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The New Forest: its History and its Scenery.

of the Forest before the reign of Henry II.; and that all those places mentioned in the perambulation of 1279 and now omitted, were afforested by his successors, though they cannot say to what extent or by whom.^[1] Most probably it had been reserved for John to show here, as in other cases, to what absolute madness selfishness will carry a man.

After this, nothing, with one exception, of any general importance occurs.^[2] Having in his prosperity incurred all the odium of attempting to revive the hated Forest Laws, in his adversity Charles I. granted as security the New Forest, and Sherwood, and other Crown lands to his creditors.^[3] He had

↑ "Quid et quantum temporibus cujuslibet regis nullo modo eis constare potest." The conclusion of the perambulation. Some little difficulty attends these perambulations. From Domesday, it is certain that the Conqueror afforested land on the west of the Avon at Holdenhurst, Breamore, and Harbridge. And amongst the MSS. of Lincoln's Inn Library we find a copy of a charter of William of Scotland, dated, curiously enough, "Hindhop Burnemuth, in meâ Novâ Forestâ, 10 Kal. Junii, 1171." (See Hunter's "Three Catalogues" &c, p. 278, No. 78, 1838.) It would seem, from what Edward's commissioners say, that these afforestations, which had taken place since Henry II.'s time, were all made inside the actual boundaries of the Forest. It has been generally supposed that the perambulation in the eighth year of Edward I. was the first ever made of an English forest. This is not the case; for in the Record Office, in the Plìta Foreste de Cõm. Southt. LIII^tio R. H. III., No. III., may be found the perambulation of a forest in the north of Hampshire.
↑ For a good account of all details connected with the history of the New Forest, see the Sub-Report by the Secretary of the Royal New and Waltham Forest Commission, Reports from Commissioners (11), vol. xxx. pp. 267-309, 1850; and also the Fifth Report of the Land Revenue Commissioners in 1789, published July 24th of that year, to be found also in the Journals of the House of Commons, vol. xliv. pp. 552-571.
↑ See "The humble petition of Richard Spencer, Esq., Sir Gervas Clifton, Knight and Baronet, and others, to enter upon the New Forest and Sherwood Forest," &c. &c. Record Office, Domestic Series, Charles II, No. 8. f. 26, July 21st, 1660.

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[1] "Quid et quantum temporibus cujuslibet regis nullo modo eis constare potest." The conclusion of the perambulation. Some little difficulty attends these perambulations. From Domesday, it is certain that the Conqueror afforested land on the west of the Avon at Holdenhurst, Breamore, and Harbridge. And amongst the MSS. of Lincoln's Inn Library we find a copy of a charter of William of Scotland, dated, curiously enough, "Hindhop Burnemuth, in meâ Novâ Forestâ, 10 Kal. Junii, 1171." (See Hunter's "Three Catalogues" &c, p. 278, No. 78, 1838.) It would seem, from what Edward's commissioners say, that these afforestations, which had taken place since Henry II.'s time, were all made inside the actual boundaries of the Forest. It has been generally supposed that the perambulation in the eighth year of Edward I. was the first ever made of an English forest. This is not the case; for in the Record Office, in the Plìta Foreste de Cõm. Southt. LIII^tio R. H. III., No. III., may be found the perambulation of a forest in the north of Hampshire.

[2] For a good account of all details connected with the history of the New Forest, see the Sub-Report by the Secretary of the Royal New and Waltham Forest Commission, Reports from Commissioners (11), vol. xxx. pp. 267-309, 1850; and also the Fifth Report of the Land Revenue Commissioners in 1789, published July 24th of that year, to be found also in the Journals of the House of Commons, vol. xliv. pp. 552-571.

[3] See "The humble petition of Richard Spencer, Esq., Sir Gervas Clifton, Knight and Baronet, and others, to enter upon the New Forest and Sherwood Forest," &c. &c. Record Office, Domestic Series, Charles II, No. 8. f. 26, July 21st, 1660.

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