324 THE RED DEER. 



domination of any particular master. When the 

 Saxons had established themselves in the hep- 

 tarchy, they were reserved by each sovereign for 

 his own particular diversion. Hunting and war, in 

 those uncivilized ages, were the only employment 

 of the great; since their active but uncultivated 

 minds were susceptible of no pleasures but those of 

 a violent kind, such as, at the same time, gave ex- 

 ereise to the body, and afforded diversion to the 

 mind. 



The Saxon kirrgs only appropriated those lands 

 to the use of forests which were unoccupied, and 

 no individuals suffered injury : but, when the con- 

 quest had settled the Norman line on the British 

 throne, this passion for the chase was carried to 

 an excess which involved every civil right. San- 

 guinary laws were enacted to preserve the game ; 

 and it was considered even less criminal to destroy 

 6-ne of, the human species than a beast of chase. 

 These laws were continued in all their force till 

 the Saxon line was restored, under Henry the 

 Second, when their rigour was immediately soft- 

 ened. 



When our barons began to farm a power, they 

 daimed a vasVbnt more limited tract of land, than 

 the Normans had appropriated, for the diversions 

 of the chase; and they were so jealous of any en- 

 croachments on their respective bounds, as not un- 

 frequently to make these the cau^epf. deadly feuds. 

 Such was the origin of the fatal day of Chevy - 



chase; 



