April 1644: An Ordinance for felling of Tymber Trees in the Woods of severall Delinquents for the use of his Majesties Navy Royall.

April 1644

[16 April, 1644.]

The Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, having out of their especiall care for the preservation of Tymber Trees excepted them out of the late Ordinance of Parliament, dated the second of October last past for the felling and putting to sale the Woods of all Delinquents sequestred by the said Ordinance for the use of the Common-wealth; Yet being informed of the great and pressing wants of Tymber for the supply and use of his Majesties Navy Royall, without which there can be no Fleete put to Sea for the defence of the Kingdome.

Power to cut down Timber Trees upon various Delinquents' Estates. for use of King's Navy.; Account to be kept of Trees cut down.

It is Ordered by the said Lords and Commons, That it shall and may be lawfull for Peter Pett, and Henry Goddard, Master Shippwrights to his Majesties Navy Royall and Robert Clement husband of the said Navy, and Peter Pett junior, or any two of them, with the allowance and approbation of Sir Thomas Barrington, Sir William Masham, Henry Barrington Esquire, Sir Thomas Honywood, Richard Harlackenden, Sir Peter Wroth, Sir Thomas Walsingham, Richard Whitehead, Richard Norton, William Jepson, Augustine Skynner, Richard Lee and Thomas Blunt Esquires, to enter into certaine Copses, woods, and springs in the Counties of Kent and Essex, belonging unto William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, and Deane and Church of Canterbury, the Earle of Worcester, the Lord Lumley Poynes, Cotton Esquires, Sir Edward Pleydon, Sir George Sandys, Sir Henry Spiller, Sir John Lucas, Sir Henry Audley, Sir Francis Mannock Knights, and Nash of Marden Esquire, who for their Delinquencies by severall former Ordinances of Parliament have had their Lands, Rents, and Goods Sequestred for the use of the State, and the said Peter Pett, Henry Goddard and Robert Clement or any two of them, with the approbation and consent of Sir Thomas Barrington, Sir William Masham, Henry Barrington, Sir Thomas Honywood, Richard Harlackenden Esquires, Sir Peter Wroth, Sir Thomas Walsingham, Richard Whitehead, Richard Norton, William Jephson, Augustine Skinner, Richard Lee, and Thomas Blunt Esquires: or any two of them shall have power and are hereby required to marke out, Fell, Cutt and Carry away or cause to be Cutt and Carryed away, all such Trees of Oake, Elme, and Ashe within the severall Woods Copses, and Springs of the said severall persons, according to the numbers, quantities and qualities as are hereafter mentioned, or so many thereof as the said Peter Pett, Henry Goddard, and Robert Clement shall finde necessary for supply of the present Stores of Tymber for the use of his Majesties Navy. And it is further Ordered, That an accompt shall be carefully kept between Sir Thomas Barrington, Sir William Mashum, Henry Barrington Esquire, Thomas Honywoode, Richard Harlackenden Esquires, Sir Peter Wroth, Sir Thomas Walsingham, Richard Whitehead, Richard Norton, William Jephson, Augustine Skynner, Richard Lee and Thomas Blunt Esquires, or any two of them, and the said Master Shipwrights and husband of the Navy, and delivered to the Committee of the Navy, of all such Trees and Tymber as shall by vertue of this Ordinance be felled and converted to the uses aforesaid.

Bark, etc., to be sold to defray charges of felling and carriage.

And lastly it is Ordered, That the Barke, Shrowds, and other Woods comming out of the said Trees, shall be sould for the best advantage towards the payment of the charges of the felling, squaring, and Carriage of the said Trees.

Number of Trees to be cut down on different Estates.

In the Woods of Sir John Lucas Knight, lying in Greensteed and Mile-End, within the Liberty of Colchester in the County of Essex, foure hundred Trees of Oake.

In the Woods of Sir Henry Audley Knight, lying in the Parish of Beare-Church, and Lady Delahay, neere Colchester in the County of Essex, three hundred Trees of Oake.

In the Woods of Sir Francis Mannocke Knight, lying in Ardlye Parish neere Colchester, in the County of Essex, three hundred Trees of Oake.

In the Woods belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Deane and Church of Canterbury, scituate neere Canterbury, foure hundred Trees of Oake and Elme.

Out of the Woods of Master Nash of Marden, of Oake Tymber, lying ready at the Waterside fit for fower Inch, and three Inch Plancke, and Wall Peeces, about eighty Trees, conteyning by estimation one hundred and forty loades, lying there for the market of London.

In the Woods belonging to the Earle of Worcester, the Lord Lumley, Master Poynes, Master Cotton and Sir Edward Ployden Knight, Scituate and lying upon the confines of the County of Sussex and Hampshire neere Portsmouth, the number of one thousand Trees of Oake, Ashe, and Elme for supply of his Majesties Navy Royall.

In the Woods of Sir George Sands Knight, neere Feversham in Kent, three hundred Trees of Oake.

In the Woods of Sir Henry Spiller Knight, scituate in or neere Newenham in Kent, two hundred Trees of Oake.