GERMAN DEER. 31 T 



F"orest Laws, which were as ancient and authentic as the 

 Great Charter. 



Durintr the Commonwealth, the deer in the Royal 

 forests had a bad time of it. A patent was issued in 1660, 

 authorising- an advance ot ^1,000 to replenish the stock. 

 In December, 1660, and January, 1661, certain deer were 

 removed from St. James' Park to W'anstead, and an entry 

 occurs "for takino' 33 Jermayne Deere out of a shipp at 

 Tower Hill and convevinu' them in five wap'Sfons to 



J r> Oct 



W'altham fforest with several other charges incident 

 thereto ^148 is." . . . Sir William Hicks, "for 

 keeping the Germaine Deere at W'anstead in the winter 

 [of] 1662," received /, 15. 



Sir John Bramston, who lived at Skreens in the time 

 of James II., tells in his "Autobiography" of that 

 monarch's keenness for stag-hunting, and of the gallant 

 manner in which he pounded the field in the Roothings. 



" The Kinge beinge inuited b)- the Duke of Albemarle 

 to New Hall to hunt some ouldyinge red deere, his 

 Majestic went towards New Hall, the 3rd of May, 1686 ; 

 and when he came neere Chelmesford, hearino-e the Duke 

 with the hounds were neere the place where the stagg was 

 harboured, in a wood neere Ricknaker Mill, his Majestic 

 turned out of the road, and went bv Moulsham Hall thither. 



