is to say, that iii clawes of the fore-foot shal be cut off by the skinne. But from henceforth such lawing of dogges shall not be done, but in places where it hath beene accustomed from the time of the first coronation of the aforesaid King Henry our grandfather." Charta de Forestâ, cap. 6.

The above Charter of the 2 Henry III., was nearly exactly repeated in the Carta de Forestâ, 25 Edward I., and again confirmed by the Statute of Fines levied. 27 Edward I. A.D. 1299.

Then come the

"Assisa & consuetudines Forestæ, published an. Edward I.2

8. If there be any Greyhounds found running to doe any hurt, the forester shall retaine them, and present them in the presence of the Verderors, and send them to the king or chiefe Justice of the Forest.

9. If any Mastive3 be found upon any Deere and shal be expeditated, he whose Mastive he is shal be quit of the deed, but if he be not expeditated, the owner of such Mastive shal be guiltie, as if hee had given it with his owne hand, and he shal be put by vi pledges, whose names shal be written, and also what (kind?) of dog it was."

"16. No Mower shall bring with him a great Mastive, to

1 44 Quod tres ortelli abscindantur sine pelota de pede anteriori." That is, without the ball. Orteils, ortieux, ortaux. Qy. claws or toes. See Le Roy Modus.

2 Statutes of the Realm, vol. i. p. 244.

4" Mutilatus," maimed.

5 As if he had done the deed with his own hand.

3 "Si quis mastivus."

drive away the deere of our Lord the King, but little dogges to looke to things without the covert.'

"17. Of these which claime to have priviledges, as dogges unlawed and greyhounds, within the bounds of the forest, there shal be nothing done unto them without our Lord the King his warrant, or his Justices'."

"20. It is lawfull to the Abbot of the Borough of S. Peter, to hunt, and to take Hares, Foxes, and Martrons within the bounds of the Forest, and to have unlawed dogs, because he hath sufficient warrant thereunto."

Very frequent mention is made in ancient rolls and charters, of this law respecting dogs in England. It does not appear to have existed in France and consequently was not introduced by the Normans, but was in force prior to their conquest of England, and no doubt brought in by the Danes. Ducange quotes no French authority for it, or indeed any authority but English. After Canute's laws he refers to those of Henry the First, chapter 17, where it is called, he says, "the wretched maiming of dogs."

Henry the Third gave a charter to the Bishop and Prior of Carlisle allowing the canons to chase the deer with hounds into the king's forest and to take them there. He also granted the Abbot and Monks of Reading free warren on their estates, and exemption from lawing their dogs, in the royal Forests: and Stephen de Segrave, Justiciary of

24

To look to such things as lie open.

Mureligos," probably wild-cats; or martens, otherwise martrens.

3 Nicholson and Burns' Westmoreland and Cumberland. Appendix, No. xxvi., vol. ii. p. 545.

4 Blount's Law Dictionary, 1670. Dug. Mon, Aug., Art. "Reading."