Hunters and Poachers

Abstract
This study of hunting and poaching, both of which played significant roles in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, explores symbolic and covert forms of protest, and adds to the knowledge of the interaction between aristocratic and popular culture in early-modern England. Deer hunting was an integral part of aristocratic and gentry culture. It afforded not only recreation, but also served as a symbolic substitute for war and rebellion. Deer hunting provided the occasion for adolescent rites of passage, displays of power and feats of daring, the pursuit of aristocratic feuds, and competition for forest and game offices. The distinction between lawful and unlawful hunting remained unclear, for the game laws were obscure and difficult to enforce, and tumultuous hunting was frequently a reaction to changes in land use and conflicting use-rights.

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