THE FOREST OF THE HIGH PEAK 159 



year, and the king had also the second best beast, the first 

 going to the Church. These Peak assarts, which were very 

 numerous at this date, were for the most part small, averaging 

 about 5 or 6 acres ; they varied from 60 acres to ^ acre. 



The purprestures presented at this eyre were the rolls of new 

 houses built since the last pleas of 1216. One hundred and 

 thirty-one persons had built new houses without warrant, and 

 were therefore in mercy that is, liable to fines. In almost a 

 like number of cases, namely, one hundred and twenty-seven, 

 new houses had been raised within the king's demesnes with 

 the licence of the bailiff. An average increase of eight new 

 houses a year during the first thirty-five years of Henry III.'s 

 reign speaks well as to the degree of prosperity then enjoyed 

 by the forest of the Peak. 



The mineral and turbary rights of this forest also came 

 under review at this eyre. Earl Ferrers received .15 during 

 the six years that he held the Peak bailiwick from the minerals 

 raised at Tideswell : Brian de Insula, 12, during his five 

 years ; Robert de Lexington, ,40 in six years ; Ralph Fitz- 

 Nicholas, 5 in one year ; John Goband, 7 in three years ; 

 Warner Engaine, 12 los. in five years ; John de Grey, 15 in 

 six years ; and William de Horsenden, 50^. per annum. The 

 minerals raised at Wardlow produced 12 for Earl Ferrers, 

 10 for Brian de Insula, 12 for Robert de Lexington, 2 for 

 Ralph Fitz-Nicholas, 4 for John Goband, 8 los. for Warner 

 Engaine, .8 for John de Grey, and 30^. a year for William de 

 Horsenden. John de Grey took twenty marks of cheminage 

 or road toll to the mines during his term of office ; but this was 

 not done by any other bailiff. John de Grey also made certain 

 stone quarries, from which he received \6d. profit in two years. 



Under turbary it is mentioned that the townships of Hucklow, 

 Tideswell, Wormhill, Toftes, Buxton, Bowden, Aston, and 

 Thornhill took turves without requiring licence. 



Another source of profit to the bailiffs was on escaped cattle : 

 under this head Earl Ferrers took 12, Brian de Insula ;io, 

 Robert de Lexington 12, Kalph Fitz-Nicholas 2, John 

 Goband 6, Warner Engaine 10, John de Grey 12, and 

 William de Horsenden i yearly. 



One other fact recorded on the rolls of this eyre remains for 

 notice : it is with regard to the horse-breeding establishments 



