EARLY HISTORY. 157 



going on in the district. The chief forest oflficers 

 were : 



The forester in fee, who had general charge, and 

 was responsible for seeing that the other officers did 

 their duty. He made his report to the King's Justices 

 in Eyre when they came into the county to hold the 

 forest courts. These in the county of Somerset 

 seem to have been held mostly at Ilchester and 

 Somerton. 



The forester's badge of office was a horn, which 

 he delivered on bended knee to the justice at the 

 forest court, receiving the same back on payment of 

 a fee of 6s. ^d. 



Under the forester in fee were " riding foresters" 

 and " foresters on foot," to each of whom was awarded 

 a district or beat. They were to be as many as 

 necessary, but not more so. The allowance of 

 Exmoor seems to have been one " riding forester," 

 whose duty it would be to pilot the king, or other chief 

 personage, when out hunting, his pay being £6 i6s., 

 and two men on foot, who drew -^4 i is. between 

 them. 



Verderers were officers whose special province it 

 was to look after all coverts, woods, and what they 

 call in the West Country " green meat " — to see, in 

 fact, that nothing was done to decrease the food and 

 shelter of the deer. They were judicial officers, 

 elected by the freeholders, and presided at the 

 courts of Swanimote, held three times a year on the 

 forest. Here they inquired into offences de viridi, or 



