ofproddingtroopsincreasedwiththeareaofdisturbances。’Ihaverequested
thateveryeffortmaybemadetoreinforcethetroopsinthewesternpart
ofSussex，’wroteSirRobertPeeltoaHorshammagistrateon18thNovember，
’andyoumayjudgeofthedifficultyofdoingso，whenImentiontoyouthat
themostexpeditiousmodeofeffectingthisistobringfromDorchesterthe
onlycavalryforcethatisintheWestofEngland。This，however，shallbe
done，and100meninfantryshallbebroughtfromtheGarrisonofPortsmouth。’
UntilthemiddleofNovembertherisingwasconfinedtoKent，Sussexand
partsofSurrey，withoccasionalfiresandthreateninglettersinneighbouring
counties。Afterthattimethedisturbancesbecamemoreserious，spreading
notonlytotheWestofSussex，buttoBerkshire，Hampshire，andWiltshire。
On22ndNovembertheDukeofBuckinghamwrotefromAdingtoninHampshire
tothedukeofWellington：’Nothingcanbeworsethanthestateofthisneighbourhood。
Imaysaythatthispartofthecountryiswhollyinthehandsoftherebels……
1500riotersaretoassembleto-morrowmorning，andwillattackanyfarmhouses
wheretherearethreshingmachines。Theygoaboutlevyingcontributionson
everygentleman’shouse。Thereareveryfewmagistrates；andwhatthereare
arecompletelycowed。Inshort，somethingdecisivemustinstantlybedone。’
Therisingsinthesecountiesdifferedinsomerespectsfromtherisingin
KentandSussex。Thedisturbanceswerenotsomuchlikethefiringofatrain
ofdiscontent，theywereratherasuddenandspontaneousexplosion。They
lastedonlyaboutaweek，andwerewelldescribedinareportofColonel
Brotherton，oneofthetwomilitaryexpertssentbyLordMelbournetoWiltshire
toadvisethemagistrates。Hewroteon28thNovember：’Theinsurrectionary
movementseemstobedirectedbynoplanorsystem，butmerelyactuatedby
thespontaneousfeelingofthepeasantryandquiteatrandom。’Thelabourers
wentaboutinlargernumbers，combiningwiththedestructionofthreshing
machinesandthedemandforhigherwagesaclaimfor’satisfaction’asthey
calleditintheformofreadymoney。Itwastheirpracticetocharge£；2
forbreakingathreshingmachine，butinsomecasesthemobsweresatisfied
withafewcoppers。Thedemandforreadymoneywasnotanewfeature，for
manycorrespondentsoftheHomeOfficenoteintheirlettersthatthemobs
leviedmoneyinKentandSussex，buthithertothis’sturdybegging，’asCobbett
calledit，hadbeenregardedbythemagistratesasunimportant。Thewages
demandedinthesecountieswere2s。aday，whereasthedemandsinKentand
usuallyinSussexhadbeenfor2s。6d。or2s。3d。Wageshadfallentoalower
levelinHampshire，BerkshireandWiltshire。ThecurrentrateinWiltshire
was7s。，andColonelMair，thesecondofficersentdownbytheHomeOffice，
reportedthatwagesweresometimesaslowas6s。Itisthereforenotsurprising
tolearnthatintwoparishesthelabourersinsteadofaskingfor2s。aday，
askedonlyfor8s。or9s。aweek。InBerkshirewagesvariedfrom7s。to9s。，
andinHampshiretheusualrateseemstohavebeen8s。
TherisinginHampshirewasmarkedbyaconsiderabledestructionofproperty。
AtFordingbridge，themobundertheleadershipofamancalledCooper，broke
upthemachinerybothatasackingmanufactoryandatamanufactoryofthreshing
machines。Cooperwassoonclothedininnumerablelegends：hewasagipsy，
amysteriousgentleman，possiblytherenowned’Swing’himself。AttheFordingbridge
riotsherodeonhorsebackandassumedthetitleofCaptainHunt。Hisfollowers
addressedhimbareheaded。Inpointoffacthewasanagriculturallabourer
ofgoodcharacter，anativeofEastGrimsteadinWilts，whohadservedin
theartilleryintheFrenchWar。Sometwomonthsbeforetheriotshiswife
hadrobbedhim，andthenelopedwithaparamour。Thisunhingedhisself-control；
hegavehimselfuptodrinkanddespair，andtriedtoforgethismiseryin
recklessrioting。NearAndoveragainafoundrywasdestroyedbyamob，after
theringleader，Gilmore，hadenteredthejustices’roomatAndover，where
thejusticesweresitting，andtreatedwiththemonbehalfofthemob。Gilmore
alsowasalabourer；hewastwenty-fiveyearsoldandhadbeenasoldier。
ThemostinterestingeventintheHampshirerisingwasthedestruction
