148 ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 



" they fhall be thereto commanded : And the farms and tenements 

 " in the laid baronies are well planted with coppice woods for the 

 " prefervation of the red deer ; and in the waftes are divers woods, 

 " and very fair coin ling with greyhounds ; whereof one wood is 

 " called Highley wood, growing difperfed one mile and a half 

 " from the town of Bywell towards the weft, planted with oaks, 

 " and part old birches of 80 and ico years growing, containeth 

 " 100 acres. One other wood, called Bailiff wood, on the fouth 

 u part of the town of Byivell, and well fet with birches of 50 and 

 " 60 years growth, difpofed in divers parts, containeth 80 acres. 

 " And one other wood, called Through-Deane, in Eqftivood, which 

 " was a large wood, containing by eftimation 140 acres, and was 

 " all old birch and fallen about 30 years paft, and never inclofed, 

 " by reafon whereof the fpring was utterly deflroyed ; yet is 

 " there birch fprung up again, of the very nature of the foil, in 

 " great plenty, fo as in the procefs of time there will be a wood 

 t: of birch again. 



" The town of Bywell is buildcd in length all of one ftreet upon 

 " the river or water of Tyne, on the north and weft part of the 

 " lame ; and is divided into two feveral parishes, and inhabited 

 " with handicraftfmen, whole trade is all in iron-work for the 

 " horfemen and borderers of that country, as in making bitts, 

 " iliiTups, buckles, and fuch others, wherein they are very ex- 

 " pert and cunning, and are fubjecl to the incurfions of the thieves 

 " of TyncJak, and compelled winter and fummcr to bring all 

 " their cattle and fhccp into the flreet in the niglit-feafon, and 

 " watch both ends of the ftreet, and when the enemy approach- 

 " cth to raife huy and cry, whereupon all the town preparcth for 

 " refcue of their goods, which is very populous, by reafon of 

 " iheir trade, and flout and hardy by continual practice againfl 

 " the enemy. 



"To 



