OF THE FOREST LAWS. 257 



year of his reign, at which time, in regard this grievance was 

 not particularly injurious unto a small number, or the meanest 

 persons, but generally to all degrees of people, divers noblemen 

 and gentlemen finding a convenient opportunity, repaired to the 

 king, and besought him to grant unto them, that they might 

 have all those new afforestations that were made by Henry II. 

 Richard I. and himself, disafforested again : all which king 

 John seemed not willing to do, but promised to grant accordingly, 

 and at last consented to subscribe and seal to such articles con- 

 cerning the liberties of the forest, which they then demanded, 

 being for the most part, in such sort, as are now contained in 

 the charter of the forest of the said king John, dated at Run- 

 Jngse-mede, or Ryme-mead (Runnymede, between Staines and 

 Windsor, the 15th of June, in the eighteenth year of his reign.) 

 But before any disafforestation was made upon this grant, 

 king John died at Newark Castle, in Nottinghamshire. 



After whose death, Henry III. his eldest son, at the age or 

 nine years, succeeded to the throne, so that by reason of his 

 minority, nothing was done until the ninth year of his reignj at 

 which time the two charters were made, and confirmed by the 

 said Henry III. called Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta, 

 and caused to be sent into every county throughout the king- 

 dom, to be published and proclaimed. 



And for the better accomplishing and performing of those 

 articles of Charta de Foresta, as concerned the disafforestation of 

 such woods and lands as were afforested by Henry II. Richard I. 

 and king John, the said Henry III. ordered inquisitions to be 

 taken by substantial juries for severing the new forests from the 

 old ; and thereupon two commissioners were sent to take those 

 inquisitions, by virtue whereof many great woods and lands 

 were not only disafforested, but improved to arable land by the 

 owners thereof. So that now, after this charter thus made and 



confirmed, some of these new afforestations were perambulated, 

 y 3 



