22
EPPING FOREST.
to contend even with the united forces of the
manorial lords. It was Mr. Scott, the far-sighted
City Chamberlain, who first suggested that the
compulsory corn metage should be commuted
into a small fixed duty, and applied to the pre-
servation of open spaces; and the sinews of war
having been thus provided, we owe it to Mr. T.
C. Bedford—an able and fearless member of the
Court of Common Council—that the duty of
making a supreme effort for the rescue of the
Forest was vigorously pressed upon the Corporation.
Owing to the happy chance that the Corporation
were owners of a cemetery at Wanstead, which gave
them the right of grazing a cow or two, they were
able to take up the cause of the public as com-
moners of Epping Forest. In August 1871
a suit was commenced against the lords of the
manors, which lasted more than three years, and
cost both sides not less than £30,000. The
labour connected with it was enormous, owing
to the multiplicity of interests involved and the
obscure and intricate questions of ancient law
which it raised. That it was conducted to a
successful issue was largely due to the untiring
energy of the city solicitor, assisted by Mr.
Robert Hunter, who, as honorary solicitor to
the Commons Preservation Society, had for
several years made the law affecting common
rights his especial study. It was contended on
behalf of the lords of manors that each manor
was separate, and that its commoners had no
rights over the remainder of the Forest, so that,
in fact, if he could succeed in satisfying his own
commoners, each lord of a manor could enclose
or do as he liked with it. On behalf of the Cor-