Delimitation of Forests Act 1640

III. For ascertaining of Metes, &c.

Commissions under the Great Seal shall be issued.; Inquest on Oath of Witnesses.; Inquests to be returned into Chancery.; Commissioners may proceed without Officers.

Provided also and be it further enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid That for the better putting into certaintie all and every the Meetes Meeres Bounds and Limits of all and every the Forrests as aforesaid the Lord Chancellour or Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England for the time being shall by vertue of this Act upon request of any of the Peers of this Kingdome or of the Knights and Burgesses of the Parliament or any of them grant severall Commissions under the great Seale of England to Commissioners to be nominated respectively by the said Peers Knights and Burgesses or any of them to enquire of and find out by Inquests of good and lawfull men upon Oath and by the Oathes of Witnesses to bee produced at the said Inquests and by all other lawfull meanes all and every the Meeres Meetes Bounds and Limits of the Forrests respectively which were commonly known to be their Meers Meets Bounds and Limits respectively in the said twentieth yeare of the Reigne of our late Soveraigne Lord King James And to return the Inquests so taken into the Court of Chancerie and that all and every the Sheriffes and Bayliffes of and in everie Countie wherein any such Inquests shall be soe to be taken And all and every the Verderers Forresters Rangers and other Officers of the Forrests respectively where any such Officers be shall be assistant and attendant to the executions of the said Commissions according as by vertue of the said Commissions respectively they shall be commanded And where no such Officers are or where such Officers be if they or any of them shall refuse or neglect such assistance and attendance as aforesaid Then the said Commissioners shall and may proceed without them in the execution of the said Commissions