PART III.

MISCELLANEOUS.

ELECTIONS.

Universal Suffrage.-Selden says: "There was a time when all men had their voice in choosing knights (of the shire). About Henry the Sixth's time they found the inconvenience, so one Parliament made a law, that only he that had forty shillings per annum should give his voice; they under should be excluded. They made the law who had the voice of all, as well under forty shillings as above; and thus it continues at this day. All consent civilly to a Parliament; women are involved in the men, children in those of perfect age, those that are under forty shillings a year in those that have forty shillings a year, those of forty shillings in the knights."

Early Election Disturbances. In the eighth and tenth years of the reign of Henry VI. (1430-1432), laws were enacted limiting the electors to such as were possessed of forty shillings a year in land, free from all burdens, within the county. The preamble of one statute is remarkable: "Whereas the elections of knights have of late, in many counties of England, been made by outrages and excessive numbers of people, many of them of small substance and value, yet pretending to a right equal to the best knights and esquires; whereby manslaughters, riots, batteries, and divisions among the gentlemen and other people of the same counties shall very likely rise and be, unless due remedy be provided in this behalf," &c. We may learn (says Hume) from these expressions what an important matter the election of a member of Parliament was now become in England.

A Sheriff Assaulted for Delaying a Writ.-Richard Calle writes to John Paston about 1450: "I recommend me unto your good mastership; like you to weet (know) that on Childermas Day there were much people at Norwich at the shire (county court), because it was noised in the shire that the under-sheriff had a writ to make a new election, wherefore the people was grieved because they had laboured so often, saying to the sheriff that he had the writ, and plainly he should not away unto the time the writ were read. The sheriff answered and said

that he had no writ, nor wist who had it; hereupon the people peaced and stilled unto the time the shire was done, and after that done, the people called upon him, 'Kill him! head him!' and so John Damme, with help of others, got him out of the shire-house, and with much labour brought him into Spurrier Row, and there the people met against him, and so they avoided him into an house, and kept fast the door unto the time the mayor was sent for, and the sheriff, to strengthen him and to convey him away, or else he had been slain. Wherefore divers of the thrifty men came to me, desiring that I should write unto your mastership to let you have understanding of the guiding of the people, for they be full sorry of this trouble; and that it please you to send them your advice how they shall be guided and ruled, for they were purposed to have gathered an hundred or two hundred of the thriftiest men, and to have come up to the King to let the King have understanding of their mocking."

Influence of Peers on Elections.-The following letter, written about the middle of the 15th century, and included in the Paston series, shows the influence then exercised by peers in elections for the Lower House, and the estimation in which members of that House were at that time held: "The Duchess of Norfolk to our right trusty and well-beloved John Paston, Esq. We greet you heartily well, and forasmuch as it is thought right necessary for divers causes that my lord have at this time in the Parliament such persons as belong unto him, and be of his menial servants—wherein we conceive your goodwill and diligence shall be right expedient we heartily desire and pray you that, at the contemplation of these our letters, as our special trust is in you, ye will give and apply your voice unto our right well-beloved cousin and servants, John Howard and Sir Roger Chamberlayn, to be knights of the shire; exhorting all such others as by your wisdom shall now be behoveful, to the good exploit and conclusion of the same. And in your faithful attendance and true devoir in this part ye shall do unto my lord and us a singular pleasure, and cause us hereafter to thank you therefore, as ye shall hold you right well content and agreed with the grace of God, who have you ever in his keeping."

Court Dictation.-The writs issued to summon a Parliament in 1553 were accompanied by a letter in the name of the King (Edward VI.) to each sheriff, which concluded as follows: "Our pleasure is that where our Privy Council, or any of them, shall recommend men of learning and wisdom, in such case their directions be regarded and followed, to have this assembly to be of the most chiefest men in our realm for advice and good counsel."

