theoffenceswereofthesamecharacter，andtheCommissionssatatthesame
　　time。Thedifferencewasapparentfromthefirst，andon1stJanuarytheTimespublishedaleadingarticlepleadingforuniformity，andpointing
　　outthattheBerkshireCommissionwas’amercifulcontrast’tothatatWinchester。
　　Thecauseisprobablytobefoundinthedispositionsandcharactersofthe
　　authoritiesresponsibleinthetwocases。ThecountrygentlemenofBerkshire，
　　representedbyamanlikeMr。Dundas，weremorehumanethanthecountrygentlemen
　　ofHampshire，representedbymenlikethedukeofWellingtonandtheBarings；
　　Mr。Gurney，thepublicprosecutoratReading，wasmorelenientthanSirThomas
　　Denman，andtheReadingjudgesweremorekindlyandconsideratethanthe
　　judgesatWinchester。Further，therehadbeeninBerkshirelittleofthe
　　wildpanicthatsweptoverthecountryhousesinHampshireandWiltshire。
　　ThejudgesatReadingoccasionallyinterjectedquestionsontheprisoners，
　　behalf，andinmanycasestheydidnotconcealtheirsatisfactionatanacquittal。
　　Further，theyhadamoredelicatesensefortheproprieties。Contraryto
　　custom，theyaskedneithertheGrandJurynorthemagistratestodinneron
　　thefirstday，beinganxious，wearetold，tofreetheadministrationof
　　justice’fromtheslightestappearanceofpartialityintheeyesofthelower
　　classes。’TheLordChancellorandLordMelbournehadbeenconsultedandhad
　　approved。
　　ItmustnotbesupposedthatMr。JusticePark’stheoriesoflifeandsocial
　　relationshipsdifferedfromthoseofhisbrothersatWinchester。Inhisaddress
　　totheGrandJuryherepudiatedwithindignationthe’impudentandbaseslander……
　　thattheupperranksofsocietycarelittleforthewantsandprivations
　　ofthepoor。Idenythispositively，uponaveryextensivemeansofknowledge
　　uponsubjectsofthisnature。Buteverymancandenyitwholooksabouthim
　　andseesthevastinstitutionsineverypartofthekingdomfortherelief
　　oftheyoungandtheold，thedeafandthelame，theblind，thewidow，the
　　orphan——andeverychildofwretchednessandwoe。Thereisnotacalamity
　　ordistressincidenttohumanity，eitherofbodyorofmind，thatisnot
　　humblyendeavouredtobemitigatedorrelieved，bythepowerfulandtheaffluent，
　　eitherofhighormiddlingrank，inthisourhappyland，whichforitsbenevolence，
　　charity，andboundlesshumanity，hasbeentheadmirationoftheworld。’The
　　theorythattherichkeptthepoorinastateofstarvationandthatthis
　　wasthecauseofthedisturbances，hedeclaredlatertobeentirelydisproved
　　bytheconductofoneofthemobsindestroyingathreshingmachinebelonging
　　toWilliamMount，Esq。，atWasing，’Mr。Mounthavinggivenaway£；100
　　nolongeragothanlastwintertoassistthelowerordersduringthatinclement
　　season。’
　　AfeatureoftheReadingCommissionwasthedifficultyoffindingjurymen。
　　Allfarmerswerechallengedonbehalfoftheprisoners，andmatterswere
　　atadeadlockuntilthejudgesorderedthebystanderstobeimpannelled。
　　TheearliercaseswereconnectedwiththeriotsinHungerford。Property
　　inanironfoundryhadbeendestroyed，andfifteenmenwerefoundguilty
　　onthiscapitalcharge。OneofthefifteenwasWilliamOakley，whonowpaid
　　thepenaltyforhis£；5andstronglanguage。Butwhenthefirstcases
　　wereover，Mr。Gurneybegantodropthecapitalcharge，andtocontenthimself，
　　asarule，withconvictionsforbreakingthreshingmachines。Onecaserevealed
　　seriousperjuryononesideortheother。ThomasGoodfellowandCornelius
　　BennettwerechargedwithbreakingathreshingmachineatMatthewBatten’s
　　farm。Theprisonersproducedfourwitnesses，twolabourers，awomanwhose
　　husbandwasinprisonfortheriots，andJohnGaiter，whodescribedhimself
　　as’notquiteamasterbricklayer，’toprovethatMatthewBattenhadencouraged
　　theriots。ThefirstthreewitnessesdeclaredthatBattenhadaskedtherioters
　　tocomeandbreakhismachineinordertoserveouthislandlordandMr。
　　Ward，andhadpromisedthemvictualsand£；1。Battenandhisson，on
