THE FOREST COURTS 15 



dry wood from oaks, hazels, or other trees, could be amerced in 

 the attachment court, unless the damage they had done was 

 appraised at more than 4^., in which case the delinquent was 

 to be attached to answer for his offence at the next eyre. 

 Questions of the escape of cattle or sheep, and any breach of 

 the particular agistment pannage regulations for the swine, 

 were also dealt with by this court. When the trespasser was 

 not a dweller in the forest, the forester or woodward, even in 

 a vert case, was expected to attach his body and take him to 

 prison (each forest had its own prison for forest offences), from 

 which he could be released only by the order of the king, or the 

 justice of the forest. In the matter of venison, these lesser 

 courts had not originally any jurisdiction ; but in later times 

 pledges were often taken for the appearance of such trespassers 

 at the eyre. 



In addition to the general forest inquisition, there were also 

 special inquisitions dealing with venison trespasses held under 

 the bailiff of the forest in conjunction with the foresters and 

 verderers. Several of these are extant of the thirteenth century. 

 One of the most interesting rules of these special cases pro- 

 vided that if any beast of the forest was found dead or wounded, 

 an inquest was to be held by the four neighbouring townships 

 of the forest. The finder of the deer was to obtain pledges for 

 his subsequent appearance ; the flesh was to be sent to the 

 nearest lazar-house, or given to the local sick and poor if there 

 was not one within reasonable distance ; the head and skin 

 were to be given to the freeman of the township where it was 

 found ; and the arrow or other weapon to the verderer, who 

 had to keep it for production at the next eyre. 



Inquests were also held by the four neighbouring townships 

 in cases of definite forest trespass ; and the bows, arrows, or 

 snares found upon a trespasser had to be delivered to the 

 verderer for future production. Owing to such inquests being 

 sometimes held at the same time as the gathering of a swain- 

 mote, the rolls of these local courts, if carelessly consulted, 

 appear to be dealing with venison trespass when such was not 

 the case. 



It must be remembered that these forest inquisitions were 

 only necessary when a beast of the forest was dead or wounded, 

 or when an actual trespass had been committed in the forest. 



