48 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 
people suffered at the hands of the nobles. The 
perambulations of the forests had thrown many 
disafforested lands into the hands of certain 
barons, who gained personally; but they ground 
down their tenants so much, that the latter 
wished their lands to become part and parcel 
of the royal forest again, in order to secure their 
former rights of pasture and common; and this 
was secured to them, if they wished such a 
privilege, under the new ordinance. 
There was no fresh legislation during Edward 
II.’s reign; but as soon as Edward III. ascended 
the throne, in 1327, pressure was again success- 
fully applied in amending the still vexatious 
laws. The statute then passed regulated still 
more definitely the procedure at the Swainmote, 
and ordained ‘that henceforth no Man shall be 
taken nor imprisoned for Vert or Venison, unless 
he be taken with the manner, or manouvre, that 
is to say, as regards Vert, either in cutting or 
carrying it away, and as to Venison, in being 
taken in Stable-stand, Dog-draw, Bloody-hand, or 
Back-bear, as the various terms were for lying 
in wait for, chasing, breaking up, and carrying 
off the royal deer. Another statute, also passed 
