Such is the forest legislation of Cnut, and its severity is of itself evidence how much the power of the king had become extended at the commencement of the eleventh century. It is clear that he deals with all forests as having certain paramount rights therein, and it seems probable that this organization was intended to be established all over England. Still it is observable that he gives certain rights of hunting to all his nobles, reserving only the stags to himself, and that he allows every freeman to hunt upon his own property, so that he does not interfere with the royal chaces[152]. We may however infer that at an earlier period the matter was not regarded so strictly. A passage has been already cited[153] where Ælfred implies that a dependent living upon lǽnland could support himself by hunting and fishing, till he got bócland of his own. The bishops possessed the right in their forests—whether _proprio iure_ or by royal grant, I will not venture to decide—as early as the ninth century[154], and still retained it in the tenth[155]. And while the communities were yet free it is absurd to suppose that they allowed any one to interfere with this pursuit, so attractive to every Teuton, so healthy, so calculated to practise his eye and limbs for the sterner duties of warfare, and so useful to recruit a larder not over well stored with various or delicate viands. ----- Footnote 152: This regulation was very likely forced upon him by his Witan, inasmuch as it is also recorded in his laws, § 81. “Every one shall be entitled to his hunting both in wood and field, upon his own property. And let every one forego my hunting: take notice where I will have it untrespassed upon, on penalty of the full wíte.” Footnote 153: See Vol. I. p. 312. Footnote 154: Cod. Dipl. No. 1086. Bishop Denewulf gave Ælfred forty hides at Alresford, loaded with various conditions: among them, that his men should be ready “ge tó ripe ge tó hunt[n]oðe,” that is at the bishop’s harvest and hunting. Footnote 155: Cod. Dipl. No. 1287. Oswald bishop of Worcester, stating the terms on which he let the lands of his see, includes among them the services of his tenants at his hunting: “Sed et venationis sepem domini episcopi [clearly _a park_] ultronei ad aedificandum repperiantur, suaque, quandocumque domino episcopo libuerit, venabula destinent venatum.” -----