　　theotherhand，sworethatthesestatementswerefalse。Theprisonerswere
　　foundguilty，witharecommendationtomercywhichwasdisregarded。Goodfellow，
　　whowasfoundguiltyofbreakingothermachinesaswell，wassentencedto
　　fourteen，andCorneliusBennetttosevenyears’transportation，Thejudge
　　spokeoftheirscandalousattempttoblackenthecharacterofarespectable
　　farmer：’itpleasedGodhoweverthattheatrociousattempthadfailed。’It
　　wouldbeinterestingtoknowwhatweretherelationsbetweenMatthewBatten
　　andhislandlord。
　　OnthelastdayofthetrialsMr。Gurneyannouncedthattherewouldbe
　　nomoreprosecutionsforfelony，asenoughhadbeendoneinthewayofmaking
　　examples。Someinterestingcasesofriotweretried。Themostimportantriot
　　hadtakenplaceasearlyas19thNovember，andtheherooftheproceedings
　　wastheRev。EdwardCove，thevenerableVicarofBrimpton，oneofthemany
　　parsonmagistrates。Amobhadassembledinordertodemandanincreaseof
　　wages，anditwasmetbyMr。Coveandhisposseofspecialconstables。On
　　occasionslikethis，Mr。Gurneyremarked，webecomesensibleofthegreat
　　advantagesofoursocialorder。Mr。CovewithoutmoreadoreadtheRiotAct；
　　themobrefusedtodisperse；hisspecialconstablesthereuponattackedthem，
　　andageneralmê；lé；efollowedinwhichhardblowsweregiven
　　andtaken。NooneattemptedtostrikeMr。Covehimself，butoneofhiscompanions
　　receivedfromarioter，whomheidentified，ablowrivallingthatgivento
　　Mr。BinghamBaring，whichbeatthecrownofhishatinanddrovetherim
　　overhiseyes：itwasfollowedbyotherandmoreseriousblowsonhishead
　　andbody。Thecounselforthedefencetriedtoshowthatitwasdistress
　　thathadcausedtherioterstoassemble，andhequotedaremarkoftheChairman
　　ofQuarterSessionsthatthepoorwerestarvedalmostintoinsurrection；
　　butallevidenceaboutwageswasrUledout。Thecourtweredeeplyimpressed
　　bythisriot，andMr。JusticeParkannouncedthatithadalarmedhimand
　　hisfellowjudgesmore’thananythingthathadhithertotranspiredinthese
　　proceedings。’’Hadonelifebeenlost，’hecontinued，’thelivesofevery
　　individualofthemobwouldhavebeenforfeited，andthelawmusthavebeen
　　carriedintoeffectagainstthoseconvicted。’Asitwas，nobodywascondemned
　　todeathforhisshareintheaffray，thoughthemoreviolent，suchasGeorge
　　Williams，alias’StaffordshireJack，’a’desperatecharacter，’receivedheavier
　　penaltiesformachine-breakinginconsequence。
　　Threemenwerereservedforexecution：WilliamOakley，whowastoldthat
　　asacarpenterhehadnobusinesstomixhimselfupinthesetransactions；
　　AlfredDarling，ablacksmithbytrade，whohadbeenfoundguiltyonseveral
　　chargesofdemandingmoney；andWinterbourne，whohadtakenpartintheHungerford
　　affairinthemagistrates’room，andhadalsoactedasleaderinsomecases
　　whenamobaskedformoney。Inoneinstancethemobhadbeencontentwith
　　£；1insteadofthe£；2forwhichithadaskedforbreakingathreshing
　　machine，Winterbourneremarking，’wewilltakehalfpricebecausehehas
　　stoodlikeaman。’
　　PublicopinioninBerkshirewashorrifiedattheprospectoftakinglife。
　　PetitionsformercypouredinfromReading，includingonefromladiesto
　　thequeen，fromNewbury，fromHungerford，fromHenley，andfromotherplaces。
　　Twocountrygentlemen，Mr。J。B。MonckandMr。Wheble，madeeveryexertion
　　tosavethecondemnedmen。TheywaitedwithpetitionsonLordMelbourne，
　　whoheardthempatientlyforanhour。TheyobtainedareprieveforOakley
　　andforDarling，whoweretransportedforlife；Winterbournetheycouldnot
　　save：hewashungon11thJanuary，prayingtothelastthathiswife，who
　　wasdangerouslyilloftyphus，mightdiebeforesheknewofhisfate。
　　Fifty-sixmenweresentencedtotransportationfromReading——twenty-three
　　forlife，sixteenforfourteenyears，seventeenforsevenyearsthirty-six
　　weresenttoprisonforvariousterms。
　　ThesamecommissionerswentontoAbingdonwhereproceedingsopenedon
