140 SYLVA BOOK in 



in common, some preserved them untouch'd on both 

 sides; others, the stems only, lop, tops, and branches, 

 (especially if they belonged to a particular person) to 

 cut or spare at their pleasure, provided they planted 

 others in their room. In trees marked, it must be 

 consider'd whether they are in common, which ought 

 to be marked in the middle, or on each side; and if 

 one side of the tree have leaves, the other should be 

 cut, to signify their belonging to those persons, on 

 the border of whose grounds they are left intire. To 

 this for trees 8 foot asunder: Those at 20 foot distance 

 were marked with X, or F, to notify a flexure or 

 turning there-about: Some permit them to stand till 

 they arrive to such a bulk and stature as to over-top 

 the rest, distinguish^ also from those marked on both 

 sides, whether they stand in woods, barren, or uncult- 

 ivated land, as being suppos'd in common. The 

 same rule holds if marked in the middle : If but one 

 side be marked, the unmarked side is the boundary : 

 If the mark be different on either side, (and none else 

 to be seen) such trees are not to be accounted bound- 

 aries : If as sometimes briars and such shrubs grow 

 on the ancient limits, it must be consider'd of what 

 kind they are, and should be enquired how it happens 

 that they are often found in the middle of the fields. 

 Lastly, in campagne and open places, foreign trees 

 were usually planted. There are more of those nice 

 rules to be found among the lawyers, whilst before 

 any of these instances, the images of Satyrs bounded 

 the confines, and were counted as termini^ which none 

 might remove, without being accounted as sacrilegi- 

 ous, and the person punished with death. These, 

 and the Hermae were reputed protectors of such 

 boundaries.., 



