THE ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE 213 



Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and Richard, Duke of York, 

 say my evidences, were both, in their turns, wardens of 

 Woolmer-forest, which seems to have served for an ap- 

 pointment for the younger princes of the royal family, 

 as it may again. 



I have intentionally mentioned Edward III. and the 

 dukes Humphrey and Richard, before king Edward II., 

 because I have reserved, for the entertainment of my 

 readers, a pleasant anecdote respecting that prince, with 

 which I shall close this letter. 



As Edward II. was hunting on Woolmer-forest, Morris 

 Ken, of the kitchen, fell from his horse several times, at 

 which accidents the king laughed immoderately ; and, 

 when the chase was over, ordered him twenty shillings, 1 

 an enormous sum for those days ! Proper allowances 

 ought to be made for the youth of this monarch, whose 

 spirits also, we may suppose, were much exhilarated by 

 the sport of the day ; but, at the same time, it is reason- 

 able to remark that, whatever might be the occasions of 

 Kens first fall, the subsequent ones seem to have been 

 designed. The scullion appears to have been an artful 

 fellow, and to have seen the king's foible, which furnishes 

 an early specimen of that his easy softness and facility of 

 temper, of which the infamous Gaveston took such advan- 

 tages, as brought innumerable calamities on the nation, 

 and involved the prince at last in misfortunes and suffer- 

 ings too deplorable to be mentioned, without horror and 

 amazement. 



1 "Item, paid at the lodge at Woolmer, when the king was stag-hunting 

 there, to Morris Ken, of the kitchen, because he rode before the king and often 

 fell from his horse, at which the king laughed exceedingly a gift by command, 

 of twenty shillings." A MS. in possession of Thomas Astle, Esq., containing the 

 private expenses of Edward II. [G. W.] 



