text_original: The press gang system had been in force from very remote days indeed, for it is shown by statute and by record to have been in operation before 1378. In 1641 the practice was declared illegal by Parliament; but Parliament might just as well not have troubled itself upon the subject, for the impressment of seamen went on just as if nothing had happened.
text_transcription: THE PRESS GANG SYSTEM HAD BEEN ENFORCED FROM VERY REMOTE DAYS INDEED FOR IT IS SHOWN BY STATUTE AND BY RECORD TO HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION BEFORE THIRTEEN SEVENTY EIGHT IN SIXTEEN FORTY ONE THE PRACTICE WAS DECLARED ILLEGAL BY PARLIAMENT BUT PARLIAMENT MIGHT JUST AS WELL NOT HAVE TROUBLED ITSELF UPON THE SUBJECT FOR THE IMPRESSMENT OF SEAMEN WENT ON JUST AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED
phonemes: ðə pɹˈɛs ɡˈæŋ sˈɪstəm hɐdbɪn ɪn fˈɔːɹs fɹʌm vˈɛɹi ɹᵻmˈoʊt dˈeɪz ˌɪndˈiːd, fɔːɹ ɪɾ ɪz ʃˈoʊn baɪ stˈætʃuːt ænd baɪ ɹˈɛkɚd tə hɐvbɪn ɪn ˌɑːpɚɹˈeɪʃən bᵻfˌɔːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt. ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd fˈɔːɹɾi wˈʌn ðə pɹˈæktɪs wʌz dᵻklˈɛɹd ɪlˈiːɡəl baɪ pˈɑːɹləmənt; bˌʌt pˈɑːɹləmənt mˌaɪt dʒˈʌst æz wˈɛl nˌɑːɾɐv tɹˈʌbəld ɪtsˈɛlf əpˌɑːn ðə sˈʌbdʒɛkt, fɚðɪ ɪmpɹˈɛsmənt ʌv sˈiːmɛn wɛnt ˌɔn dʒˈʌst æz ɪf nˈʌθɪŋ hæd hˈæpənd.