AND ROBERT MARSIIAM. 206 



at 5 feet, which is above 19 feet at one foot, and 16 F, 9 I. 

 at 3 feet. But i lately was told that M r Archer of Hale near 

 Downton in Wiltshire has eight Oakes in his park or pastures, 

 lor which he has been offered eight hundred pounds. This 

 account is so extraordinary that i wish i knew any man that 

 lived near the place, that i might enquire the measures of 

 them. I forget whether i told you of M r Leigh's Oakes at 

 Stonleigh Abbey in Warwickshire? The largest is at 5 feet, 

 23 F. 11 I. in circumfer 6 . 



As the following relates to our favourite Trees (Beech) i 

 will intrude on your patience with a memorandum of mine 

 dated May 26. 1752, when i was with my worthy friend M r 

 Naylor at his Castle of Hurstmonceux in Sussex, viz. : " The 

 " finest Grove of Beeches in the park that i ever saw. One 

 " felled two years ago ran 81 feet before it headed. I felled 

 " one an underling very small in the Grove merely to guess 

 " the height of its neighbours, which was + 62 feet to the 

 " head. I believe some are above 100 f. high, and run 80, or 

 " very near, before they head, and i think some are 70 without 

 " a branch. Some are large & spreading. I measured one 

 " + 16 F. round at 5 f . a very handsome one +13 f. & an 

 " extreme handsome one 11 F. 5 I. & ^. the handsomest is 

 "but 10 F. 6 I. an Arm of one standing single extended 

 " +20 paces from the trunk." Again in 1767. Some 

 " Beeches laid felled in the park, one was +72 feet long as 

 " cut for timber, squared above 2 feet at 24 f. length ; & 

 " marked 222 feet: a Grove of tall Chesnuts near the 

 " Beeches from 10 to 12 feet in circumf. at 5 feet." I do not 

 love the Chestnuts no more than you : they have nothing of 

 the obedience towards their masters which Beeches show : if 



near to Truth and Justice as can be found out, to allott 20 s to y e poor of 

 Selebourn & 10 s to y e poor of Harteley, and y* is y e reason y l herewith I 

 send y 20 s begging y e favour it may be distributed to such & so many 

 of y r poor as y shall think fitt & y* were capable & likely to have 

 editied by y c Sermon had such been preached. * * * I beg y r pardon 

 lor y r trouble and am S r 



" Y r obedient Serv*. 



" SIMEON STUART."] 



