OF SELBORNE. 35 



don), ofturning all live stock on the forest, 

 at proper seasons, bidentibus exceptis.* 

 The reason, I presume, why sheept are 

 excluded is, because, being such close 

 grazers, they would pick out all the 

 finest grasses, and hinder the deer from 

 thriving. 



Though (by statute 4 and 5 W. and 

 Mary) c. 23, *' to burn on any waste, be- 

 *' tween Candlemasdiud Midsummer, any 

 " grig, ling, heath and furze, goss or fern, 

 '* is punishable with whipping and con- 

 " finement in the house of correction ;" 

 yet, in this forest, about March or April, 

 according to the dryness of the season, 

 such vast heath-fires are lighted up, that 

 they often get to a masterless head, and, 

 catching the hedges, have sometimes been 

 communicated to the underwoods, woods 

 and coppices, where great damage has en- 

 sued. The plea for these burnings is, that, 



* For this privilege the owner of that estate used 

 to pay to the king annually seven bushels of oats. 



+ In The Holt, where a full stock of fallow-deer 

 has been kept up till lately, no sheep are admitted 

 to this dav. D 2 



