By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 165 



by a number of sang'uinaiy deeds, showing that for years there 

 existed a regular vindictive, almost hereditary warfare. The deer 

 stealers, besides weaving the bee-hive helmet, were generally armed 

 with guns ^ and pistols. They had, also, a formidable hand weapon, 

 a kind of bludgeon called a " swindgell,^' like a short threshing- 

 flail, the striking arm of which was made of iron. 



Stories of the kind being distasteful, one or two will serve just 

 as a sample, to shew the diabolical fury with which these outrages 

 were committed. About the year 1738, a keeper of West Walk, 

 returning home from Church on Easter Day, was waylaid and mur- 

 dered. He was found quite dead : having been most dreadfully 

 beaten with bludgeons : the murderers never discovered. Another 

 murder of the same kind, and about the same time, was committed 

 in Lord Pembroke's Walk, at Vernditch. The murderer in that 

 case was detected, and hanged in chains ; but within a few nights 

 the gibbet was cut down, and the body carried away. In 1 780, on 

 the night of the 16th December, a very severe battle was fought 

 near Chettle, between a force of keepers and a gang of poachers, 

 when the field seems to have been strewn with the wounded. In 

 this case many of the poachers were labouring men, who were 

 employed in the service of the ranger of the walk, and had supped 

 in his servants' hall the night before. 



In 1791 there was one of the worst encounters at Rushmore : ten 

 on each side, the keepers armed with hangers and staves, the enemy 

 with the swingel, or short iron flail, above described. The keepers 

 cleverly retreated, drawing the enemy after them into a close copse 

 where the iron flail could not so well be used. This gang was 

 defeated, broken up, and transported for life. The last general 

 encounter was so late as 1816, just before the disfranchisement. 

 This was near Donhead, fire-arms being freely used on both sides. 

 Of a single-handed encounter an interesting description is given in 

 a separate narrative at the end of the present paper, taken from the 

 lips of a keeper who died not many years ago. 



' One of tliese short guns, divided into three pieces, so as to be easily pnt away 

 into the pockets of a coat, was exhibited at the Meeting, by Mr. Penruddocke. 



VOL. XXII. — NO. LXV. N 



