GAME-KEEPERS
—are persons delegated by legal prescription, to provide GAME for the purposes of those by whom they are appointed, to PRESERVE and PROTECT it against a class of adventurers (denominated poachers) by night, as well as an unfair or improper destruction of it by day. Every LORD or LADY of a MANOR are authorized, by writing under their hands and seals, to empower a GAME-KEEPER to kill within the said manor, any HARE, PHEASANT, PARTRIDGE, or other game. If, however, such game-keeper shall sell or dispose of the game he shall so kill, without the knowledge or consent of the said LORD or LADY, and shall be convicted, upon the oath of one witness, before a Justice of Peace, he shall be committed to the house of correction, and kept to hard labour for three months.
One GAME-KEEPER only can be appointed to kill game within one manor; in which he is authorized and empowered, by his DEPUTATION, to take and seize all guns, bows, greyhounds, setting-dogs, lurchers, ferrets, trammels, low-bells, hays, or other nets, hare-pipes, snares, or other engines, for the taking and killing of HARES, PHEASANTS, PARTRIDGES, or other game, within the precincts of such manor, in the possession of any person not qualified to keep the same. It does not appear by this act (23d Charles Second, c. xxv. s. 2) that a GAME-KEEPER is empowered to seize THE GAME, although he is authorized to take all instruments in use for the destruction of it.
By the 25th George Third, c. v. s. 2, every deputation of a GAME-KEEPER granted to any person, by any LORD or LADY of any MANOR in England or Wales, shall be registered with the Clerk of the Peace of the county in which such manor lies; where he shall receive a certificate of such registry, upon payment of ONE GUINEA, and one shilling to the Clerk, for the same. A game-keeper omitting to register his deputation, and to take out his certificate, for twenty days, to forfeit TWENTY POUNDS. The certificate must be renewed annually; and upon the appointment of a NEW GAME-KEEPER, a new certificate must be taken out; and the person formerly acting under the old certificate is no longer qualified to kill game, but liable to all the penalties of this act.
In addition, a few general remarks may be useful. A GAME-KEEPER having no other qualification than his deputation and certificate, is not entitled to KILL GAME out of the precincts of the manor for which he is appointed. Nor is he empowered to demand THE NAME, or a SIGHT, of the CERTIFICATE of any qualified person out of his own district; unless he is qualified to kill game in his OWN RIGHT, (exclusive of his deputation,) and is possessed of his THREE GUINEA certificate; in which case he may do either or both. But let it be remembered, that, although he is QUALIFIED to KILL GAME in his own right, and acts under a deputation for a certain specified MANOR, he is liable to the penalty prescribed by the Act, if he is informed against for, and convicted of, killing game out of that manor, without being previously possessed of the three guinea certificate. Any GAME-KEEPER killing or taking a hare, pheasant, partridge, or other game, under colour of being for the use of the Lord of the Manor, and afterwards SELLING and DISPOSING thereof, without the consent of the said Lord of the Manor, upon conviction, on the complaint of such Lord, and on the oath of one witness, before a Justice, shall be committed to the house of correction for three months, and there kept to hard labour.