The first edition of this book is dated 1847. The edition used is dated 1870. The publisher was George Routledge and Sons Limited. The number of pages is 410.

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General information

Captain Frederick Marryat was born July 10 1792, and died August 8 1848. He retired from the British navy in 1828 in order to devote himself to writing. In the following 20 years he wrote 26 books, many of which are among the very best of English literature, and some of which are still in print.

Marryat had an extraordinary gift for the invention of episodes in his stories. He says somewhere that when he sat down for the day’s work, he never knew what he was going to write. He certainly was a literary genius.

“The Children of the New Forest” was published in 1847, the twenty-fourth book to flow from Marryat’s pen, and the last published whilst he was still alive. It was written for children, and has been phenomenally succesful: it is still in print over 150 years later.

This e-text was transcribed in 1998 by Nick Hodson, and was reformatted in 2003, and again in 2005.

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Contents

Chapter I.
The circumstances which I am about to relate to my juvenile readers took place in the year 1647.

Chapter II.
Before Jacob is admitted to the presence of Miss Judith Villiers, we must give some account of the establishment at Arnwood.

Chapter III.
The next morning, as soon as Jacob had given the children their breakfast, he set off towards Arnwood.

Chapter IV.
The old forester lay awake the whole of this night, reflecting how he should act relative to the children; he felt the great responsibility that he had incurred, and was alarmed when he considered what might be the consequences if his days were shortened.

Chapter V.
As we have before said, time passed rapidly; with the exception of one or two excursions after venison, they remained in the cottage, and Jacob never went to Lymington.

Chapter VI.
Alice and Edith were very anxious to see the cow, and especially to see the calf; but Humphrey told them that they must not go near till he went with them, and then they should see it.

Chapter VII.
Humphrey was now after something else. He had made several traps, and brought in rabbits and hares almost every day.

Chapter VIII.
Edward put the pony to a trot, and in two hours was on the other side of the New Forest.

Chapter IX.
Edward, having finished his meal, and had a good pull at the jug of ale, which was a liquor he had not tasted for a long while, rose from the table and went out of the back door and found there Oswald Partridge.

Chapter X.
“Humphrey,” said Edward, “the sooner all this is over the better.

Chapter XI.
“Could you have found your way to Lymington?” said Oswald, as the pony trotted along.

Chapter XII.
“A narrow escape,” said Edward, as he held his brother’s hand.

Chapter XIII.
As soon as he was out of the Intendant’s house, Edward hastened to the cottage of Oswald Partridge, whom he found waiting for him; for the verderer had not failed to deliver his message.

Chapter XIV.
“Now, Humphrey, what do you propose to do?“

Chapter XV.
It was now very dark, as there was no moon, and the stars were often obscured by the clouds, which were heavy, and borne along by the wind, which was very high.

Chapter XVI.
Edward then took the counterpane off the bed, and went with it into the next room.

Chapter XVII.
Humphrey came out as soon as he perceived the Intendant and his party approaching, and whispered to Edward that all was safe.

Chapter XVIII.
“Edward,” said Edith, “scold Pablo; he has been ill-treating my poor cat; he is a cruel boy.

Chapter XIX.
“We will put them into the yard for the present; I mean that Holdfast shall take charge of them by and by.

Chapter XX.
The summer had now advanced, when Oswald one day said to Edward—

Chapter XXI.
The winter set in very severe, and the falls of snow were very heavy and frequent.

Chapter XXII.
Edward was certain that Mr. Langton would not have advised him to leave London if he had not considered that it was dangerous to remain.

Chapter XXIII.
The next morning, before they had quitted their beds, a messenger arrived with letters from General Middleton, and from him they found that the king’s army had encamped on the evening before not six miles from Portlake.

Chapter XXIV.
It was only to Oswald that Edward made known what had occurred; he knew that he was to be trusted.

Chapter XXV.
For several days Edward remained at home, anxiously awaiting every news which arrived; expecting every time that the capture of the king would be announced, and, with great joy, finding that hitherto all efforts had been unsuccessful.

Chapter XXVI.
Our readers may think that Humphrey was very unkind; but it was to avoid being questioned by Clara, who was evidently sent for the purpose, that he was so harsh.

Chapter XXVII.
But we must follow Edward for a time. On his arrival at Paris he was kindly received by King Charles, who promised to assist his views in joining the army.

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