Charta ForestÆ,
Made at Westminster 10 Feb. Anno 9 Hen. III. and A. D. 1225. and confirmed Anno 28 Edw. I. and A. D. 1299.[1]
Eward, by the Grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Guyan, to all to whom these Presents shall come, sendeth Greeting. We have seen the Charter of the Lord Henry our Father, sometime King of England, concerning the Forest, in these Words:
"Henry, by the Grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and of Guyan, &c. as in the beginning of the Great Charter.]
Confirmed by 42 Ed. 3. c. 1. [2] [Add 28 Ed. 1. stat. 3. c. 1. 25 Ed. 1. stat. 1. c. 1.]
CAP. I.
Certain Grounds shall be disafforested.
[1] [2] First, We will that all Forests, which King Henry our Grandfather afforested, shall be viewed by good and lawful men; (2) and if he have made Forest of any other Wood more than of his own demesne, whereby the Owner of the Wood hath hurt, forthwith it shall be disafforested; (3) and if he have made Forest of his own Wood, then it shall remain Forest; (4) saving the Common of Herbage, and of other things in the same Forest, to them which before were accustomed to have the same.
CAP. II.
Who are bound to the Summons of the Forest.
Men that dwell out of the Forest, from henceforth shall not come before the Justicers of our Forest by common Summons, unless they be impleaded there, or be Sureties for some others that were attached for the Forest.
CAP. III.
Certain Woods made Forest shall be disafforested.
All Woods which have been made Forest by King Richard our Uncle, or by King John our Father, until our first Coronation, shall be forthwith disafforested, unless it be our demesne Wood.
CAP. IV.
No Purpresture, Waste, or Assert, shall be made in Forests.
All Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Earls, Barons, Knights, and other our Freeholders, which have their Woods in Forests, shall have their
Woods