221 THE FORESTS OF ENGLAND. 



of Swainmote, and assist the verderer or j udge. Besides 

 these officers there were usually a lord warden, lieuten- 

 ant, or master forester appointed by the king in each 

 forest, and probably other officers, according to local 

 custom. There were three courts appertaining to the 

 forest, namely, the Court of Attachment or Woodmote, 

 the Court of Swainmote, and the Justice Seat, or Court 

 of the Chief Justice in Eyre. The first two of these 

 courts were composed of the officers in each forest. The 

 Court of Attachment or Woodmote was expected to be 

 held every forty days, every officer in the forest attending. 

 This court was to inquire into all offences of every kind 

 done in the forest, and to present them at the Swainmote 

 Court, and to the Lord Chief Justice in Eyre. The Court 

 of Swainmote, in which the verderers were judges, was 

 supposed to be held three times a year : the first court, 

 fifteen days before Midsummer, for the purpose of clearing 

 the forest of all animals except deer for the next month, 

 which was called the fence month, which is the fawning 

 season, and the deer require to be undisturbed ; the next, 

 fifteen days before Michaelmas, when the herbage money 

 for cattle was received, and the swine admitted to feed on 

 acorns and beechmast, called pannage j and the third 

 court forty days after Michaelmas, on the feast of St. 

 Martin. At that time the forest was again cleared, and 

 no animal except deer admitted from the 11th November 

 until the 23rd April (old style), which period was called 

 the Winter Haining. At this court the presentments of 

 the Court of Attachment were received and enrolled, the 

 smaller offences tried and those of more importance pre- 

 sented to the Justice in Eyre, to whom the rolls of this 

 court were certified at the next sessions of Eyre, and those 

 rolls were expected to contain an account of every offence 

 committed, of every deer killed, and of every tree felled 

 in the forest by what warrant, and of what price or value ; 

 with every fine imposed, and the agistment of money 

 paid for the pasturage of cattle and pannage of swine. The 

 court of justice seat was to be held in each forest once in 

 every three years. 



