306 



most excellent condition ; no antiquary would grudge the 

 wage of the keeper's clerk, which is entered as one mark, 

 "according to ancient custom." The keeper himself received 

 a salary of 10. The forest tithe, payable to the church of 

 Salisbury, was ^4 3-r. The most interesting entry of that 

 year is the sum of 8 15^. 8^., which was expended in repairing 

 the court house, or manor house of Lyndhurst, against the 

 coming of the king ut patet per particuV but unfortunately 

 the particulars are lacking. The manor house of Ringwood 

 was at the same time put in order to be ready for the royal 

 advent ; among the items is the entry of a supply of plaster 

 of Paris. 



Forest pleas for the New Forest were held at Southampton 

 on Monday next after the Translation of St. Thomas the 

 Martyr, 1330, before John Mantravers. On the first day of the 

 session, which extended over twenty-one days, no fewer than 

 ninety-seven essoins or excuses for non-attendance were put in 

 for the substantial reason of death. In each of these cases 

 appearance had to be made by some relative or other qualified 

 person who testified to the death. The first five names stand 

 thus : 



" Essoines de Morte 



Petrus de la Hoese per Petrum de la Hoese militem. 



Walterus Waleys per Willielmum Loocras. 



Nicholas de Ivele per Rogerum de Ivele, Forester de Wolmer. 



Walterus atte Broke per Nicholam atte Broke. 



Walterus Stretchhose per Ricardum Stretchhose." 



The venison pleas of the New Forest were presented by Sir 

 William de Beauchamp, keeper of the forest, for the term 

 of six years, in conjunction with Andrew de Camerton, his 

 lieutenant, and John de Romsey, John de Brymore, Richard 

 atte Hanger, and John Niernuyt, verderers. The venison 

 presentations were concerned with the death of 22 does, 10 

 bucks, 3 hinds, 2 harts, and 6 fawns, in addition to several 

 cases in which the numbers of the head of game taken off were 

 unknown. The fines imposed for these venison trespasses by 

 the justices varied from i2d. to 2os. The number of such 

 cases is by no means excessive, considering that the oldest 

 offence went back to 1284. It must also be remembered that 



