wasalarmedbyrumoursofadesigntomarchuponCambridgeitselfonmarket
　　day。IndevonshireLordEbringtonreportedanagitationforhigherwages
　　withencouragementfromthefarmers。Hewashimselfimpressedbythelow
　　wagesinforce，andhadraisedtheminplacesstillquiet；amistakefor
　　whichheapologised。EvenHereford，’thishithertosubmissiveandpeaceful
　　county，’wasnotunaffected。InNorthamptonshiretherewereseveralfires，
　　andalsorisingsroundPeterborough，OundleandWellingborough，andageneral
　　outbreakintheMidlandswasthoughttobeimminent。Hayricksbegantoblaze
　　asfarnorthasCarlisle。SwinglettersweredeliveredinYorkshire，and
　　inLincolnshirethelabourerwassaidtobeawakeningtohisownimportance。
　　Therewereinfactfewcountiesquitefreefrominfection，andaleading
　　articleappearedintheTimeson6thDecember，inwhichitwasstated
　　thatneverhadsuchadangerousstateofthingsexistedtosuchanextent
　　inEngland，intheperiodofwell-authenticatedrecords。’Lettherichbe
　　taughtthatProvidencewillnotsufferthemtooppresstheirfellowcreatures
　　withimpunity。HerearetensofthousandsofEnglishmen，industrious，kind-hearted，
　　butbroken-heartedbeings，exasperatedintomadnessbyinsufficientfood
　　andclothing，byutterwantofnecessariesforthemselvesandtheirunfortunate
　　families。’
　　UnfortunatelyProvidence，towhomtheTimesattributedtheserevolutionary
　　sentiments，wasnotsoclosetothesceneasLordMelbourne，whosesentiments
　　onthesubjectwereverydifferent。On8thDecemberheissuedacircular，
　　whichgaveadeath-blowtothehopethatthemagistrateswouldactasmediators
　　onbehalfofthelabourers。Afterblamingthosemagistrateswho，underintimidation，
　　hadadvisedtheestablishmentofauniformrateofwages，theHomeSecretary
　　wenton，’Reasonandexperienceconcurinprovingthatacompliancewith
　　demandssounreasonableinthemselves，andurgedinsuchamanner，canonly
　　lead，andprobablywithinaveryshortperiodoftime，tothemostdisastrous
　　results。’Headdedthatthejusticeshad’nogenerallegalauthoritytosettle
　　theamountofthewagesoflabour。’Thecircularcontainedapromiseonthe
　　partoftheGovernmentthattheywouldadopt’everypracticableandreasonable
　　measure’fortheallegationofthelabourers’privations。
　　Fromthistimethemagistrateswereeverywhereonthealertforthefirst
　　signsoflifeandmovementamongthelabourers，andtheyforbademeetings
　　ofanykind。InSuffolkandEssexthelabourerswhotookupthecryforhigher
　　wageswerepromptlythrownintoprison，andarbitraryarrestsbecamethe
　　custom。Themovementwascrushed，andthetimeforretributionhadcome。
　　Thegaolswerefulltooverflowing，andtheGovernmentappointedSpecial
　　CommissionstotrytheriotersinHampshire，Wiltshire，Dorset，Berks，and
　　Bucks。Brougham，whowasnowenjoyingtheofficeinwhosepompousmanner
　　hemusthavelispedinhiscradle，toldtheHouseofLordson2ndDecember，
　　’WithinafewdaysfromthetimeIamaddressingyourLordships，thesword
　　ofjusticeshallbeunsheathedtosmite，ifitbenecessary，withafirm
　　andvigoroushand，therebelagainstthelaw。’
　　Thedisturbanceswereover，butthepanichadbeensuchthattheupper
　　classescouldnotpersuadethemselvesthatEnglandwasyettranquil。Aslate
　　asChristmasEvethePrivyCouncilgaveorderstothearchbishoptoprepare
　　’aformofprayertoAlmightyGod，onaccountofthetroubledstateofcertain
　　partsoftheUnitedKingdom。’Thearchbishop’scomposition，whichwaspublished
　　afterscoresofmenandboyshadbeensentencedtotransportationforlife，
　　musthavebeenrecitedwithgenuinefeelingbythoseclergymenwhohadeither
　　broken，orwereabouttobreak，theiragreementtosurrenderpartoftheir
