EPPING FOREST. 105 



could be erected without the consent of the forest 

 authorities, " because of the increase of men and dogs 

 and other things which might frighten the deer from 

 their food." Trees could not be cut down without the 

 same permission. 



Among other rights claimed by the Crown was 

 that of entering into any private owner's woods within 

 the range of the Forest, and cutting there the branches 

 of trees as " broust " for the deer's winter food ; this 

 was exercised so late as the nineteenth century. Deer 

 and other game were protected for the exclusive sport 

 of the Sovereign by most severe laws, enforced in 

 Courts peculiar to the Forest, by officers responsible to 

 the Crown. 



Dogs in the district were " expeditated," that is, 

 three claws of their fore feet were cut close to the ball 

 of the foot to prevent their chasing the deer. Mutila- 

 tion and even death were the penalties in early times 

 for killing a deer. These were mitigated by the Charts 

 ole Foresta extorted from King John at the same 

 time as Magna Charta; but for centuries after, the 

 forest laws were very harsh and were enforced with 

 rigour. 



The Forest Courts consisted of the Court of Attach- 

 ment, presided over by four Verderers, elected by the 

 freeholders of the County of Essex, who had summary 

 jurisdiction in offences of a trivial character, where the 

 damage was not more than fourpence ; and the Court of 

 Swainemote, also presided over by the Verderers, assisted 

 by a jury of freeholders, who tried for offences of a 



