528 ON THE PRICE OF BUILDING MATERIALS. 



6s. ^d. to TS. 6d. The larger pieces I conclude are about the 

 size of the navy boards, probably ten feet long, an inch thick, 

 and a foot broad, and therefore containing a little over three 

 yards. I have also found wainscot quarters at 3^. a dozen. 



SUNDRY TIMBER PRODUCTS. There still remain a few 

 articles on which comment may be required. In the early 

 period I find five load of poles, one of which is ash, at an 

 average of a little over us. the load. In 1636 a hundred 

 poles cost i6s. 8d. Joists are found twice at is. each in 1587, 

 and at 6d. in 1639, the last being four feet long. A load of 

 rafters in 1596 costs us. a hundred, in 1600 13. Elm studs 

 cost id. a foot in 1585, the College bargaining to have sixty 

 for 95. <\d. at a slight reduction in gross. A walnut board 

 costs 3.?. %d. in 1584, and oak shores *]s. a load in 1599. I 

 cannot guess what 'survise' trees at >jd. a foot in 1663 may 

 mean. The purchase is made by New College. 



The word asseres is frequently found in the accounts. At 

 Winchester it is plainly the same as boards. But the word is 

 used it seems for laths in 1588, when a thousand are bought 

 for 1 3$. I have in most other cases taken it to be identical 

 with board of fair quantity. Assamenta for a door is a 

 solitary entry at \\d. the foot. In 1598 panels cost is. $d. 

 the dozen. They are probably small wainscots. 



For four years box-wood is bought for the navy at from ics. 

 to los. 6d. the cwt., probably for the rollers of blocks, and also 

 lignum vitae at from \d. to i\d. the pound. Once the latter 

 is bought by the cwt. at iSs. %d. Trenails are also bought 

 for the navy at from three feet to sixteen inches long, the five 

 lengths being respectively at 4s. 6d., 3^., is. 3^., is. i%d., and 

 2s. the hundred. 



In 1700 Eton finished its new quadrangle, and put up a 

 solid staircase. The particulars of the fittings are under the 

 year. 



There are a few purchases of trees. A walnut tree was sold for 

 4os. in 1602, this timber being used for musket-stocks and fur- 

 niture. The foundress of Wadham College buys three hundred 



