This text may be inaccurate as it was automatically generated. -
"The King was regarded as the lord of all uninhabited woods and waste places; and accordingly, it was in his power to erect any portion of them into a royal forest, although in so doing, many lands belonging to private proprietors became surrounded by the royal demesne. No such persons, thus forest laws were intolerable.
The king's forest laws and officers made them even more oppressive than they were in themselves. The royal forest was not considered as belonging to any county or parish and was, as Sir Henry Spelman wrote, 'under its own peculiar officers, endowed with powers and privileges.' These officers abused their powers, which were a constant complaint.
The poor man is accused of cutting wood, of conniving at the taking of beasts, or of concealing the sin of the Crown, or for not paying the public dues. Even these charges might seem tolerable if they allowed him to survive. But no mercy was shown, even when he acted out of poverty or necessity to feed his family.
The same abuses of forest law continued under Henry II, where common men were forbidden to hunt, gather wood, or access common areas. Even honey, which was essential to the livelihood of many, was restricted due to royal privilege.
Few of the oppressions and exactions of the early Norman kings had such a great and lasting impression on the people of England as those connected with the chase."