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　　OnerepresentativeoftheChurchwasdistinguishedfrommostofthecountry

　　gentlemenandclergymenofthetimebyhistreatmentofoneofthesewandering

　　mobs。Cobbett’slettertotheHampshireparsons，publishedinthePolitical

　　Register，15thJanuary1831，containsanaccountoftheconductofBishop

　　Sumner，theBishopofWinchester。’Ihave，atlast，foundaBishopofthe

　　LawChurchtopraise。Thefactsarethese：theBishop，incomingfromWinchester

　　tohispalaceatFarnham，wasmetaboutamilebeforehegottothelatter

　　place，byabandofsturdybeggars，whomsomecallrobbers。Theystopped

　　hiscarriage，andaskedforsomemoney，whichhegavethem。Buthedidnot

　　prosecutethem：hehadnotamanofthemcalledtoaccountforhisconduct，

　　but，thenextday，settwenty-fourlabourerstoconstantwork，openedhis

　　Castletothedistressedofallages，andsuppliedallwithfoodandother

　　necessarieswhostoodinneedofthem。ThiswasbecomingaChristianteacher。’

　　PerhapsthebishoprememberedthelinesfromDryden’sTalesfromChaucer，

　　describingthespiritinwhichthegoodparsonregardedthepoor：

　　’Who，shouldtheystealforwantofhisrelief，Hejudgedhimselfaccomplicewiththethief。’

