176 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



the condition of Peak Castle and Forest. So far as related to 

 the latter, the Commissioners were instructed 



"To view the heighte of one wall erected and made in or about 

 one parcell of one pasture called the Champion within our saide 

 foreste, how brode and depe the Dike in and about the same wall is, 

 whether the same dike be drye or standings with water for the most 

 parte of the yere, and whether the deare maye easlye enter in and 

 owte to and fro the said pasture notwithstanding^ the said walle and 

 dike, and whether the same wall and dyke be noisome or hurtefull to 

 or for our deare and game there, and to thinderance of the grasse for 

 our said deare, or be better for the cherisshinge of our said game and 

 deare there or not." 



They were also to report on the rights of pasturage for beasts 

 and cattle prevailing in the forest; whether the foresters "do 

 diligently use and keepe their walkes aboute the said Foreste," 

 or whether they use any part of the fines raised at swainmotes for 

 their own purposes; what oxgangs they (the foresters) hold, and 

 what cattle they pasture ; whether they use their own authority 

 for excusing trespassers; and whether the pasturing of sheep 

 is not very hurtful to the deer. 



One of the main results of this commission was that the 

 Castle of the Peak was spared for a time from demolition, and 

 was put into a certain kind of repair, mainly to enable it to 

 serve as a forest prison ; but about the year 1585 the buildings 

 suffered severely from fire. In June, 1589, the queen issued 

 a further commission to William Agard, "our particular 

 receiver of the honor of Tutburie," and another, reciting that 

 the castle had "by mischance within these five yeres been 

 burned, and by reason thereof become ruinous and decayed 

 that it standeth void of any use . . . wherebefore yt was 

 usuallie frequented and used for a prison for offenders there." 

 The commissioners were directed to repair to the castle without 

 delay, calling to them such artificers and workmen as they 

 thought necessary, and to view all the decayed places, and to 

 report how far it would serve to be made a prison again, and 

 what it would cost to be repaired, and in that event what would 

 the castle and site be worth to be let by the year. 



It was about this time that George Earl of Shrewsbury (he 

 had been taken again into favour by the queen in his old age 



