OF FOREST-TREES. 



275 



unless for its being applicable to all sorts in common ; for heretofore (as CHAP. VI. 



Strabo tells us) the ancient inhabitants of this island's security was their 

 woods, instead of cities and towns, as still they are among the people of 

 the uncultivated America : nor doubtless was our superb and stately me- 

 tropolis any other ; from whence some derive its name, turning den only 

 into don ; whilst, since our remembrance, the whole city was (till the 

 late dreadful conflagration) a wooden city, almost entirely built of wood 

 and timber. 



Woodland in Warwickshire (says the same learned antiquary) was an- 

 ciently called Arden, importing the same in British ; from whence our 

 own forest of Dean (Danica Silva) might probably derive its name, and 

 Diana Nemorensis be found under the British Ardwena and Ardoina : 

 But dismissing these conjectures, we now come to the subject of this 

 chapter, as it more immediately concerns our common law, and some of 

 other nations, which we shall deduce in this order. 



From the time of Edward IV. were enacted many excellent laws for 

 the planting, securing, cutting, and ordering of woods, coppices, and un- 

 derwoods, as then they took cognizance of them, together with the several 

 penalties upon the infringers, especially from the 17th of Hen.VIII. 25th, 

 &c. confirmed by the 13th and 27th of Q. Eliz. cap. xxv, xix, &c. which 

 are diligently to be consulted, revived, put in execution, and enlarged 

 where any defect is apparent ; as in particular, the act of exempting 

 timber of twenty-two years' growth from tithe, for a longer period, to 

 render it complete and more effectual to improvement ; and that law 

 repealed, by which Willows, Sallows, Osiers, &c. (which they term 

 Sub-hois) are reputed but as weeds. 



Several punishments havelately been ordained against our wood-stealers, 

 destroyers of young trees, &c. By an ancient law of some nation, I read, 

 he forfeited his hand, who beheaded a tree without permission of the 

 owner ; and I cannot say they are sharp ones, when I compare the severity 

 of our laws against mare-stealers ; nor am I by inclination the least cruel, 

 but I do affirm, we might as weU live without mares, as without masts 

 and ships, which are our wooden, but no less profitable horses. 



And here we cannot but perstringe those riotousassembliesof idlepeople, 

 who, under pretence of going a-maying, as they term it, do oftentimes 



