A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



(blectruni) varied from id. to 3^., and a stubb or dry trunk of a pollarded tree at id. The roll for 

 1317 shows that twenty-two attachment courts were held that year, namely six each at Mansfield 

 and Edwinstowe, and five each at Linby and Calverton. Amongst those presented in 1318 were 

 Nicholas de Nottingham, rector of Clipston, and Robert de Kirkby, rector of Kirkby in Ashfield. In 

 1330, each of the four courts was held eight times. The full number of nine courts at each centre 

 was held in 1347 ; on some rolls it is clear that the court was not entered when there were no 

 presentments. The roll for this year, as well as some others, shows a higher rate of fines (such as 

 I2</. and 6d. for vert offences) at Mansfield than at the other courts ; this difference may have been 

 brought about through the necessity of being more particular to guard the wood where the popula- 

 tion was greater. The thirty-six courts of this year brought in value fines to the amount of 

 6 14*. id. The roll for 1401-2 shows that eight courts were held that year at Calverton, six at 

 Mansfield, five at Edwinstowe, and two at Linby. 



These attachment courts took cognizance of beasts trespassing as well as of vert offences ; thus 

 in 1330 there were cases of id. fines for the straying of cow or stirk, of 3^. for five sheep, and of 

 Sd. for twenty-six sheep. In 1430 foals were agisted in Clipston Park at 6d. each, cows from 6d. 

 to iod., and calves at 3^. 1 



In April, 1309, the sheriff of Nottingham was ordered to assemble all the regarders and 

 foresters of Sherwood to make regard or survey therein before the coming of the justices of the forest, 

 and to cause regarders to be elected in the place of those who were dead or infirm, so that there be 

 twelve in number. The foresters were to swear that they would lead these twelve knights 

 throughout their whole bailiwicks to view all the trespasses, and to set out the same in writing under 

 the headings that were forwarded. These twelve headings deal with all purprestures old and new, 

 assarts, wastes, eyries of hawks and falcons, forges and mines, honey, those who had bows and arrows 

 and greyhounds, etc., in accordance with the usual ' charter of the regard.' The phrase as to the 

 coming of the justices was a mere form ; it was repeated in the summons for the regard of 

 Sherwood in 1312, although in neither case was the regard followed by an eyre or forest pleas. 2 



Sherwood from early days was a treasury for kingly gifts both of wood and venison. The 

 royal grants of timber from this forest were frequent throughout the reign of Henry III. In 

 1227-8 four oaks were given to William Avenel, who is described in the grant as waiting on the 

 king of Scotland ; two to the leper hospital of Chesterfield ; six to the priory of Blyth ; six to the 

 canons of Newark ; and three to the priory of Thurgarton. 3 Such gifts to religious houses often 

 specify that the trees were for works then in progress of their churches or conventual buildings. 

 Occasionally the gifts from this forest consisted of ready-trimmed timber. Thus, in 1228, the king 

 sent twenty tie-beams (copulas) from Sherwood to the church of the distant priory of Wormgay, 

 Norfolk ; 4 and in 1229 forty rafters (ckevrones) to the abbot and canons of Croxton. 5 A single 

 oak was also sent in the latter year into Norfolk, to one Richard de St. John, chaplain of Henry de 

 Burgh ; the bailiff was directed to fell one as near as possible to the Trent, as it had to reach 

 Norfolk by water carriage. 6 In the same year another single oak was granted to the prior of 

 Blyth to make a door for his hall. 7 William Bardulf in 1231 had a grant from Sherwood of 

 twenty tree trunks suitable for timber (fusta ad maeremium inde faciendum)* 



Henry III also dealt generously with the deer of Sherwood Forest, his gifts being chiefly 

 from the fallow deer. In 1229 the king gave two does to Beatrice, wife of Walter de Evermuth, 

 constable of Lincoln Castle ; ten does and a brocket to John, constable of Chester, to be placed in 

 his park of Dunyton ; ten does and two bucks to Hugh Despencer towards stocking his park at 

 Loughborough ; and twenty does and two bucks for the bishop of Carlisle's park at Melbourne. 9 In 

 1 230-1, twenty-five more does and seven bucks were sent to Despencer's park at Loughborough, and 

 the bishop of Lincoln received twelve does and three bucks towards the stocking of his park at 

 Stow. 10 



The royal gifts of deer from different parts of Sherwood from 1231 to 1234 included three 

 does to Robert de Lexinton ; three bucks and four does to the earl of Huntingdon ; five bucks and 

 twenty does to the bishop of Carlisle for his park at Melbourne ; three bucks to the dean of 

 St. Martin's, London ; six bucks to Walter de Evermuth ; two bucks and eight does to Hugh 

 Despencer ; a buck to John son of Geoffrey ; two harts to John de Stuteville ; two bucks to Robert 

 de Hareston ; seven bucks to the bishop of Carlisle ; five bucks to William of York ; three bucks 

 to William Bardulf ; five bucks and a hart to William de Albini, and ten bucks to the bishop of 

 Lincoln. 11 



1 Exch. K.R. Accts. ig. As to the Regard, see Cox, Royal Forests, p. 1 1. 



Close, 12 Hen. Ill, m. 14. Ibid. m. 9. 



Ibid. 13 Hen. Ill, m. 4. Ibid. 14 Hen. Ill, m. 20. 



Ib; <*. 8 Ibid. 15 Hen. Ill, m. 7. 



Ibid. 13 Hen. Ill, m. 4, i ; 14 Hen. Ill, m. 22. 



Ibid. 14 Hen. Ill, m. 8 ; 15 Hen. Ill, m. 4, I. 

 " Ibid. 16 Hen. Ill, m. 18, 19, 14,6, 3, 2 ; 17 Hen. Ill, m. II, 7, 3 ; i8Hen.III,m. 15, n, 9,6. 



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