1 4 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 



confiscation of the property of those who had 

 fought unsuccessfully, under King Harold, against 

 the Normans at the battle of Hastings. 



The new doctrine was also at the same time 

 introduced, that hunting was a pastime of kings, 

 and that the right of pursuing and taking beasts 

 of chase and venery, and all other animals 

 accounted as game, belonged only to the king, 

 or to such alone as were authorised by him to 

 exercise a privilege in this respect. All such 

 animals were held to be bona vacantia or * owner- 

 less property,' and therefore belonged to the king 

 by royal prerogative. Thus, under the principles 

 of the feudal law, the king had the right of pur- 

 suit and capture anywhere, while the common 

 law was manipulated by forgery of the supposi- 

 titious charter of Canute in such a way as to 

 convey a sole and exclusive right in them to 

 the king and to persons authorised by him. 



This usurpation of presumed royal rights under 

 English common law and the introduction of 

 feudal principles were exercised with ruthless 

 rigour and cruel harshness. Not only did the 

 ancient royal woodlands become jealously-pre- 

 served crown forests, but large tracts of land 