oftheworkhousesatSelborneandHeadley。Littleisreportedofthedemolition
ofthepoorhouseatSelborne。Theindictmentofthepersonsaccusedoftaking
partinitfellthroughontechnicalgrounds，andasthedefendantswere
alsothepersonschargedwithdestroyingtheHeadleyworkhouse，theprosecution
intheSelbornecasewasabandoned。ThemobfirstwenttoMr。Cobbold，Vicar
ofSelborne，anddemandedthatheshouldreducehistithes，tellinghimwith
somebluntness’wemusthaveatouchofyourtithes：wethink£；300a
yearquiteenoughforyou……£；4aweekisquiteenough。’Mr。Cobbold
wasthoroughlyalarmed，andconsentedtosignapaperpromisingtoreduce
histithes，whichamountedtosomethingover£；600，byhalfthatsum。
Themobwereaccompaniedbyagoodmanyfarmerswhohadagreedtoraisewages
ifthelabourerswouldundertaketoobtainareductionoftithes，andthese
farmerssignedthepaperalso。AfterMr。Cobbold’ssurrenderthemobwent
ontotheworkhouseatHeadley，whichservedtheparishesofBramshott，Headley
andKingsley。TheirleaderwasacertainRobertHoldaway，awheelwright，
whohadbeenforashorttimeapublican。Hewasawidower，witheightsmall
children，describedbythewitnessesathistrialasamanofexcellentcharacter，
quiet，industrious，andinoffensive。Themasteroftheworkhousegreeted
Holdawaywith’What，Holdy，areyouhere？’’Yes，butImeanyounoharmnor
yourwifenoryourgoods：sogetthemoutassoonasyoucan，forthehouse
mustcomedown。’Themasterwarnedhimthattherewereoldpeopleandsick
childreninthehouse。Holdawaypromisedthattheyshouldbeprotected，asked
wheretheywere，andsaidthewindowwouldbemarked。Whatfollowedisdescribed
intheevidencegivenbythemasteroftheworkhouse：’Therewasnotaroom
leftentire，exceptthatinwhichthesickchildrenwere。Thesewereremoved
intotheyardontwobeds，andcoveredover，andkeptfromharmallthetime。
Thiswasdonebythemob。Theywerelefttherebecausetherewasnoroom
fortheminthesickward。Thesickwardwasfullofinfirmoldpaupers。
Itwasnottouched，butofalltherestoftheplacenotaroomwasleft
entire。’Thefarmerslookedonwhilstthedestructionproceeded，andone
atleastofthelabourersinthemobdeclaredafterwardsthathismaster
hadforcedhimtojoin。
InWiltshirealsothedestructionofpropertywasnotconfinedtothreshing
machines。AtWilton，themob，undertheleadershipofacertainJohnJennings，
agedeighteen，16*whodeclaredthathe’wasgoingtobreakthemachinery
tomakemoreworkforthepoorpeople，’did£；500worthofdamagein
awoollenmill。AnotherclothfactoryatQuidhamptonwasalsoinjured；in
thisaffairanactivepartwastakenbyaboyevenyoungerthanJennings，
JohnFord，whowasonlyseventeenyearsold。17*
TheriotwhichattractedmostattentionofallthedisturbancesinWiltshire
tookplaceatPytHouse，theseatofMr。JohnBenett，M。P。forthecounty。
Mr。Benettwasawell-knownlocalfigure，andhadgivenevidencebeforeseveral
CommitteesonPoorLaws。Thedepthofhissympathywiththelabourersmay
begaugedbythethreatthatheutteredbeforetheCommitteeof1817topull
downhiscottagesifParliamentshouldmakelengthofresidencealegalmethod
ofgainingasettlement。SomememberoftheCommitteesuggestedthatifthere
werenocottagestherewouldbenolabourers，butMr。Benettrepliedcheerfully
enoughthatitdidnotmattertoalabourerhowfarhewalkedtohiswork：
’Ihavemanylabourerscomingthreemilestomyfarmeverymorningduring
thewinter，thehoursweresixtosix’andtheyarethemostpunctualpersons
wehave。’Atthetimehegavethisevidence，hestatedthataboutthree-quarters
ofthelabouringpopulationinhisparishofTisburyreceivedrelieffrom
thepoorratesinaidofwages，andhedeclaredthatitwasuselesstolet
themsmallparcelsofland。Theconditionofthepoorhadnotimprovedin
Mr。Benett’sparishbetween1817and1830，andLordArundel，wholivedin
it，describeditas’aParishinwhichthePoorhavebeenmoreoppressed
andareingreatermiseryasawholethananyParishintheKingdom。’18*
ItisnotsurprisingthatwhenthenewsofwhathadbeenachievedinKent
andSussexspreadwesttoWiltshire，thelabourersofTisburyrosetodemand
2s。aday，andtodestroythethreshingmachines。Amoboffivehundredpersons