　　TherewasanexhibitionoffreespeakingatHungerford，wherethemagistrates

　　satintheTownHalltoreceivedeputationsfromvariousmobs，inconnection

　　withthedemandforhigherwages。Themagistrateshadmadetheirpeacewith

　　theHungerfordmob，whenadeputationfromtheKintburymobarrived，led

　　byWilliamOakley，ayoungcarpenteroftwenty-five。Oakleyaddressedthe

　　magistratesinlanguagewhichtheyhadneverheardbeforeintheirlives

　　andwereneverlikelytohearagain。’Youhavenotsuchddflatstodeal

　　withnow，asyouhadbefore；wewillhave2s。adaytillLadyday，and2s。

　　6d。afterwardsforlabourersand3s。6d。fortradesmen。Andaswearehere

　　wewillhave&#163；5beforeweleavetheplaceorwewillsmashit……You

　　gentlemenhavebeenlivinglongenoughonthegoodthings，nowisourtime

　　andwewillhavethem。Yougentlemenwouldnotspeaktousnow，onlyyou

　　areafraidandintimidated。’Themagistratesaccededtothedemandsofthe

　　Kintburymobandalsogavethemthe&#163；5，afterwhichtheygavetheHungerford

　　mob&#163；5，becausetheyhadbehavedwell，anditwouldbeunjusttotreat

　　themworsethantheirKintburyneighbours。Mr。Page，Deputy-Lieutenantfor

　　Berks，sentLordMelbournesometalesaboutthissameKintburymob，which

　　wasdescribedbyMr。Pearse，M。P。，asasetof’desperatesavages。’’Ibeg

　　toaddsomeanecdotesofthemobyesterdaytoillustratethenatureofits

　　componentparts。Theytook&#163；2fromMr。Cherryamagistrateandbroke

　　hisMachine。AfterwardsanotherpartycameanddemandedOnePoundwhenthe

　　twopartieshadagainformedintoone，theypassedbyMr。Cherry’sdoorand

　　saidtheyhadtakenonepoundtoomuch，whichtheyofferedtoreturntohim

　　whichitissaidherefused-theyhadbeforeunderstoodthatMrs。Cherrywas

　　unwellandthereforecameonlyinsmallparties。Apoorwomanpassedthem

　　sellingrabbitts，somefewofthemobtooksomebyforce，theringleader

　　orderedthemtoberestored。Atafarmer’swheretheyhadbeenregaledwith

　　breadcheeseandbeeroneofthemstoleanumbrella：theringleaderhearing

　　ofit，astheywerepassingthecanalthrewhimintoitandgavehimagood

　　ducking。’22*

　　IntheearlydaysoftherisinginHampshire，WiltshireandBerkshire，

　　therewasagooddealofsympathywiththelabourers。Thefarmersinmany

　　casesmadenoobjectiontothedestructionoftheirthreshingmachines。One

　　gentlemanofMarketLavingtonwentsofarastosaythat’nearlyallthe

　　WiltshireFarmerswerewillingtodestroyorsetasidetheirmachines。’’My

　　Lord，’wroteMr。Williams，J。P。，fromMarlborough，’youwillperhapsbesurprised

　　tohearthatthegreatestnumberofthethreshingmachinesdestroyedhave

　　beenputoutforthePurposebytheOwnersthemselves。’ThedukeofBuckingham

　　complainedthatinthedistrictroundAvington’thefarmershavenotthe

　　SpiritandinsomeinstancesnottheWishtoputdown’disturbances。23*

　　AtameetinginWinchester，convenedbytheMayortopreservethepeacereported

　　intheHampshireChronicleof22ndNovember，Dr。Newbolt，aclergymanand

　　magistrate，describedhisowndealingswithoneofthemobs。Themobsaid

　　theywanted12s。aweekwages：thishesaidwasareasonabledemand。Heacted

　　asmediatorbetweenthelabourersandfarmers，andasaresultofhisefforts

　　thefarmersagreedtotheseterms，andthelabourersreturnedtowork，abandoning

　　theirprojectofadescentonWinchester。TheMayorofWinchesteralsodeclared

　　thatthewagesdemandedwerenotunreasonable，andhelaidstressonthe

　　factthattheobjectofthemeetingwasnottoappointspecialconstables

　　tocomeintoconflictwiththepeople，butmerelytopreservethepeace。

　　NextweekDr。NewboltputanadvertisementintotheHampshireChronicle，

　　acknowledgingthevoteofthanksthathadbeenpassedtohim，andreaffirming

　　hisbeliefthatconciliationwastherightpolicy。24*AtOverton，inHampshire，

　　HenryHuntactedasmediatorbetweenthefarmersandahungryandmenacing

　　mob。Suchwasthefearofthefarmersthattheygavehimunlimitedpower

　　tomakepromisesontheirbehalf：hepromisedthelabourersthattheirwages

　　shouldberaisedfrom9s。to12s。，withhouserentinaddition，andthey

　　dispersedindelight。

　　Fortunehadsofarsmiledupontherising，andtherewassomehopeof

　　success。Ifthespiritthatanimatedthefarmers，andinKentmanyofthe

　　landowners，hadlasted，thewinterof1830mighthaveendedinanimprovement

　　ofwagesandareductionofrentsandtithesthroughoutthesouthofEngland。

　　Inplaceswherethedeclineofthelabourerhadbeenwatchedforyearswithout

　　pityordismay，magistrateswerenowcallingmeetingstoconsiderhiscircumstances，

　　andtheHomeOfficePapersshowthatsome，atanyrate，ofthecountrygentlemen

　　wereawareofthedesperateconditionofthepoor。Unhappilythedayofconciliatory

　　measureswasabriefone。Twofactsfrightenedtheupperclassesintobrutality：

　　onewasthespreadoftherising，theotherthescarcityoftroops。25*

　　Asthemovementspread，thealarmoftheauthoritiesinspiredadifferent

　　policy，andeventhoselandownerswhorecognisedthatthelabourerswere

　　miserable，thoughtthattheywereinthepresenceofarisingthatwould

　　sweepthemawayunlesstheycouldsuppressitatoncebydrasticmeans。They

　　picturedthelabourersasHunsandthemysteriousSwingasasecondAttila，

　　andthispanictheycontrivedtocommunicatetotheotherclassesofsociety。

　　Conciliatorymethodsconsequentlyceased；theupperclassessubstituted

　　actionfordiplomacy，andthemovementrapidlycollapsed。Littleresistance

　　wasoffered，andtheterriblehostsofarmedanddesperatemenmelteddown

　　intogroupsofweakandill-fedlabourers，armedwithsticksandstones。

　　On26thNovembertheTimescouldreportthatseventypersonshadbeen

