2.15. ¶Of Parkes and Warrens. Cap. 15.

¶Of Parkes and Warrens. Cap. 15.

[1] IN euery ſhyre of Englande there is great plentye of Parkes, whereof ſome here and there appertaine vnto the Prince, the reſt to ſuch of the Nobilitye and Gentlemen, as haue their lands and patrimony lying néere vnto ye ſame. I would gladly haue ſet downe the iuſt number of theſe incloſures, to bée founde in euery countye, but ſith I can not ſo doe, it ſhall ſuffiſe to ſay, that in Kent and Eſſex only are to the number of an hundred, where in great plentie of fallowe Déere is cheriſhed and kept. As for Warrens of Co|nies, I iudge thẽ almoſt innumerable, & dai|ly like to increſe, by reaſõ that ye black ſkins of thoſe beaſts are thought to counteruaile, ye priſes of their naked carkaſes, & this is the onely cauſe why the gray are leſſe eſtéemed. Néere vnto London their quyckeſt mar|chaundiſe is of the yong rabets, wherfore ye [...] of, where there is [...] of Rabbet [...] [...] [...] l [...]ſſe by their [...] they are [...] to grow vp to theſe [...] greatneſſe wt [...]. Our [...] are generally [...] wyth ſtrong [...] of [...], of which [...] there [...] from time to tyme [...] the main|ta [...] of the ſayde [...], and ſafe kée [...]g of the [...] about the countrey. The [...] of th [...]ſe [...] in lyke maner [...] a walke of foure or fiue myles, and [...] more or [...], whereby it is to be [...] what ſtore of ground to employed vpon that [...] which bringeth no [...] of ga [...]e or [...] to the owner, ſith they [...] giue awaye their fleſhe, [...] penny for the ſame, becauſe [...] england is nei|ther bought [...] by the tight owner, but maintained only for hys pleaſure, to the no ſmal decay of huſbandry, & [...] of mankinde. For where in times paſt, many large and welthy occupiers, were dwelling within the compaſſe of ſome one parke, and therby great plenty of corne & cattell ſéene and to be [...] amongſt them, [...] a more copious [...] of huma [...]ne iſſue, wher|by the realme [...] alwaies [...] furniſhe [...] with able [...] ſerue the [...] in his [...]: n [...]w there is almoſt [...] kept but a ſort of wilde & ſauage [...] for pleaſure and delite, and yet the owners ſtyll deſirous to enlarge thoſe groundes, doe not let daily to take in more, affirming that we haue already to great ſtore of people in eng|land, and that youth by [...] to ſoone doe nothing [...] the countrey but [...]ll it full of beggers.

[1] [2] Certes if it be not one curſe of the Lorde,The de|caie of the people is the deſtruc+tion of a kingdome, neyther is any man borne to poſſeſſe the earth a|lone. to haue our countrey conuerted in ſuch ſorte from the [...] of mankinde, into the walkes and ſhrowdes of [...], I know not what is any. How many [...] alſo theſe great and ſmall ga [...]es (for ſo moſt kéepers call them) haue eaten vp, & are like|ly hereafter to deuoure, ſome men may con|iecture, but many more lamẽt: ſith there is no hope of reſtraint to be looked for in this be|half, but if a man may preſẽtly giue a geſſe at ye vniuerſality of this euill by contemplation of the circumſtances, he ſhall ſaye at ye laſt, that the twentieth parte of the realme is imployed vpon Déere and C [...]ntes already, which ſéemeth very much, if it be duely con|ſidered of. We had no Parkes [...] Englande before the [...] of the Normanes, wh [...] added this calamity alſo to the ſeruitude of [page 99] our nation, making men of the beſt ſort fur|thermore to become kéeper [...] of their game; whileſt they lyued in the meane time vppon the ſpoyle of their reue [...]ues, and daily [...] threw townes villages, & an infinite ſort of families, for the maintenance of their Vene|ry. Neyther was any park ſ [...]ppoſed in theſe times to be ſtately enough, th [...] conteined not at the leaſt eyght or [...]enne hidelandes, that is ſo many hundred acres, or families, or as they haue béene alwaies called in ſome places of the Realme, carr [...]eat [...]s or cart|wares, of which one was ſufficient in olde time to maintaine an honeſt Ye [...]man.

