MRP: C10/160/47 f. 1

C10/160/47 f. 1

---

Abstract

Edward Gavile, a woodmonger of St Clements Dane, Middlesex, brought a suit against the estate of the deceased London merchant, Sir William Ryder. Gavile alleges that Ryder had in 1668 contracted with Gavile to supply him with a quantity of faggots from woods Ryder owned in Kent. These Gavile contended would be suitable to make into ostrey faggotts, for which he had customer demand.

---

Transcription

//3:o July 1671//
//Michas 23. Car 2:di XXXXX XXXXX//

//To the right hon:ble S:r Orlando Bridgman Kn:t and Barr:t Lord Keeper//
//of the great seale of England//

//Sheweth unto yo:r Lordspp yo:r Orator Edward Gavile of the pish of S:t Clements Danes in the County of Middx woodmonger That whereas yo:r Orator heretofore that is to say about the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred sixtie and eight haveing intelligence//

//that one S:r William Ryder of London Kn:t decced had a certeyne quantity of ffaggotts ready made up and alsoe certaine quantities of small wood cutt, fitt to make up into ?ostrey ffagotts all w:ch were lyeing and being in sewall woods in the Countie of Kent, and yo:r orator haveing//

//in the way of his trade as a wood monger occasions for great quantities of ostrey ffaggotts yo:r Orator did repaire to the sd Sir William Ryder and did contract and agree with the said S:r William Ryder in his life tyme to buy of him the said S:r William Ryder all the said ffaggotts there//

//made upp and w:ch should be afterwards made up, of the said wood then cutt and designed by the said S:r William Ryder to be made up into Ostrey ffaggotts at the rate and price of eight shillings and noe more for ewye (sic) hundred of the said ffagotts soe made and to//

//be made and itt was likewise agreed by and betweene yo:r Orator and the said S:r William Ryder that the sd S:r William Ryder should prXXXX all the said wood then cutt and lyeing & being ready to be made up into ffagotts as aforesaid, to be made up//

//into ffagotts and the same need soe made up into ffagotts XXXX into all the XXX XXXXX then be ??fore made up to be delivered at the sewall certaine wharfes at Woolwich Dartford or Deptford or some or one of them in the said County of Kentat or before our Lady Day then next so XXX XXXXX//

//and w:ch was in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred sixtie and eight by and under w:ch agreement of the said S:r William Ryder yo:r Orator was induced to contract with the said S:r William Ryder for the said whole quantitye of wood and ffaggotts//

//the same ??suiteing very opportunely to yo:r Orators Occasions and conveniency for makeing provision to furnish yo:r Orators customers in the succeeding winter And yo:r Orator

//into ffagotts

---

---

Notes

Ostrey-wood

"At Shooters-Hill we have a country much overgrown with coppice-wood, which is cut for faggots and bavins, and sent up by water to London. Here they make those faggots which the wood-mongers call ostrey-wood, and in particular those small, light bavins which are used in taverns in London to light their faggots, and are called in the taverns a brush. 'Tis incredible what vast quantities of these used to be laid up at Woolwich, Erith, and Dartford; but since the taverns in London are come to make coal fires in their upper rooms, the trade declines; and though the article would seem to be trifiling it itself, 'tis not immaterial to observe what an alteration it makes to the value of those woods in Kent, and how many more of them than usual are yearly grubbed up, and the land made fit for the plough.