Footnote 11:
[_One like a sexton, etc._] Earth-stopper.
Footnote 12:
[_Where this gay mount, etc._] A beautiful eminence called
KING’S-STANDING.
Footnote 13:
[_And_ LICHFIELD’S _bower, etc._] LICHFIELD Bower is supposed to be
the tumulus of three Saxon Kings slain in battle near that spot.
Footnote 14:
[_British Nile, etc._] Dr. PLOTT calls the DOVE the Nile of England,
and attributes the fertility of its floods to the sheep dung washed
from the hills in the Moorlands.
Footnote 15:
[BROWN, _etc._] HAWKINS BROWN Esq; of _Foston upon Dove_.
Footnote 16:
[C’ANDISH, _etc._] _Doveridge_, the seat of C’ANDISH, ESQ;
Footnote 17:
[FITZHERBERT, _etc._] RICHARD FITZHERBERT, ESQ; of _Sommershall_.
Footnote 18:
[_The social flag, etc._] Messrs. ADDERLEY and SCOTT have pitched a
tent upon a fine hill above _Coton_, from whence a flag flies when
they are at home, as a signal to their friends.
Footnote 19:
[_Outlaw, etc._] A Deer-stealer refusing to surrender was here slain
by a Keeper.
Footnote 20:
[_Where life a gentler breast, etc._] This unfortunate young man being
sent on an errand by the Author of this Poem, died on his return; was
found next morning in the forest within a mile of his home, his dog
standing by him. He was a weaver, supported his father and mother; was
engaged on the night of his death to meet his sweetheart at a
Christmas feast in the neighbourhood.
Footnote 21:
[_Yon cliff, etc._] TUTBURY CASTLE.
Footnote 22:
[FERRERS, _etc._] ROBERT DE FERRERS joining a rebellion against HENRY
3d. forfeited the possession of _Tutbury_.
Footnote 23:
[_Castle-guard, etc._] A service imposed upon those to whom Castles
and Estates adjoining were granted.
Footnote 24:
[MARY, _etc._] MARY Queen of _Scots_ was a prisoner in _Tutbury_
Castle at the time of the Duke of NORFOLK’s intrigues: she listened to
his proposals of marriage, as the only means of obtaining her liberty,
declaring herself otherwise averse to farther matrimonial connections.
Footnote 25:
[_While minstrels, etc._] The minstrels formerly crowded to _Tutbury_
Castle, then a place of festivity and hospitality, in such numbers, as
to require regulations of order and precedence amongst them, the
person appointed for this purpose was called _King_ of the
_Minstrels_.
Footnote 26:
[_In the rude sport, etc._] The annual Bull-running.
Footnote 27:
[_Yon hill, etc._] HOUND-HILL, the ancient seat of the VERNON’S.
Footnote 28:
[_Beside me lies, etc._] The situation of NEEDWOOD is high, and its
banks, descending from the plain of the forest to the country below,
are in many places a mile deep; they consist of alternate cliffs and
dingles, and are entirely covered with trees and rough copses.
Footnote 29:
[_Yes_, EATON-BANKS, _etc._] EATON-WOOD, seen from the Forest, was the
property of the late GODFRY BAGNELL CLARKE, ESQUIRE.
Footnote 30:
[HENRY, _etc._] The Hon. HENRY VERNON.
Footnote 31:
[_On breezy wings, etc._] A Deer when hunted runs against the Wind.
Footnote 32:
[_No shrite-cock, etc._] The Shrite-cock or Missel Thrush.
Footnote 33:
[_Destruction’s arm, etc._] By order from the Dutchy Court of
LANCASTER, to which the forest of NEEDWOOD belongs, the timber is now
felling under the direction of an officer of that Court.
Footnote 34:
[_Huge_ SWILCAR, _etc._] SWILCAR Oak stands singly upon a beautiful
small lawn surrounded with extensive woods,—it is of remarkable size,
and supposed to be six hundred years old.
