poor。Itwouldbeimpertinentinmetosayanythingtoyouastoyourtreatment
oflabourersorservants。ThatmanmustknowlittleofthegentryofEngland，
whetherconnectedwiththetownorcountry，whorepresentsthemastyrants
tothepoor，asnotsympathisingintheirdistress，andasnotanxiousto
relievetheirburdensandtopromotetheirwelfareandhappiness。’5*In
openingtheSpecialCommissionatWinchesterBaronVaughan6*alludedto
thetheorythatthetumultshadarisenfromdistressandadmittedthatit
mightbepartlytrue，but，hecontinued，’everymanpossessedofthefeelings
commontoournaturemustdeeplylamentit，andendeavourtoalleviateit
asyougentlemennodoubthavedoneandwillcontinuetodo，byeverymeans
whichProvidencehasputwithinhispower。’Ifindividualswereaggrieved
byprivationsandinjuries，theymustapplytotheLegislature，whichalone
couldaffordthemrelief，’butitcanneverbetoleratedinanycountrywhich
professestoacknowledgetheobligationsofmunicipallaw，thatanymanor
bodyofmenshouldbepermittedtositinjudgmentupontheirownwrongs，
ortoarrogatetothemselvesthepowerofredressingthem。Tosufferitwould
betorelapseintothebarbarismofsavagelifeandtodissolvethevery
elementsbywhichsocietyisheldtogether。’7*TheopinionsoftheBench
onthesectionsoftheAct7and8GeorgeIV。c。30underwhichmencould
behungforassemblingriotouslyandbreakingmachinerywereclearlyexpressed
byMr。JusticeParke8*afterwardsLordWensleydaleatSalisbury：’If
thatlawceasestobeadministeredwithduefirmness，andmenlooktoit
invainforthesecurityoftheirrights，ourwealthandpowerwillsoon
beatanend，andourcapitalandindustrywouldbetransferredtosomemore
peacefulcountry’whoselawsaremorerespectedorbetterenforced。’9*
ByanothersectionofthatActsevenyearswasfixedasthemaximumpenalty
forbreakingathreshingmachine。Mr。JusticeAlderson10*chafedunder
thisrestriction，andhetoldtwomen，CaseandMorgan，whowerefoundguilty
attheSalisburySpecialCommissionofgoingintoaneighbouringparishand
breakingathreshingmachine，thathadtheLegislatureforeseensuchcrimes
astheirs，itwouldhaveenabledthecourttogivethemaseverersentence。11*
Mr。JusticePark12*wasequallysternanduncompromisingindefending
thepropertyofthefollowersofthecarpenterofNazarethagainsttheunreasoning
miseryofthehour。SummingupinacaseatAylesbury，inwhichoneofthe
chargeswasthatofattemptingtoprocureareductionoftithes，heremarked
withwarmth：’Itwashighlyinsolentinsuchmentorequiteofgentlemen，
whohadbyanexpensiveeducationqualifiedthemselvestodischargethesacred
dutiesofaMinisteroftheGospel，todescendfromthatstationandreduce
themselvestothesituationofcommonlabourers。’13*
Fewjudgescouldresistthetemptationtointroduceintotheircharges
ahomilyontheeconomicbenefitsofmachinery。Mr。JusticeParkwasanexception，
forheobservedatAylesburythatthequestionoftheadvantagesofmachinery
wasoutsidetheprovinceofthejudges，’andmuchmischiefoftenresulted
frompersonssteppingoutoftheirlineofduty。’14*Mr。JusticeAlderson
tookadifferentview，andtheverynextdayhewasexpoundingthetruths
ofpoliticaleconomyatDorchester，startingwithwhathetermedthe’beautiful
andsimpleillustration’oftheprintingpress。15*Theillustrationmust
haveseemedsingularlyintimateandconvincingtothelabourersinthedock
whohadneverbeentaughttheirletters。
Suchwasthetemperofthejudges。Whoandwhatweretheprisonersbefore
them？Afterthesuppressionoftheriots，themagistratescouldpickout
culpritsattheirleisure，andwhenariothadinvolvedthewholeofthe
villagethetemptationtogetridbythismethodofpersonswhoforonereason
oranotherwereobnoxioustotheauthoritieswasirresistible。Hunt，speaking
intheHouseofCommons，16*quotedthecaseofHindon；sevenmenhadbeen
apprehendedforriotingandtheywereallpoachers。Manyoftheprisoners
hadalreadyspentamonthinanovercrowdedprison；almostallofthemwere
poormen；themajoritycouldnotreadorwrite。17*Fewcouldaffordcounsel，
anditmustberememberedthatcounselcouldnotaddressthecourtonbehalf
ofprisonerswhowerebeingtriedforbreakingmachines，orforbelonging
toamobthataskedformoneyordestroyedproperty。Bytherulesofthe
gaol，theprisonersatSalisburywerenotallowedtoseetheirattorneyexcept
inthepresenceofthegaolerorhisservant。Thelabourers’ignoranceof
