DUFFIELD FRITH 193 



At a woodmote held at Belper on 23rd April, 1472, John 

 Harly, of Crich, yeoman, and two others were charged with 

 having broken into Shottle Park in Easter week, and hunted 

 with greyhounds, though they killed nothing. There were 

 various fines for vert trespasses in Milnhay, Belper ward, and 

 Hulland ward, the total amounting to 14^. 4^. In February, 

 1480, there was a sale of all the birches with their loppings, 

 and the underwood of Ladyshaw Wood. 



Robert Bradshaw was the reeve of Duffield in 1482, with a 

 stipend of us. He is described as reeve voc' haselswayne. 

 William Assheton, who was reeve of both Belper and Heage, 

 received 5^. from each township. John Egginton, reeve of 

 Holbrook, also received $s. In the forest ward returns of this 

 year there is reference to the making of charcoal in Morley 

 park. 



The records are preserved of several appointments of officials 

 of this forest during the reign of Henry VII. In 1485 Ralph 

 Langford had the comprehensive appointments bestowed on 

 him of lieutenant of Duffield Frith and steward of the same 

 and parker of all the parks ; but about a month later Nicholas 

 Kniveton was made parker of Ravensdale. Richard Salford 

 was made parker of Belper, and Sir Charles Somerset "Cap- 

 tain of our guard," parker of Postern in 1487. In 1491 

 Nicholas Kniveton became parker of Shottle, and in 1493 

 Humphrey Bradburne became parker of Mansell. In 1503 

 Roger Vernon was appointed to the custody of Shottle park. 

 In 1504, on the death of John Stafford, Thomas Day, "a valet 

 of our chamber," was made custodian of Morley park. 



There are interesting full returns as to the venison of 

 Duffield Frith, killed both legitimately and illegitimately, for 

 the year 1498, as presented at a woodmote held at Cowhouse. 

 Shottle park : A doe was killed on the Sunday after St. 

 Barnabas' Day in the Blackbrook, and carried out of the pale 

 and stolen, but the offender was unknown. About the same 

 time a doe was killed and afterwards taken to Thomas Parker's 

 house. Roger Vernon had a buck from the keeper. The 

 Earl of Shrewsbury killed a buck, eleven sores, and a sorell, 

 and gave them to Sir Harry Willoughby and other squires 

 and gentlemen that were with him. The following were the 

 deer given either by special warrant or by the earl or keeper : 



