eval bell that has since been handed over to the authorities of the
British Museum by the Registrar of the Duchy of Lancaster. The bell is
engraved with four figures--a crucifix, St George and the Dragon, the
Virgin and Child, and St John the Baptist, and round the haunch runs the
inscription "Vilyame Stokeslai." As nothing at all is known of the history
of the bell it is difficult to say much as to its origin, but it appears
to belong to the fourteenth century, and _may_ be associated with a
William Stokesley of Whitby whose name appears at that date.

Much more could be written about this period from many standpoints, but
from what has been given some of the salient facts of these centuries
stand out clearly. It is plain that the people--rich and poor--drew
largely upon the forest for free supplies of timber and venison, despite
the severity of the laws. It also appears that the officers of the forest
frequently abused their power to the damage and often at the expense of
the personal security of the townsfolk and villagers., The importance of
Pickering at this time is emphasised by many royal visits and to some
extent by the sending of members to Parliament on one occasion. Much
building at the church and castle took place in the period described, and
it is quite possible that some of the oldest cottages with fork framework
date from Plantagenet times, and that the fallen beams we see lying among
the nettles of the ruined cottages were taken from the forest without
payment or permission.

CHAPTER IX

_The Forest and Vale in Tudor Times_

A.D. 1485 to 1603

The Wars of the Roses had allowed the royal possessions to fall into a
state of great disorder, so that the Duchy of Lancaster records belonging
to the early years of the reign of Henry VII. contain many references to
the necessity for vigorously checking infringements on the forest that had
been taking place. A patent dated 26th of October 1489,[1] says, "To our
t[rusty] and w[elbeloved] Brian Sandford Stuard of our honnor of Pykeryng
in our Countie of York and Constable of our Castle there and master
Forster of our game within the said honnor and to al forsters and kepers
within the same and in their absence to ther deputies ther and to every of
them gretyng. Forasmuch as it is common unto our knowledge that our game
of dere and warenne within our seid Honnor is gretly diminnisshed by
excessive huntyng within the same and likely to be destroied, without