n6 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



set forth under the various statutory articles. In this case the 

 sworn statements were of exceptional length, as they actually 

 had to present all assarts made in the forest since 28th October, 

 1217, namely, for 117 years ! Those between 1217 and the last 

 eyre were termed old assarts, and those since the last eyre 

 new assarts. All these assarts and enclosures, and encroach- 

 ments and spoiling of woods have been set forth at length by 

 Mr. Turton from the Coucher Book. 



Agistment records were put in, beginning in the year 1290. 

 The pannage charge in both the East and West wards was id. 

 for a pig, and \d. for a little pig, that is under half a year old. 



Particular indictments presented to the justices, when sitting, 

 in 1335, included charges against foresters of skinning a hart 

 that died of the murrain and keeping its skin, worth is. 4^., to 

 their own use ; foresters taking and retaining pasturage fees ; 

 foresters keeping pigs, horses, and beasts unlawfully ; the 

 prioress of Rosedale usurping the right of having a woodward 

 in Rosedale wood ; and the wrongful appropriation of honey. 



The cases of vert trespasses committed within the demesne 

 since the eyre of 1280, that were presented at the eyre of 1334, 

 numbered only 93 ; but it must be remembered that the swain- 

 mote courts had power of dealing with the minor offences of 

 this nature, and that in many instances the trespassers and bail 

 must have been dead. The majority of the cases were for taking 

 green oaks of comparatively small value. The fines imposed 

 varied from i s. to 5. In addition to oaks, alders, hazels, hollies, 

 thorns, saplings, and poles are mentioned. The present ver- 

 derers were held responsible for the value-fines of the swain- 

 motes that their predecessors had received. Clergy, both 

 secular and religious, appear among the transgressors. Of the 

 former, the rectors of Brampton and Middleton, and the vicar 

 of Ebbeston, had to answer for comparatively small offences. 

 Of the latter, the offenders included the abbot of Whitby (for 

 a trifling offence), the priors of Bridlington and Malton, and 

 the preceptor of Foulbridge. The prior of Malton had the dis- 

 tinction of paying the heaviest vert fine of the whole eyre. 

 He took green thorn and hazels in Allantofts, value i, and 

 carried it to Scarborough for kippering his herrings. The 

 prior appeared and was convicted, and though it was stated 

 that he had never since been found within the bounds of the 



