4^ 



AT firft, the beafts of chace had this whole 

 ifland for their range ; they knew no other 

 limits than that of the ocean ; nor confefled any 

 particular mafter. When the Saxons had efta- 

 blilhed themfelves in the Heptarchy, they were refer- 

 ved by each fovereign for his own particular diver- 

 fion : hunting and war in thofe uncivilized ages 

 were the only employ of the great ; their a6live, 

 but uncultivated minds, being fufceptible of no 

 pleafures but thofe of a violent kind, fuch as gave 

 exercife to their bodies, and prevented the pain 

 of thinking. 



But as the Saxcn kings only appropriated thofe 

 lands to the ufe of forefts which were unoccupied; 

 fo^no individuals received any injury: but when 

 the conqueft had fettled the Norman line on the 

 throne, this pafTion for the chace was carried to 

 an excefs, which involved every civil right in a ge- 

 neral ruin : it faperfeded the confideration of religion 

 even in a fuperftitious age: the village commu- 

 nities, nay, even the mofl: facred edifices were turn- 

 ed into one vaft vvafte, to make room for animals, 

 the objeds of a lawlefs tyrant's pleafure. The 



new 



