184 Wulfhali and the Seymours. 
that, as alredy I can make no more with these men I have, about the carriage 
and re-carriage of earth. Furthermore I would fayne know my lorde’s grace’s 
pleasure for the well in the base court, whether it is to be round or square, and 
how much bur. Thus desiring your Mastership to pardon the rudeness of my 
letter because I write in haste, for if I be absent the tyme of the writing of 
this letter ther wyl be almost nothing done among the workmen, but yet I weed 
the loyterers out now so fast that the resydue be in fear of the same punishment. 
From my lord's grace’s works on the hill 7th June. 
7.—THE SAME TO THE SAME. 
1549. June 14. I have made inquisition for the mossy stone from whence 
it came and so far as I can learn it came from Shalborne Hill: yet some doth 
say it was fetched from Easton, but from Shalborne is the more likelihood, for 
that quar hath been serched to the bottom and so hath none of the resydew nor 
none in all the contreye and there is much stone hereabout which abydeth very 
well and semeth to come from thence, as the place where I kad the same which 
I sent is builded with same stone, and as much thereof as lyeth 3 foot ahove 
the ground is mossy after that sort, and better, besydes that it is an end of a 
wall whose coynestones is of the same which is a good proof. | 
As touching the hard stone of Shalborne I have already written thereof: the 
quantity thereof is not so great as I wold it had been, and Arthur Rodes hath 
I understand declared before this the whole state thereof. It doth appear above 
to be very good stuff and to be store thereof, but it provith not so benethe, yet 
nevertheless I think there will be gathern enough for the ashlour under the 
grastable* for there is much of the same occupied in dyvers places hearabout, 
and though my Lord’s Grace myndeth to make his utter (outer) walls thereof, 
I think it were better of flint; for I am sure there will aryse above 500 load 
of flints out of the dykes and other places which come free-cost, and the charges 
for dygging of the other stone and the carriage, skapling and others, wyll be 
very great, and the flint cost very little. 
As touching th’old stone (whearof your mastershippe hath written that I have 
written Borne Hill, I dyd but wryte Shalborn Hill), which is urne (ours) but 
therewith the carriage; the same is well seasoned and wyll abyde all wethers, 
and I can perceyve none of that quarr that ever fayled which came out of the 
_ bottom thereof, where lyeth the best stone in every quar of this stone. In 
Burbage Church, though the grete (grit) be sumwhat rougher than Wylton 
stone, yet as the nature of all these quarrs heare is, the lower the rougher 
grete, so is it lyk that the same stone which is in Burbage Church wall (where 
is abundance) to come out of the bottom of Shalbourn quarr, or els of Eston, 
but whence so ever it came it abydeth very well and gathered a great moss and 
is I am sure of one of these quarrs. 
The stone of Topnam ryseth yet as it was wont to do which is because the 
‘bottom of the pitt is so narrow that they wrest the stone in pieces and how it 
will prove when they work deep, I think as my Lord’s grace thinketh therein: 
but if God send fayr wether, as hitherto we have none but always extremity of 
*t,e., grass-table, or earth-table; the lowest course of stone that is seen in a building, level with 
theearth. (Halliwell’s Archaic. Dict,) 