[1] [2] It ſhould ſée me that forreſts haue alwaies béene had and religiouſly preſerued in thys Iſlande for the ſolace of the Prince, and re|creation of his nobilitie: howbeit I read not that euer they were incloſed more then at this preſent, or otherwiſe fenced then by vſu|al notes of limitacion, wherby their bounds were remembred from time to tyme for the better preſeruation of ſuch [...]e [...]ery and vert of all ſortes as were nouriſhed in the ſame. Neyther are any of the auncient lawes pre|ſcribed for their maintaynaunce before the dais of Canutus now to be had, ſith time hath ſo dealt with them, that they are periſhed & loſt. Canutus therfore ſéeing the daily ſpoyle that was made in all places of his game, dyd at the laſt make ſundrie Sanctions and De|crées, whereby from thenceforth the red and fallow déere, were better looked vnto thorow out his whole Dominiõs. We haue in theſe dayes diuers forreſtes in England & Wales as Waltham forreſt, Winſor, Pickering, Fecknam, Delamore, Deane, Penriſe, and many other nowe cleane out of my remem|braunce, and which although they are farre greater in circuit then many Parckes and Warrennes, yet are they in this our tyme leſſe deuourers of the people then theſe later, ſith beſide much tillage, many Townes are founde in eache of them, whereas in Parkes and Warrẽns we haue nothing elſe then ei|ther the kéepers lodge, or at the leſt wiſe the manour place of the chiefe Lorde, & owner of the ſoyle. I coulde ſay more of forreſtes and the aforeſayde incloſures, but it ſhall ſuffice at this time to haue ſayde ſo much as is ſet downe alreadie. Howbeit that I may reſtore one antiquitie to light, which hath hytherto lyen as it were raked vp in the embers of obliuion, I will gyue out the ſame Lawes that Canutus made for his forreſt, whereby many thinges ſhall be diſcloſed concerning the ſame (wherof peraduẽture ſome lawiers haue no knowledge) & diuers other notes ga|thered touching the ancient eſtate of ye real [...] not to be founde in other. But before I [...] with the great charter, ( [...] you [...] perceyue [...]s i [...] many places imperfit by rea|ſon of corruption cropt in by length of tyme, not by me to be reſtored) I will [...] other driefe law, which he made [...] fi [...]ſt [...] of his reigne at Wincheſter, and afterward inſerted into theſe his latter conſtitutio [...] Canone 32. and beginneth [...] his [...] Saxon tongue.

I will that [...]. &c. I will and graunt that eache one ſhal be [...] of ſuch venery as he by hunting can take ey|ther in the p [...]aynes or in the [...], or with in his owne ſée or dominiõ (out of the [...]) but eache man ſhall abſtaine from [...] v [...]n [...]|rie in euery pla [...]e, where I will that my be [...]|ſ [...]es ſhall haue [...] pea [...]e: and quietneſſe vpõ paine to forfaict ſo much as [...] forfaict. Hytherto the ſtatute made by the a|foreſayde Canutus, which was afterward [...] confirmed by king Edwarde ſurnamed the confeſſour in the fourth yeare of his reign [...].

2.15.1. Incipiunt constitutiones Canuti re|gis de Forreſta.

Incipiunt constitutiones Canuti re|gis de Forreſta.

[1] HAe ſunt ſanctiones de forreſta, quas ego Canutus rex cum confilio primariorum hominum meorum condo & facio, vt conctis regni noſtri Angliae eccleſijs & pax & Iuſtitia fiat, & vt omnis delinquens ſecundum mo|dum delicti, & delinquentis fortunam patia|tur.

[1] 1. [...] Sint iam deinceps quatuor ex liberaliori|bus hominibus qui habent ſaluas ſuas debitas conſuetudines (quos Angli pegened appellãt) in qualibet regni mei prouincia conſt [...]euti, a [...]l Iuſtitiam diſtr [...]buendam vna cum pena merita & materijs forreſtae cuncto populo meo, [...] Anglis quam Danis per totum regnum me [...] Angliae, quos quatuor primarios forreſtae ap|pellandos cenſemus.

[1] 2. Sint ſub quolibet horum, quatuor ex me|diocribus hominibus (quos Angli Leſpegen [...], [...] nuncupant, Dani vero young men vocant) [...]o|cati, qui curam & onus tum viridis tum ven [...]|ris ſuſcipiant.

[1] 3. In adminiſtranda autem Iuſticia nuilla [...]| [...]rus volo vt tales ſe intromittant: mediocteſ tales poſt ferarum curam ſuſceptam, pro libe|ralibus ſemper habeantur, [...] quos Dani Ealder|men appellant.

[1] 4. [...] Sub liorum iterum quolibet ſunt duo minutorũ hominũ quos Tineman Angli di|cunt [page 90] hi nocturnam curam & veneris & viridis tum ſeruilia opera ſubibunt.

[1] 5. Si talis minutus ſeruus fuerit, tam cito quam in forneſta noſtra locabitur, liber eſto, omneſ hos ex ſumptibus noſtris manutene|bimus.