The "Prince Elector."-Evelyn writes: March 5, 1685 [a few days after the accession of James II.]-A Parliament was now summon'd, and greate industry us'd to obtaine elections which might promote the Court interest, most of the corporations being now by their new charters impower'd to make what returnes of members they pleased. May 22.-Mr. Seymour made a bold speech against many elections, and would have had those members who (he pretended) were obnoxious to withdraw, till they had clear'd the matter of their being legally return'd; but no one seconded him. The truth is, there were many of the new members

whose elections and returns were universally censur'd, many of them being persons of no condition or interest in the nation, or places for which they serv'd, especially in Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, &c., said to have been recommended by the Court, and from the effect of the new charters changing the electors. It was reported that Lord Bath carried down with him into Cornwall no fewer than fifteen charters, so that some call'd him the Prince Elector.

as

A Court Candidate in the Seventeenth Century.-Sir John Reresby, Governor of the city of York in the reign of James II., gives in his "Memoirs" the following account of the mode in which the Court manipulated the constituencies for the purpose of securing the return of its own nominees: "I sent notice to the mayor and others of York that I intended to stand for one of their representatives at the ensuing election, and found the magistracy would be for the most part against me, though I had good encouragement from the other citizens. The truth is I was at some loss how to act in this matter; I was not desirous to be of this Parliament, not only because I was grown infirm and unfit to attend the duty of the House, but also because I was afraid the King would expect more from me than my conscience would extend to; for, I was determined not to violate this on the one side, so I could hardly resolve to offend so good a master on the other. In these straits I went to the King at Windsor, and showed him the letters I had sent to York, and the answers I had received thereto; desiring his Majesty to indulge me with replies to three queries I had to make. (1.) Whether, seeing the contest was like to be both chargeable and difficult, and the success extremely doubtful, it was his pleasure I should stand? He replied positively, I should. (2.) Whether, as the opposition was very strong against me, he would impute it to my remissness if I miscarried? He promised he would not. (3.) Whether he would assist me all he could to prevent my being baffled, and particularly by such means as I should propose to him? His answer was, Yes; and he gave immediate orders to the Lords for purging of Corporations, to make whatever change I desired in the city of York, and to put in or out (which the King, it seems, had reserved to himself by the last charter) just as I pleased. Then, taking leave of the King, and presenting him with some Roman medals, which he took very kindly, he again charged me to do what I could to be chosen." The worthy knight proceeds to narrate the steps he took to carry out the King's wishes; but in the meantime the Prince of Orange landed-an event by which these and many more important schemes were rendered futile.

Electioneering Strategy in 1685.-The Whig candidate for Buckinghamshire, Thomas Wharton, eldest son of Philip Lord Wharton, was a man distinguished alike by dexterity and by audacity, and destined to play a conspicuous, though not always a respectable part, in the politics of several reigns. He had been one of those members of the House of Commons who had carried up the Exclusion Bill to the bar of the Lords. The Court was therefore bent on throwing him out by fair or foul means. The Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys himself came down into Buckingham

shire, for the purpose of assisting a gentleman named Hacket, who stood on the high Tory interest. A stratagem was devised which, it was thought, could not fail of success. It was given out that the polling would take place at Ailesbury; and Wharton, whose skill in all the arts of electioneering was unrivalled, made his arrangements on that supposition. At a moment's warning the sheriff adjourned the poll to Newport Pagnell. Wharton and his friends hurried thither, and found that Hacket, who was in the secret, had already secured every inn and lodging. The Whig freeholders were compelled to tie their horses to the hedges, and to sleep under the open sky in the meadows which surround the little town. It was with the greatest difficulty that refreshments could be procured at such short notice for so large a number of men and beasts, though Wharton, who was utterly regardless of money when his ambition and party spirit were roused, disbursed fifteen hundred pounds in one day— an immense outlay for those times. Injustice seems, however, to have animated the courage of the stout-hearted yeomen of Bucks, the sons of the constituents of John Hampden. Not only was Wharton at the head of the poll, but he was able to spare his second votes to a man of moderate opinions, and to throw out the Chief Justice's candidate.-Macaulay's "History."

