198 BANSTEAD COMMONS. 
others of the Commons suits, undertook the risk, and 
commenced a suit against Sir John Hartopp on January 
Sth, 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 
Robertson died’ before the conclusion, but their places 
were filled by others. 
