26 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 



locality, and ordering a perambulation of the 

 same to be carried out. This perambulation 

 being returned, certified, and recorded, a writ was 

 issued to the local sheriff, ordering proclamation 

 throughout the county that the land in question 

 had been afforested, and that no one might hence- 

 forth hunt there. Until forest officers were ap- 

 pointed by the king, however, the tract remained 

 only a Chase (Chaceus\ or sanctuary for beasts of 

 venery and other wild animals. As such the 

 right of hunting there could be conferred on sub- 

 jects, whereas it was only a Forest (Foresta) when 

 retained by the king for his own use and recrea- 

 tion. A Forest differed from a Chase in the three 

 matters of having particular laws, certain officers, 

 and particular courts for executing these laws ; 

 a Chase was usually smaller than a Forest. A 

 Park (Parcus) was also a place of sanctuary for 

 wild beasts of all descriptions, but it differed from 

 a Chase in being enclosed, while it was usually 

 smaller in extent. If left open in place of being 

 kept properly enclosed, it was liable to seizure by 

 the king as a free chase. Hence, when such 

 tracts or portions of chases were granted to 

 subjects, license to impark was given at the same 



