Whigs and Hunters: The Origin of the Black ActWith Whigs and Hunters, the author of The Making of the English Working Class, E. P. Thompson plunged into the murky waters of the early eighteenth century to chart the violently conflicting currents that boiled beneath the apparent calm of the time. The subject is the Black Act, a law of unprecedented savagery passed by Parliament in 1723 to deal with 'wicked and evil-disposed men going armed in disguise'. These men were pillaging the royal forest of deer, conducting a running battle against the forest officers with blackmail, threats and violence. These 'Blacks', however, were men of some substance; their protest (for such it was) took issue with the equally wholsesale plunder of the forest by Whig nominees to the forest offices. And Robert Walpole, still consolidating his power, took an active part in the prosecution of the 'Blacks'. The episode is laden with political and social implications, affording us glimpses of considerable popular discontent, political chicanery, judicial inequity, corrupt ambition and crime. |
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accused Alexander Pope Alice Holt appear Assizes Baptist Nunn Bere Berks Rec Berkshire Bishop Bishop's Waltham Black Act Brit Cadogan CALIFORNIA/RIVERSIDE The University century Chandos Charles claimed Colonel Negus common Constable's Warrant Books convicted Crown death deer deer-stealers Delafaye disguised Duke Earl Enfield Chase evidence fallow deer farmers Farnham favour Finchampstead fish-ponds forest courts forest law Forest of Bere forest officers gamekeeper gentry George Hampshire Hanoverian Hants Rec horses hunting Huntridge indicted Jacobite James John Journal June Justice in Eyre keepers killing King King's labourer lands Lodge London manor manorial Norton offences parish Park Pepper perhaps perquisites persons poachers Pope Pope's prosecution Rackett Ranger Richmond Richmond Park royal servants Steward Surrey Swinley tenants Thomas timber Townshend Treasury Solicitor Trelawny University Library UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA/RIVERSIDE venison Verderers Walpole Walpole's Waltham Chase Waterson Whig Winchester Windsor Forest Winkfield Wokingham wood yeoman