FOREST OF DEAN. 251 
nation and make good their conquest, they should yet 
be sure not to leave a tree standing in the Forest 
of Dean.” Mr. Nicholls, the historian of the Forest» 
says on this, that Evelyn may have heard this story 
from Mr. Secretary Pepys, who might have been 
informed by his friend, Sir John Winter, the grandson 
of Sir William Winter, vice-Admiral of Elizabeth’s fleet, 
and kinsman to Thomas Winter of Huddington, who 
was constantly aiding the Spanish Romanists in their 
intrigues. 
In 1638, we first come across indications that there was 
fear of failure of the supply of timber from this Forest. 
A report was received by the Crown that the trees 
numbered 105,000, containing 62,000 tons of timber, of 
which only 14,000 loads were fit for shipbuilding, as 
the trees were generally decayed and past their full 
growth. By the authority of Sir Bayham Throgmorton 
16,000 acres were ordered to be taken in. The Com- 
moners after some discussion assented, in consideration 
of 4,000 acres being set apart for their own use, in 
different parts of the Forest. Before, however, any- 
thing could be done in this direction, Charles I., in his 
necessities, sold all the mineral rights in the Forest, and 
all the timber trees and underwood in it, to Sir John 
Winter, for £10,000 down, the yearly sum of £16,000 
for six years, and a fee farm rent of £1,950 for ever. 
This act was equivalent to a sale of the Forest, 
though the ownership of the soil was still retained in 
the Crown. The commoners and inhabitants of the 
Forest were greatly dissatisfied; they took advantage 
