178 THE NEW FOREST 



But from ancient books on hunting we know 

 that in the Middle Ages the practice of hunting 

 deer "at force" that is, with a swift pack of 

 hounds that can run him down had become 

 popular on the Continent ; but we have not precise 

 records of the date when the practice became 

 general in England, and in the Forest. Indeed 

 there is very little to be found about hunting in 

 the New Forest in those early times. We find 

 plenty to show how rigidly the deer were pro- 

 tected and preserved to the King's use. Neither 

 the Forest nor the deer were thus conserved except 

 for purposes of sport, and we may take it for 

 granted that plenty of royal hunting went on, 

 though I cannot quote chapter and verse for it, 

 without more research than I have given to this 

 matter. 



We find in Stuart times more regular records. 

 In 1638 is a return of the sale of timber "em- 

 ployed for making of bridges and causeways to 

 secure His Majestie riding over the boggs and 

 moores there and not being otherwise used to 

 the said waste." For what can His Majesty 

 have used them save for the chase ? 



How many of us have hastily galloped, per- 

 spiring in hot chase, across these most convenient 

 little passages and causeways without giving a 

 thought to the noble King who had them con- 



