Border Papers volume 1: March 1583

154. Works at Berwick, &c. [1 March.]

"A brief declaracion unto your honorable lordshipes of the worckes aswell done since Michelmas laste paste 1582 with all maner of carriadges and provicions untill the first of Marche eodem anno—as also of diverse and sondrie worckes to be done in this yeare in and aboute her Majesties saide towne in everie severall place moste neadefull and necessarie—the same beinge vewede by us and the surveiour with other officers of the worckes, as by the places hereafter specifyede dothe particulerlie appeare.

Worckes alreadie done aboute the towne."—

Extracts.

The wall between the town and castle, because the people made a common way over it, 64s. 8d.; the town gates, as "it was not mete that suche decayes shoulde be sene," 6l. 10d.; the pier twice mended, 4l. 18s 5d. Total works done, 24l. 11s.

Works to be done in needful places:—

First, the foundation of the tower of the bridge, sore decayed by "the spates and washinge of tydes this winter—the syde next Twedemouthe is washede downe on the outesyde, aboute xij fote highe, and lx fote longe, and the syde next unto the ryver of Twede is fallen and decayede," and needs repair 50 feet long, and 8 feet high and 5 feet broad—the estimated charge for quarrying and hewing stone, &c., will be "neare aboute" 46l.

Secondly, a jetty of timber with piles of timber, to hold in the stone that is to be set between the foundation of the said tower to the timber, which must be 50 feet long and 12 feet broad, with stone to save the foundation on the side next the river, will be by estimation 13l. 6s. 8d.

The iron gates within the tower are sore decayed—both the ironwork of the gates and postern, also the "bandes and hendges" of the timber gate; it will take "better than half a tonne" of iron, and with the smiths' and carpenters' work, will amount by estimation, to 12l.

The "Mason dewe wharfe" is sore decayed, not only next the river where the ships make fast, but also at the other end next the bridge, which two places are 65 feet long, and 15 feet broad, and unless repaired will fall down altogether—charge by estimation 31l. 13s. 4d.

The broken wall at the old palace gate is ready to fall down; to be made 100 feet long, 26 feet high, and 10 broad—the stone work to be hewn 12 feet high," by cause the surges of the sea do sore beate upon it." Charges for stone &c., will be near about 160l.

The breach in the town wall next the castle is fallen down "that the people goe over it, when they liste, all the day longe"—it is 80 feet long, 8 broad, and 24 high. The cost of stone, "the scapellinge," &c. will be neare about 110l.

"There is a cawsie neare the Cat well in the highewaye where the water breakethe up, that of necessitie wolde be repairid, that the governour and other people maye goe to the churche, and otherwise aboute their busynes, where nowe it is verie noysom"—the charge will be 30s.

[The Mary gate, Bridge gate, Cow gate, also named for repairs.]

Needful works to be done about the old palace or office of victuals.

Timber for the storehouses and windmills will be near about 12 tons, which will cost about 12l.

Slating for the said houses as they need, "to be presentlie in place and not to seake, c fother to helpe to repaire the same upon the decayes of everie place after everie great tempest, which slate is to be had at Newcastell." Charges, freight to Berwick at 6s. 8d. the fother, or near thereupon, will amount to 33l. 6s. 8d.

Needful works on the storehouses at the Holy Island.

Lead—four fother at 9l. the fother, to be got at Newcastle "to cover and laye a broken and ryven house which is bare," boards, nails, &c.—total 49l. 9s. 4d.

"Summa totalis as well of the worckes and reparacions as well done already and to be done, as by their severall tytles and places moste nedefull before specifyed, appearethe, dothe amounte unto the some of sixe hundrethe eleven pounde thirtein shillinges eight pence, dcxj^li xiij^s viij^d." Signed: Henry Woddryngton, Jhon Selbye, Rowland Johnson.

9 pp. Indorsed.

155. Sir John Forster to Walsingham. [March 7.]

In answer to your letter of the 2^nd instant, with her Majesties pleasure "that I should advertise what is become of the Larde of Pharnihyrst, becawse she hard not of him since the grauntinge of her highnes pasport unto him"—he prepared himself at once, and came to Newcastle upon Tyne, but finding no shipping for France there, departed by land, on 18^th February, riding in company of divers honest merchants of Newcastle, as Robert Eiden, Anthony Morpeth, Thomas Bowes and others, either to London or Hull, and is gone to France. At my house nigh Alnwick. Signed: John Forster.

½ p. Addressed. Indorsed.

156. Scrope to Walsingham. [March 12.]

As ordered in your letter of 25 February, I have caused the Muster books of anno 1579 to be copied out, being in deed the last muster books returned in 1580, and delayed writing till this was done. The Liddesdales continue their inroads on Bewcastle, and I hear no word of redress from Cesford. But now that it has pleased the Council that other 50 of Berwick shall come hither, I pray you move my lords that I may take revenge upon "the evill men that so trouble hir Majesties subjectes… Yesterdaye certein goodes were stollen by Scottish men from one of the Johnstons a kynsman of the Larde Johnstons being warden, whereupon the affraye arose and the warden him selff with his companye and freindes pursewed the same. But Kynmont and his complices being in the waye to resiste them, the warden with his companye retourned again to Annaund, the which he taketh in verie yll parte." Carlisle. Signed: H. Scrope.

"Postscript.—Sir, as towching my commendacion of Grame, I dyd it onelie in respect of a pece of service which he dyd for me in the apprehending of Will of the Mylle"—with hearty thanks to you, I leave it to your wisdom.

1 p. Addressed. Indorsed.