278 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



forest, which this evidence was produced to support, 

 savours rather of the ingenuity of pleading to be 

 found in and around Lincoln's Inn. Pearce in his 

 affidavit sets out his tenancy from the Crown, and 

 no mention is made of the deer. The affidavits on 

 both sides are very voluminous, and they throw an 

 interesting light on the relations between the 

 foresters or their deputies, on the one side, and the 

 farmers on the other. The foresters seem to have 

 agisted more beasts than the moor would properly 

 carry, and to have, with the aid of the free suitors of 

 Withypool, extorted all the payments they could get. 

 A much fuller account of this interesting case is 

 contained in Mr. Chadwyck Healey's " History of 

 Part of West Somerset." What was the final result 

 of the litigation is not recorded. 



Charles I. granted a fresh lease to the Earl of 

 Pembroke for 22^ years of the " Forest and Chace 

 of Exmore " and of the "Manor of Exmore " for 

 14 years. What is meant by the " Manor of 

 Exmore " is difficult to understand ; the whole of 

 Exmoor was royal demesne, and the term " manor '^ 

 does not seem applicable to it. Probably it was a 

 mistake of the draughtsman, anxious to include 

 everything, but, if so, why a different term of years 

 was appointed needs explanation. It was by this 

 lease that leave was given to build a lodge at 

 Simonsbath, and enclose 100 acres of land. 



Charles I., anxious always to raise money, turned 

 his attention, as his father had done before him, to 



