244 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



about I5th August, and the same in the following month, on 

 his return from the north. About August, Sir Simon de 

 Montfort had twelve bucks out of Rockingham bailiwick of 

 the king's gift, and at Michaelmas the Bishop of Carlisle had 

 a present of three bucks. In 1248-9 Henry III. hunted in 

 person at two different seasons, namely, about the Feast of St. 

 Katherine (25th November) and about the Feast of St. Peter's 

 Chains (ist August), taking deer at his pleasure. Among the 

 royal gifts of 1249 were five live bucks and ten live does 

 for the Earl of Derby, and eight does for the abbot of West- 

 minster. 



When an archbishop, bishop, earl, or baron passed through 

 a royal forest, he was entitled, under the Forest Charter of 

 1217, to take one or two heads of game, but only in the sight 

 of the forester, and not furtively. Among those who availed 

 themselves of this privilege about this period were the Bishop of 

 Lincoln, a hind and a doe, in 1245 ; the abbot of Westminster, 

 a buck and a buck's prickett, in 1246; Henry, the son of the 

 Earl of Leicester, a buck's pricket ; the Count d'Aumale a 

 doe, and the Bishop of Carlisle a buck in 1247. 



The pleas of the forest were held on 25th June, 1255, at 

 Rockingham, before William le Breton, Nicholas de Romsey, 

 and two other justices in eyre. Ten years had elapsed since 

 the last eyre, and several cases brought before justices were 

 about ten years old. About thirty-five cases of venison 

 trespass were presented and proved. Among the offenders 

 was Simon the parson of Old, who took a roe in 1249. He 

 did not appear, and order was sent to the Bishop of Lincoln 

 to cause him to attend. Before the court rose he was fined in 

 the heavy sum of $. 



In June, 1254, a deer was taken beneath Rockingham castle 

 wall by the men of the parson of Easton. The foresters lay 

 in ambush through the night, and at daybreak they saw three 

 men and three greyhounds, of whom they took one man and 

 two greyhounds. The man was sent to prison at Northampton, 

 and died there. As the men and hounds were with Robert 

 Bacon, the rector of Easton, order was sent to the bishop to 

 cause Robert to appear on the loth of July. 



The next forest pleas for Rockingham were held in August, 

 1272, after an interval of seventeen years. The justices were 



