THE BEASTS OF THE FOREST 37 



of Pickering ; in the 1253 grant to John of Lexington, in 

 Essex ; in two other grants in parts of Pickering forest ; and 

 in the 1297 grant to Thomas Paynel, in the Sussex forest of 

 Ashdown. 



The OTTER obtains mention in a few forest proceedings and 

 accounts. In the Peak Forest there are three or four instances 

 of presentments for killing it with hounds; probably on the 

 ground of disturbing the deer by such an action. Edward 

 IV. had a pack of otter-hounds, which, like the packs of 

 harriers and buck-hounds, was composed partly of running 

 and partly of scent hounds. 



The SQUIRREL even was named in some of these licences. It 

 was included in the first-named grant of 1253 to John of 

 Lexington ; whilst the hunting hare, fox, squirrel, and cat 

 throughout Sherwood forest formed part of the extensive 

 privileges pertaining to Robert de Everingham, who was 

 removed from his office of hereditary keeper or chief forester 

 in 1289. 



The RABBIT or Coney has already been mentioned in con- 

 nection with warrens. The free chase and warren of Ashdown, 

 Sussex, were held by Edward I.'s mother; in 1283 proceed- 

 ings were taken against various persons for hunting and 

 carrying of rabbits from her park at Mansfield. A raid made 

 on St. Leonards forest, in 1295, included rabbits amongst the 

 booty. 



The office of parker of Blagden, in Cranborne Chase, carried 

 with it "the ferme of the cunnyes." 



The rabbit warrens within the forest of Clarendon were of 

 exceptional value, and are frequently mentioned in the 

 accounts. In the time of Edward III. they were the perquisite 

 of the chief keeper. In 1495, 100 received from the 

 " Fermour of the Conyes in Clarendon," formed an item of the 

 revenue assigned for the king's household. In the time of 

 Charles I. these warrens were worth upwards of 200 a year. 



SWANS. It was the duty of the chief minister of each ward 

 of Duffield Frith to secure the king's swans, and all waif and 

 stray swans on the various rivers and streams within the 

 forest limits. That there used to be many swans on the 

 Derwent, in Duffield forest, is proved by the name Hopping 

 Mill, or Hopping Weir, at Milford. Hopping, or upping, was 



