FORESTRY 



known as Abbots Wood. In connexion with the iron-working in the forest it is worth notice 

 that certain burgesses of Bristol, 1 when they came into the forest to buy iron, commonly arranged 

 with the poachers to supply them with venison. 



Some of the clergy, secular and regular, lent their countenance to evildoers of the laity 

 and shared an amiable weakness for unlawful venison. One notorious poacher,' Jordan Hok, 

 who was dead in 1270, had supplied the prior of Lanthony and his subjects, and been 

 harboured by them. In consequence the prior was imprisoned till he paid a fine of 20 marks. 

 Jordan had also found shelter with Brother Gervase, ' preceptor * at the Templars' house at 

 Garway, who was his accomplice in these deeds. Furthermore the abbot of Tintern * kept a 

 band of poachers, whom Nicholas, prior of Striguil, occasionally harboured. The abbot of 

 Tintern, 4 moreover, had dug a pond and erected a mill between the forest bounds and the 

 Earl Marshal's lands of Striguil, so that deer no longer came out of the earl's domains into the 

 king's forest as they were wont, and the mill was harbour for ill-doers. At Lydney * the 

 canons of Hereford habitually sheltered poachers at their house there, and when it was raided 

 by the officers they found half a deer (bestia) hidden in the straw which had been brought 

 thither from a well-known poacher, Walter Kappe, by William, reputed a chaplain of the 

 Bishop of Llandaff; the other half had been sent to the Dean of Hereford, who, with the 

 precentor and chancellor, shared in these exploits ; while one of the canons,* Thomas de Ingoldes- 

 thorp, when granted five deer by the king allowed his men to take at least two more. 



The pleas of the forest of the next eyre of 1282 are recorded very fully, and throw 

 considerable light on the customs of Dean. The signature of trees for sale is referred to in 

 several entries. Hugh le Bowewrite 1 of Bicknor sealed three oaks in the bailiwick of Staunton 

 * with a certain false seal at the time of the sale in the forest, which, however, he did not fell.' 

 William Wytebred of Alyaston was found in the forest carrying a ' certain seal cut off from an 

 oak previously sealed for sale (prius signata figilla vendicionis) which he wished to place on 

 another oak," but he was forgiven ; while Adam, 8 the reeve of St. Briavel, who as one of the 

 sellers was carrying a seal * when his fellows were in the forest, went on his own account and 

 made John the Clerk, of Dean, sound a horn and meanwhile sealed a certain oak fraudulently in the 

 king's wood. John his accomplice was then clerk to the sellers. 



In one 10 case of trespass against the vert certain offenders were attached while carrying away 

 four oaks on four waggons drawn by thirty-two oxen. This timber was claimed as housbote and 

 heybote for the parsonage of Awre by its rector Henry de Mauley, who had died before the time 

 of the eyre. The justices, however, refused to admit the claim and fined his agents. 



The famous chestnut wood is mentioned in several cases. Ralf of Abbenhale, 11 and his 

 forester John of Penyard, swore that one Roger de Bosco had been caught during the night of 

 Christmas eve trespassing therein with a hauling-team of six oxen. Roger stoutly denied that 

 his visit was after nightfall, alleging a previous quarrel with Ralf to account for the charge, 

 and this version was borne out by the verderers, foresters, and Serjeants. So Ralf was convicted 

 of a false indictment, though Roger did not escape punishment for his trespass on the demesne, 

 being sentenced to prison and only enlarged on paying 41. fine. In another case Ralf Cole 

 actually was caught by night ' cum quadam coxa castanearum ' and a team of six oxen, and it is 

 ominously recorded that the verderers had valued the oxen, and Walter de Snapes the constable will 

 account for their price. Furthermore, the famous ' chestnut grove ' ls had been much deteriorated, 

 by bad management, and thirty-four ' cippi ' had been felled worth is. or 3*. each. There had 

 also been great waste and many malpractices as to the vert in other parts of the forest, Ralf de 

 Abbenhale, forester in fee, being a conspicuous offender. Charcoal-burning and itinerant forges, 

 of which last at least sixty proprietors are named, were still grievously complained of. In many 

 places the undergrowth was greatly destroyed so that it would scarcely grow again. As to the 

 timber, the bailiff declared he cut trees in the winter for the support of the deer ; but the 

 regarders pointed out that it was needless to cut so many or so valuable trees, as the undergrowth 

 would have been sufficient. The truth was that there existed an extensive illicit trade in timber 

 and underwood stolen from the forest, and lists " are given of boat owners plying to Bristol 

 and elsewhere and ready to ferry purchasers to or from the western bank of the Severn. 



Forest Proc. Tr. of Rec. No. 29, m. 5 J. ' Ibid. m. 4. 



Ibid. m. 5. * Ibid. m. 7 J. 



Ibid. m. 5. ' Ibid. m. 6. 



Ibid. No. 30, m. 3 J. ' Ibid. m. 4. 



In a mutilated account of Ralf de Sandwich as constable of the castle of St. Briavel, 4 Edw. I, under the 

 heading of Expenses' we read : ' In uno sigillo faciendo ad vendicionem bosce 1 8 [d?] '; Mins. Accts. 

 (P.R.O.). 



" Forest Proc. Tr. of Rec. No. 30, m. 2. 



" Ibid. m. 4. Compare for cases of trespass in respect to 'special vert' P.C.H. Essex ii, ' Forestry.* 



"Ibid. m. 17. u Ibid. m. 19. 



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