18 FORESTRY IN EARLY TIMES 



being termed " afforested " lands, and coming under 

 a new, very stringent, and cruel code of forest law 

 which he caused to be enacted. 



Manwood, in his Lawes of the Forest, published 

 three centuries ago, thus described these Royal 

 forests : 



" A certen Territorie of woody grounds and 

 fruitful Pastures privileged for wild Beasts and 

 Foules of Forest, Chase and Warren to rest and 

 abide there in the save Protection of the King, for 

 his Princely Delight and Pleasure." 



The remnants of two of the largest of these newly 

 constituted " Royal forests " are extant in the 

 Forest of Dean (in Gloucester) and the New Forest 

 (in Hampshire). As has been indicated, half a 

 county or a whole county, including the forests, 

 private estates, agricultural land, moors, etc., might 

 be created a Royal forest, and then the whole area 

 came under the forest law. The whole county of 

 Essex formed one of these reserves. The nobles, 

 farmers, and small holders were left in possession 

 of their property, but could commit no act against 

 the forest law, such as hunting a red deer or boar, 

 etc., felling oaks (the oak was a royal tree), and 

 so forth. 



In addition to the word " forest," which, as we 

 have seen, owes its origin in this country to Norman 

 times, the words " chase," " park," and " warren ' 

 occur. A chase and park indicated some form of 

 forest. The chief difference was in the matter of 

 the ownership of the hunting rights. We have seen 



