SHERWOOD FOREST 209 



of Edward I. In 1282, he had twenty good oaks granted him 

 out of Sherwood for the construction of his houses at Somerton, 

 as well as four bucks and eight does to stock his park at 

 Northwell. In the following year he was the recipient of 

 twelve oaks and eight live deer from the like source. The 

 king, as a special mark of his favour, at the time of Anthony's 

 consecration to the bishopric of Durham, in January, 1284, 

 forwarded to the bishop the largest grant out of Sherwood 

 Forest of which there is record, namely, ten live bucks and 

 twenty live does. 



The forest pleas began to be held irregularly in the latter 

 part of Henry III.'s reign, especially north of the Trent. 

 There was an eyre, however, held for Sherwood at Notting- 

 ham in 1263, an d again in 1267. At the latter date the abbot 

 of Rufford was charged with having taken 483 oaks out 

 of the forest since the last eyre ; but he successfully pleaded 

 the charter of Henry II. in justification. 



With the advent of Edward I. to the throne, all attempts at 

 regularity in holding the eyres seem to have been abandoned. 

 So far as Sherwood was concerned, an eyre was held in 1287, 

 but nearly half a century elapsed before the forest justices 

 again visited Nottingham, namely, in 1334. 



The pleas of the foresters and verderers of Sherwood were 

 held at Nottingham on I4th January, 1287, before Sir William 

 de Vesey, Thomas de Normanville, and Richard de Creping, 

 justices in eyre of the lord king. The verderers were six 

 in number. Robert de Everingham was the forester-in-fee, 

 and under him were eight sworn foresters. 



The following venison presentment, cited by Mr. Turner, 

 may be given as an example : 



" It is presented and proved that on the Wednesday next after the 

 Feast of St. William, Archbishop of York, in the year aforesaid, 

 Robert, the son of Agnes Bode of Edwinstowe, and Richard atte 

 Townsend of the same town, came by night through the middle 

 of the town of Wellow with two fawns of a kind. And the afore- 

 said Richard was taken with his fawn by men watching in the town 

 of Wellow ; and committed to the stocks of Peter de la Barre of the 

 same town. And the same Robert broke his stocks and fled ; there- 

 fore the aforesaid Peter foond mainpernors to make answer. And 

 the aforesaid Richard came, and being convicted of this is sent to 

 p 



