Wiltshire Quarter Sessions. 



333 



VI. — Trespass in Pursuit of Game. Licence to Shoot. 

 Worse than such pastimes as slide-thrift, shove-groat, or logating- 

 in-the-fields, was lawless incursion into chase, park, or warren, to 

 the certain disturbance of the deer (exagitatio damarum) and the 

 | probable slaughter of rabbits (necatio cuniculorum) . 



Trespass, not necessarily a part of the gamester's misdoing, was 

 inevitable with the poacher, and is laid as a separate charge in many 

 of the cases which came up for trial under the Game Laws. 

 The entries of these cases vary in particularity. 

 Sometimes the charge is stated simply as a pursuit of game 

 (venatio) , or breaking into a park (parous fr actus) . 



Sometimes the landowner's name occurs, as when John Warner, 

 of Netherhampton, William Hookett, of Wilton, and George Poul- 

 ter, of Winterbome Dauntsey gave bail on a charge of hunting in 

 ' the "warren of the Earl of Pembroke"; or John Ritchman "offered 

 voluntary upon his discharge that he will go to Sir Henry Knivet 

 and be bound in forty pounds not to disturb his game from hence- 

 forth. " The warren of John Mervin, too, is mentioned as having 

 I been forcibly entered by Roger Watkin, of Horningsham, whose 

 J enterprise was rewarded by fines of £10 for the trespass and £10 for 

 killing coneys. 



But in the majority of instances the invaded territory is specified 

 by its own name. 



The forest of Braydon received a sporting visit from Richard 

 Rutter, of Chelworth, Cricklade. 



For hunting coneys at Hilthorp, Henry Barkshire, of Ramsbury, 

 was fined five shillings. 



At the Epiphany Sessions, 18th Elizabeth, William Forty, of 

 "Mylenoll" (in £20), Thomas Heal, of " Weke," and Robert 

 | Brown, of " Rokeley" (in £10 each), gave bail for the appearance 

 : of the first-named at the next sessions, and immediately afterwards 

 i the same Robert Brown aud John Liddiard, of Rockley, became 

 I surety for Robert Liddiard, of " Prsult" under a similar obligation, 

 j So far only the official entry. But by a marginal note the clerk 

 I of the peace takes the reader into his confidence. " Md.," ho re- 

 marks, in reference to the first recognizances, " This Will Forti was 

 vol. xx. — no. lx. z 



