This extract is valuable, as it establishes the period of the final
demolition of the footsteps, and also confirms the legend that _forty_
was the original number.

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

* * * * * {218}

QUERIES ANSWERED, NO. 4.--"POKERSHIP", BY BOLTON CORNEY.

A query made by so experienced a writer as the noble historian of
_Audley End_, cannot admit of an easy solution; and instead of
professing to answer the two-fold query on _pokership_, it might more
become me to style this note an attempt to answer it.

In the _Historical collections of the noble families of Cavendishe_,
etc. the passage which contains the doubtful word is printed thus:--

"He [Sir Robert Harley, of Bramton, Herefordshire] was in the
next year [1604], on the 16th of July, made forester of
Boringwood, _alias_ Bringwood forest, in com. Hereford, with the
office of _pokership_, and custody of the forest or chace of
Prestwood, for life."

Are we to read _parkership_ or _pokership_? If _pokership_, what is its
meaning?

Skelton, the rhymer, has _parker_ for _park-keeper_, so that
_parkership_ is an admissable word; but I reject it on this occasion, as
inapplicable to a forest or chace. I incline to believe that _pokership_