45
the Forest land. There are 740 acres in dispute,
270 acres belonging to houses about which there are
no dispute, and 1,500 still belonging to Lords of
Manors, but open. As to these the Commissioners
propose by the scheme, that the Corporation shall be
compelled to purchase, and the Lords of Manors shall
be compelled to sell them. It will scarcely be
credited, but it is nevertheless a fact, that the
Commissioners have recommended (see clause 13 of
their scheme) that the price to be thus paid by the
Corporation shall be "one equal tenth part in
" marketable value of the soil, such value to be the
" marketable value at the date of the scheme coming
" into operation, taken as if the land were released
" from all rights of common, and of the Crown and
other Forestal rights," so that although up to this
moment the only interest the Lord of the Manor has
in the waste lands of Epping Forest, is a bare owner-
ship of the soil, which he cannot turn to any profitable
use—for all the profit belonged for eleven months of
the year to the commoners, and for the twelfth month
(the fence month) to the Crown—he is to be entitled
to be paid, not the value of the bare right of owner-
ship of the soil, but one tenth part of its marketable
value, as if it were clear of all Forestal and Common
Rights. The other Lords of Manors have been con-
tent to receive from the Corporation for this manorial
right at the rate of £20 an acre for their land, and