ii2 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



so that he could not produce them, and he referred the justices 

 to them. The late constable's statement was then proved 

 on oath by forest ministers, and in order to save time the 

 justices decided not to send to Westminster to inspect the 

 returns and accounts, and contented themselves with fining 

 John the nominal sum of half a mark for non-production. 

 Thomas Ugretred and Simon Simeon, both short-lived con- 

 stables, did not appear or send any deputies or rolls, and 

 writs were issued in each case. Sir Ralph Hastings, the then 

 holder of the office for life, by appointment of Henry, Earl of 

 Lancaster, made due appearance, and produced his documents. 



With regard to the list of essoines before the justices, the 

 majority of them were proved to be dead, and therefore no 

 further proceedings could be taken in their case or in that of 

 their bail. 



The list of indictments by the foresters and verderers opens 

 with a case of venison trespass on an exceptionally large scale. 

 On 23rd March, 1334, there were gathered together at " Black- 

 hodbrundes " (probably Blakey Moor) in the forest, a great 

 concourse of people with greyhounds and bows and arrows; 

 among them were several of considerable position, such as 

 Nicholas Meynell (mentioned first) of Whorley Castle, Peter de 

 Manley, the younger, heir to Mulgrave, John and William de 

 Percy of Kildale, whilst other names of distinction, such as 

 Wyvill and Colville, occur among the forty-two who were 

 recognised. 



The sport probably assumed the form of a great drive, for 

 forty-three of the red deer (another account says sixty-three) 

 were actually killed. By way, apparently, of showing their 

 contempt for the foresters of the Earl of Lancaster, the sports- 

 men, before they left the forest, cut off nine of the heads and 

 fixed them on stakes in the moor. Again, on 26th May of the 

 same year, Nicholas Meynell, with Peter de Manley, and some 

 others engaged in the former fray, but in a much smaller 

 company, entered the forests with bows, arrows, and grey- 

 hounds ; on this occasion, however, they had only taken one 

 hind when the foresters came upon them, rescued the venison, 

 and carried it off to Pickering castle. The special imperti- 

 nence of this game trespass was that Edward III. had only 

 arrived at Pickering castle on a visit to the Earl of Lancaster 



