16 EPPING FOREST
Two years later another committee was ap-
pointed to enquire into all the open spaces round
London. The view of the lords of the manor,
which was urged upon these committees, was that
nothing stood between each lord and enclosure on
his own manor but the rights of the commoners of
that manor, which rights in several of the manors
had either been compensated or surrendered. On
the other hand, the opponents of this view main-
tained that the common rights still existed, and
even if little used, were sufficient to resist enclosure.
This committee repeated the recommendation with
regard to the Forest which had been made by the
previous one; but, though an Act was passed pro-
viding for the regulation of commons, no steps
were taken by the Government of the day with
regard to the Forest, and in default of this the
party of enclosure gained courage to assert what
they believed to be their rights by further large
enclosures. Within a comparatively brief period
nearly 3000 acres were thus surrounded by fences.
Public opinion began to be aroused, but the
first overt act of resistance was committed by a
labouring man—one Willingale—who persisted in
asserting his ancient right of lopping in Loughton
Manor, as his forefathers had done. It is held
locally that this right was granted by Queen Eliza-
beth to the poor of the parish, but it is probable
that it had a much earlier origin. It is further
believed that it was held subject to the condition
that on the nth of November in each year the
inhabitants should perambulate the Forest, and
that, at the stroke of midnight, the oldest of them
should drive an axe into one of the branches.
Other parishes are said to have enjoyed similar
privileges, but to have lost them through omit-
ting this ceremony. But these beliefs are not sup-
ported by any evidence. Willingale's defiant act
was treated by the Justices as a theft, and he,
not having knowledge enough to assert his right
before them, was convicted. His case was,
however, supported by a member of the Com-
mons Preservation Society, and the necessary