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　　Thecrimeforwhichmenweremaimedorkilledbytheseenginesortorn

　　fromtheirhomesbysummaryandheartlessjusticewas，itmustberemembered，

　　nocrimeatallintheeyesofthegreatmajorityoftheircountrymen。At

　　thistimethesaleofgamewasprohibitedundersternpenalties，andyet

　　everyrichmaninLondon，fromtheLordMayordownwards，entertainedhis

　　guestswithgamethathehadboughtfromapoulterer。Howhadthepoulterer

　　boughtit？Therewasnosecretaboutthebusiness。Itwasexplainedtotwo

　　SelectCommittees，thefirstoftheHouseofCommonsin1823，andthesecond

　　oftheHouseofLordsin1828，bypoultererswholivedbythesetransactions，

　　andbypoliceofficerswhodidnothingtointerferewiththem。DanielBishop，

　　forexample，oneofthechiefBowStreetofficers，describedthearrangements

　　totheCommitteein1823。52*

　　’CanyoustatetotheCommittee，howtheGameisbroughtfromthepoachers

　　uptoLondon，orothermarket？……Thepoachersgenerallymeetthecoachman

　　orguardsofthemailsorvans，anddeliverittothemaftertheyareout

　　ofatown，theydonotdeliveritinatown；thenitisbroughtuptoLondon，

　　sometimestotheiragents；butthecoachmenandguardsmostlyhavetheir

　　friendsinLondonwheretheyknowhowtodisposeofit，andtheyhavetheir

　　contractsmadeatsomuchabrace……Thereisnointermediatepersonbetween

　　thepoacherandthecoachmanorguardthatconveysitto。town？……Veryseldom；

　　generallytheheadofthegangpaystherestofthemen，andhesendsoff

　　theGame……WhenthegamearrivesinLondon，howisitdisposedof？……They

　　havetheiragents，thebookkeepersatmostoftheinns，theporterswhogo

　　outwiththecarts；anypersonstheyknowmaygoandgetwhatquantitythey

　　like，bysendinganorderadayortwobefore；therearegreatquantities

　　comeuptoLeadenhallandNewgatemarkets。’NobodyinLondonthoughtthe

　　worseofapoultererforbuyingpoachedgame；andnobodyinthecountrythought

　　anytheworseofthepoacherwhosuppliedit。AwitnessbeforetheCommittee

　　in1823saidthatinonevillagethewholeofthevillagewerepoachers，

　　’theconstableofthevillage，theshoemakerandotherinhabitantsofthe

　　village。’AnotherwitnessbeforetheLordsin1828saidthatoccupiersand

　　unqualifiedproprietorsagreedwiththelabourersinthinkingthatpoaching

　　wasaninnocentpractice。

　　ThosewhowishedtoreformtheGameLawsarguedthatifthesaleofgame

　　werelegalised，andiftheanomalousqualificationswereabolished，thepoacher’s

　　prizewouldbecomemuchlessvaluable，andthetemptationwouldbecorrespondingly

　　diminished……ThisviewwascorroboratedbytheevidencegiventotheSelect

　　Committees。Butallsuchproposalswerebitterlyattackedbythegreatmajority

　　ofgamepreservers。LordLondonderryurgedagainstthisreformin1827’that

　　itwoulddeprivethesportsmanofhishighestgratification……thepleasure

　　offishinghisfriendswithpresentsofgame：nobodywouldcareforapresent

　　whicheverybodycouldgive！’53*Othergamepreserversarguedthatitwas

　　sportthatmadetheEnglishgentlemensuchgoodofficers，onwhichtheEdinburgh

　　Reviewremarked：’ThehuntingwhichXenophonandCiceropraiseasthebest

　　disciplineforforminggreatgeneralsfromitsbeingwarinminiaturemust

　　havebeenveryunlikepheasantshooting。’54*LordDeerhurstdeclared，when

　　theproposalwasmadefourteenyearsearlier，thatthiswasnotthetime

　　todisgustresidentgentlemen。TheEnglisharistocracy，liketheFrench，

　　wouldonlyconsenttoliveinthecountryontheirownterms。Whenthesquires

　　threatenedtoturn&eacute；migr&eacute；sifanybodyelsewasallowedtokill

　　arabbit，orifapoacherwasnotputtoriskoflifeandlimb，SydneySmith

　　gaveananswerthatwouldhavescandalisedtheHouseofCommons，’Ifgentlemen

　　cannotbreathefreshairwithoutinjustice，letthemputrefyinCranbourne

　　Court。’

