THE FOREST OF ROCKINGHAM 255 



winter store of "derefal" wood is at this date called "dere- 

 brouse." 



In 1638 the chief justice in eyre issued his commission to 

 Edward Sawyer, of Kettering, Esq., giving him full power and 

 authority to inquire from time to time of all such persons 

 as are known and suspected of unlawfully keeping and using 

 dogs, nets, crossbows, guns, and other engines for the de- 

 struction of the game in Rockingham forest. He was com- 

 missioned to employ a constable or head borough to search for 

 dogs, etc., within five miles of Kettering, and to take into 

 custody suspected persons and keep them till further in- 

 structed. 



On the last occasion when a great store of venison was 

 brought to Whitehall, " against Christmas," for Charles I., 

 then (1640) on the threshold of his troubles, twenty-four does 

 came from Rockingham ; this was by far the largest number 

 out of those supplied by nineteen different forests or parks ; the 

 only other two that reached double figures were Whittlewood 

 and New Forest, each of which supplied twelve. 



The commissioners appointed by the 1786 Act for inquiring 

 into the state of woods and forests belonging to the Crown 

 issued an elaborate report on Rockingham in 1792. It then 

 consisted, as of old, of the three separate districts or bailiwicks 

 of Rockingham, Brigstock, and Cliff, each of which were 

 divided into two or more walks. In Rockingham were Bene- 

 field Laund, Vert Walk, and the woods of Gretton, Little 

 Weldon, Weedhaw, Thornhaw, and Corby ; in Brigstock 

 were the woods of Eddington and Earning ; and in Cliff those 

 of Westhay, Moorhay, Sulehay, and Shortwood. It is there 

 stated that all the bailiwicks were formerly under one warden 

 or master forester, an office granted by James I., in 1603, to 

 Lord Burleigh for three lives ; but Charles I. abolished 

 the office, and gave, in 1629, the master forestership of 

 Rockingham, with Geddington woods, to Edward Lord 

 Montague, for three lives, and that of Cliff to trustees for 

 Mildmay, Earl of Westmoreland, for three lives. In 1674 the 

 wardenship of Earning wood was granted to Sir John 

 Robinson for three lives. The commissioners of 1792 found 

 that Mr. George Finch Hatton was warden of Rockingham, 

 the Earl of Ossory of Earning wood, the Earl of Exeter 



