his price. The 

 author of these letters was engaged in a quarrel with the Marquis 

 of Newcastle over the woods at Clipston, which had been con- 

 firmed to him, Paul Fletcher and others, by Lord Mansfield on the 

 13th September, 1656 ; and in consequence his rival, Mr. Clayton, 

 was able to purchase all the wood sold from the Newcastle 

 estates, though at a lower price. In January, 1664, George 

 Sitwell wrote to offer Newcastle ^2000 for 10,000 cords of wood, 

 saying that Clayton had had as much for only half that sum ; or 

 he would take 20,000 cords and pay ^500 yearly till all was 

 paid for. Evelyn once mentions him as buying wood in Hallam- 

 shire. " In Sheffield Parke, two years since, Mr. Sitwell with Jo. 

 Magson did choose a tree, which, after it was cut, and laid aside 

 flat upon level ground, Samuel Stainforth, a keeper, and Edmund 

 Murphy, both on horseback, could not see over the tree one 

 another's hat crowns. This tree was afterwards sold for twenty 

 pounds." There is also an original letter, dated 10th March, 

 1656, from H. Howard (Duke of Norfolk) ordering George Mark- 

 ham to close with Mr. SitwelPs offer, and "thatt at Mr. Sitwell's 

 calling or sending for it, a doe be kild and delivered him, wch 

 custome I would have him take notice yt I meane to continue 

 every winter this seven yeares at least." He had other means of 

 supply in the park and woods of the manor of Eckington, and I 

 find him buying wood of Captain Barber at Barlow Lees and of 





