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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£；5beforeweleavetheplaceorwewillsmashit……You
gentlemenhavebeenlivinglongenoughonthegoodthings，nowisourtime
andwewillhavethem。Yougentlemenwouldnotspeaktousnow，onlyyou
areafraidandintimidated。’Themagistratesaccededtothedemandsofthe
Kintburymobandalsogavethemthe£；5，afterwhichtheygavetheHungerford
mob£；5，becausetheyhadbehavedwell，anditwouldbeunjusttotreat
themworsethantheirKintburyneighbours。Mr。Page，Deputy-Lieutenantfor
Berks，sentLordMelbournesometalesaboutthissameKintburymob，which
wasdescribedbyMr。Pearse，M。P。，asasetof’desperatesavages。’’Ibeg
toaddsomeanecdotesofthemobyesterdaytoillustratethenatureofits
componentparts。Theytook£；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，convenedbytheMayortopreservethepeace(reported
intheHampshireChronicleof22ndNovember)，Dr。Newbolt，aclergymanand
magistrate，describedhiso
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