198 BANS TE AD COMMONS. 



others of the Commons suits, undertook the risk, and 

 commenced a suit against Sir John Hartopp on January 

 8th, 1877, on behalf of the Commoners, claiming the 

 usual rights of common, and asking that the lord 

 might be restrained from inclosure. They were sup- 

 ported to some extent by local contributions, and by 

 promises of assistance from the Corporation of London. 

 With a view to reinforce their legal position as Com- 

 moners, a deputation was introduced by the writer to 

 the present Lord Egmont, who had lately succeeded his 

 uncle in the title and property, and tried to persuade 

 him to throw in his lot with the Commoners against the 

 inclosure, and to withdraw from the arrangements with 

 Sir John Hartopp. Lord Egmont replied that he was 

 much averse to the inclosure, and would far sooner see 

 the Commons left open as they were, but he felt pre- 

 cluded by his predecessor's agreement with Sir John 

 Hartopp from joining in opposition to it. 



Upon a motion for an interim injunction, Sir George 

 Jessel put Sir John Hartopp under terms that, in the 

 event of the suit being decided against him, he should 

 pull down the buildings he had erected. Thence- 

 forward for thirteen more years the suit dragged on 

 its weary course through every form of litigious pro- 

 ceeding that could be devised. The originators of the 

 suit could have little foreseen the maelstrom of litigation 

 in which they were involved, but they never flinched 

 from the task. Mr. Hamilton Fletcher and Mr. Nisbet 

 Kobertson died before the conclusion, but their places 

 were filled by others. 