Footnote 35:
[_Accursed_ JULIUS, _etc._] CÆSAR cuts down a consecrated grove.
LUCAN, lib. 3.
Footnote 36:
[_In freedom’s dearest days, etc._] The charter of HEN. 3. confirms
the privilege to Lords of parliament of killing a Deer or two in any
of the royal forests in their way to or from parliament, in the
presence of the keeper, or on blowing a horn in his absence.—’tis
about six hundred years since that king reigned.
Footnote 37:
[_Yet, yet, fond Hope, etc._] Upon the above order from the Dutchy
Court, Ld. VERNON proposed an inclosure of some parts of the forest,
for the preservation of the young timber, and the beauty of the place.
Footnote 38:
[_Flake of snow, etc._] Flake-white.
Footnote 39:
[_Lakes, etc._] Carnation Colours.
Footnote 40:
[_Where Desolation, etc._] The trees in some parts have been so
injudiciously fallen, that the tillage of the ground is extremely
difficult, or quite at a stand.
Footnote 41:
[_Long Mercia sat beside enthron’d_;] The magnificent site of the
castle at Tutbury, no doubt was occupied by a considerable fort in or
before the time of the Saxon heptarchy when it was the residence of
the Kings and Earls of Mercia, who might alternately enjoy hence the
pleasures of the chase in their adjoining forest of Needwood, or the
satisfaction of security against an enemy.—Shaw’s _History of
Staffordshire_.
Footnote 42:
[_And prouder crowns its honours own’d._] See Needwood Forest, p. 23,
of King’s-Standing.
Footnote 43:
[_Loos’d Uproar &c._] The day of disafforesting presented an
extraordinary scene of riot and disturbance, in consequence of the
pursuit of the remaining deer by mobs from all parts.
Footnote 44:
[_Repentant claimants &c._] It is believed that the freeholders now
very generally regret the Inclosure.
Footnote 45:
[_How far the foremost and the best_,] Though formerly the yeomanry of
this kingdom were every where trained to the use of the long-bow, and
excelled all other nations in the art of shooting, it may be
reasonably presumed that the best archers were to be found in and near
the forests.
Footnote 46:
[_You in your secret labyrinths &c._] Those scenes (forests in
Somersetshire) will ever be famous in British history, while the
remembrance continues of Alfred the Great. Frequent inundations of
Danes and repeated losses had driven him from the management of
affairs. But he retired before the enemies of his country only to
attack them with more advantage. Seeing the time ripe for action he
emerged from his retreat where he had been concealed, but not inactive
during a twelvemonth; called his friends together in the forest of
Selwood, which sheltered him and his numbers. Here arranging his
followers, he burst from the forest like a torrent upon the Danes, and
totally defeated them.—_Gilpin’s Forest Scenery, Hume, &c._
Footnote 47:
[_Your hush’d leaves &c._] Alfred on the night of his retirement from
the Danes, it is said, had a vision of St. Cuthbert, comforting and
assuring him he should be a great King.—_Camden’s Britannia._
Footnote 48:
[_You tun’d his harp, you trimm’d his bow._] He was skilful in the use
of both.
Footnote 49:
[_Your proud oaks lean’d_] He provided himself with a naval power,
which though the most natural defence of an island, had hitherto been
totally neglected by the English.
Footnote 50:
[_Your song-birds_] He endeavoured to convey his morality to his
subjects by apologues, parables, stories, and apothegms couch’d in
poetry.
Footnote 51:
[_While Liberty &c._] Amidst the necessary rigor of justice this great
Prince preserved the most sacred regard to the liberty of his people.
Footnote 52:
[_Lair_] The couch or harbour of a wild beast. _Milton._
Footnote 53:
[_With fresh fray’d beams &c._] As soon as the new horns (or beams) of
a stag have acquired their full dimensions and solidity, he rubs them
against the trees in order to clear them of a skin with which they are
covered.—_Buffon._ To fray (_frayer_, _Fr._) is the hunting term for
this operation.
Footnote 54:
[_On yonder castled cliff &c._] Tutbury castle, the residence of John
of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster.
