8 EPPING FOREST.
in Edward II.'s time." The severity of these pen-
alties and restrictions, originally enacted by King
Canute, was somewhat mitigated by a charter,
"Carta de Foresta," which formed part of Magna
Charta extorted from King John, who had been
forced to abandon large tracts of Royal Forest;
but in their main lines they continued to be re-
cognised and enforced for many centuries since
his time. The following are specimens of extracts
from the clauses of these laws, lenient by contrast
with some others which might be quoted, and
fairly show their character :—
" For the offence of Venison or hunting, not
unworthely haue bene accounted amongest the
greatest offences of the Forest euen of auncient
time. But the offence of Vert (except it be for
the breach of our Roiall free chace) it is so
little, and of so smal an account, that this our
Constitution or Law doth scantly respect the
same. ..."
" If any freeman shall chase away a Dere, or a
wilde beast out of the Forest: whether the same
be done by chaunce, or of a set purpose, so that
thereby the wilde beast is forced by swift running
to lyll out the tong, or to breathe with his tong
out of his mouth: he shall paie to the king ten
shillings amends for the same offence : but if he
be a seruile person, then he shall double the same
recompence: but if he be a bondman, then he
shall lose his skinne. . . ."
" If a greedy rauening dogg shall bite a wild
beast, then the owner of the same dogg shall yeeld
a recompence to the king for the same according
to the valew of a freeman which is twelue times a
hundred shillings. If a Roiall beast shall be bitten,