THE DEER OF EPPING FOREST.
49
preserved is of such interest in connection with the subject of this paper,
that I have been at the pains to decipher and transcribe it as follows4:—
Item. That the Lieutenant, Rydyng forester, ye Ranger of ye same Forest,
certyfy at the [Swanymote5 ?], particulerly in a byll, the certentie of the deer kyllyd
and found by any of them with the [warrants ?] to them directyd and gyvyn.
It. The Clerke of the Swanymote every yere within xii. days next after the fest
of Saynt Michell, or within convenyent tyme after, to make relation to the Kyng's
hyghnes of the certentie of the deer kyllyd in the same forest in the sayd yere and
byfore hym presentyd as ys aforsayd.
It. Yf any deer be kyllyd by chaunce and recovered so that the fleshe be of
any goodnes, then the keper, in whose walke any suche deer be recovered, dilyver
and bryng the same to the Lieutenant, in his absens to the Rydyng forester or
Ranger, to th'entent that yf the sayd deer be mete for the Kyng's Hyghnesse, then
that yt be sent to his Hyghnes, and yf convenyent tyme serve not, then that it be
distrybutyd by the discretion of the Lieutenant, or, in his absens, by the sayd
Rydyng forester or Ranger best for the savegarde of the Kyng's game.
It. The sayd Lieutenant, Rydyng Forester or Ranger to certyfy at the next
Swanymote to the Clerke [thereof?], and withal to what persons the same deer
so kyllyd by chaunce and recovered is distrybuted.
It. That noo keper hunt or suffer any person to hunt within his walke for any
fee deer but suche as6 before this tyme hath used to hunt for their disport and
plesure for the kyllyng of their fee deer.
It. Every keper yf he lyst to call his neyburs or borderers to assyst hym to
hunt and serve his warrant or commandtment to th'entent they may take sport,
and therby to increase frendschyppe and amytie.
It. The freholders to hunt and take disport for the kyllynge of their fee deer by
the onsyght of the Lieutenant, and, in his absens, of the Rydyng forester or Ranger.
It. That noo keper, his servants or deputies, use or kepe in ther howses or
walke any crosebow except yt be the Lieutenant.
It. That noo keper [nor his servant7] suffer noo crosebow to be kept or used
in his walke as nere as he can except the person that so hath or use yt may so
justyfy [the keping thereof] by the Kynge's lawes, and yf he fynde or [sees] any
suche crosebow lett yt be dylyvred to the Clerke of the Swanymote, to th'entent
that dew punyschement may be prescribed accordynge to the Kyng's lawes, and
thereupon information to be gyvyn in th' Exchequer.
It. Yf any keper suspect any person in his walke to kepe any crosebow in hys
howse, then lett hym take with hym a verderer or3 constable of the parische where
the party so suspect dwellyth and serche the howse. Yf any be founde lett yt be
dylivered as ys aforsayd.
It. That every nobleman may hunt and take his disport and plesure in the
same forest accordyng at ther peryll accordyng as the Kyng's lawes wyll suffer
them, and the keper to gyve them the lokyng over, and to make them suche sport
as yt apperteynyth to a nobleman, and the sayd keper to certyfye the same at the
next Swanymote.
It. That the warrants commandements and other fee deer be taken equally when-
ever yt may be moste convenyently sparyd by the onsyght and discrecion of the sayd
Lieutenant, Rydynge Forester and Ranger, or one of them in absens of the resydew.
It. Noo keper or forester, lieutenant, Rydyng forester, Ranger, or their servants,
hunt or anywyse by nyght onles yt be for the recoverie of sum hurt or chased deer.
It. That noo person taken by the kepers or any other offycers be comytted to
warde or lettyn to bayll onles he be examyned by the lieutenant, Rydynge forester,
Ranger, and Steward, or two of them.
It. That the obligacions for the bayll remayn with the Steward of recorde.
4 The writer here desires to point out that this paper was read at a meeting of the Essex Field
Club held in the Forest at High Beech, in June, 1384, and that in the interval which has since
elapsed, the roll here set forth has been printed by Mr. E. N. Buxton (in his" Epping Forest"), to
whom the writer communicated the fact of its existence, and the reference which enabled him
to have it re-transcribed. 5 The MS. is here imperfect. The Swainmote was a forest court
composed of officers of the forest, who adjudicated upon all disputes and cases in which deer
were killed without warrant, etc. 6 A line has been here interpolated in a less careful hand.
7 These three words have been erased. 8 Interlined. 9 "And" altered to "or."
D