ITS HISTORY.
23
poration, on the other hand, it was contended that
there never were such boundaries, and that the
commoners had always enjoyed the right of " In-
tercommonage," as it was called—i.e. for their
cattle to wander all over the Forest.
This tremendous legal battle, in which eighteen
barristers were engaged, lasted for three years,
and the final hearing for seventeen days. At
length, on the 24th November 1874, the Master
of the Rolls, Sir George Jessel, delivered a judg-
ment which has never been surpassed for lucidity
and conciseness, completely endorsing the con-
tention of the Corporation, and for ever over-
throwing enclosures, the illegality of which was
left beyond dispute. So masterly and conclusive
was the judgment that no attempt was ever made
to appeal against it. It is needless to say that
this happy conclusion of the long controversy,
which had cost so much anxiety and heart-burning,
was received with general congratulation.
Soon after, the Commissioners, who for several
years had been prosecuting their inquiries on the
same lines as the Corporation suit, presented
their report, which included a scheme for the
future regulation of the Forest, but recommended
very easy terms to the "grantees"—i.e. those
who had bought land shown to be illegally en-
closed. This did not meet with general assent,
and Mr. Burney, a commoner of the Forest, took
upon himself to bring down a large party of work-
men, and demolished the fences of some of the
grantees ; and, although this action was condemned
at the time, it had the effect of reminding the
holders of this land of their precarious position
under the decision of the Master of the Rolls if