ions of this Forest dates
from about this time, and serves to identify several spots, the early
names of which have long passed away. On this occasion nineteen
"regarders" went the rounds, preserving much the same course as the
bounds of 28 Edward I.

The next, or _fifth_ session of the Mine Law Court was held at Clearwell,
on the 19th of September, 1682, Henry Melborne and William Wolseley,
Esqrs., acting as joint deputies for the Marquis of Worcester, constable
of St. Briavel's Castle.

It confirmed, for the most part, the "orders" already issued, and
further exacted the payment, within six days, of 6d. from every miner
thirteen years of age and upwards, and an additional 6d. for every
horse used in carrying mineral, "for raising a present sum of money
for urgent occasions," and required all coal-pits which had been
wrought out to be sufficiently secured. Only fourteen signatures are
attached to this "order," the remaining thirty-four free miners
making their "marks."

In the course of the next year, A.D. 1683, a scheme resembling that
proposed ten years before was started by Sir John Erule, supervisor or
conservator of the Forest. His project was to raise 5,390 pounds a year
for the Crown, upon an outlay, in the first place, of no more than 1,000
pounds, to be spent in building iron-works, and an annual consumption of
8,000 cords of wood out of the Forest, care being taken that no oak or
beech-tree, fit or likely to become fit for shipbuilding, be used. The
Lords of the Treasury referred the plan to Mr. William Harbord and Mr.
Agar, to be investigated and reported on. They rejected it however, as
was done in the former case, and for the same reason, namely, that if
carried out it would prove injurious to the woods and timber.

The _sixth_ order of the Court of Mine Law records that it assembled on
the 8th of December, 1685, at Clearwell, before William Wolseley, Esq.,
deputy to the Duke of Beaufort, constable of St. Briavel's Castle.

Its principal design seems to have been that of confirming the former
6d. rate, and authorizing the same to be raised to 10s., if
necessary, towards keeping up a fund for supporting the miners'
claims at law, which of late they had been obliged to do in the Court
of Exchequer against Mr. Beck and others. The order concludes with
the following direction: "That one-half of the jury should be
iron-miners, and the other