FORESTRY 



arrows, and took them to Blidworth, intending to keep them till the morrow, when doubtless they 

 were to be delivered to the sheriff at Nottingham Castle. But during the night twenty men, armed 

 with swords and bows and arrows, broke open the doors of the place where they were confined, 

 released the prisoners, and severely beat one Gilbert, a young servant of the steward. Then the 

 men proceeded to the residence of the steward, insulted him, and broke his doors and windows. 

 When an inquest was held by the verderers, regarders, and other ministers of the forest, it was 

 found that two or three of the marauders had fled into Yorkshire, and one was dead, but sixteen 

 names are set forth. 1 



The next forest pleas of Sherwood were held at Nottingham on I January, 1287, before Sir 

 William de Vescy, Thomas de Normanville, and Richard de Creping, justices in eyre of the lord king. 2 

 The verderers were six in number, namely, Richard de Fort, William de Colwick, John de Annesley, 

 Henry de Tinsley, William de Bevercotes, and Ralph clerk of Mansfield. Robert de Everingham 

 was the forester-of-fee, and under him were eight sworn foresters. 



Sir William de Vescy and his fellow justices, finding that the king had sustained many losses 

 since the last eyre held by Robert de Neville and others, arising in many instances from the general 

 assize of the forest not being sufficiently observed, laid down certain special injunctions to the 

 following effect : 



That all verderers, in accordance with the charter of the forest, were to assemble every forty 

 days to hold attachments for vert and venison and small pleas. 



That they were to present a single roll of vert and venison to the justices in eyre, and not each 

 one a separate roll for his own bailiwick. 



That anyone dwelling in the forest found felling a green oak be attached for the next attachment 

 court, there to find pledges till the next eyre, and to pay the price to the verderers ; a second offence 

 to be dealt with in like manner ; but for a third offence to be imprisoned at Nottingham, and there 

 kept till he be delivered by the king or justice of the forest. 



That anyone dwelling outside the forest committing any trespass against the vert, his body is to 

 be committed to prison till he be delivered by the king or justice ; for a third offence he is also to lose 

 his horses and cart, or his oxen and wagon, or their price, and that price is to be paid at the next 

 attachment to the verderers for the king's use. 



That those dwelling in the forest caught cutting saplings, branches, or drywood from oaks or 

 hazels, or thorns, or limes, or alders, or hollies, or such-like trees, without warrant, are to be attached 

 by two good pledges to come to the next attachment court, there to be amerced for the king ; but if 

 it be for a sapling which is of greater price than ^d. or any higher sum, to be attached until the next 

 eyre. 



That escapes of beasts of the plough into the forest be pleaded in attachments, and amends taken 

 for the use of the king. 



That no man carry bows or arrows in the forest outside the king's highway save a sworn 

 forester, and on the king's highway only in accordance with the assize of the forest. 



That no man save a sworn forester or other sworn officer attach anyone in the future. 



That any dweller outside the forest agisting his animals therein is to have such animals taken before 

 the verderers and the price paid, and to make answer before the justices in eyre. 



That the great burden of so many regarders is no longer to be endured, but that in this forest the 

 number be limited to twelve. 



And that those taken by night or in the fence month* within the forest be dealt with as 

 before. 



The very large number of 350 head of deer (both red and fallow) had died of murrain in the 

 one year preceding the holding of this eyre, and were entered on the venison presentments. In 

 another year ten harts, three hinds, sixty-one bucks, and twelve deer had perished from disease. 



The Attachment, or Forty-day Court as it was sometimes called from the period at which it 

 was summoned, was held by the verderers with much regularity in Sherwood for a long time after 

 the pronouncement of the forest justices at Nottingham in 1287. These courts were held at four 

 different centres, namely at Edwinstowe, Mansfield, Linby, and Calverton, on successive days of the 

 same week. There are a large number of the Sherwood Attachment Court Rolls at the Public 

 Record Office, from Edward I to Henry IV, with a few of later date. 4 The Attachment Roll of 

 12923, which is in an imperfect state, gives lists of the presentments for vert offences and the fines 

 imposed. A green oak was usually valued at 6d., and a dry or leafless oak at 4^. ; a sapling 



1 Exch. Misc. Bk. Ixxvi, f. 55^. ' For. Proc. Tr. of Rec. No. 27. 



* The fence month (mends vetitus) of the forest lasted from fifteen days before Midsummer Day to fifteen 

 days after ; it was the special time when the deer required quiet and protection just after fawning. 

 Cheminage of a special character was often levied during the month. See Cox, Royal Forests, 59-61. 



4 Exch. K. R. Accts. Forests, ^ (20-2 1 Edw. I), ^ (3 Edw. Ill), John de Crumbwell, keeper ; ^- to 

 !- (20 to 40 Edw. Ill), Ralph de Neville, keeper ; one each of John de Neville (41-42 Edw. Ill) and John 

 atte Lee (42-3 Edw. Ill) ; l5 to -' T 3 ^ (42-3 Edw. Ill to 4-5 Ric. II), William Latimer ; ^/- (5-6 Ric. II), 

 Walter de Neville; and J^ 5 (15 Hen. IV), Ralph earl of Westmoreland. As to attachment and swainmote 

 courts and their powers, see Cox, Royal Forests, 13-16. 



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