134 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



hounds or greyhounds ; and the pelfe, or best beast of any that 

 committed felony or trespass in the forest, and fled for the 

 same, the lord having the residue. 



The forest of Delamere, as it was afterwards called, was dis- 

 afforested by Act of Parliament in 1812. Various interesting 

 particulars are given by Ormerod, chiefly taken from the 

 Harl. MSS. 



FOREST PLEAS OF WIRRAL AND DELAMERE 



A joint eyre was held at Chester for the forests of " Wirrall, 

 Mara et Moudrem," in August, 1347, which has hitherto 

 escaped the attention of county historians. It was over twenty 

 years since the last of these pleas had been held. Thomas de 

 Ferrars was the justice in charge of the pleas. A considerable 

 number of claims were brought forward, supported by charters 

 which were enrolled. Among them were the claims of the 

 abbots of Chester, Basingwerk, and Chester. One of the lay 

 claims was that of William de Stanley, as chief forester of 

 Wirral, to hunt hares and foxes with greyhounds at all times 

 of the year ; and that of John de Pennesley to dig turves, burn 

 charcoal, and to obtain litter at any time of the year in Wirral 

 forest, and to hunt with greyhounds and other dogs on foot, as 

 well as large rights of pasturage. But some of the claimants 

 overreached themselves, and were fined for making claims 

 which they failed to establish. Among those who were thus 

 mulcted were the abbot of Basingwerk, 40^. ; the abbot of 

 Vale Royal, 2u., and Robert de Bradeford and Robert de 

 Swynnerton half a mark each. 



There were a very great number of cases of purpresture or 

 encroachment at these pleas, showing that the regard that pre- 

 ceded the pleas must have been a thorough one. As examples, 

 the following may be briefly mentioned : John Hotherinde 

 was indicted for building a certain house without warrant ; he 

 was declared in mercy, and the house was ordered to be 

 levelled. Richard de Trafford had enclosed five acres without 

 warrant ; he was in mercy, and the fences were to be destroyed 

 and the land thrown open. Robert le Hog was charged with 

 taking eighty acres of moor and marsh in the parish of Wim- 

 balds Trafford for agisting his own beasts without warrant, to 



