About the yeare 1650 there were in Verneditch-walke, which is
a part of Cranborne Chase, a thousand or twelve hundred fallow deere;
and now, 1689, there are not above five hundred. A glover at Tysbury
will give sixpence more for a buckskin of Cranborne Chase than of
Groveley; and he saies that he can afford it.
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Clarendon Parke was the best parke in the King's dominions. Hunt and
Palmer, keepers there, did averre that they knew seven thousand head
of deere in that parke; all fallow deere. This parke was seven miles
about. Here were twenty coppices, and every one a mile round.
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Upon these disafforestations the marterns were utterly destroyed in
North Wilts. It is a pretty little beast and of a deep chesnutt
colour, a kind of polecat, lesse than a fox; and the furre is much
esteemed: not much inferior to sables. It is the richest furre of our
nation. Martial saies of it -
"Venator capta marte superbus adest". - Epigr.
In Cranborn Chase and at Vernditch are some marterns still remaining.
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In Wiley river are otters, and perhaps in others. The otter is our
English bever; and Mr. Meredith Lloyd saies that in the river Tivy in
Carmarthenshire there were real bevers heretofore - now extinct. Dr.
Powell, in his History of Wales, speakes of it. They are both alike;
fine furred, and their tayles like a fish.
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