214 THE FORESTS OF ENGLAND. 



position that it could contain two charters. But Sir 

 William Blackstone proves that the Cliarta Forestce in 

 question was not given by King John. 



" On the twelfth of November following he renewed the 

 great charter formerly granted by his father. This charter 

 contained the forest laws, and the parchment was seventeen 

 inches in breadth, and somewhat more than sixteen inches 

 from top to bottom. It has two endorsements, and was 

 sealed, as itself informs us, with the seals of Cardinal Gualo, 

 the Pope's legate, and William, Earl of Pembroke : King 

 John's great seal having been lost in passing the Wash of 

 Lincolnshire, and no new seal having been made for the 

 king till two years after the accident. 



" In the writs of the 22d of February 1217, is the first 

 authentic mention of a separate charter of the forest ; and 

 in the great charter the word forest is then left out, because 

 they had a separate charter of the forest, which was after- 

 wards almost constantly subjoined to the great charter, 

 which bears the same date as the forest charter. In this 

 year, about the 6th of November, a new great seal was 

 made for Henry ; but it was forbidden to be affixed to any 

 thing of perpetuity, till the king should come of age. 

 About the same time this charter of the forest was first 

 promulgated among the people. This appears to disprove 

 the fact of a separate charter of the forest being granted 

 by King John, and confirms its being embodied in the 

 great charter granted by him. ' For/ says Blackstone, ' it 

 would be easy to prove that the first chap, of the forest 

 charter has respect to the 53d of that of King John, the 

 execution whereof was repealed by the first charter of 

 Henry III. : that the second chapter is in a manner trans- 

 cribed from chap. 44 of John, and 36 of Henry I. : that 

 the third and fourth chapters are similar to chap. 47 

 and 53 of King John, and 36 of Henry I. : and the rest 

 are amplifications of chap. 48 of King John/ 



"'The original charter of the forests/ adds the same 

 author, ' and all au then tic record of it, are at present lost : 

 but that such a one did exist is certain from a writ on 



