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 A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE Nearly all the great lords in Hertfordshire, both ecclesiastical and lay, preserved the sport- ing rights in their manors, and we find frequent references in the manorial court rolls of the county to the fining of persons for poaching on such rights. Only three parks were mentioned in the Domesday Book as existing in Hertfordshire at that time, one at St. Albans, one at Ware, and one at Bennington, none of which is now in existence nor were any of them named by Norden who wrote in 1596. They were most probably large hunting parks made by William the Conqueror. Amongst the parks in Hertfordshire, named by Norden, were two at Hatfield, the Home and Middle park (now corrupted into Mil- wards), in one of which red deer were kept and in the other fallow deer. There were also parks in Norden's time at Woodhall, Brocket Hall, Ponsbourne, Tyttenhanger, Shenley, Bedwell and Cheshunt, all in the neighbourhood of Hatfield. Shirley also mentions old parks in other parts of Hert- fordshire, at Theobalds, Cassiobury, Grove, Kings Langley (founded by Henry III.) Berk- hampstead, Penley, Walkern, Knebworth, Hunsdon. Ashridge Park is marked on the map of 1 700, and Gorhambury Park existed before Chauncy's time. The large parks where hunting was en- joyed by the kings were all destroyed during and after the Rebellion in 1641. Most of those named above were for the pre- servation of fallow deer, which were much prized as delicious for the table and were occasionally shot with bows and arrows for sport ; other kinds of smaller game such as hares, rabbits, pheasants and partridges were also strictly preserved in these parks. Queen Elizabeth, who was a notable huntress, while at Hatfield, had a large stable of horses, some of which were kept entirely for her Majesty's personal use when buck hunting. The great park at Hatfield at that date extended all the way to Theobalds, which was close to Cheshunt, thus affording an extensive range of sporting ground which her Majesty was pleased to use freely, for she is reported to have spent most of her leisure there in field sports. The first authentic accounts of hunting in Hertfordshire were written in her time. In NichoPs Progress of Queen Elizabeth, many stories are told of her prowess in hunting. In 1557 she was escorted from Hatfield to Enfield Chase by a retinue of twelve ladies in white satin on ambling palfreys, and 120 yeomen in green on horseback, so that she might hunt the hart. On entering the chase she was met by fifty archers in scarlet, boots and yellow caps, armed with gilded bows, each of whom presented her with a silver- headed arrow winged with peacocks' feathers. When the buck was taken the queen was pleased to be allowed the privilege of cutting his throat. When she was over sixty-seven years of age she ' was well and excellently disposed to hunting, for every second day she is on horseback and continues the sport long.' James I. was devoted to every kind of sport. He owned two hunting palaces in Hertfordshire, one at Theobalds, which was owned by Lord Salisbury and exchanged by him for Hatfield House. 1 The second hunt- ing palace, and his more favourite one be- cause of its greater distance from London, was at Royston, where he spent a great portion of his time undisturbed by State affairs. The State papers of his reign are full of letters, commissions, grants and orders issued at Royston, some complaining of his neglect of the affairs of the country while he was at Royston with ' his hunting crew.' In a letter from Edmund Lascelles to the Earl of Shrewsbury (December 4, 1604), the following anecdote is related. ' There is no news here but a reasonable pretty jest is spoken that happened at Royston. There was one of the King's special hounds called Jowler missing one day. The King was much displeased that he was wanting, notwith- standing went hunting. The next day when they were on the field, Jowler came in amongst the rest of the hounds, the King was told of him and was very glad ; and looking on him he spied a paper about his neck and in the paper was written, " Good Mr. Jowler, we pray you speak to the King (for he hears you every day and so doth he not us) that it will please his Majesty to go back to London for else the country will be undone ; all our provision is spent already and we are not able to entertain him longer." It was taken for jest and so passed over, for his Majesty intends to lie here yet a fort- night.' His Majesty was apparently not a daring rider, for an order was given on October 12, 1 6 1 7, at Royston, to the constables of Sandon, Kelshall and other towns in Hertfordshire, as follows : 'The King's express command is that they give notice to occupants of arable 1 The preamble of the Act of Parliament for the exchange states that Theobalds ' is a desirable place from its nearness to London and to His Majesty's forests of Waltham Chase and Parks of Enfield, with the commodities of a navigable river falling into the Thames is a place so convenient for His Majesty's Princely sports and recreation.' 346