　　apprehendednearNewbury，andthat’about60ofthemostforwardhalf-starved

　　fellows，hadbeentakenintocustodysometwomilesfromSouthampton。Already

　　thehousingoftheBerkshireprisonerswasbecomingaproblem，thegaols

　　atReadingandAbingdonbeingovercrowded：bytheendofthemonththeNewbury

　　MansionHouseandWorkhousehadbeenconvertedintoprisons。Thisenergy

　　hadbeenstimulatedbyacircularletterissuedon24thNovember，inwhich

　　LordMelbourneurgedthelord-lieutenantsandthemagistratestousefirmness

　　andvigourinquellingdisturbances，andvirtuallypromisedthemimmunity

　　forillegalactsdoneindischargeoftheirduty。Avillagehereandthere

　　continuedtogivethemagistratessomeuneasiness，forexample，Broughton

　　inHants，’anopenvillageinanopencountry……wherethereisnoGentleman

　　tooverawethem，’26*butthesewereexceptions。Thedayofrisingswas

　　over，andfromthistimeforward，arsonwastheonlyweaponofdiscontent。

　　AtCharltoninWilts，where’themagistrateshadtalkedof12s。andthefarmers

　　hadgiven10s。，’acertainMr。Polhill，whohadloweredthewagesoneSaturday

　　to9s。，foundhispremisesinflame。’Thepoor，’remarkedaneighbouring

　　magistrate，’naturallyconsiderthattheywillbebeatendownagainto7s。’27*

　　By4thDecembertheTimescorrespondentinWiltshireandHampshirecould

　　reportthatquietwasrestored，thatthepeasantrywerecowed，andthatmen

　　whohadbeenprominentinthemobswerebeingpickedoutandarrestedevery

　　day。Hegaveanamusingaccountofthetrialsofaspecialcorrespondent，

　　andofthedifficultiesofobtaininginformation。’ThecircularofLordMelbourne

　　whichencouragesthemagistratestoseizesuspectedpersons，andpromises

　　themimpunityifthemotivesaregoodsuchistheconstructionofthecircular

　　intheseparts，andwhichthemagistratesaredeterminedtoactupon，renders

　　inquiriesunsafe，andIhavereceivedafewgoodnaturedhintsonthishead。

　　Gentlemeningigsandpostchaisesarepeculiarobjectsofjealousy。Acigar，

　　whichisnoslightcomfortinthishumidatmosphere，isregardedontheroad

　　asaspeciesofpyrotechnicaltube；andevenaneyeglassisindangerof

　　beingmetamorphosedintoanewlyinventedairgun，withwhichthesegentlemen

　　ignitestacksandbarnsastheypass。Aninnocentenquiryofwhosehouse

　　orfarmisthat？is，underexistingcircumstances，anovertactofincendiarism。’

　　Insuchastateoffeeling，itwasnotsurprisingthatlabourerswere

　　bundledintoprisonforsourlooksordiscontentedconversation。Azealous

　　magistratewrotetotheHomeOfficeon13thDecemberafterafirenearMaidenhead，

　　tosaythathehadcommittedacertainGreenawaytoprisononthefollowing

　　evidence：’Dr。Vansittart，RectorofShottesbrook，gaveasermonashort

　　timebeforethefiretookplace，recommendingaquietconducttohisParishioners。

　　Greenawaysaidopenlyinthechurchyard，wehavebeenquiettoolong。His

　　temperisbad，alwaysdiscontentedandchurlish，frequentlychanginghis

　　Masterfromfindinggreatdifficultyinmaintainingalargefamilyfromthe

　　Wagesoflabour。’

　　MeanwhiletherisinghadspreadwestwardtoDorsetandGloucestershire，

　　andnorthwardtoBucks。InDorsetshireandGloucestershire，thedisturbances

　　weremuchlikethoseinWiltshire。InBucks，inadditiontotheusualagricultural

　　rising，withthebreakingofthreshingmachinesandthedemandforhigher

　　wages，therewereriotsinHighWycombe，andconsiderabledestructionof

　　paper-makingmachinerybytheunemployed。Wherespecialgrievancesexisted

　　inavillage，thelabourerstookadvantageoftherisingtoseekredress

　　forthem。ThusatWaldeninBucks，inadditiontodemanding2s。adaywages

　　with6d。foreachchildandareductionoftithes，theymadeaspecialpoint

　　oftheimproperdistributionofparishgifts。’Anotherpersonsaidthatbuns

　　usedtobethrownfromthechurchsteepleandbeergivenawayinthechurchyard，

　　andasermonpreachedonthebunday。Witnesstheparsontoldthemthat

　　thecustomhadceasedbeforehecametotheparish，butthathealwayspreached

　　asermononSt。George’sday，andtwoonSundays，oneofwhichwasavolunteer。

　　HetoldthemthathehadconsultedtheArchdeaconontheclaimsetupfor

　　thedistributionofbuns，andthattheArchdeaconwasofopinionthatno

　　suchclaimcouldbemaintained。’

　　AtBensonorBensington，inOxfordshire，thelabourers，afterdestroying

　　somethreshingmachines，madeademonstrationagainstaproposalforenclosure。

　　Mr。Newton，alargeproprietor，hadjustmadeoneofmanyunsuccessfulattempts

　　toobtainanEnclosureActfortheparish。Somethousandpersonsassembled

　　inthechurchyardexpectingthatMr。Newtonwouldtrytofixthenoticeon

　　thechurchdoor，butashedidnotventuretoappear，theyproceededtohis

　　house，andmadehimpromiseneveragaintoattempttoobtainanEnclosure

　　Themovementforobtaininghigherwagesbythisrudecollectivebargaining

　　wasextinguishedinthecountiesalreadymentionedbythebeginningofDecember，

　　butdisturbancesnowdevelopedoveralargerarea。A’daringriot’tookplace

　　atStotfoldinBedfordshire。Thelabourersmettogethertodemandexemption

　　fromtaxes，dismissaloftheassistantoverseer，andtheraisingofwages

　　to2s。aday。Thelastdemandwasrefused，onwhichthelabourerssetsome

　　strawalightinafieldtoalarmthefarmers。Mr。Whitbread，J。P。，brought

　　ahundredspecialconstables，andarrestedtenringleaders，afterwhichthe

　　riotceased。ThereweredisturbancesinNorfolk，Suffolk，andEssex；and

　　inmanyothercountiesthepropertiedclasseswereterrifiedfromtimeto

　　timebythenewsoffires。InCambridgeshirethereweremeetingsoflabourers

　　todemandhigherwages，insomeplaceswithimmediatesuccess，andonemagistrate