250 OF THE FOREST LAWS. 



Which rigorous execution of the forest laws continued during 

 the life of Henry the second, and both the reigns of Richard the 

 first and king John ; every one of which kings did daily increase 

 those oppressions, by making more new forests in the lands of 

 their subjects, to their great impoverishment. 



And this mischief was not at all remedied until the making of 

 Charta de Foresta by Henry the third, published in the ninth 

 year of his reign, which was afterwards confirmed and enlarged 

 by Edward the first, his son ; whereby it is provided, that all 

 forests that Henry the third, Richard the first, and king John 

 had forested and made of the land, meadows, pastures, or woods 

 of any of their subjects (being not the demeasn lands of the crown) 

 should be disafforested again. For those three kings last men- 

 tioned, had (in their times) afforested so much of their subjects' 

 lands, that the greatest part of the kingdom was then converted 

 into forests. 



FOREST COURTS, &c. 



There be three principal courts usually kept for matters of the 

 forest, viz. the court of attachments, the court of swainmote, and 

 the high court of the lord justice in eyre of the forest, called the 

 justice-seat ; being each of them of a several and different nature. 



The court of attachments is the most inferior of them all, for 

 therein the officers do nothing but receive the attachments of the 

 foresters, and enrol them in the verderors* rolls, that they may be 

 in readiness against the time that the court of swainmote is kept ; 

 and for that this court cannot detennine any offence or trespass, 

 if the value thereof be above 4d. 



