OF THE FOREST LAWS. 251 



Next in degree above the court of attachments, is the court 

 of swainmote, though much inferior to the justice seat of the 

 forest : for when the presentments of the court of attachments 

 and the court of swainmote have had their proceedings, accord- 

 ing to the assizes and laws of the forest, yet cannot the court of 

 swainmote determine the same, or assess fines for any offences 

 contained in such presentments, or give judgment thereupon 

 (other than to pronounce them convicted.) But such present- 

 ments and convictions must be delivered in to the lord justice in 

 eyre of the forest, the court of justice seat, on the first day of 

 sitting of the said court, when the same are called for, according 

 to the laws and ordinances of the forest : the swainmote is a 

 court unto which all the freeholders within the forest do owe suit 

 and service. 



The next is the most supreme court of the forest, called the 

 justice-seat, or general sessions, wherein the lord chief justice, 

 or lord justice, doth sit ; for unto hirn it only belongs to give 

 judgment in this court of all offences, and to assess fines, and 

 punish offenders, this court being as the fountain head, unto 

 which the other court of attachments and swainmote are but 

 (as it were) two conduit pipes to convey the matter and causes 

 of the forest, that from thence judgment may be had, and given 

 thereupon. 



The office of lord chief justice of the forest, is a place of great 

 honour and authority, executed always by some of the chiefest 

 of the nobility, who is of the king's privy council. When he is 

 made lord chief justice in eyre of the forest by the king's special 

 commission, he hath, by that means, as great authority as any 

 justice of oyer and terminer hath to hear and determine matters 

 of common law, if not greater : for then he may punish all tres- 

 passes and offences of the forest according to the laws of the 

 same, and may hear and determine all claims touching the liber- 

 ties and franchises within the forest, as to such as have parks, 



