fuch offenders, refitting the proper officers in the di 

 charge of their duty, fhould be killed, the officers fhould 

 be excufed ; but with an exprefs provifion that if the 

 officers, under pretence of difcharging their duty, fhould 

 act malicioufly, they fhould be refponfible for the con- 

 fequences. The ordinatio foreftae, made in the 34th 

 Edward I. contains many beneficial regulations. The 

 preamble takes notice that proceedings had been had in 

 the forefts, not by the lawful inquefts of juries, as 

 juftice required, but upon the charges of one or two 

 forefters or verderors, from malice, or to extort money ; 

 and that the people had been opprefled by the number 

 of foreft officers, who were guilty at the fame time, of 

 converting to their own profit the king's wood and 

 venifon, committed to their cuftody. The ordinance 

 therefore provides that all trefpaffes in the forefts, of 

 green-hue and of hunting, fhould be prefented by the 

 forefters at the next fwainmote, before the forefters, 

 , verderors, and other officers ; and upon fuch presentment 

 the truth fhould be enquired by a jury, and then the 

 prefentment fhould be fealed by the commcn accord and 

 aflent of all the officers ; and that an indictment in any other 

 form fhould be void. The appointment of officers was 

 given to the juftice of the foreft, except the verderors 

 who were to be elected by the freeholders of the county 

 by the king's writ. At every fwainmote, offences of 

 officers of the foreft, both againft the king, and his fub- 

 jedts, were to be prefented and punifhed ; and upon 

 indictments for trefpafles, authority was given to take 

 fines without waiting for the eyre. Thefe provifio'ns 

 were intended to enforce the obfervation of the ancient 

 law, and particularly that offenders fhould be charged 

 only by the lawful inqueft of juries, and tried by juries 

 as for other offences ; and fhould not fuffer either by 



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