THE FOREST OF ROCKINGHAM 253 



"These be the names of personnes," as is stated on a forest 

 role, " yt carrie crossebowes within the forest of Rokyngham 

 of whom Recognisaunce was taken as foloweth." The list is 

 headed by David Malpas, Esquire, and John Zouche, Esquire, 

 of Bulwick, followed by twenty-eight more names who are 

 chiefly described as yeomen. Richard Lownde, of Brigstock, 

 had two crossbows. The recognisances provided that anyone 

 found bearing a crossbow within the forest after 8th October, 



1493, should be mulcted in the sum of 10 to the Crown for 

 every such offence, and the weapon forfeited to the lord keeper 

 of the forest. 



Ten years later than this, namely in 1493, a general Act was 

 passed forbidding the use of a crossbow by any man save 

 under the king's licence, unless he was lord or had 200 marks 

 in land. In 1514 a much severer statute was enacted, raising 

 the property qualification to 300 marks, and imposing a 10 

 fine for every use of such weapon. 



Notwithstanding, however, the registering of crossbows at 

 Collyweston, this weapon, so much more fatal in comparatively 

 unskilled hands than the longbow, continued to be used 

 illicitly. At a court held at Brigstock, on nth September, 



1494, before Richard Empson, acting as deputy justice of the 

 forest by command of Sir Reginald Gray, and which was in 

 reality an adjournment of the pleas of 1490, there were 

 several cases presented of the killing of deer (sores and 

 prickets) with crossbows, particularly in the Little Park. 



There is an elaborate account book at the Public Record 

 Office (96 pp.) of the wood sales and expenses of 1555-6 in 

 Rockingham and other Northamptonshire forests. The par- 

 cels of wood sold to different persons out of the woods of 

 Apethorpe, Bulwick, Oundle, Polbrook, Newton, Fothering- 

 hay, etc., amounted to .117 i6s. Hedging was paid for at 

 the rate of 2s. 8d. the acre ; this was the rate of pay assigned 

 to Greye and his company for hedging eighteen acres. An 

 entry like this probably refers to the temporary enclosing with 

 rails and thorns of a piece of laund for hay for the deer. 

 5 4-r. ok/, was expended this year on the repairs required 

 by the various lodges and launds. 



In the same year (2 and 3 Philip and Mary) forest pleas were 

 held for Rockingham. 



