THE FOREST OF OXFORDSHIRE 263 



There is a fragment at the Public Record Office relative to 

 pleas held at Headington on 8th August, 1465, before H. 

 Bourchier, itinerant forest justice for the forests of Shotover 

 and Stowood. All that is extant is the claim made by 

 Sir Edmund Rede to be keeper of these forests, in company 

 with extensive right and privileges. 



In 1468 Edward Hardegill, a Crown yeoman, was appointed 

 ranger of Wychwood, at a wage of 6d. a day. 



Oxfordshire affords a striking example of the attempt to 

 revive strict forest jurisdiction in the time of Charles I. 



A court was held at Headington for the forests of Shotover 

 and Stowood on Qth June, 1636, before the foresters, verderers, 

 agisters, regarders, and other ministers of the forest. Henry 

 Lord Holland was keeper ; Michael Molines, Esquire, lieu- 

 tenant ; Sir John Crooke, chief ranger ; and Sir Henry Crooke 

 and Unton Crooke, Esquire, verderers. There were three 

 foresters, one for the Old Lodge walk in Shotover, one for 

 the New Lodge walk in Shotover, and the third for Stowood. 

 Edward Whistler was woodward for the whole forest. The 

 twelve regarders have all "gen" appended to their names. 

 There were also present two gentlemen keepers (preservatores), 

 two agisters, five sub-foresters, two wardens of the coppices, 

 and two pages. The reeves and four men of eleven neigh- 

 bouring townships were in attendance as well as a large 

 number of free tenants. 



At the head of the presentments of 1636 appears the 

 conviction of William Willoughby, shipwright, for having 

 on 2Oth June felled fifty oaks, each of the value of 20^., and 

 exposed them for sale contrary to the laws and assize of the 

 forest ; for this offence the very substantial fine of 2,000 was 

 imposed. The same delinquent was further presented and 

 convicted for having, on 23rd June, got up the roots of these 

 oaks, each valued at 5^. ; for this offence Willoughby was fined 

 in the further sum of 20. The next presentment and con- 

 viction was against two husbandmen of Marston, who had 

 felled and removed an oak tree worth 3^. on June 3rd ; the 

 fine in this case was 5. Another delinquent was fined 40.?. 

 for taking an ash worth 6d. The fine for removing three 

 cartloads of ash, worth 20^., was 10. There were several 

 fines of 2os. for taking green wood to the value o 