Tricked by the Sheriff.-John Evelyn writes: "April 8, 1685.— This day my brother of Wotton and Mr. Onslow were candidates for Surrey against Sir Adam Brown and my cousin Sir Edward Evelyn, and were circumvented in their election by a trick of the sheriff's-taking advantage of my brother's party going out of the small village of Leatherhead to seek shelter and lodging, the afternoone being tempestuous-proceeding to the election when they were gone, they expecting the next morning; whereas before and then they exceeded the other party by many hundreds, as I am assured. The Duke of Norfolk led Sir Edw. Evelyn's and Sir Adam Brown's party. For this Parliament, very meane and slight persons (some of them gentlemen's servants, clearkes, and persons neither of reputation nor interest) were set up, but the country would choose my brother whether he would or no, and he missed it by the trick above mentioned."

An Election for Norfolk Two Hundred Years Ago.-Sir Thomas Browne, the learned physician of Norwich, writing to his son Edward, then a member of the College of Physicians and residing in London, gives the following account of the election of representatives for the shire of Norfolk: "Norwich, May 7th, 1679.-Our election was the last Monday. The competitors were the former elected Sir Christopher Calthorp and Sir Neuille Catelyn, and Sir John Hobart and Mr. Windham. I neuer obserued so great a number of people who came to gine their voyces; but all was ciuilly carried at the hill, and I do not heare of any rude or vnhandsome caryadge, the competitors hauing the weeke before sett downe rules and agreed upon articles for their regular and quiet proceeding. They came not down from the hill vntill eleven o'clocke at night. Sir John Hobart and Sir Neuille Catelyn caryed it, and were caryed on chayres about the market-place after eleuen o'clocke, with

trumpets and torches, candles being lighted at windowes, and the markettplace full of people. I could not butt obserue the great number of horses which were in the towne, and conceive there might haue been fiue or six thousand which in time of need might serue for dragoone horses; besides a great number of coach horses, and very good sadle horses of the better sort. Wine wee had none butt sack and Rhenish, except some made prouision thereof before hand; butt there was a strange consumption of beere and bread and cakes. Abundance of people slept in the markettplace, and laye like flockes of sheep in and about the crosse."

Letting Loose the Tap.-Roger North, in his "Life of Lord Keeper Guilford," relates that "Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, succeeded Sir Francis North in the burgess-ship of Lynn (1685), but not so easy and cheap; for his managers did not keep in due bounds, but let loose the tap all over that large town, and made an account of 70001. or more resting due to the town, besides what had been paid for the expenses."

A Call for Reform.-John Evelyn thus writes, in 1696, to Lord Godolphin, First Commissioner of the Treasury: "Truly, my lord, I cannot but wonder and even stand amaz'd that Parliaments should have sate from time to time, so many hundred yeares, and value their constitution to that degree as the most sovraine remedy for the redresse of publiq grievances, whilst the greatest still remaine unreform'd and untaken away. Witnesse the confus'd, debauch'd, and riotous manner of electing members qualified to become the representatives of a nation, with legislative power to dispose of the fate of kingdomes; which should and would be compos'd of worthy persons, of known integritie and ability in their respective countries, and still would serve them generously, and as their ancestors have don, but are not able to fling away a son or daughter's portion to bribe the votes of a drunken multitude, more resembling a pagan bacchanalia than an assembly of Christians and sober men met upon the most solemn occasion that can concerne a people, and stand in competition with some rich scrivener, brewer, banker, or one in some gainfull office whose face or name, perhaps, they never saw or knew before. How, my lord, must this sound abroad! With what dishonour and shame at home!"

A Simple Ceremony.-Formerly, says Waller (1673), "the neighbourhood desired a candidate to serve; there was a dinner, and so an end; but now it is a kind of an empire. Some hundred years ago, some boroughs sent not; they could get none to serve; but now it is in fashion, and a fine thing they are revived."

A Dinner to Voters.-The following appears in the Annual Register, 1761, as an exact account of the articles consumed at dinner only, by the voters of a small borough, on the day of electing their members; independently of veal, mutton, poultry, pastry, &c., and a preparatory breakfast, which last alone cost 7501. Consumption at dinner :-980 stone of beef; 315 dozen of wine; 72 pipes of ale; and 365 gallons of spirits converted into punch.

The Fat and the Lean Voters.-Frederick Douglas, Lady Glenbervie's son, sat in Parliament for the family borough of Banbury, and amused us one day (says Harford in his "Recollections of Wilber