200 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



On i gth December, 1598, another court was held at Chevin 

 House, before Anthony Bradshaw, as deputy steward ; the 

 foresters who appeared were John Curzon, William Kniveton, 

 and William Bradburne, esquires, and John Brockshaw, 

 gentleman. The names of agisters, parkers, and ward col- 

 tectors are also set forth. Henry Butler held the joint 

 sinecure offices of bow-bearer and axe-bearer, while Richard 

 Clark was the ranger. A large number of vert trespassers 

 were fined, chiefly in sums of 4^. and 6d. ; in various cases the 

 offenders are described as taking of horseloads, sleighloads, or 

 les backburdens ligni. 



At a woodmote held at Chevin House, on nth March, 1600, 

 by Anthony Bradshaw as deputy steward, John Curzon was 

 present both as lieutenant and forester, and the other foresters 

 were Sir Humphrey Ferrers, William Kniveton, and John 

 Brockshaw. Thomas Johnson, the keeper of the two parks of 

 Manshull and Ravensdale was fined 2s. for absence, and the 

 parker of Morley is. for a like offence. No fewer than 123 

 vert trespassers were fined, in sums varying from 2.d. to \2.d. 

 " Waynelodes" are mentioned among the amounts of wood 

 taken. 



At the next court, held on 8th July, two trees were 

 assigned to the town of Duffield towards the repair of their 

 bridge. Among the fines is the very heavy one of los. which 

 had to be paid by Richard Feme, for he not only cut two cart- 

 loads of green wood, but sold them at Derby. 



Anthony Bradshaw, fourth son of William Bradshaw, of 

 Bradshaw, the deputy steward of the forest, who did so much 

 to sustain the privileges of the tenants of Duffield Frith, re- 

 sided at Farley Hall. He was a man of some literary power, 

 and wrote a long curious poem of fifty-four stanzas, early in 

 the reign of James I., entitled "A Frend's due Commendacion 

 of Duffeld Frith." It is printed in vol. xxiii. of the Reliquary. 

 He mentions therein the Earl of Shrewsbury as high steward 

 and John Curzon as lieutenant. The six parks of Morley, 

 Belper, Postern, Shottle, Ravensdale, and Mansell are all 

 named, but they were all farmed "andyeald nodeareatall," save 

 Mansell, and that " verie small." From these rhymes we learn 

 that "Tacke courtes " were held in addition to the woodmote, 

 "at Luke's day and Martinmas," and the tack dinner, when 