thelawwascompleteandinevitable。ManyofthemthoughtthattheKingor
theGovernmentorthemagistrateshadgivenordersthatmachineswereto
bebroken。Mostofthemsupposedthatifapersonfromwhomtheydemanded
moneythrewitdownorgaveitwithouttheapplicationofphysicalforce，
therewasnoquestionofrobbery。Wehaveanillustrationofthisillusion
inatrialatWinchesterwhenIsaacHill，junior，whowaschargedwithbreaking
athreshingmachinenearMicheldever，forwhichthemaximumpenaltywasseven
years，pleadedinhisdefencethathehadnotbrokenthemachineandthat
allthathedid’wastoasktheprosecutorcivillyforthemoney，whichthe
mobtookfromhim，andtheprosecutorgaveittohim，andthathethanked
himverykindlyforit，’18*anadmissionwhichmadehimliabletoadeath
penalty。AprisoneratSalisbury，whenhewasaskedwhathehadtosayin
hisdefencetothejury，replied：’Now，myLord，I’segotnothingtosay
to’em，Idoantknaowanyon’em。’19*Theprisonerswereatthisfurther
disadvantagethatallthewitnesseswhomtheycouldcallastotheirshare
intheconductofamobhadthemselvesbeeninthemob，andwerethusliable
toprosecution。ThuswhenJamesLushwhowasafterwardsselectedforexecution
andJamesToomerappealedtoamannamedLane，whohadjustbeenacquitted
onapreviouscharge，togiveevidencethattheyhadnotstruckMr。Pinniger
inascuffle，Mr。JusticeAldersoncautionedLanethatifheacknowledged
thathehadbeeninthemobhewouldbecommitted。Lanechosethesaferpart
ofsilence。20*Inanothercaseawitnesshadthecouragetoincriminate
himself。WhenthebrothersSimmswerebeingtriedforextortingmoneyfrom
ParsonEaston’swife，acasewhichwehavealreadydescribed，HenryBunce，
calledasawitnessforthedefence，voluntarilydeclared，inspiteofa
cautionfromthejudgeAlderson，thathehadbeenpresenthimselfandthat
WilliamSimmsdidnotusetheexpression’bloodormoney。’Hewasatonce
orderedintocustody。’Theprisonerimmediatelysprungoverthebarinto
thedockwithhisformercomrades，seeminglyunaffectedbythedecisionof
thelearnedjudge。’21*
Perhapsthedarkestsideofthebusinesswasthetemptationheldoutto
prisonersawaitingtrialtobetraytheircomrades。Immunityoralighter
sentencewasfreelyofferedtothosewhowouldgiveevidence。Stokes，who
wasfoundguiltyatDorchesterofbreakingathreshingmachine，wassentenced
byMr。JusticeAldersontoayear’simprisonment，withtheexplanationthat
hewasnottransportedbecause’afteryouweretakenintocustody，yougave
veryvaluableinformationwhichtendedgreatlytofurthertheendsofjustice。’22*
Thesetransactions，werenotoftendraggedintothedaylight，butsomenegotiations
ofthischaracterweremadepublicinthetrialofMr。Deaclenextyear。
Mr。Deacle，awell-to-dogentlemanfarmer，wastriedattheLentAssizes
atWinchesterforbeingconcernedintheriots。Oneofthewitnessesagainst
him，namedCollins，admittedincross-examinationthathebelievedheshould
havebeenprosecutedhimself，ifhehadnotpromisedtogiveevidenceagainst
Mr。Deacle；anotherwitness，namedBarnes，acarpenter，statedincross-examination
thatduringthetrialsattheSpecialCommission，’hebeinginthedock，
andabouttobeputonhistrial，thegaolerBeckettcalledhimout，and
tookhimintoaroomwheretherewereWalterLong，amagistrate，andanother
person，whomhebelievedtobeBinghamBaring，whotoldhimthatheshould
notbeputuponhistrialifhewouldcomeandswearagainstDeacle。’When
thenextwitnesswasabouttobecross-examined，thecounselfortheprosecution
abruptlyabandonedthecase。23*
ThefirstSpecialCommissionwasopenedatWinchesterwithsuitablepomp
on18thDecember。Notonlytheprisonbutthewholetownwascrowded，and
theinhabitantsofWinchesterdeterminedtomakethebestofthewindfall。
ThejurymenandtheTimesspecialcorrespondentcomplainedbitterly
oftheabnormalcostofliving，thelattermentioningthatinadditionto
extraordinarychargesforbeds，5s。adaywasexactedforfiringandtallow
candles，bedroomfirenotincluded。Thethreejudgessentdownascommissioners
wereBaronVaughan，Mr。JusticeParke，andMr。JusticeAlderson。Withthem
wereassociatedtwoothercommissioners，Mr。SturgesBourne，ofassistant
overseerfame，andMr。RichardPollen。TheDukeofWellington，asLord-Lieutenant，
satontheBench。TheAttorney-General，Mr。SergeantWild，andothersappeared
toprosecutefortheCrown。TheCountytookupeverycharge，theGovernment
onlythemoreseriousones。
Therewerethreehundredprisoners，mostofthemchargedwithextorting
