
audiobook
by John Elsee
Transcribed from the 1826 Wooler edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
In this vivid, early‑19th‑century pamphlet, a once‑prosperous merchant‑turned‑landowner recounts the shocking mistreatment he endured at the hands of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests and their agents. The narrative lays bare how official power was abused, with petty rivalries and corrupt servants manipulating the law to dispossess a respectable gentleman of his hard‑earned estate. Written as a plea for redress, it blends a personal testimony with a broader indictment of the forest laws that left even well‑connected citizens vulnerable.
The author’s careful, almost legalistic style captures both the emotional toll of the ordeal and the stark injustice of a system meant to protect the public good. Listeners will hear a compelling blend of historical detail, moral outrage, and a call for fairness that still resonates today. The work serves as a window into the struggles of ordinary people confronting bureaucratic overreach in the age of early industrial Britain.
Full title
Statement of Facts, on the Injurious Treatment of J. Elsee, Esq. Late Tenant of a Considerable Portion of Havering Park Farm, in the Forest of Hainault, in Certain Transactions with the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and Their Agents; To Which Are Added Notes in Illustration of the Gross Abuses of the Forest Laws. Late Tenant of a Considerable Portion of Havering Park Farm, in the Forest of Hainault, in Certain Transactions with the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and Their Agents; To Which Are Added Notes in Illustration of the Gross Abuses of the Forest Laws.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (93K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Nov 9, 2016
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best known for a fiercely argued early-19th-century pamphlet, this little-known writer turned a personal land dispute into a vivid protest against official abuse. His work offers a direct, on-the-ground glimpse of rural England, property rights, and public power.
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