THE FOREST OF ROCKINGHAM 239 



before the justices. Roger Grim, the harvestman (messartus, 

 i.e. the foreman of the harvest labourers) of the abbot of 

 Peterborough, was caught following four hinds with his dogs ; 

 he was delivered to the custody of Geoffrey Gilbewin, the 

 abbot's steward. Geoffrey failed to bring him before the 

 justices, whereupon the steward himself was delivered to the 

 custody of the sheriff to be imprisoned. William of Barton 

 was proved to have falsely and through hatred charged 

 Stephen de Pin, a clerk, with having feasted upon two fawns ; 

 the sheriff was ordered to imprison him until levy had been 

 made for a fine upon his chattels at Barnact. The whole 

 township of Newton was in mercy because of the flight of 

 Richard Gelet, their harvestman, accused of shooting a doe 

 in Nassington wood, for which Henry, the son of Benselin, 

 was taken. The foresters found a doe with its throat cut in 

 Nassington wood, and Henry concealed in a bush near by. 

 They put him in prison, but on his appearing at the forest 

 pleas, Henry stoutly denied the offence, saying he had only 

 gone into the wood to seek his horse. Thereupon the justices 

 inquired of the foresters and verderers whether they now 

 thought him guilty. They replied in the negative, adding 

 that they thought Richard the harvestman was the culprit, for 

 he fled as soon as he heard of Henry being taken. Because 

 Henry had taken the Cross and is not suspected and had lain 

 long in prison, the justices granted him that he might make 

 his pilgrimage, but he was to start before Whitsunday ; if he 

 lived to return, and could find pledges for his fealty, he might 

 afterwards remain in the forest. 



Thomas Inkel, forester of Cliff, found in the wood of 

 Siberton a certain place wet with blood, and he traced the 

 blood in the snow as far as the house of Ralph Red of 

 Siberton ; and forthwith he sent for the verderers and good men. 

 They searched his house, and in it they found the flesh of a 

 certain doe, and they took Ralph himself and put him in 

 prison at Northampton, where he died. But before his death, 

 when he was in prison, he appealed Robert Sturdi of Siberton 

 and Roger Tock, of the same town, because they were evil- 

 doers to the forest together with him. The foresters and 

 verderers searched the house of the aforesaid Robert, and in it 

 found the bones of deer, and they took him and sent him to 



