Assart

[…] an assart of the Forest, is the greatest offence or trespasse of all other, that can be done in the forest, to vert or venison, containing in it as much as waste or more. For whereas the waste of the Forest, is but the felling and cutting downe of the couerts, which may grow againe in time: an assart, is a plucking them vp […]

[…] if a man sue out a Licence to assart his grounds in the Forest, and to make it several for Tillage, then it is no offence.

1775, John Ash, The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language, London: Edward & Charles Dilly, Volume I, ASSART v.t. […] To clear away wood.