Nor was it long before I had
occasion offered more thoroughly to consider this matter.
For a justice of the peace in this county, who was called Sir Dennis
Hampson, of Taplow, breaking in with a party of horse upon a little
meeting near Wooburn, in his neighbourhood, the 1st of the fifth
month, 1683, sent most of the men, to the number of twenty-three,
whom he found there, to Aylesbury prison, though most of them were
poor men who lived by their labour; and not going himself to the
next Quarter Sessions at Buckingham, on the 12th of the same month,
sent his clerk with direction that they should be indicted for a
riot. Whither the prisoners were carried and indicted accordingly,
and being pressed by the court to traverse and give bail, they moved
to be tried forthwith, but that was denied them. And they, giving
in writing the reason of their refusing bail and fees, were remanded
to prison till next Quarter Sessions; but William Woodhouse was
again hailed, as he had been before, and William Mason and John
Reeve, who not being Friends, but casually taken at that meeting,
entered recognisance as the court desired, and so were released till
next sessions; before which time Mason died, and Reeve being sick,
appeared not, but got himself taken off.
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