Footnote 55:
[_And fill’d they not &c._] The Duke of Lancaster greatly
distinguished himself in a battle fought between Najara and Navarete
near the Ebro in Spain in 1367. He commanded the 1st battalion of the
English army.—_Johnes’s Froissart._
Footnote 56:
[_Spain’s boasted slingers &c._] The Spanish commonalty made use of
slings, to which they were accustomed, & from which they threw large
stones which at first much annoyed the English: but when their first
cast was over, and they felt the sharpness of the English arrows, they
kept no longer any order.—_Johnes’s Froissart._
Footnote 57:
[_Hark! nations hail &c._] Alluding to his prowess and fame in the
Crusades.
Footnote 58:
[_The man thy Minstrels bring_,] As the subject of their historic
ballads. The minstrels were much encouraged in this King’s reign.
Footnote 59:
[_As Sherwood’s Hero, &c._] The severity of those tyrannical
forest-laws that were introduced by our Norman Kings, and the great
temptation of breaking them by such as lived near the royal forests,
must constantly have occasioned great numbers of outlaws, and
especially of such as were the best marksmen. These naturally fled to
the woods for shelter, and forming into troops endeavoured by their
numbers to protect themselves from the dreadful penalties of their
delinquency. This will easily account for the troops of banditti,
which formerly lurked in the Royal forests, and from their superior
skill in archery and knowledge of the recesses of those unfrequented
solitudes, found it no difficult matter to resist or elude the civil
power. Among those, none was ever more famous than Robin Hood, the
Hero of Sherwood forest; of whom Stow’s account is briefly thus.—“In
this time (about the year 1190, in the reign of Richard 1st) were many
robbers and outlaws, among the which Robin Hood and Little John,
renowned thieves, continued in woods despoyling and robbing the goods
of the rich. They killed none but such as would invade them, or by
resistance for their own defence. The saide Robert entertained an
hundred tall men and good archers with such spoiles and thefts as he
got, upon whom four hundred (were they ever so strong) durst not give
the onset. He suffered no woman to be oppressed, violated, or
otherwise molested: poor mens goods he spared abundantlie, relieving
them with that, which by theft he got from Abbeys and the houses of
rich Carles.” The personal courage of this celebrated outlaw, his
skill in archery, his humanity, and especially his levelling principle
of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, have in all ages
rendered him the favourite of the common people. He was in early times
the favourite subject of popular songs.—_Percy’s Reliques of antient
English Poetry, 1st vol._
Footnote 60:
[_Bright brown blade, broad arrows, gown of green_,] is the language
of the ballads.
Footnote 61:
[_Needwood, this brave man &c._] See in Robin Hood’s garland a ballad,
(quoted in Shaw’s History of Staffordshire) giving an account of Robin
Hood’s visit to Tutbury; and of his marriage there with
Clorinda.________ The relation of the forest to Tutbury will probably
admit of this consideration of them as one and the same.
Footnote 62:
[_King’s-standing, &c._] See Needwood Forest, page 23.
Footnote 63:
[_On the stain’d turf their wrecks are pil’d_,] Bark-ranges.
Footnote 64:
[_In smouldering heaps, &c._] Making charcoal.
Footnote 65:
[_From blacken’d brakes_,] Burning the furze-brakes.—Goss.—_Bailey’s
Dictionary._
Footnote 66:
[_Yon Wretch_] Surveyor or overlooker.
Footnote 67:
[_Valley! where Marebrook, all unveil’d_,] This Valley nearly bisected
the Forest in beautifully varied windings, though without trees of any
kind on its sides, or on the verge of its little stream, Marebrook,
the course of which was remarkably flexuous; but is now actually
turned down the straight fence-ditch.
Footnote 68:
[_And knights and dames, and dwarfs portray’d, &c._] Needwood Forest,
p. 16.
Footnote 69:
[_But for the bee bird’s gaudy plume, &c._] See Needwood Forest, p.
16.
