DUFFIELD FRITH 201 



each man had a hen in his pie, mentioned in the old customary, 

 was still maintained. 



At a woodmote held by Anthony Bradshaw, in 1604, there 

 were nine cases of fines of i2d. each for beating down and 

 collecting acorns ; for taking a cartload de le Oiler (alder) wood, 

 a man was fined 6d., and the like fine was imposed for taking a 

 load of tynsell wood, or oven fuel; whilst I2d. was paid for 

 removing a load of le Oiler poles. 



At the court held at Chevinsyde, on July, 1605, Sir Edward 

 Cokayne, keeper of Mansell park, appeared through William 

 Jesson, his deputy. Henry Butler, bow-bearer and axe-bearer 

 did not appear, and pleaded that he ought not to be called to 

 "wood pryses." Forty-five transgressors were fined on this 

 occasion. The ranger received a perquisite of wood for pro- 

 viding dinner Tor the officers of the court. This is the latest 

 date at which we have found direct evidence of the presence 

 of deer in the forest. William Jesson, as deputy of Sir 

 Edward Cokayne, swore that there then remained seventy-six 

 deer in Mansell park, and that four or five had died in the last 

 winter. 



As matters ripened in Derbyshire against the arbitrary actions 

 of Charles I. and his advisers, the Crown claims over the 

 district of Duffield forest, more particularly in the old ward 

 of Colebrook, were more resisted and became more difficult to 

 establish. A singular agreement was come to between the 

 duchy and one Richard Neville to the effect that he should 

 have such land as by prosecution he could recover for the 

 Crown in Uttoxeter ward, Needwood forest, and in Cole- 

 brook ward, Duffield forest, at a rental of izd. per acre. 

 Neville succeeded in recovering much land in and around 

 Colebrook ward for the crown as part of the old royal frith 

 of Duffield. He was, however, not only put to heavy legal 

 costs, but his attempts to inclose were naturally resisted, lead- 

 ing to many riots and disorders. In December, 1639, Neville 

 petitioned the crown for an abatement of the covenanted rent, 

 as he not only found much of the land barren, but he was still 

 exposed to daily damage and interruption. 



On 20th February, 1640, Richard Neville, described as a 

 gentleman of the bedchamber to the prince, obtained a formal 

 grant in fee-farm of the common or waste called " Milshay or 



