effect which 400 cabins of poor people, living upon the waste, and
destroying the wood and timber, were thrown down.

It would be interesting to know what was the disposition of the
inhabitants of the Forest, and of the neighbourhood generally, towards
the exiled Sovereign, as the way to his restoration began to open out. A
slight clue is afforded by Captain Titus's letter, reporting to the King
that "he had been in the Forest of Dean, and had found the gentlemen very
forward; that several of them had engaged for considerable numbers."

The return of Charles at once restored Sir John Winter to liberty, and to
the benefits of the Patent which the late King had granted him, as also
to his place as Secretary and Chancellor to the Queen Dowager. He
proceeded to act upon the former, by repairing his enclosures, in spite
of determined opposition from the neighbouring inhabitants, who strongly
represented to the Government that the continuance of that grant would
injure both it and the public. Sir Charles Harbord, under date 28th of
December, 1661, thus describes the way in which the above complaint was
preferred:--"His Majesty hath been pleased to be present with my Lord
Chancellor, and Lord Treasurer, &c., at the hearing of this business, and
hath given order that a Commission shall be forthwith issued out of the
Exchequer to inquire into the state of the Forest; intending, upon the
return of the said Commission, to acquaint the Parliament with the true
state of the business; and to recommend it to their wisdom to provide
that the said Forest may be restored to his Majesty's demesne, and
re-afforested, and improved by enclosures for a future supply of wood for
a constant support of the iron-works there, producing the best iron of
Europe for many years, and for the produce of timber for the navy, and
other uses in time to come; which might be of great use for defence of
this nation, the old trees there standing being above 300 years' growth,
and yet as good timber as any in the world; and the ground so apt to
produce, and so strong to preserve timber, especially oaks, that within
100 years there may be sufficient provision there found to maintain the
navy royal for ever." Perhaps the ancient trees here named are those of
which Sir John Winter spoke in the "good discourse" Mr. Pepys had with
him, as "being left at a great fall in Edward the Third's time, by the
name of forbid-trees, which at this day are called 'vorbid tree