THE FOREST OF THE HIGH PEAK 173 



trove to the value of 100 marks and appropriated it. Robert 

 Folowe, in reply to this bill, filed an answer to the effect 

 that he could make no reply to the charge of outlawry, 

 for it was not stated whom he had murdered, nor at what time 

 or place ; and that he denied seriatim every one of the charges 

 of releasing prisoners from Peak Castle for bribes, appealing 

 to God and his country. 



In his answer to the bill of articles against him, William 

 Pycroft denies felling the king's wood in Edale, Ashop, or any 

 other place, or lopping the same for his cattle or fire, or killing 

 the king's deer in the forest of the High Peak. He further 

 stated that he had for some time held the office of bow-bearer 

 of the forest, and through the due discharge of his office had 

 incurred the malice of certain persons, and he explicitly denied 

 that he had ever set under him any who had destroyed the 

 king's woods or hurt the king's deer. 



Robert Folowe was at this time bailiff of the hundred of 

 the High Peak, and acted as deputy to Richard Savage, the 

 steward of Peak Castle, under Sir George Savage, the 

 custodian. Another charge against Folowe was that he had 

 "withdrawn and taken out of the Castell " and appropriated 

 to his own use much furniture, such as tables, forms, bed- 

 steads, lead and iron vessels, and even "iiij wyndoose." Some 

 of the evidence taken on behalf of Pycroft before the com- 

 mission is extant, but the finding of the Commissioners is 

 lacking. 



A great court of attachment was held at the Campana lodge 

 on 1 3th November, 1542. The new forester, Francis, Earl of 

 Shrewsbury, who had succeeded to the confiscated office of the 

 abbot of Basingwerk, was represented by Thomas Johnson. 

 Reginald Pursglove was fined 6d. for lopping green trees, and 

 there were twenty-nine other like offenders. The total of the 

 day's fines was 14.?. lod. 



A great court of attachment and swainmote for the High 

 Peak was held at Tideswell on 3oth October, 1559. Hugh 

 Needham, Edward Eyre, and George Woodruff were the 

 foresters who appeared in person ; the rest all sent deputies. 

 Twenty-four offenders were fined for lopping trees and carrying 

 off undergrowth in Ashop wood. The first two names were 

 Robert and Lawrence Pursglove. At another like court, held 



