Communicated by Miss M. Eyre Matcham, of Ncwhouse. 293 



" I mentioned to you that I remembered the holding of a Commission at 

 Shaftesbury about the Bounds of the Chace, when I was a School Boy There, 

 about the Year 1734 or 1735 — but by looking into Hutchens I see, that 29th 

 of July, 1732, at Dorchester Assizes that Dispute was determined — now if 32 

 was the year, I was not then at School at Shaftesbury, not going thither till 

 the Autumn of 1733 — in Case Mr. H. is correct I must have been there on a 

 Visit to my Kelations, for I well remember seeing Mr. Harry Bower at the 

 George Gateway, when the Commission was holding — I desire therefore You 

 will set me right in the Date — i.e., if 32 was the year the Cause was determined 

 at Dorchester — but if Mr. H. has given an erroneous sera — what year was 

 that Commission held at Shaftesbury ? 



" I think you mentioned that Mr. I.-L-s. of Aston was very possitive and 

 circumstantial on Points touching the Boundaries — I have known Mr. I. L. 

 his Father and Brother (who were both renowned Deer-Hunters) above Fifty 

 years. Would then the following Questions be improper to ask Him ? — 

 do you know, or have you ever heard that your Father was a renowned 

 Deer-Hunter ? (now called Stealer) — have you never heard y r Father relate 

 his Exploits, in Cap and Jack in Cranborne Chace ? — if this happened before 

 your memory — you must well remember your Brother John was a great 

 Deer-Hunter ? — did you never accompany Him ? (I think He has) do you 

 recollect any Instances of the Keepers with a Warrant and Tythingman, 

 searching for Venison in any of the Parishes about the Chace ? and on their 

 finding any Venison, that the Person, in whose Custody It was found, being 

 convicted ? and at the Searches that the Keepers took and carried away Dogs, 

 Nets, and other Toils, (these are Facts He must have heard of or known) — 

 if no Instance of their searching ever happened to your knowledge — you must 

 have repeatedly heard that the Keepers had at times in the several Parishes 

 made such Searches, and whenever they found any Skin or Venison, the Owner 

 of the. Barn, Stable, or House where found, being carried before a Justice of 

 the Peace, and convicted ! You know also that the Deer hunters secreted 

 their Venison under an apprehension of a Visit from the Keepers (He cannot 

 deny It). 



"I think S r . you said that many Witnesses would appear on the same 

 Proof with Mr. I. L. the same questions put to every one of Them will prove 

 either from their knowledge, or from a general Tradition, or Eeport, that the 

 Keepers have at sundry Times Searched for Venison in the adjoining Parishes, 

 and when found, Convictions have been the Consequence — now from the 

 Keepers exercising this Power and the Justices convicting when Venison 

 was found — is a clear Demonstration that those Parishes and Places were 

 deemed to lie within Cranborn Chace. 



" Surely S r Convictions for Venison found in the Parishes, or for hunting 

 or killing in the W T oods lying in Wiltshire must be found on a careful search 

 — I recommend a nice Search from about 1710 to 1730. 



" I think you said that it was given out, that as often as Deer came down 

 into the Parishes They were killed in Open Day. I believe such Cases seldom 

 happened — and whenever one did, I'm pretty confident, that 'twas not as a 

 matter of Eight, but that the Party knew he had none, and also did it in such 

 a manner (hugger-mugger) as discovered He was conscious He had none, 



