84 EXTINCT BRITISH ANIMALS. 
the King, did remove them out of the sanctuary, 
whereby they came in danger of the law, and not 
privileged, but like to have the severity of the law, 
which was death.” But the hermit, being a holy man 
and at the point of death, interceded for them. On 
the toth December he sent for them and for the 
Abbot, and in the presence of the latter forgave them 
freely, begged that they might not suffer the penalty 
which they had incurred, but perform, instead, a 
penance (fully described by Blount) which he then 
and there enjoined them; and having uttered a 
prayer, he sank back and died ? 
Fitz Stephen, who wrote his description of London 
in 1174 (see Introduction, p. 5), says that the 
forest by which London was then surrounded was 
frequented by Boars as well as various other wild 
animals. 
Edward III. hunted the Wild Boar in Oxfordshire, 
as we may infer from the following translation of a 
record of the tenure of land in that county by the 
service of finding the king in “ boar-spears” when- 
ever he came to hunt there :— 
“Anno 1339, 13th and 14th’ Ndward IIT) an 
mquisition was taken on the death of Joan, widow 
of Thomas de Musgrave of Blechesdon, wherein 
it appears that the said Joan held the moiety 
of one messuage, and one carucate of land in 
Blechesdon of the King; by the service of carrying 
one boar-spear (unam hastam poret), price twopence, 
to the King, whenever he should hunt in the park 
of Cornbury ; and do the same as often as the King 
