EARLY ENGLISH FOREST REGULATIONS 541 



ancient custom, and that because of this they were unable to make a 

 Hving for themselves and their families. The goats must have been of 

 considerable number, and the King must have been moved by this 

 heart-rending appeal, for he ordered that these goat-men be allowed to 

 graze their animals in the open part of the forest and where they would 

 do the least damage to the forest. 



Overgrazing. In 1194, Giraldus Cambrensis wrote that in the Forest 

 of the Peak that deer were so abundant that "they trampled both dogs 

 and hunters to death in the impetuosity of their flight." By Henry 

 VIII's time, however, the situation had changed to such an extent that 

 the King decided to have an investigation made. In July, 1526, the 

 King issued a commission to Sir Thomas Copayne and three others to 

 inquire into the overstocking of "our Forest of the Peak more than 

 was ever wont with numbers of capilles, bestes and shepe." It seems 

 that the forest had been overgrazed to such an extent that there was no 

 forage left for the deer. The commission was also to report on the 

 carrying capacity of the forest, in cattle and sheep, and also make a 

 census of the game in the forest at the time. The commission met 

 and heard witnesses. One Hugh Fretham deposed and said that there 

 were five herds of cattle and formerly there were only tw^o; that the 

 herds numbered 903 head ; that there were 4,000 sheep and sixteen 

 score horses. Three other witnesses said the same. The commission 

 walked through the forest, reporting the deer seen, noted that the 

 grass was much trampled and poor, and recommended that sheep be 

 excluded from the forest, if the deer were to remain. And as true then 

 as now, when the commission recommended the exclusion of sheep, 

 there was a protest. 



The Forest of the Peak again appears to have had trouble with the 

 sheepmen later, in Queen Elizabeth's reign. Queen Bess decided to 

 have another inspection, and have a thorough one, including a personnel 

 inspection, as well as a grazing and range inspection. In June. 15(31, 

 about the beginning of the forester's usual field season, she sent out her 

 inspectors, giving them detailed instructions, to wit : they were to report 

 on the rights of pasturage for live stock within the forest, whether the 

 foresters "do diligently use and keep their walkes about the said for- 

 est (in short, were they getting out in the field enough), whether they 

 use any part of the fines raised at the .swainmotes (forest courts) fur 

 (heir own purposes; what oxgangs they (the foresters) hold and what 

 cattle they pasture ; whether they use their own authority for excusing 

 irespas.sers, and whether the pasturing of sheep is not very hurtful to 

 the deer." 