[1] 6. Habeat etiam quilibet primariorũ quo|libet anno de noſtra warda quam Michni An|gli appellant, [...]hni. duos equos, vnum cum ſella, al|terum ſine ſella, vnũ gladium quin lanceas, vnum cuſpidẽ, vnum ſcutum & ducentos ſo|lidos argenti.

[1] 7. Mediocrium quilibet vnum equum, vnã lanceam, vnum ſcutum & 60, ſolidos argenti.

[1] 8. Minutorum quilibet, vna [...] lanceam, v|nam arcubaliſtam & 15. ſolidos argenti.

[1] 9. Sint omnes tam primarij, quam medio|cres, & minuti, immunes, liberi, & quieti ab omnibus prouincialibus ſummonitionibus, & popularibus placitis, [...]dred [...] quae Hundred lagbe Angli dicunt, & ab omnibus armorũ oneribus quod Warſcot Angli dicunt & forinceſis querelis.

[1] 10. Sint mediocrium & minutorum cauſae & earum correctiones tam criminalium quam ciuilium per prouidam ſapientiam & rationẽ primariorum Iudicate & deciſae: primariorum vero enormia ſi quaefuerint (ne ſcelus aliquod remaneat inultum) noſmet in ira noſtra regali puniemus.

[1] 11. Habeant hi quatuor vnam regalem po|teſtatem (ſalua nobis noſtra preſentia) qua|ter in anno generales foreſtae demonſtra|tiones & viridis & veneris forisfactiones quas Muchebunt dicunt, [...]che| [...]t. vbi teneant omnes calum|niam de materia aliqua tangente foreſtam, e|ant ad triplex Iudiciũ quod Angli Ofgang|fordell dicunt. [...]gang| [...]ell. [...]gatio [...]s, tri| [...] orda| [...] Ita autem acquiratur illud tri|plex Iudicium. Accipiat ſecum quinque & ſit ipſe ſextus, & ſic iurando acquirat triplex Iu|dicium, aut triplex iuramentum. Sed purga|tio ignis nullatenus admittatur niſi vbi nuda veritas nequit aliter inueſtigari.

[1] [...]gen.12. Liberalis autem homo. 1. Pegen, modo cri|men ſuum non ſit inter mariora, habeat fide|lem hominem qui poſsit pro eo iurare iura|mentum. [...]athe. 1. Forathe: ſi autem non habet ipſemet iuret, nec pardonetur ei aliquod iuramentum.

[1] 13. Si aduena vel peregrinus qui de longin|quo venerit ſit calumpniatus de foreſta, & ta|lis eſt ſua inopia vt nõ poſsit habere plegium ad primam calumniam, qualẽ * nullus Anglus iudicare poteſt: tunc ſubeat captionem regis & ibi expectet quouſque vadat ad iudicium ferri & aque: attamen ſi quis extraneo aut pe|regrino de longe venienti * [...] ſibi ipſi nocet ſi aliquod iudiciũ iudicauerint.

[1] 14. Quicunque coram primarios homines meos foreſtae in falſo teſtimonio ſteterit & vi|ctus fuerit, non ſit dignus impoſterũ ſtare aut portare teſtimoniũ, quia legalitatẽ ſuam per|didit, & pro culpa ſoluat regi decem ſolidos quos Dani vocant Halfebange, alins halſhang. Halſhang.

[1] 15. Si quis vim aliquã primarijs foreſte meae intulerit, ſi liberalis ſit amittat libertatem & omnia ſua, ſi villanus abſcindatur dextra.

[1] 16. Si alteruter iterum pe [...]cauerit reus ſit mortis.

[1] 17. Si quis cõtra autẽ cũ primario pugnaue|rit in plito, emendet ſecundũ praecium ſui ip|ſius quod Angli Pere & pite dicunt,Pere and Pite. & ſoluat primario quadraginta ſolidos.

[1] 18. Si pacem quis fregerit ante mediocres foreſtae quod dicunt Gethbreche emendet regi decem ſolidis.Gethbrech

[1] 19. Si quis mediocrium aliquem cum ira percuſſerit, emendetur prout interfectio ferae regalis mihi emendari ſolet.

[1] 20. Si quis delinquens in foreſta noſtra ca|pietur, poenas luet ſecundũ modum & genus delicti.

[1] 21. Pena & forisfactio non vna eademque e|rit liberalis (quem Dani Elderman vocant) & illiberalis: domini & ſeru: noti & ignoti:Ealdermã nec vna eadem erit cauſarum tum ciuilium tum criminaliũ, ferarũ foreſtae, & ferarumregalium: Viridis & veneris tractatio: nã crimen veneris ab antiquo inter maiora & non inmerito nu|merabatur: viridis vero (fractione chaceae no|ſtre regalis excepta) ita puſillum & exiguum eſt, quod vix ea reſpicit noſtra conſtitutio: qui in hoc tamen deliquerit, fit criminis foreſtae reus.