collected，andtheirfirstactwastodestroyathreshingmachine，withthe
sanctionoftheowner，Mr。Turner，whosatbyonhorseback，watchingthem。
TheyafterwardsproceededtothePytHouseestate。Mr。Benettmetthem，parleyed
androdewiththemforsomeway；theybehavedpolitelybutfirmly，telling
himtheirintentions。Oneincidentthrowsalightonthemindsoftheactors
inthesescenes。’Ithen，’saidMr。Benettafterwards，’pointedouttothem
thattheycouldnottrusteachother，foranyman，Isaid，byinformingagainst
tenofyouwillobtainatonce£；500。’Itwasanadroitspeech，butas
ithappenedtheWiltshirelabourers，halfstarved，degradedandbrutalised，
astheymightbe，hadadifferentstandardofhonourfromthatimaginedby
thismagistrateandmemberofParliament，andthedevilishtemptationhe
setbeforethemwasrejected。Themobdestroyedvariousthreshingmachines
onMr。Benett’sfarms，andrefusedtodisperse；atlast，afteragooddeal
ofsharplanguagefromMr。Benett，theythrewstonesathim。Atthesame
timeatroopofyeomanryfromHindoncameupandreceivedorderstofire
blankcartridgesabovetheheadsofthemob。Thisonlyproducedlaughter；
theyeomanrythenbegantocharge；themobtookshelterintheplantations
roundPytHouseandstonedtheyeomanry，whorepliedbyafierceonslaught，
shootingonemandeadonthespot，19*woundingsixbycuttingofffingers
andopeningskulls，andtakingagreatnumberofprisoners。Attheinquest
atTisburyonthemanJohnHarding，whowaskilled，thejuryreturnedaverdict
ofjustifiablehomicide，andthecoronerrefusedtograntawarrantforburial，
sayingthattheman’sactionwasequivalenttofelodese。Huntstatedin
theHouseofCommonsthattheforemanofthejurywasthefatherofoneof
theyeomen。
Wehaveseenthatinthesecountiesthemagistratestookaverygrave
viewofthecrimeoflevyingmoneyfromhouseholders。Thiswasoftendone
bycasualbandsofmenandboys，whohadlittleconnectionwiththeorganised
rising。AnexaminationofthecasesdescribedbeforetheSpecialCommissions
givestheimpressionthatinpointoffacttherewasverylittledangerto
personorproperty。Afarmer’swifeatAstonTirroldinBerkshiredescribed
herownexperiencetotheAbingdonSpecialCommission。Amobcametoher
houseanddemandedbeer。Herhusbandwasoutandshewenttothedoor。’Bennett
wasspokesman。Hesaid“Nowalittleofyourbeerifyouplease。”
Ianswered“Notadrop。”Heasked“Why？”andIsaid“I
cannotgivebeertoencourageriot。”Bennettsaid“Whyyoudon’t
callthisriotingdoyou？”Isaid“Idon’tknowwhatyoucallit，
butitisanumberofpeopleassembledtogethertoalarmothers：butdon’t
thinkI’mafraidordauntedatit。”Bennettsaid“Supposeyour
premisesshouldbesetonfire？”Isaid“ThenIcertainlyshould
bealarmedbutIdon’tsupposeeitherofyouintendsdoingthat。”Bennett
said“No，wedonotintendanysuchthing，Idon’twishtoalarmyou
andwearenotcomewiththeintentionofmischief。”’Theresultof
thedialoguewasthatBennettandhispartywenthomewithoutbeerandwithout
givingtrouble。
Itwasnaturalthatwhenmob-beggingofthiskindbecamefashionable，
unpopularindividualsshouldbesingledoutforroughandthreateningvisits。
Sometimestheassistantoverseersweretheobjectsofspecialhatred，sometimes
theparson。ItisworthwhiletogivethefactsofacaseatSt。MaryBourne
inHampshire，becausestresswaslaiduponitinthesubsequentprosecutions
asaninstanceofextraordinaryviolence。Theclergyman，Mr。Easton，was
notafavouriteinhisparish，andhepreachedwhatthepoorregardedas
aharshandahostilesermon。Whentheparishrose，amoboftwohundred
forcedtheirwayintothevicarageanddemandedmoney，someofthemrepeating，
’Moneyorblood。’Mrs。Easton，whowasratheraninvalid，MissLucyEaston，
andMasterEastonweredownstairs，andMrs。Eastonwassomuchalarmedthat
shesentLucyupstairstofetch10s。MeanwhileMr。Eastonhadcomedown，
andwaslisteningtosomeextremelyunsympatheticcriticismsofhisperformances
inthepulpit。’Damnyou，’saidDanielSimms，20*’wherewillyourtext
benextSunday？’WilliamSimmswasequallybluntanduncompromising。Meanwhile
Lucyhadbroughtdownthehalf-sovereign，andMrs。EastongaveittoWilliam
Simms，21*whothereuponcried’Allout，’andthemoblefttheEastonsat