　　tithes。Onepassageranasfollows：’Restore，OLord，toThypeoplethequiet
　　enjoymentofthemanyandgreatblessingswhichwehavereceivedfromThy
　　bounty：defeatandfrustratethemaliceofwickedandturbulentmen，and
　　turntheirhearts：havepity，OLord，onthesimpleandignorant，whohave
　　beenledastray，andrecallthemtoasenseoftheirduty；andtopersons
　　ofallranksandconditionsinthiscountryvouchsafesuchameasureofThy
　　grace，thatourheartsbeingfilledwithtruefaithanddevotion，andcleansed
　　fromallevilaffections，wemayserveTheewithoneaccord，indutyand
　　loyaltytotheKing，inobediencetothelawsoftheland，andinbrotherly
　　lovetowardseachother……’
　　Weshallseeinthenextchapterwhathappenedto’thesimpleandignorant’
　　whohadfallenintothehandsoftheEnglishjudges。
　　ForBredeseeH。O。Papers，ExtractsfromPoorLawCommissioners’
　　Report，published1833，andnewspapers。
　　TheyweresignedbyG。S。Hill，minister，byeightfarmersandthefour
　　labourerdelegates。
　　AffidavitinH。O。Papers。
　　Times，November25。
　　Thepetitionwasasfollows：’Wefeelthatinjusticeweoughtnot
　　tosufferamomenttopassawaywithoutcommunicatedtoyourGracethegreat
　　andunprecedenteddistresswhichweareenabledfromourownpersonalexperience
　　tostateprevailsamongallthepeasantrytoadegreenotonlydreadfulto
　　individuals，butalsotoanextentwhich，ifnotchecked，mustbeattended
　　withseriousconsequencestothenationalprosperity。’MrHodgesdoesnot
　　mentionthedate，merelystatingthatitwassentWellingtonwhenPrimeMinister。
　　TransportedforlifetoNewSouthWales。
　　Fordwascapitallyconvictedandsentencedtotransportationforlife，
　　buthissentencewascommutedtoimprisonment。
　　H。O。Papers。
　　Accordingtolocaltraditionhewaskillednotbytheyeomanrybut
　　byafarmer，beforethetroopcameup。SeeHudson，AShepherd’sLife，
　　Tendayslater，afterLordMelbourne’scircularofDecember8，Dr
　　Newboltchangedhistone。WritingtotheHomeOfficehedepreciatedthecensure
　　impliedinthatcircular，andstatedthathisconductwasduetopersonal
　　infirmitiesandthreatsofviolence：indeedhehadsubsequentlyheardfrom
　　acertainMrWickhamthat’Ilefthisplacejustintimetosavemyownlife，
　　assomeoftheMobhaditincontemplationtodragmeoutofthecarriage，
　　andtodestroymeuponthespot，anditwasentirelyowingtotheinterference
　　ofsomeofthebetterdisposedofthePeasantrythatmylifewaspreserved。’
　　Thebandsofmenandboyswhohadgiventheirrulersonemomentofexcitement
　　andlivelyinterestintheconditionofthepoorhadmadethemselvesliable
　　toferociouspenalties。Fortheprivilegedclasseshadsetupacodeunder
　　whichnolabourercouldtakeasinglestepfortheimprovementofthelot
　　ofhisclasswithoutputtinghislifeandlibertiesinanoose。Itistrue
　　thatthesavagelawswhichhadbeenpassedagainstcombinationin1799and
　　1800hadbeenrepealedin1824，andthatevenunderthelessliberalAct
　　ofthefollowingyear，whichrescindedtheActof1824，itwasnolonger
　　apenaloffencetoformaTradesUnion。Butitiseasytoseethatthelabourers
　　whotriedtoraisetheirwageswereinfactonashelvingandmostperilous
　　slope。Iftheyusedthreatsorintimidationormolestedorobstructed，either
　　togetalabourertojoinwiththemortogetanemployertomakeconcessions，
　　theywereguiltyofamisdemeanourpunishablewiththreemonths’imprisonment。
　　Theywereluckyiftheyrannograverriskthanthis。Fewoftheprosecutions
　　attheSpecialCommissionswereundertheActof1825。Abodyofmenholding
　　ameetinginavillagewherefamineandunemploymentwerechronic，andwhere
　　hardlyanyonehadbeentaughttoreadandwrite，mightverysoonfindthemselves
