292 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



Commissioners, who set out the boundaries exactly 

 as in the survey in 165 1, though not in the same 

 words. The forest wias found to contain i8,8iq 

 acres, approximately the same acreage as before, 

 and this was awarded as to twelve twenty-second 

 parts to the King, and as to one-eighth to Sir Thomas 

 Acland in lieu of tithes. This was the portion Iving 

 between Simonsbath and the other Acland property 

 at Bray, the remainder being allotted to various 

 proprietors and Lords of Manors in lieu of pasturage 

 and other rights on the forest. The latter awards 

 gave a considerable amount of dissatisfaction — 

 particularly at Hawkridge and Withypool — among 

 small owners, who declared, and whose sons declare, 

 that they were robbed of their '' privileges" and got 

 nothing in return. There appears to have been a 

 certain amount of foundation for this. 



Up till this time the free suitors of Withypool 

 (there was great difficulty in raising fifty-two of 

 them) had always been in the habit of carrying out 

 their ancient task of driving the forest for cattle, to 

 which had been added that of beating the bounds 

 every seven years. 



They are said bv old men now living, whose 

 fathers had taken part in the ceremony, to have 

 ridden in single file along inside the boundary, and 

 were accompanied outside that line by the repre- 

 sentatives of the adjoining manor. They rode the 

 exact line whatever the ground was like, wet or dry, 

 and many were their adventures when bad ground 



