THE NEW FOREST DEER 75 



if not severely let alone; nor was rank or 

 position always a protection. 



In the pleas of juries and assizes held in the 

 fortieth year of Henry III (generally at Win- 

 chester), Nigel de Bokland, Simon de Ernewoode, 

 and John Ernys, verderer, and foresters, of the 

 New Forest, presented that Avice, Countess de 

 Insula, in returning from the Court of the Lady 

 the Queen, on Monday next before the Conversion 

 of St. Paul 37 Henry III took in the Forest 

 two deer [bestias], therefore let the matter be 

 discussed before the King." 



Nor were the princes of the Church above 

 helping themselves to the venison of their 

 superior Lord the King, for at the same assizes 

 it was presented and found that " On the vigil 

 of Saints Tyburcius and Vallerianus, William 

 Russel, with a horse carrying the saddle of a 

 convert of Beaulieu named William, then keeper 

 of the Grange of the Abbot of Beaulieu of 

 Harisforde (Hertford), with three grey hounds, 

 entered the Forest and slipped them [amissavit] 

 after the game of the Lord the King. The 

 foresters arrived, and William fled, leaving the 

 horse and greyhounds, to a spinney. The 

 foresters delivered the horse and greyhounds to 

 John de Buttesthorn, steward of the Forest. 

 The Sheriff is ordered to cause the Abbot to 



