But notwithftanding this general extermi- 

 nation of timber for the purpofes of human 

 induftry, ftill many forefts were left, in the 

 time of. our anceftors, in every part of the 

 ifland, under the denomination of royal chaces ; 

 which our ancient kings preferved facred for 



their amufement. Forefts indeed have ever 



been in ufe, in all parts, and ages of the 

 world, as the appendages of royalty. We 

 read them thus appropriated, even in the 

 times of facred hiftory. When Nehemiah was 

 in captivity, in the court of Artaxerxes -, and 

 had obtained leave of that prince to rebuild 

 Jerufalem, Artaxerxes granted him, we read, 

 among other favours, a letter to Afaph the 

 keeper of the kings foreft, to fupply him with 

 timber*. 



In England, the royal appropriation of 

 moft of our forefts, feems to have been at 

 leaft as early, as the times of the heptarchy. 

 Every petty prince had then his royal de- 

 meifns. Afterwards when one fovereign ob- 

 tained poffeffion of the whole ifland, he 

 found himfelf the proprietor of a number of 



* See Nehemiah, ii. 8. 



thefe 



