OF THE FOREST LAWS. 



instructive, I trust there needs no farther apology for their intro- 

 duction : . 



I, Canutus, king, with the advice of my nobility, do make and 

 establish, that both peace and justice be done to all the 

 churches of England, and that every offender suffer according 

 to his quality and the manner of his offence. 



1. There shall be, from henceforth, four, out of the best of 

 the freemen, who have their accustomed rights secure, (whom the 

 English call poegened) constituted in every province in my 

 kingdom, to distribute justice, together with due punishment, as 

 to the matters of the forest, to all my people, as well English as 

 Danish, throughout my whole kingdom of England, which four 

 we think fit to call the chief men of the forest ; (now called ver- 

 derors.) 



2. There shall be under every one of these, four out of the 

 middle sort of men (whom the English call lespegend, and the 

 Danes, young men) placed, who shall take upon them the care 

 and charge as well of the vert as the venison , (now called re- 

 garders.) 



3. Again, under every one of these, shall be two of the 

 meaner sort of men, whom the English call tine men; these shall 

 take care of the vension and vert by night, and undergo other 

 servile offices, (now called foresters, or keepers.) 



4?. Also, every one of the chief men, or verderors, shall have 

 every year out of our ward (which the English call michni) two 

 horses, the one with a saddle, the other without ; one sword, five 

 lances, one head-piece, one shield ; and two hundred shillings of 

 silver. 



5. Every one of* the middle sort of men, or regarders, one 

 horse, one lance, one shield, and sixty shillings of silver. 



6. Every one of the meaner sort of men, or foresters, one 

 lance, one cross-bow, and fifteen shillings of silver. 



7. That all of them, as well chief men or verderors, middle 



