242 THE ANTIQUITIES 



existed as a royal domain before the conquest. If it did not, we 

 may suppose it was laid out by some of our earliest Norman kings, 

 who were exceedingly attached to the pleasures of the chase, 

 and resided much at Winchester, which lies at a moderate distance 

 from this district. The Plantagenet princes seem to have been 

 pleased with Wolmer ; for tradition says that king John resided 

 just upon the verge, at Ward-le-ham, on a regular and remarkable 

 mount, still called King John's Hill and Lodge Hill ; and Edward 

 III. had a chapel in his park, or enclosure, at Kingsley. 1 Hum- 

 phrey, duke of Gloucester, and Richard, duke of York, say my 

 evidences, were both, in their turns, wardens of Wolmer- forest ; 

 which seems to have served for an appointment for the younger 

 princes of the royal family, as it may again. 



I have intentionally mentioned Edward III. and the dukes 

 Humphrey and Richard, before king Edward II. because I have 

 reserved, for the entertainment of my readers, a pleasant anecdote 

 respecting that prince, with which I shall close this letter. 



As Edward II. was hunting on Wolmer- forest, Morris Ken, of 

 the kitchen, fell from his horse several times ; at which accidents 

 the king laughed immoderately : and, when the chase was over, 

 ordered him twenty shillings ; 2 an enormous sum for those days ! 

 Proper allowances ought to be made for the youth of this monarch, 

 whose spirits also, we may suppose, were much exhilarated by the 

 sport of the day : but, at the same time, it is reasonable to remark 

 that, whatever might be the occasion of Ken's first fall, the sub- 

 sequent ones seem to have been designed. The scullion appears 

 to have been an artful fellow, and to have seen the king's foible ; 

 which furnishes an early specimen of that his easy softness and 

 facility of temper, of which the infamous Gaveston took such 

 advantages, as brought innumerable calamities on the nation, 

 and involved the prince at last in misfortunes and sufferings too 

 deplorable to be mentioned without horror and amazement. 



1 The parish of Kingsley lies between, and divides W aimer-forest from Ayles 

 Holt-forest. See Letter IX. to Mr. Pennant. 



2 " Item, paid at the lodge at Wolmer, when the king was stag-hunting there, 

 to Morris Ken, of the kitchen, because he rode before the king and often fell from 

 his horse, at which the king laughed exceedingly a gift, by command, of twenty 

 shillings." A MS. in possession of Thomas Astle, esq. containing the private 

 expenses of Edward II. 



