40 SYLVA BRITANNICA. 



" When all the woodland nymphs their revels play'd, 

 And footed sportive rings around its shade ; 

 Not fifteen cubits could encompass round 

 The ample trunk on consecrated ground ; 

 As much its height the other trees exceeds, 

 As they o'ertop the grass and humbler weeds." 



" Lo the oake that hath so long a norishing 

 Fro' the time that it ginneth first to spring, 

 And hath so long a life, as we may see, 

 Yet, at the last, wasted is the tree." 



CHAUCER. 



We will now, dismissing these venerable patriarchs 

 of the forest, consider some of their brethren, which, 

 if inferior to them in years and bulk, yet possess 

 equal claims on notice, as being connected with 

 names and incidents familiar in our historical records, 

 or in the traditions of " olden times." The forests 

 of " Merry England" have, from time immemorial, 

 been the scene of bold adventure and romantic inci- 

 dent; from the period when the legions of Caesar 

 disturbed the aged Druids in their secret rites, and 

 the Roman axe invaded the pride of their solemn 

 groves, to the time when the fate-directed arrow of 

 Tyrrel, with retributive justice, smote his heedless 

 and cruel-hearted prince : or to days still more 

 recent, when the horn of the jovial outlaw, Robin 

 Hood, resounded in the greenwood shade, and the 

 adventures and exploits of that peerless wight, 

 mingled with tales of monks, fair dames, chivalrous 

 knights, and distressed damsels, were rife, and of 



