ROYAL STAG-HUNTING. 3O9 



colour, but roe deer were imported from Dorsetshire in 

 1883. 



In the time of the early Henrys we find that stag- 

 hunting in Epping Forest was a recognised torm of sport, 

 and even in those days the chase " brought together them 

 as wouldn't otherwise meet," for a certain Peter the Barber 

 formed one of the field on one occasion, and found himself 

 face to face with a stag which promptly attempted to jump 

 over Peter, horse and all. In this, however, he failed ; the 

 barber was unhorsed by the collision, and escaped non sine 

 Icesione capitis, as the chronicler informs us. 



Mr. P'isher, in his interesting work on " The Forest of 

 Essex," says that from the time of Edward the Confessor, 

 and probably much earlier, the kings of Elngland hunted in 

 the Forest. Edward \T. complained of the destruction of 

 the deer in consequence of reports that he intended to dis- 

 afforest the forest, and orave notice that he would maintain 

 it as his father had done. Queen Elizabeth resorted to 

 the lodee at Chineford, which bears her name : luit, in 

 her time, the grand old style of hunting "at force" 

 had given place to the indolent method ot driving the 

 deer to "stands," from which the Oueen and her 

 courtiers fired as the c|uarr\- tied by. The records of 

 the Court of Attachments, which was held at Chigwell 