　　Butwhataboutthejusticeofthelawsagainstpoachers？Tomostmembers

　　ofParliamenttherewouldhavebeenanelementofparadoxinsuchaquestion。

　　FromthediscussionsonthesubjectoftheGameLawsamodernreadermight

　　supposethatpoacherswerenotmenoffleshandblood，butsomekindofvermin。

　　Therewereafewexceptions。In1782，whenCokeofNorfolk，actingatthe

　　instanceofthemagistratesofthatcounty，proposedtomaketheGameLaws

　　morestringent，Turner，thememberforYork，madeaspiritedreply；he’exclaimed

　　againstthoselawsascruelandoppressiveonthepoor：hesaiditwasa

　　shamethattheHouseshouldalwaysbeenactinglawsforthesafetyofgentlemen；

　　hewishedtheywouldmakeafewforthegoodofthepoor……Forhisown

　　part，hewasconvinced，thatifhehadbeenacommonman，hewouldhavebeen

　　apoacher，inspiteofallthelaws；andhewasequallysurethatthetoo

　　greatseverityofthelawswasthecausethatthenumberofpoachershad

　　increasedsomuch。’55*Fox29thApril1796protestedwithvigouragainst

　　themoralitythatcondemnedpoacherswithoutmercy，andcondonedallthe

　　vicesoftherich，buthe，withSheridan，Curwen，Romilly，andafewothers

　　wereaninfinitesimalminority。

　　Thearistocracyhadsetupacode，underwhichamanorboywhohadoffended

　　againstthelaws，buthaddonenothingforwhichanyofhisfellowsimputed

　　discredittohim，wassnatchedfromhishome，thrownintogaolwiththieves

　　andcriminals，andperhapsflungtotheothersideoftheworld，leaving

　　hisfamilyeithertogoupontheratesortopickupalivingbysuchdishonesties

　　astheycouldcontrive。Thislastpenaltyprobablymeantfinalseparation。

　　Mr。T。G。B。Estcourt，M。P。，statedinevidencebeforetheSelectCommittee

　　onSecondaryPunishmentsin183156*thatasmenwhohadbeentransported

　　werenotbroughtbackatthepublicexpense，theyscarcelyeverreturned，57*

　　thatagriculturallabourersspeciallydreadedtransportation，becauseit

　　meant’entireseparation’from’formerassociates，relations，andfriends，’

　　andthatsinceheandhisbrothermagistratesinWiltshirehadtakentotransporting

　　morefreely，committalshaddecreased。Thespecialmiserythattransportation

　　inflictedonmenofthisclassisillustratedinMarcusClarke’sfamousnovel，FortheTermofHisNaturalLife。Inthepassagedescribingthebarracoon

