CHAPTER IX

The Forest and Vale in Tudor Times

A.D. 1485 to 1603

The Wars of the Roses had allowed the royal possessions to fall into a state of great disorder, so that the Duchy of Lancaster records belonging to the early years of the reign of Henry VII. contain many references to the necessity for vigorously checking infringements on the forest that had been taking place.  A patent dated 26th of October 1489,[1] says, “To our t[rusty] and w[elbeloved] Brian Sandford Stuard of our honnor of Pykeryng in our Countie of York and Constable of our Castle there and master Forster of our game within the said honnor and to al forsters and kepers within the same and in their absence to ther deputies ther and to every of them gretyng.  Forasmuch as it is common unto our knowledge that our game of dere and warenne within our seid Honnor is gretly diminnisshed by excessive huntyng within the same and likely to be destroied, without restreynt in the same be had in that behalf, we desire the Replenisshyng of our seid game, not only for our singler pleasure but also for the disport of other our servantes and subgettes of Wirshipp in theis parties.  And therfor we wol and straitly charge you all & every of you that from hensforth ye suffre no manner of personne or personnes of what estate degree or condicion soever he or they be, to have shot sute ne course at any of our game within our seid Honnor duryng the space of iij years next ensuyng after the date herof, without special warraunt undre our seale of oure seid Duchie and if any personne or personnes presume or attempt in any wise the breche of this our special restreinte and commandment, we eftsounes wol and straitly charge you al and every of you, that without delai ye certifie us of theire name or names so offendyng, to thentent that we maye provide for their lawful punycion in that behalf, which we entend sharply to execute and punysshe in example of al othre like offenders, not failyng herof as ye wol avoide our grevous displeasure and answher unto us at their perell.”

[Footnote 1:  “North Riding Records,” vol. i., New Series, p. 123.]

[Illustration:  CATTLE MARKS OF THE PICKERING DISTRICT.

Copied from a MS. book dated at the close of the sixteenth century and in the possession of the Rev. A. Hill of Thornton-le-dale.  The names are spelt as they are written, but are not given in facsimile.  The book is a copy of an earlier one that is still in existence. ]

There are many other commissions of this character made out to “Sir Rauf Evers knight,” “Sir Richard Cholmeley knight,” “Sir John Huthem,” “John Pykeryng knyght,” “Leon Percy [Lionel Percehay] squyer,” and many other influential men of the sixteenth century.

[Illustration:  CATTLE MARKS IN THE PICKERING DISTRICT]