　　6thJanuary。Heretherewereonlyforty-sevenprisoners，allbuttwoofwhom
　　wereagriculturallabourers，mostofthemveryyoung。Thecasesresembled
　　thosetriedatReading，butitisclearthattheevidenceofMrs。Charlotte
　　Slade，whoseconductwehavealreadydescribed，andhermethodofdealing
　　withtherioters，madeagreatimpressiononMr。JusticeParkandhiscolleagues，
　　andopenedtheireyestothetrueperspectiveoftherhetoricallanguage
　　thathadassumedsuchterrifyingimportancetootherjudges。Oneyounglabourer，
　　RichardKempsterbyname，whowasfoundguiltyofbreakingathreshingmachine，
　　hadcarriedablack-and-redflaginthemob，andwhenarrestedhadexclaimed，
　　’bedamnedifIdon’twishitwasarevolution，andthatallwasafiretogether：’
　　itiseasytoimaginethegravehomilyonthenecessityofcuttingsucha
　　manoffforeverfromhiskindthatthesewordswouldhaveprovokedfrom
　　thejudgesatWinchester。Mr。JusticeParkandhiscolleaguessentencedKempster
　　totwelvemonths’imprisonment。AtAbingdononlyonemanwassentencedto
　　betransported；ThomasMackrell，anagriculturallabourerofforty-three。
　　Another，HenryWoolridge，hadsentenceofdeathcommutedtoeighteenmonths’
　　imprisonment。Thirty-fiveothersweresenttoprisonforvariousterms。
　　ThesamethreejudgesproceededtoAylesburytotrytheBuckinghamshire
　　rioters。Thechiefeventinthiscountyhadbeenthedestructionofpaper-making
　　machineryatWycombe。TheCommissionopenedon11thJanuary：thedukeof
　　BuckinghamandMr。MauriceSwabeywerethelocalcommissioners。Therewere
　　onehundredandthirty-sixprisonerstobetried，almostallyoungandilliterate：
　　onlyeighteenwerefortyyearsofageorover。Forty-fourmenandboyswere
　　foundguiltyofthecapitalchargeofdestroyingpapermachinery。Mostof
　　theotherprisonerswhowerechargedwithbreakingthreshingmachineswere
　　allowedtopleadguiltyandletoffontheirownrecognisances，orelsethe
　　chargewasnotpressed。Anexceptionwasmadeinacaseinwhichsomemembers
　　ofamobhadbeenarmedwithguns。Threemenwhohadcarriedgunsweresent
　　totransportationforsevenyears，andthirteenothersinvolvedweresent
　　toprisonfortwoyearsoreighteenmonths。Severalmenweretriedforrioting，
　　andthosewhohadcombinedademandforincreasedwageswitharequestfor
　　therestorationofparishbunsweresenttoprisonforsixweeks。Onemore
　　trialisworthnotice，becauseitsuggeststhateveninBuckinghamshire，
　　wherethegeneraltemperwasmorelenient，individualswhohadmadethemselves
　　obnoxiouswereSingledoutforspecialtreatment。JohnCrook，amiller，was
　　indictedwithfourothersforriotouslyassemblingandbreakingawinnowing
　　machineatMr。Fryer’satLongCrendon。AsCrookwaschargedwithamisdemeanour
　　hiscounselcouldaddressthejury，andwelearnfromhisspeechthatCrook
　　hadbeenkeptinprisonsince2ndDecember，though£；2000hadbeenoffered
　　inbailandmanyotherprisonershadbeenallowedout。Theexplanation，it
　　wasargued，wastobefoundinthefactthatCrookhadcomeintosomeproperty
　　whichqualifiedhimtoholdagunlicenceandtokillgame。Hewassentenced
　　tothreemonths’imprisonmentwithouthardlabour，andtopayafineof£；10。
　　Thirty-twomeninallweresenttoprisonfortheagriculturaldisturbances
　　inadditiontothethreesentencedtotransportation。Forty-twoofthose
　　concernedinthebreakingofpapermakingmachineryreceivedsentenceofdeath，
　　buttheirpunishmentwascommutedtolifetransportationforone，sevenyears’
　　transportationfortwenty-two，andimprisonmentforvarioustermsforthe
　　rest。Twomenwerereservedforexecution。One，ThomasBlizzard，wasthirty
　　yearsold，withawifeandthreechildren。Hischaracterwasexcellent。At
　　thetimeoftheriotshewasaroundsman，receiving1s。adayfromtheoverseer’s
　　and1s。6d。aweekfromafarmer。HetoldhisemployeratLittleMarlowthat
　　hewouldtakeaholidaytogomachine-breaking，forhewouldendureimprisonment，