DUFFIELD FRITH 203 



Delfes are now sunke." In September, 1634, tne king granted 

 this third part of Chevin ward to Sir Edward Sydenham, and 

 it was enclosed; and "the inhabitants were compelled by force 

 and terror to submite thereunto." Nor were the other two 

 parts ever granted to the commoners in fee-farm, although 

 enclosed, nor were any admitted tenants of this enclosed 

 ground, save the small minority who had agreed to the en- 

 closure. Thereupon, in 1643, the inhabitants threw open all 

 the enclosures of this ward, including the king's third part, and 

 since enjoyed it all in common. " Had not the distraction by 

 the late Warres prevented them, they had all joyned in a Bill 

 of Reveiwe to reverse the Decree made upon soe slender 

 grounds and soe illegally without theire consent." The com- 

 missioners stated that they had had all this testified to them by 

 a jury consisting of " men of qualitye and sufficient abilityes 

 in those partes and neighbours to the place" ; that they were 

 convinced that, though a few private persons had been gainers 

 by the enclosure, a far more considerable number had been 

 " damnifyed thereby" ; and that therefore they considered the 

 ward to be rightly common. 



The affairs of most of Colebrook ward were settled, as we 

 have seen, in 1639-40. Hulland ward was divided at the same 

 time as Belper ward, in 1633-4, the king's third, consisting 

 of 490 acres valued at 9^. zd. a year being granted to Sir 

 Edward Sydenham. The successful opposition to enclosure 

 only prevailed in the large ward of Duffield or Chevin, includ- 

 ing Shottle park. 



All that part of the old forest that was, by violent means, 

 thrown open to the commoners in 1643 remained common 

 until 1786, when 1,500 acres were enclosed by an Act of 26 

 George III. 



