32 



SavernaJce Forest. 



hundred and seventy years ago — in which the bailiff complains to 

 his master that some of his men, set to cut down timber on Sir 

 Thomas's own land, lying within the bounds of Selwood Forest, had 

 cut down two, when they were ordered by the King's bailiff of the 

 forest to stop. It was not that the King claimed either the land or 

 the timber : but the royal beasts, the stags, were losing the pro- 

 tection of the trees, and their peace and rest were being disturbed by 

 felling the timber. The steward did not understand that sort of 

 interruption : so he says, <l I told them, I knew your interest and 

 would have the work go forward. I would not be restrained either 

 by him or any man else, in taking of my master's own to his own 

 use."" Nevertheless he was restrained, until certain permission had 

 been obtained, by a document now on the table, 1 a regular warrant 

 signed by the King's Justice of the Forest, the Earl of Nottingham, 

 to allow Sir Thomas Thynne to cut down his own timber on his own 

 land. This was only one of the many annoyances of those forest laws. 



1 [Translated from the original, in Latin, at LongleatP\ 

 "Charles, Earl of Nottingham, Baron Howard of Effingham, Lord High Admiral of England, 

 Chief Justice and Justice " itinerant" (in Eyre) of all Forests Chaces, Parks and Warrens of our Lord 

 the King on this side Trent To the Keeper or Lieutenant of our Lord the King's forest of Froome 

 Sellwoode in the county of Somerset and to the Verderers, loresters and other officers of the said 

 forest greeting Whereas hy a certificate of the verderers of the said forest beating date 14th 

 September last past it appears that certain parcels of wood or coppice belonging to Thomas Thynne 

 Kt. ca.led Hassell's Hill Coppice lying within the said forest containing by estimation about sixty 

 acres are ready to be cut and carried away and that two hundred trees growing on the land of the 

 said Thomas Thynne called Abbot's Moor within the said forest may be thrown and carried away 

 without damage either to the Vert or Venison Know ye that in consideration thereof I have given 

 and by these presents do give and grant licence full power and authority unto the said Thomas 

 Thynne and his assigns to bargain (" barganizare ") sell, cut and carry away the said coppice wood 

 within three years next following the date of these presents in equal portions and also to throw and 

 carry away the two hundred trees aforesaid during this present year without hindrance from the 

 officers of the forest or any other person whatsoever so that the said cutting and carrying away 

 (" abcarriatio ") be done at seasonable and proper times and not within the fence month nor so as 

 to drive away the wild animals resorting there { il nec ad exitium terarnm") and that the fence 

 ["fensura") round the said coppice be duly maintained according to the laws customs and assizes of 

 the said forest. Given under my seal of office 4th Nov. 1609 in the year of James of England France 

 and Ireland the 7th, of Scotland the 43rd. Per Rich. Bellingham. 



«i Nottingham." 



The following letter, also at Longleat, further illustrates the state of things : — 



The Earl of Pembroke to Sir Thomas Thynne. 

 •'Good Sr. Thomas. There is a request made, onto me to give way that Mr. John Symmes may 

 procure a lycence to cutt down two Trees upon every Acre of his own land within the Forest of 

 Sellwood, which will amount in all to the number of 2400 trees. And because his Land is within 

 that part of the Forest which is under your charge, besides that this cannot be done without a 

 certificate from you, as Verdurer, that so msny may be spared conveniently without prejudice to the 

 game, I have thought fit to entreat your opinion before-hand, desiring you to signify it unto me. 



"Yr. assured Loveiug Friend 

 " Baynard's Castle " Pembroke " 



27 April. 1615," 