moneybythreatsorwithbreakingmachinery。Whatchancehadtheyofafair
trial？Theystartedwiththedisabilitiesalreadydescribed。Theywerethrown
bybatchesintothedock；thepitilesslawwasexplainedtothejury；extenuating
circumstanceswereruledoutasirrelevant。’Wedonotcomehere，’saidMr。
JusticeAlderson，’toinquireintogrievances。Wecomeheretodecidelaw。’
Butthoughevidenceaboutwagesordistresswasnotadmitted，thejudges
didnotscrupletogivetheirownviewsofthesocialconditionswhichhad
producedthesedisturbances。Perhapsthemostflagrantexamplewasprovided
byatrialwhichhappilywasforamisdemeanouronly。Sevenmenwereindicted
forconspiringtogetherandriotouslyassemblingforthepurposeofraising
wagesandforcompellingotherstojointhem。Thelabourersoftheparish
ofFawleyhadcombinedtogetherfortwoobjects，thefirsttoraisetheir
wages，whichstoodat9s。aweek，thesecondtogetridoftheassistant
overseer，whohadintroducedaparishcart，towhichhehadharnessedwomen
andboys，amongstothersanidiotwoman，namedJaneStevens。Thelabourers
determinedtobreakupthecart，buttheydesistedonthepromiseofafarmer
thatahorseshouldbeboughtforit。LordCavanwasthelargelandowner
oftheparish。Hepaidhismenasarule9s。aweek，buttwoofthemreceived
10s。Themobcameuptohishousetodemandanincreaseofwages：LordCavan
wasout，quellingrioterselsewhere。LadyCavancamedowntoseethem。’Seeing
youaremyneighboursandarmed，’saidshe，’yet，asIamanunprotected
woman，Iamsureyouwilldonoharm。’Thelabourersprotestedthatthey
meantnoharm，andtheydidnoharm。’Iaskedthem，’saidLadyCavanafterwards，
inevidence，’whytheyrosethen，therewasnoapparentdistressroundEaglehurst，
andthewageswerethesameastheyhadbeenforseveralyears。Ihavebeen
inseveraloftheircottagesandneversawanyappearanceofdistress。They
saidtheyhadbeenoppressedlongandwouldbearitnolonger。’Onemantold
herthathehad9s。aweekwagesand3s。fromtheparish，hehadheardthat
the3s。wastobediscontinued。Withthecommon-sensecharacteristicofher
classLadyCavanassuredhimthathewasnotimprovinghispositionbyidling。
ThelabourersimpressedtheCavanmen，andwentontheirpeacefulwayround
theparish。Thefarmerswhogaveevidencefortheprosecutionwereallowed
toassertthattherewasnodistress，butwhenitcametoevidenceforthe
defenceastricterstandardofrelevancywasexacted。Onewitnessforthe
prisonerssaidofthelabourers：’Themenwereinverygreatdistress；many
ofthemenhadonlyafewpotatoesintheirbagwhentheycametowork。’
’Thelearnedjudgesobjectedtothiscourseofexaminationbeingcontinued：
itmighthappenthatthroughdrinkingamanmightsufferdistress。’TheAttorney-General，
inhisclosingspeech，assertedagainthattheprisonersdidnotseemto
havebeenindistress。BaronVaughan，insummingup，saidthatmenwerenot
toassembleandconspiretogetherforthepurposeofdeterminingwhattheir
wagesshouldbe。’Thatwhichatfirstmightbeinitselfalawfulact，might
intheeventbecomeillegal……Arespectfulstatementorrepresentation
oftheirgrievanceswaslegal，andtowhichnoonewouldobject，butthe
evidence，iftheybelievedit，showedthattheconductofthisassemblywas
farfrombeingrespectful。Noonecouldfeelmoreforthedistressesof
thepeoplethanhedid，buthewouldneverendurethatpersonsshouldby
physicalstrengthcompelwagestoberaised。Therewasnocountrywherecharity
fellinapurerstreamthaninthis。Letthemanmakehisappealinaproper
andrespectfulmanner，andhemightbeassuredthatappealwouldneverbe
heardinvain……HisLordshipspokeveryhighlyofconductofLadyCavan。
Shevisitedthecottagesofallthosewholivedintheneighbourhood，she
knewtheywerenotdistressed，andshealsofeltconfidentfromherkindness
tothemthattheywouldnotofferheranyviolence。’Allsevenwerefound
guilty；fourweresentencedtosixmonthshardlabour，andthreetothree
months。
Veryfew，however，ofthecasesatWinchesterweresimplemisdemeanours，
forinmostinstances，inadditiontoaskingforhigherwages，thelabourers
hadmadethemselvesliabletoaprosecutionforfelony，eitherbybreaking
athreshingmachineorbyaskingformoney。Thoseprisonerswhohadtaken
partintheFordingbridgeriots，orinthedestructionofmachinerynear
Andover，orinthedemolitionoftheHeadleyWorkhouse，weresentencedto
deathortotransportationforlife。Caseaftercasewastriedinwhichprisoners