xiv INTRODUCTION 



The next owner was a Lord Shaftesbury, who sold it to 

 Mr. Freke, of Shroton, and it thus descended to Lord Rivers. 

 The Rev. W. Chafln, in his Anecdotes of Cranbourn Chase, 

 says there were many serious fights between poachers and 

 keepers. About the year 1786 a severe battle was fought, 

 the combatants being equally divided ; the keepers were, 

 however, armed with staves and short hangers, whilst the 

 poachers only carried flails. The keepers, finding they were 

 getting the worst of the encounter, retired amongst the trees, 

 where it was impossible to use the flail, and at close quarters 

 the hangers soon carried the day. The leader of the gang, 

 a soldier from Blandford, had his hand cut off, another man 

 was killed, and the remainder were all taken prisoners. 

 History relates that prisoners and wounded were haled 

 before his honour Peter Beckford, Esq., at that time Ranger 

 of the Chase, who committed them for trial at the next 

 assizes, after first procuring medical aid to bind up their 

 wounds. 



The family of Beckford was supposed to have originally 

 come from Gloucestershire, but there is no record to establish 

 the claim between the family who lived there in the thirteenth 

 century and the man who was the direct ancestor of the 

 author of this book. This ancestor was also called Peter 

 Beckford, and was one of the richest men in Jamaica, but 

 where he came from or how he became possessed of his 

 riches history does not relate. Jamaica was at one time 

 a favourite resort for the buccaneers of the Spanish main, 

 and many a highly respected pirate retired to that island to 

 spend the remainder of his days in peace after a stormy life 

 on the ocean. Occasionally, when his Majesty of England 

 had not other work for his ships to do, one of these sea- 

 robbers would be captured and hung from the yard-arm, but 

 as a rule, if he confined his attentions to the unhappy 

 stranger and respected the union-jack, the hard-working 

 pirate had not much to fear. It is quite certain that many 



