Legal Definitions - free chase

A free chase is a historical legal right, typically granted by a sovereign (such as a king or queen), that allows a person to hunt wild animals within a specific tract of land and keep the game caught. This right exists even if the land itself is owned by another party. It is distinct from owning the land, but it grants significant privileges over the land's use for hunting purposes.

• Example 1: In 15th-century England, King Edward IV might have granted a loyal knight the right of "free chase" over a large, forested area that technically belonged to a local monastery. This grant would allow the knight and his retinue to hunt deer, wild boar, and other game within that forest, and to keep whatever animals they caught, without needing permission from the monastery. The monastery still owned the land, but the knight held the specific hunting privilege.

  Explanation: This illustrates a classic "free chase" scenario where a sovereign bestows a specific hunting right upon an individual over land not owned by that individual. The knight gains the privilege to hunt and keep game, while the monastery retains land ownership but loses exclusive hunting rights.

• Example 2: Imagine a modern-day property dispute where an old land deed from the 18th century resurfaces, mentioning that a particular noble family held "free chase" rights over a certain marshland now owned by a conservation trust. While such rights are largely obsolete today, the discovery could prompt legal research into whether these ancient grants ever legally expired or were formally extinguished, or if they could theoretically still impact the trust's ability to manage the wildlife on its property without interference.

  Explanation: This example highlights the historical nature of "free chase" and how such ancient rights, even if rarely enforced now, could still appear in legal documents. It shows the concept as a specific, granted right that was separate from land ownership and could potentially create complex historical legal questions.

• Example 3: A wealthy merchant in the 17th century purchases a sprawling estate that includes woodlands and fields. While he now owns the land, he does not automatically gain the right to hunt in the adjacent royal forest, which is a designated "free chase" held by the Crown itself. If the merchant wished to hunt there, he would need a separate, specific grant or license from the monarch, demonstrating that land ownership did not inherently include the broader hunting privileges associated with a "free chase."

  Explanation: This scenario clarifies that "free chase" is a *specific privilege* that must be granted, rather than an automatic right that comes with owning land. The merchant's ownership of his estate does not extend to the hunting rights within the royal "free chase," emphasizing the distinct nature of this legal concept.