　　becomingwhattheActof1714calledariotousassembly，andifamagistrate
　　tookalarmandreadtheRiotAct，andtheydidnotdispersewithinonehour，
　　everyoneofthemmightbepunishedasafelon。Thehour’sintervaldidnot
　　meananhour’sgrace，for，asMr。JusticeAldersontoldthecourtatDorchester，
　　withinthathour’allpersons，evenprivateindividuals，maydoanything，
　　usingforceeventothelastextremitytopreventthecommissionofafelony。’
　　Therewereatleastthreewaysinwhichlabourersmeetingtogetherto
　　demonstrateforhigherwagesranariskoflosingtheirlives，ifanyof
　　theirfellowsgotoutofhandfromtemper，orfromdrink，orfromhunger
　　anddespair。MostoftheprosecutionsbeforetheSpecialCommissionswere
　　prosecutionsunderthreeActsof1827and1828，consolidatingthelawon
　　thesubjectofoffencesagainstpropertyandoffencesagainsttheperson。
　　UndertheeighthsectionofoneAct7and8GeorgeIV。c。30，anypersons
　　riotouslyortumultuouslyassembledtogetherwhodestroyedanyhouse，stable，
　　coach-house，outhouse，barn，granary，oranybuildingorerectionormachinery
　　usedincaringonanytradeormanufactureweretosufferdeathasfelons。
　　InthisActthereisnodefinitionofriot，andtherefore’thecommonlaw
　　definitionofariotisresortedto，andinsuchacaseifanyoneofHis
　　Majesty’ssubjectswasterrifiedtherewasasufficientterrorandalarm
　　tosubstantiatethatpartofthecharge。’1*Underthesixthsectionof
　　anotherAct，anypersonwhorobbedanyotherpersonofanychattel，money，
　　orvaluablesecuritywastosufferdeathasafelon。Nowifamobpresented
　　itselfbeforeahouseholderwithademandformoney，andthehouseholder
　　infeargaveevenafewcoppers，anypersonwhowasinthatmob，whether
　　hehadanythingtodowiththisparticulartransactionornot，whetherhe
　　wasawareorignorantofit，wasguiltyofrobbery，andliabletothecapital
　　penalty。Undersection12oftheActofthefollowingyear，generallyknown
　　asLansdowne’sAct，whichamendedEllenborough’sActof1803，itwasacapital
　　offencetoattempttoshootataperson，ortostab，cut，orwoundhim，with
　　intenttomurder，rob，ormaim。UnderthisAct，asitwasinterpreted，if
　　analtercationaroseandanyviolencewasofferedbyasingleindividual
　　inthemob，thelivesofthewholebandwereforfeit。Thiswasputveryclearly
　　byBaronVaughan：’Thereseemstobesomeimpressionthatunlesstheattack
　　onanindividualismadewithsomedeadlyweapons，thoseconcernedarenot
　　liabletocapitalpunishment；butitshouldbemadeknowntoallpersons
　　thatifthesameinjurywereinflictedbyablowofastone，allandevery
　　personformingpartofariotousassemblyisequallyguiltyashewhosehand
　　mayhavethrownit，andallalikeareliabletodeath。’Undersection4of
　　oneActof1827thepenaltyfordestroyingathreshingmachinewastransportation
　　forsevenyears，andundersection17thepenaltyforfiringarickwasdeath。
　　Theseweretheterrorshangingoverthevillagelabourersofwhomseveral
　　hundredswerenowawaitingtheirtrial。
　　ThetemperofthejudgeswasrevealedintheirchargestotheGrandJuries。
　　InopeningtheMaidstoneAssizeson14thDecember，Mr。JusticeBosanquet2*
　　declaredthatthoughtheremightbesomedistressitwasmuchexaggerated，
　　andthathewassurethatthosewhomhehadthehonourtoaddresswouldfind
　　itnotonlytheirdutybuttheirpleasuretolendaneartothewantsof
　　thepoor。3*Mr。JusticeTaunton4*wasevenmorereassuringonthissubject
　　attheLewesAssizes：thedistresswaslessthanithadbeentwelvemonths
　　before。’Iregrettosay，’hewenton，’therearepersonswhoexaggerate
　　thedistressandraiseupbarriersbetweendifferentclasses——whousethe
　　mostinflammatorylanguage——whorepresenttherichasoppressorsofthe