[1] 22. Si liber aliquis feram foreſtae fugerit, ſiue caſu, ſiue praehabita voluntate, ita vt curſu ce|leri cogatur fera anhelare, decem ſolidis regi emendet, ſi illiberalis dupliciter emendet, ſi ſeruus careat corio.

[1] 23. Si vero horum aliquot interfecerit, ſoluat dupliciter & perſoluat, ſitque praecij ſui reus contra regem.

[1] 24. Sed ſi regalem ferã quam Angli à ſtag|gon appellant alteruter coegerit anhelare,Staggon. al|ter per vnum annum, alter per duos careat li|bertate naturali: ſi vero ſeruus, pro vtlegato habeatur quem Angli Frendleſman vocant.Frendleſ|man.

[1] 25. Si vero occiderit, amittat liber ſcutum libertatis, ſi ſit illiberalis careat libertate, ſi ſer|uus vita.

[1] 26. Epiſcopi, Abbates & Barones mei non calumnibuntur pro venatione, ſi non regales feras occiderint: & ſi regales, reſtabunt rei re|gi pro libito ſuo, ſine certa emendatione.

[1] 27. Sunt aliae (praeter feras foreſtae) beſtiae, que dum inter ſaepta & ſaepes foreſtae continentur, emendationi ſubiacent: quales ſunt capreoli, lepores, & cuniculi. Sunt & alia quam pluri|ma animalia quae quanquã infra ſep [...]a foreſtae viuunt, & oneri & curae mediocrium ſubiacẽt, [page 100] foreſte tamen nequaquã ce [...]iſeri poſſunt, qua|lia ſunt equi,Bubali o|lim in An|glia. Bubali, vaccae, & ſimilia. Vulpes & Lupi, nec foreſtae nec veneris habentur, & proinde eorum interfectio nulli emendationi ſubiacet. Si tamen infra limites occiduntur, fractio ſit regalis chaceae, & mitius emendetur. Aper vero quanquam foreſte ſit nullatenus tamen animal veneris haberi eſt aſſuetus.

[1] 28. Boſco nec Subboſco noſtro ſine licentia primariorum foreſtae nemo manum apponat, quod ſi quis fecerit reus ſit fractionis regalis chaceae.

[1] 29. Si quis vero Ilicem aut arborem aliquam qui victum feris ſuppeditat ſciderit, praeter fractionem regalis chaceae, emendet regi vigin|ti ſolidis.

[1] 30. Volo vt omnis liber homo pro libito ſuo habeat venerem ſiue viridem in planis ſuis ſuper terras ſuas, ſine chacea tamen. Et deui|tent omnes meam, vbicunque eam habere vo|luero.

[1] 31. Nullus mediocris habebit nec cuſtodiet canes quos Angli Griehunds appellant.Greyhũds Liberali vero dum genuiſciſsio eorum facta fuerit eoram primario foreſtae licebit, aut ſine genu|iſciſsione dum remoti ſunt à limitibus foreſtae per decem milliaria: quando vero proprius venerint, emendet quodlibet miliare vno ſoli|do Si vero infra ſepta foreſtae reperiatur, do|minus canis forisfaciet & canem, & decem ſo|lidos regi.

[1] Velter Langerã.32. Velteres vero quos Langeran appellant quia manifeſte conſtat in ijs nihil eſſe pericu|li, cuilibet licebit ſine gemiſciſsione eos cuſto|dire.Ram|hundt. Idem de canibus quos Rambundt vocant.

[1] 33. Quod ſi caſu inauſpicato huiuſmodi ca|nes rabidi fiant & vbique vagantur negli|gentia dominorum, redduntur illiciti, & emẽ|detur regi pro illicitis. &c. Quod ſi intra ſepta foreſtae reperiantur, talis exquiratur herus, & emendet ſecundum precium hominis medio|cris, quod ſecundũ legem merimorum eſt du|centorum ſollidorum.

[1] 34. Si Canis rabidus momorderit ferã, tunc emendet ſecundum precium hominis liberalis quod eſt duodecies ſolidis centũ. Si vero fera regalis morſa fuerit, reus ſit maximi criminis.

[1] And theſe are the conſtitutions of Canutus concerning the forreſt very barbarouſly trã|ſlated by thoſe that tooke the ſame in hande. Howbeit as I finde it ſo I ſet it downe with out any alteration of my copie in any iote or tytle.