Footnote 70:
[_Manuel._] The Forest earth-stopper in the hunting days of the
author.
Footnote 71:
[_You fox-gloves, &c._] _See_ _Digitalis—Loves of the plants, p. 78._
“The effect of this plant (the fresh leaves of which may be had at all
seasons of the year) in that kind of Dropsy which is termed anasarca
is truly astonishing.”
Footnote 72:
[_Lyre and shield._] As the God of Medicine, giving health and safety,
Apollo is sometimes described with a shield, as well as a lyre.
Footnote 73:
[_Again to save &c._] See Needwood Forest, p. 43.
Footnote 74:
[_And many a noble heart &c._] Alluding to the opposition to the
Inclosure.
Footnote 75:
[_Yet Limbrook, &c._] This rivulet rises on the late Forest and takes
its course through an extensive valley on the brow of which stands
Byrkley Lodge, and proceeds downwards by Yoxall Lodge: some beautiful
Forest scenes have been added to the old Inclosures of these Lodges,
where are shrubberies and sheets of water.
Footnote 76:
[_And ever, in thy favour’d bound_,] Applying the whole scenery around
these lodges to Limbrook.
Footnote 77:
[_When stoops the stranger ewe to drink_;] Sheep were not depastur’d
on the Forest.
Footnote 78:
[_The tracks of their remember’d deer_,] It is said that the
Wolf-tracks may yet be seen in some parts which those animals
frequented, in Ireland, centuries ago.
Footnote 79:
[_Monster of the world_] French Revolution.
Footnote 80:
[_Emma’s art_] Miss Emma Sneyd, of Byrkley Lodge, has produced some
beautiful landscapes and drawings of the Forest scenes.
Footnote 81:
[“_Here Gisborne penn’d his moral lay_] The character and writings
both in verse and prose of the Rev. Thomas Gisborne, of Yoxall Lodge,
are equally well known and admired: the public has lately called for a
seventh edition of his “Walks in a Forest.”
Footnote 82:
[_Gigantic hollies!_] Particular groups of hollies of great age and
size are here alluded to, as in _Needwood Forest p. 19_. Having been
lopped for the deer in winter, (the upper part of their remaining
trunks and branches being again cloathed with their fresh ever-green
shoots) they had somewhat the appearance of ruins.
Footnote 83:
[_Fair Virgin!_] The Hon. Catharine Venables Vernon died in the summer
of 1775.
Footnote 84:
[_Hark the same bell!—take, sister bier_,] The Hon. Martha Venables
Vernon died while the Author was writing this poem.
Footnote 85:
[_Yes, Holly-Bush!_] Formerly the residence of the Author, where many
alterations have since been made and are making.
Footnote 86:
[_Inland look_;] In contradistinction to its former forest character,
in which sense this word is repeatedly used by Shakespear in “As you
like it,” though there applied to persons.
Footnote 87:
[_Unambitious brow &c._] Needwood Forest p. 8.——[_Favourite Tree
Sycamore_;] Needwood Forest p. 10.
Footnote 88:
[_Hall, whose kind arm &c._] T. K. Hall, Esq. has purchased Holly Bush
with a considerable portion of the adjacent Forest land, the scenery
of which he intends to preserve.
Footnote 89:
[_Revered Swilcar_;] Needwood Forest p. 41, 42. &c.
Footnote 90:
[_Horrid!—I see thee far!_] The present appearance of Swilcar oak over
a broad and hitherto uncultivated part of the late Forest, where not
another tree remains, is very striking. He is fenced off from a new
road.
Footnote 91:
[_And some, with strength &c._] Alluding to the complimentary verses
printed with Needwood Forest, and others afterwards sent to the
author.
Footnote 92:
[_Yon prison’d cliffs_] The banks and cliffs of the Forest, hanging
towards the river Dove, are now fenced in, though otherwise left in
their former state.
Footnote 93:
Milton, in Comus, makes Naiades the plural of Naiad, “amid the
flowery-kirtled Naiades.”
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