156 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



Four or five of these charges, which exceeded one hundred 

 in number, related to clergy. One of the most important cases 

 was that of Roger de Weseham, Bishop of Coventry and 

 Lichfield (1245-57). The bishop was charged together with 

 William the vicar of Glossop, Archdeacon Adam de Staniford, 

 and five others, all apparently of his company, with taking 

 a hind in the forest. The bishop was summoned with the rest 

 to appear before the justices, but the result appears to have 

 been that the vicar of Glossop was the only one punished ; he 

 was fined ten marks, and had to find twelve mainpernors. One 

 of the company was John the clerk, and he was an unknown 

 monk. Had the pleadings been preserved in full, it would 

 probably have been shown that the bishop pleaded the forest 

 charter, whereby it was allowed to any bishop, baron, or earl 

 to take one or two head of game in passing through a royal 

 forest, provided it was done openly. The like justification 

 might possibly have been put forward by several barons whose 

 names appear as venison trespassers. 



Those who were considered responsible for the escape of 

 prisoners on venison charges from Peak Castle were held 

 liable at these forest pleas. When John de Grey was bailiff of 

 the Peak, Martin the shoemaker of Castleton, and another, 

 were charged with the unwarrantable possession of a deerskin, 

 and were committed to prison. They escaped, or were liberated 

 without the intervention of a forest justice, therefore the bailiff 

 was held in mercy ; the offenders did not appear, and were 

 outlawed. John Goband, an earlier bailiff, was also held in 

 mercy for a like offence. Simon de Weyley, who took a stag 

 during the bailiffship of Robert de Lexington (1228-33), 

 gave the bailiff five marks to secure his release. Lexington 

 was dead ; but, on the offence being proved, the justices held 

 that his heirs were held responsible. 



Baron William de Vesci, with four others, was charged with 

 taking three harts in the forest. One of the company, John de 

 Andville, was on pilgrimage in the Holy Land at the time of 

 the eyre, and could not appear. The baron had protested to 

 the verderers at the time of the charge that he took- the game 

 by the king's gift ; he brought to the eyre the royal letter and 

 the charge was withdrawn. In two other cases royal pardons 

 were produced to the justices. 



