ANCIENT AND MODERN FORESTRY n 



ingham, Whittlewood, and Salcey in Northamp- 

 tonshire, of Sherwood in Nottinghamshire, of 

 the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, of Ash- 

 down in Sussex, of Andreds Weald in Kent, and 

 of many more throughout southern, central, and 

 northern England. Most of these ancient forests 

 exist now only in name. Some poor remains of 

 those which did not become stringently protected 

 royal forests are still to be found here and there, 

 but many of them have long ceased to form large 

 "compact masses of woodland. 



A change in the forest laws, and in the game 

 laws in general, was a necessary measure in con- 

 nection with the introduction of the strict Norman 

 feudal system into England. William the Con- 

 queror had not only to reward his supporters in 

 various ways, but he had also to reduce the Saxons 

 to subordinate position and to restrain them, as 

 absolutely as possible, from the use of arms ; and 

 nothing could well have been more effective in this 

 direction than prohibiting them from enjoying the 

 pleasures and profits of the chase. As a matter 

 of policy, as well as of inclination, he confined the 

 right of hunting to himself and to those of his 

 great feudatories upon whom he was gracious 