　　onthetransportship，Clarkethrowsonthescreenallthedifferenttypes

　　ofcharacter——forgers，housebreakers，cracksmen，footpads——pennedup

　　inthatpoisonousprison。’Thepoachergrimlythinkingofhissickwifeand

　　childrenwouldstartasthenight-houseruffianclappedhimontheshoulder

　　andbadehimwithacursetotakegoodheartandbeaman。’ReadersofMr。

　　Hudson’scharactersketchesofthemodernWiltshirelabourercanimagine

　　thescene。Totheladwhohadneverbeenoutsidehisownvillagesuchasociety

　　musthavebeenunspeakablyalienandterrible：aringofcallousandmocking

　　faces，hardened，bycrimeandwrongandbasepunishment，tomakebitterridicule

　　ofallthememoriesofhomeandboyhoodandinnocencethatweresurgingand

　　breakingroundhissimpleheart。

　　ThegrowingbrutalityoftheGameLaws，ifitisthechief，isnotthe

　　onlyillustrationoftheextenttowhichthepressureofpovertywasdriving

　　thelabourerstopressuponlawandorder，andthekindofmeasuresthat

　　therulingclasstooktoprotectitsproperty。Anotherillustrationisthe

　　MaliciousTrespassAct。

　　In1820ParliamentpassedanActwhichprovidedthatanypersonconvicted

　　beforeasingleJ。P。withinfourmonthsoftheactofdoinganymalicious

　　injurytoanybuilding，hedge，fence，tree，wood，orunderwoodwastopay

　　damagenotexceeding&#163；5，andifhewasunabletopaythesedamageshe

　　wastobesenttohardlabourinacommongaolorHouseofCorrectionfor

　　threemonths。ThelawbeforethepassingofthisActwasasitisto-day，

　　i。e。，theremedylayinanactionatlawagainstthetrespasser，andthe

　　trespasserundertheActofWilliamandMaryhadtopaydamages。TheAct

　　of1820waspassedwithoutanydebatethatisreportedinHansard，butit

　　isnotunreasonabletoassumethatitwasdemandedfortheprotectionof

　　enclosuresandgamepreserves。58*ThisActexemptedonesetofpersons

　　entirely，’personsengagedinhunting，andqualifiedpersonsinpursuitof

　　game。’Theseprivilegedgentlemencoulddoasmuchinjuryastheypleased。

　　Oneclauseprovidedthateverymaleoffenderundersixteenwhodidnot

　　paydamages，andallcostsandchargesandexpensesforthwith，mightbesent

　　bythemagistratetohardlabourintheHouseofCorrectionforsixweeks。

　　Thusachildwhobrokeaboughfromatreebytheroadsidemightbesent

　　bythemagistrate，whowouldinmanycasesbetheownerofthetree，tothe

　　HouseofCorrection，theretolearnthewaysofcriminalsatanagewhen

　　themagistrate’sownchildrenwereabouthalf-waythroughtheirluxurious

　　education。Thiswasnobrutumfulmen。Childrenweresenttoprisoningreat

　　numbers。59*Broughamsaidin1828：’TherewasaBillintroducedbythe

　　Rt。Hon。Gentlemanoppositeforextendingthepaymentofexpensesofwitnesses

　　andprosecutorsoutofthecountyrates。Itisnottobedoubtedthatit

　　hasgreatlyincreasedthenumberofCommitments，andhasbeenthecauseof

　　manypersonsbeingbroughttotrial，whooughttohavebeendischargedby

　　theMagistrates。Thehabitofcommitting，fromthisandothercauses，has

　　grievouslyincreasedeverywhereoflate，andespeciallyofboys。Eighteen

　　hundredandodd，manyofthemmerechildren，havebeencommittedintheWarwick

　　districtduringthelastsevenyears。’60*TheGovernoroftheHouseof

　　CorrectioninColdbathFields，givingevidencebeforetheCommitteeonSecondary

　　Punishmentsin1831，saidthathehadunderhischargeaboyoftenyears

　　oldwhohadbeeninprisoneighttimes。Capper，theSuperintendentofthe

　　ConvictEstablishment，toldthesameCommitteethatsomeoftheboyconvicts

　　weresoyoungthattheycouldscarcelyputontheirclothes，andthatthey

　　hadtobedressed。RichardPotter’sdiaryfor1813containsthis。entry。

　　’Oct。13——Iwasattendingtogiveevidenceagainstaman。Afterwards，

　　twoboys，JohnandThomasClough，aged12and10years，weretriedandfound

　　guiltyofstealingsomeIrishlinenoutofJosephThorley’swarehouseduring

　　thedinnerhour。TheChairmansentencedthemtosevenyears’transportation。

　　Onitsbeingpronounced，theMotherofthoseunfortunateboyscametothe

　　Bartoherchildren，andwiththemwasingreatagony，imploringmercyof

　　theBench。Withdifficultythechildrenwereremoved。Thescenewassohorrifying

　　Icouldremainnolongerincourt。’61*Parliamentputthesetremendous

　　weaponsintothehandsofmenwhobelievedinusingthem，whoadministered

　　thelawontheprinciplebywhichSirWilliamDyottregulatedhisconduct

　　asamagistrate，that’nothingbuttheterrorofhumansufferingcanavail

　　topreventcrime。’

　　Theclassthathad，inGoldsmith’swords，hunground’ourpaltriestpossessions

　　withgibbetts’neverdoubteditspowertodofulljusticetothehelpless

　　creatureswhotumbledintothenetofthelaw。Until1836amanaccusedof

　　afelonywasnotallowedtoemploycounseltomakehisdefenceintheCourt。

　　Hiscounselifhecouldaffordtohaveonecouldexamineandcross-examine

　　witnesses，andthatwasall；theprisoner，whateverhisconditionofmind，

　　orhisconditionofbody，hadtoanswerthespeechoftheprosecutingcounsel

　　himself。Inninecasesoutoftenhewasquiteanunlearnedman；hewasswept

　　intotheglareoftheCourtblinkingfromlongmonthsofimprisonmentin

　　darkcells；thecaseagainsthimwaswovenintoacompleteandperfectstory

　　bytheskilledfingersofalawyer，anditwaslefttothisrudeandilliterate

　　man，bytheaidofhisownmemoryandhisownimagination，hislifeonthe

　　razor’sedge，hismindbewilderedbyhisstrangeandterriblesurroundings，

　　topickthatstorytopieces，toexposewhatwasmereanddoubtfulinference，

　　toputadifferentcompletiononalongandtangledsetofevents，toshow

　　howaturnhereoraturnthereinthenarrativewouldchangeblackinto

　　whiteandapparentguiltintomanifestinnocence。SydneySmith，whoseopinions

　　ontheimportanceofgivingthepoorafairtrialwereasenlightenedas

　　hisopinionsontheirpropertreatmentinprisonwerebackward，hasdescribed

　　thescene。

　　’ItisamostaffectingmomentinaCourtofJustice，whentheevidencehas

　　allbeenheard，andtheJudgeaskstheprisonerwhathehastosayinhis

　　defence。Theprisonerwhohasbygreatexertions，perhapsofhisfriends

　　savedupmoneyenoughtoprocureCounsel，saystotheJudge“thathe

　　leaveshisdefencetohisCounsel。”WehaveoftenblushedforEnglish

　　humanitytohearthereply。“YourCounselcannotspeakforyou，you

　　mustspeakforyourself；“andthisisthereplygiventoapoorgirl

　　ofeighteen——toaforeigner——toadeafman——toastammerer——tothe

　　sicktothefeeble——totheold——tothemostabjectandignorantofhuman

　　beings！……Howoftenhaveweseenapoorwretch，strugglingagainsttheagonies

　　ofhisspirit，andtherudenessofhisconceptions，andhisaweofbetter-dressed

　　menandbetter-taughtmen，andtheshamewhichtheaccusationhasbrought

　　uponhishead，andthesightofhisparentsandchildrengazingathimin

　　theCourt，forthelasttimeperhaps，andafteralongabsence！’62*