Charge by a Justice of the Peace, A.D. 1580. 213 



X. pounds yearly, that keep dogs, ferretts, hays,* nets, hare-pipes f or other 

 engines, to take gentlemen's game. 13 R. ii. o. 13. 



Also, of those that trace hares and destroy them in the snow. 14 H viij. 

 0. to. 



Also, of those that take pheasants or partrigges by nets or engines out of 

 their owne warren in other men's fre-holde without license of the possessor. 

 2 Hen. vij. c. 17. 



Item, of those that take egges out of the nest of fawcons, goss-hawks, 

 lanner,J or swans, or do take the old eyres.§ 2 Hen. vij. c. 17. 



Item, of those that purloigne or destroy the egges of any kind of wild fowl. 

 25 H. viij. 0. I. 



Item, of those that destroy spawn of fish or young fish or do take Kepper or 

 Shedder.ll Salmons or young Trouts not in season. 1 Eliz. c. 17. 



If any Coroner uppon request to him made do not come and enquire of any 

 person slain, drowned or otherwise dead by misadventure, or doth not his office 

 diligently, or taketh anything therefore other than his fee. 3 Hen. vij. o. 1. 

 Also, of all forfeitures committed by Escheators in selling or setting their 

 offices to farm, and making deputies contrary to the Statute. 12 Edw. iv. c. 9. 

 Item, of all extortions and offences committed by Sheriffs, under-sheriffs, 

 coroners, bailiffs of franchests^] ■{_ franchises], and other ministers, contrary to 

 the Statute. 23 H. vi. c. 10. 



Item, of Usurers and those that use corrupt chevesaunce Icomposition or 

 contract] for lucre. 37 H. viij. c. 9. 13 Eliz. c. 8. 



Now you understand of things noisome to the 

 Commonwealth and the punishment provided for 

 them, you are also to enquire whether the laws made 

 to mainteyne things necessary for the commonwealth 

 be duly executed or not. Viz : 

 Whether frei-shute *' be made, and Hue and cry levied from towne to towne 

 upon Robberies done. 13 Edw. i. c, 2. 



Item, whether all men be ready to pursewe and arest felons when need is, 

 13 Edw. i. c. 9. 

 Also, if any suspect any lewd person, commonly called E,obert3men,+t wasters 



• A " Hay " is a net which encloses the haunt of an animal. 



t Hare-pipe. A kind of whistle by which the call of the male hare to its partner was imitated. 

 It is still used in France by poachers. 



t Lanner. A speciei of hawk, the Falco lanarius of authors, said to hare been called "lanarim " 

 from the woolly softness and thickness of its plumage. The name of lanner is confined to the fe- 

 male ; the male is called lanneret on account of its smaller size. The true lanner is only found in 

 the S. and S. Eastern countries of Europe. (Tarrell, Brit. Birds I. 25. 



5 Eyry. The place where birds of prey build their nests and hatch. It is, in speaking of hawks, 

 the proper term for that which of other birds we call a nest. 



II Keppers or Shedders. Names indicating some unwholesome condition of the flsh, in the spawn- 

 ing season. 



V Bailiffs of Franchises : i.e., the ofScers or ministers appointed to protect liberties and rights as 

 of courts leet, &c. 



•• Meaning " Fresh suit or Pursuit :" viz. , such a present and earnest following of an offender 

 where a robbery is committed, as never ceases from the time of the offence done or discovered, until 

 he be apprehended. 



++Robbersmen or Roberdsmen : were a sort of great thieves, said to have been so called from Robin 

 Hood. Draw-latches and wasters are old names (now out of use) for housebreakers, &c. 



