Ban Forests. 313 



Germans, under which territory for the king's special 

 pleasure in the chase was set aside as 'forest', and this 

 exclusive right and privilege was on other territory 

 extended to the vassals, while the commoners were 

 excluded from the exercise of hunting privileges on 

 these grounds. 



The Normans not only increased the lands under 

 'ban', but they increased also in a despotic manner 

 the penalties and punishments for infraction of the 

 forest laws, and enforced them more stringently than 

 was done on the continent. The feudal system was 

 developed to its utmost. Besides 'forests', in which 

 the king alone had exclusive rights, and in which a 

 code of special laws, administered under special courts, 

 was applied, there were set aside 'chases', hunting 

 reserves without the pale of the forest laws; 'parks', 

 smaller, enclosed hunting grounds; and 'warrens', 

 privileged by royal grant or prescription as preserves 

 for small game. Whole villages were wiped out, or 

 lived almost in bondage to satisfy this taste for 

 sport. In the 'forests', of which in Elizabeth's time 

 not less than 75 distinct ones were enumerated, with- 

 drawing an immense area from free use, both 'vert' 

 and 'venison', — wood and game, — belonged to the 

 king; a host of officers, — stewards, verderers, forest- 

 ers, regarders, agistors, woodwards, — exercised police 

 duties, and oppressed and ground the people by 

 extortions, while special courts, — 'woodmote', 'swain- 

 mote', 'court of justice seat', — enforced the savage 

 and cruel laws. The first of these laws was supposed 

 to date from Canute the Great, in 1016, but was event- 

 ually found to be a forgery perpetrated by William I 



