146 ANENT A FOREST T.ODGE IN 1444. 



day known as 'Queen Elizabeth's' Lodge— a building already, 

 from internal evidence, assigned to the century previous to that 

 in which she lived — or to one at Stratford, Hainhault, or else- 

 where, there is unfortunately no means of determining. But, 

 however that may be, it is still interesting to know definitely 

 how, and when, and why, one of these lodges came into being, 

 and the means adopted to raise money for its construction. 



The warrant for the proceedings issued under the hand of 

 Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. His ' quality,' more or less 

 pompously set out between his name and his titles, sums up his 

 relationship to the three Henrys who ascended the English throne 

 in succession. His name does not occur in the list of Wardens 

 furnished by Mr. Fisher, whose enumeration leaves blank the 

 years between 1379 and 1489 ; and the name of one Steward of 

 the Forest of Essex is separated by a like gap from that of the 

 next mentioned by him.= Thus much having been said by way 

 of introduction, the document shall be left to speak for itself. 



Humphrey, the son, brother, and uncle of kings, Duke of Gloucester, 

 Earl of Pembroke, &c.,and Chief Warden of the Forests of my Lord the King 

 on this side Trent, to the Steward of the Forest of Essex, or his Lieutenant in 

 the same, greeting. Since lately, at the last Session of the said Forest, held 

 before us, it was found and presented that there is not in the said forest any 

 lodge [login] for the convenience of the ministers [ministiorum] of my Lord 

 the King of the same forest, which was very necessary and convenient for 

 them ; nor any pound [pimjold] for impouuding and keeping cattle, swine, and 

 sheep, trespassing within the said forest, or strays coming into the same ; 

 which cattle, swine, sheep, and strays, and other forfeits, albeit they were 

 seized for the lord King, have, owing to the lack of this custody, for a very 

 long time continually got away, and do daily get away, to the no small damage 

 of the same my lord the King, for which we desire, as we are bound, to pro- 

 vide a remedy. Wherefore, on the part of the said my lord, we charge you 

 that, by view of the Verderers and of two or three of the Regarders of the 

 said Forest, you cause to be newly constructed and suitably raised without 

 delay a lodge and a pimfold, within the said Forest, on the soil of the same 

 my lord the King, and that you take so much of the wood, underwood, and 

 brush vvood from the wood of my said lord the King as may be necessary for 

 the timber of the said Lodge and Pimfold, and the construction of the same ; 

 and also of one pair of stocks for the punishment of evildoers in the Forest ; 

 and also that you, by view of the aforesaid Ministers within the same Forest, 

 take oaks to be exposed for sale wherever you see that they may be best taken 

 for the advantage of the same my lord the King, so as the said wood of my 

 lord the King may be able to bear without waste ; [and] that you cause to be 

 felled and sold so much as is necessary, sufficient, and opportune, for the new 

 2 The Forest of Essex, pp. no, et seq. 



