espassing them; and if the
foresaid James Bennet and his vearns do interrupt them for comming in to
see their work, they shall forfeit the sum of five pounds. And we do
order the partys to stand to their expenses share share alike, and the
viewers to be paid between both partys, which his fifteen shillings.

"The mark of X RICHD POWELL.

"The mark of X JOHN JENKINS.

"The mark of X JAMES ELSMORE.

"The mark of X Wm THOMAS.

"The mark of X THOS WORGAN."

The following is a specimen of an official "Forbid:"--

"Thomas Hobbs. I do hereby, in his Majesty King George the Third's name,
being owner and chief gaveller of his Majesty's Forest of Dean, in the
county of Gloucester, and of the coal and mines therein, forbid you, your
verns, your servants, agents, or workmen, for getting, diging, or raising
any more stone coal out of any fire pitt or pitts, or water pitt or
pitts, a deep the Majors suff level gutter in the said Forest, or to
permit or suffer any stone coal to be got, dug, or raised out of any such
pitt or pitts, untill you have satisfied and paid me his Majesty's gale
and dues for working and getting coal in such pitts for two years last
past, and untill you agree with me for the gale and dues of such pitt and
pitts for the future. If you break this forbid, you will incur the
penalty of an Order made by forty-eight free miners.

"Dated this 22d day of } JOHN ROBINSON, &c.,
May, 1775. } deputy gaveller."

In the terms of a Memorandum, apparently of this date, or perhaps
earlier, it is said:--

"The place of gaveler within the Forest of Dean is held by patent from
the Crown, & by vertue of his office the gaveler hath a right to put a
man to work in every coalwork or work for iron mine within the limitts of
the Forest, or within any private person's property in the hundred of St
Briavels (but not in any stone quarry that is belonging to Ld Berkeley).
This right the gaveler never makes use of by setting his man to work in
the mine pitt or coalwork, but lets it out to the partners of the work at
such price as he can agree for, which is from twenty shillings to three
pounds a work."

NOTES.

{2} It is absolutely certain that the stone may be made to oscillat