Forest of Rossendale. 89 



villages ; on another he is ordering a staff or truncheon for the 

 village Constable. 



The Precepts of the High Constable were all addressed to the 

 Greave, who levied the rates, and was responsible for the propor- 

 tionate share required to be contributed by the Forest of Rossen- 

 dale for the repair of Lancaster Castle, the Preston House of 

 Correction, the Bridges of the Hundred, the relief of the prisoners 

 in the Marshalsea, maintaining the Watch, and other County 

 expenses. 



The fulfilment of the office of Greave, which was by no means a 

 sinecure, seems not to have been optional. The person nominated 

 was bound to serve either personally or by deputy. But though 

 members of the best families of the district were nominally the 

 Greaves of the Forest, they seldom performed the drudgery of the 

 office. The plan. of hiring a deputy, and sometimes two, was 

 generally resorted to ; and it frequently happened that one person 

 discharged the duties for several consecutive years, being hired by 

 different Greaves in succession. The Greave was nominated by 

 the principal landowners in the locality, his appointment taking 

 place at the Halmot Court, or Court Baron, of the lord of the 

 Manor or Honor, held on Michaelmas Day in each year, according 

 to the 29th clnuse of " The Customs of the Copyhold of the 

 Honor of Clitheroe," which is as follows ; — ■ 



" That the homage at every Michaelmas Court ought to present 

 and find a Greve for the said Forest or Manor, who is not to enter 

 into his office until the Michaelmas Court next after, and that a 

 deputy Greve ought to be elected by the Major vote of the tenants 

 in Open Court for the execution of that Office, and sworn accord- 

 ingly." 



The accounts of the Greave, which varied in amount from ^20 

 to ;^6oo in different years, were presented to a Vestry Meeting 

 held annually in the Parochial Chapel, Newchurch, when they 

 were audited, passed, and signed or certified by a number of the 

 inhabitants present, the Incumbent's signature being usually the 

 first appended thereto. 



