Chapter I

The Forests of England -- Our Forests amongst our most interesting
Objects -- Scenery of England as we may suppose it in the Feudal
Ages, and as it is now -- Charms with which our Imaginations and
Town Restraints have invested the Feudal Times -- Antiquity of our
Forests -- Derivation of the Name -- New Forest created by the
Conqueror; Sixty-seven Forests previously existing -- Various
Opinions respecting the Origin of New Forest -- the Ravages of
William, and Death of his two Sons and Grandson in it -- Number of
Forests, Chases, and Parks formerly belonging to the Crown --
Forest System an Imperium in Imperio -- Its Courts, Laws, and
Officers -- Consequences of the few Judges, and long Intervals
between Trials -- Severity of both Laws and Oaths on the Officers
-- Freeholds granted in Forests subject to the Forest Laws --
Forest Boundaries of a peculiar Description -- Drifts of the
Forest -- Barbarous Penalties for killing Deer decreed by the
Norman Kings -- these softened by successive Monarchs -- Preamble
of the Assise of the Forest of Edward I. -- Law of Attachment of
Offenders in the Forest expressed in an old Rhyme -- Lawing of
Dogs; in what it consisted -- Other curious Provisions of the
Assises of the Forests -- Regarders appointed by Henry II. --
their Duties -- Inquisitions into the State of Forests by
Elizabeth -- the Forest Laws disused after the Revolution -- List
of the Ancient Forests 348