58 History of the 



The agisting of goats and sheep within the Forest was not 

 allowed, except by special license ; for they so tainted the pasture 

 where they fed, that the beasts of the Forest would not depasture 

 in those places where they had been. 



Any person having woods and lands within the boundaries of the 

 Forest was allowed to agist his own land with his own cattle, but not 

 with the cattle of strangers, for the herbage only. But for the pannage, 

 (mast of trees), they were permitted not only to agist their woods 

 with their own hogs and swine, but also with those belonging to a 

 stranger. The reason of the difference was to prevent the cro])- 

 ping of the pastures so bare as to be prejudical to the deer for 

 want of food. 



The Boundaries of a Forest are of two classes— inclusive and 

 exclusive. Of the former are highways ; and of the latter are 

 churches, churchyards, mills, houses, and trees ; these, though 

 bounding the Forest, are not considered to be within its limits. 

 But if any person kill or hunt any of the king's Deer in an inclu- 

 sive boundary, the offence is the same as if committed within the 

 Forest proper. The law further jjrovides that the Forester may 

 take a man if he be found either at " Dog-draw," " Stable-stand," 

 " Back-bear," or "Bloody-hand." 



" Dog-draw," is wheue a man, having wounded a deer, is found 

 with a hound or other dog, drawing after him to recover the deer 

 so wounded. 



" Stable-stand," is where a man is found at his stand, with a 

 crossbow, or longbow, ready to shoot at any deer; or standing 

 close by a tree with greyhounds in his leash ready to let slip. 



"Back-bear," is where a man has killed a deer in the Forest, 

 and is found carrying him away. 



"Bloody-hand," is where a man is found in the Forest, with his 

 hands or other part bloody, and under suspicion of having killed 

 a deer. 



All these offenders are said, in Forest Law, to be " taken iti the 

 matmer." 



