272 THE ROYAL FORESTS OF ENGLAND 



addressed in English to the verderers are cited. They were 

 issued by Richard Devyle, Esquire, supervisor of the forest of 

 Weybridge, and on the margin is written, "By the Quene." 

 The following is an example : 



" Welebelovy d , we Wil and charge yowe that on to cure welebelovy d 

 William Prudde y e delyver a Oak to be takyn within oure forest of 

 Wabryg of our geft and these oure lettres shal be unto you sufficiant 

 Warrant geven under oure signet at Wyndesore the xxix day of Juyn 

 the yere of my lord xxxii." 



The like form is used for the delivery of deer. Of the eight 

 warrants of this year, one was issued immediately by the 

 queen, and begins " Margarite by the grace of Godde Quene 

 of Ingland and of Fraunse and lady of Irland, daughter of 

 the kyng of Sicile and Jerusalem to the kepers of our forest of 

 Wabryg." 



The rolls of the swainmote court held at Weybridge in 

 Easter term, 1503, include the following memorandum : 



" M d that it is said that there was felled and sold this last yere past 

 by Gerard Stukeley 400 tymbre trees of the grettist and best that 

 were in the said forest by what Warrant it is unknowen. 



" Also it is said that there was sold the said yere an huge nombre 

 of loodes of fyrewood about 400 by estimation and without warrant 

 as is said." 



" There had bene gret sale made this yere past in the Forest of 

 Sapley to the som of Twenty pounds or xxx u by estimation and 

 rather above. 



"Also it is said that there shalbe a sale made in Sapley this yere 

 next comeyng by the said Gerard withoute a Restraynt be had." 



Gerard Stukeley's reply to these charges was to the effect 

 that the king's lodge of the forest of Weybridge was " ruy- 

 nous and in grete decay " ; that the verderers assigned 48 

 trees to him for its repair to the value of .4 ; that Sir John 

 Sapcotes, deceased, the late warden, to whom the underwood 

 belonged by reason of his office, ordered him during his life- 

 time to cut and dispose of it, which he did to the extent of 

 under 100 loads; that since the king had been pleased, "at 

 the speciall instance of the noble pryncesse moder to our seid 

 sovereigne lord," to appoint him warden of Sapley, he had 



