In 1678, the Marquis of Worcester, Henry Somerset, as Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire and Governor of Chepstow Castle, enclosed some of the Wentwood forest for his own use, and began to fell trees for use in his ironworks at Tintern. Wentwood was not a royal forest, but had been owned by the Marcher Lords of Striguil. Worcester made no attempt to investigate the rights of the commoners, and offered no compensation before starting to enclose. The tenants of the area, including Rogers, claimed that the ancient rights to the forest belonged to them, and rioted when 50 armed men of Worcester's arrived to carry away the felled wood. The leaders of the riot, including Rogers and Edward Kemys, were arrested and tried at Monmouth, where they were found guilty and fined.