EPl'ING FOREST. 



in Edward II. 's time." The severity of these pen- 

 alties and restrictions, originally enacted by King 

 Canute, was somewhat mitigated by a charter, 

 "Carta de Foresta," which formed part of Magna 

 Charta extorted from King John, who had been 

 forced to abandon large tracts of Royal Forest ; 

 but in their main lines they continued to be re- 

 cognised and enforced for many centuries since 

 his time. The following are specimens of extracts 

 from the clauses of these laws, lenient by contrast 

 with some others which might be quoted, and 

 fairly show their character : — 



" For the offence of Venison or hunting, not 

 unworthely haue bene accounted amongest the 

 greatest offences of the Forest euen of auncient 

 time. But the offence of Vert (except it be for 

 the breach of our Roiall free chace) it is so 

 little, and of so smal an account, that this our 

 Constitution or Law doth scantly respect the 

 same. ..." 



"If any freeman shall chase away a Dere, or a 

 wilde beast out of the Forest : whether the same 

 be done by chaunce, or of a set purpose, so that 

 thereby the wilde beast is forced by swift running 

 to lyll out the tong, or to breathe with his tong 

 out of his mouth : he shall paie to the king ten 

 shillings amends for the same offence : but if he 

 be a seruile person, then he shall double the same 

 recompence : but if he be a bondman, then he 

 shall lose his skinne. . . ." 



" If a greedy rauening dogg shall bite a wild 

 beast, then the owner of the same dogg shall yeeld 

 a recompence to the king for the same according 

 to the valew of a freeman which is twelue times a 

 hundred shiUings. If a Roiall beast shall be bitten. 



