212 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



these deer ? The answer is the King, and those 

 only who held licences from the King. Licences 

 were rarely granted. The only record in those early 

 days of a licence to kill deer, which is to be found in 

 the very meagre collection of forest rolls contained 

 in the Record Office, is a presentation by the foresters 

 and verderers in 1257 that Reginald de Mohun killed 

 four stags and three roebucks by writ of the Lord 

 King, The Mohuns, who held the Manor of Exford, 

 at that time included in the forest, exercised " jura 

 regalia," which included the right of hunting over 

 their extensive possessions at and around Dunster. 

 This leads to an examination as to what was the 

 King's hunting establishment in early days, and what 

 was the practice with regard to staghunting in the 

 Royal forests. 



The first thing which becomes quite clear from 

 such an inquiry is that the primary object of pre- 

 serving the deer was to insure a supply of venison 

 for the Royal larder ; sport was, except where the 

 King or some great noble was present, of quite 

 secondary consideration. 



The King's huntsman, under whatever title the 

 office was described, was responsible for the killing, 

 salting, or powdering, and despatching to the Court 

 of a due supply of venison. His appointment as 

 huntsman itself carried with it the authority to hunt 

 and kill deer. This is important to notice, because 

 an appomtment as forester, even as forester in fee, 

 or of warden, or of ranger of a forest, carried with 



