_Canes lesi._--May I also put a question with respect to an ancient tenure
in Dorsetshire, recorded by Blount, edit. 1679, p. 46.:
"Juliana, &c., tenuit dimidiam hidam terrae, &c., per serjantiam
custodiendi _Canes_ Domini Regis _lesos_, si qui fuerint, quotiescunque
Dominus Rex fugaverit in Foresta sua de _Blakemore_: et ad dandum unum
denarium ad clancturam Parci Domini Regis de _Gillingham_."
Blount's explanation of _Canes lesos_, is "leash hounds or park hounds,
such as draw after a hurt deer in a leash, or liam;" but is there any
reason why we should not adopt the more simple rendering of "hurt hounds;"
and suppose that Dame Juliana was matron of the Royal Dorset Dog Hospital?
Ducange gives no such word as _lesus_; neither does he nor any authority,
to which I have access, help me to understand the word _clanctura_. I
trust, however, that some of your correspondents will.