THE BEASTS OF THE FOREST 33 



A careful examination of forest and other records relative to 

 Derbyshire has brought to light various wolf references, most 

 of which are now cited for the first time. Among the 

 evidences at St. Mary's College, Spink Hill, is a charter of 

 Robert Ferrers, Earl of Derby (who died in 1139), granting 

 lands at Heage, which he held from the king on the service 

 of driving the wolves out of his lordship of Belper, within 

 Duffield Chase, which afterwards became a royal forest. 



Two payments entered in the Pipe Rolls of Henry II. are 

 highly significant of the devastation then caused by Derby- 

 shire wolves. In 1160-1, 25^. was paid to the forest wolf- 

 hunters (in lupariis} as an extra fee. In 1167-8, so great a 

 value was set on the skill and experience of the Peak wolf- 

 trappers (pedicatores), that Henry II. paid los. for the travel- 

 ling expenses of two of them to cross the seas to take wolves in 

 Normandy. 



The accounts of Gervase de Bernake, bailiff of the Peak for 

 1255-6 are of special value, as they contain some of the very 

 few specific entries that have yet been found among the stores 

 of the Public Record Office of damage done to stock by wolves. 

 Mention is made therein of a colt (pullum masculuni) strangled 

 by a wolf in Edale (jugulat* cum lupo in Eydale) ; and in another 

 place, in a list of waifs that accrued to the lord, there is reference 

 to two sheep which were also strangled by wolves. There 

 is another thirteenth-century reference to Derbyshire forest 

 wolves which seems to have escaped the notice of county and 

 other writers. The Hundred Rolls of the beginning of 

 Edward I.'s reign record that Roger Savage was asked by 

 what right he maintained dogs to take foxes, hares, wild cats, 

 and wolves, and replied that he was the successor of William 

 Walkelin, who had a royal grant to that effect. 



At the pleas of the forest held at Derby in 1285, it was shown 

 that a bovate of land held by John le Wolfhunte and Thomas 

 Foljambe, two of the foresters-of-fee, was a serjeanty assigned 

 for taking of wolves, in Peak Forest. On the jurors being 

 asked what were the duties pertaining to that service, the 

 following was the highly interesting reply : 



" Each year, in March and September, they ought to go through 

 the midst of the forest to set traps to take the wolves in the places 

 where they had been found by the hounds ; and if the scent was not 

 D 



