114 The Wilts County Court — Devizes versus Wilton. 



Devizes ; principally, no doubt, on the ground of general convenience, 

 but possibly also to give greater expression to the liberal element 

 for which Devizes was then conspicuous. Be this as it may, there 

 seems good reason to trace the hand of Cromwell in the affair, and 

 thus again to account for the haste with which the action of the 

 advance party was systematically reversed, here as elsewhere, at the 

 Restoration. Eventually the Wilton folk recovered their lost 

 privilege or appanage, though theoretically it was still dependent 

 on the personal will of the sheriflF for the time being. This was 

 shown soon after by the fact that at the ensuing general election, 

 when the sheriff of that year. Sir James Thynne, of Longleat, was 

 anxious to get a nominee of his own returned for Wilton, he 

 threatened the Wilton burgesses that unless they would pleasure 

 him therein he would take his own course, which they understood 

 to be the again removal of the Court to Devizes. The burgesses of 

 Wilton replied to the sheriff that they had already made their 

 election and meant to adhere to it. Sir James does not appear to 

 have pushed matters to extremity on this occasion ; it is nevertheless 

 true that in the next reign, when James II. was inviting the Non- 

 conformists to take part with himself in treading down the Anglican 

 party, the proposition for going back to Devizes was again in the 

 air. The subsequent history of the Court we need not further 

 pursue. Let the above suffice as introductory to the ensuing docu- 

 mentary evidence. 



The Wilton Petition to recover the County Court. 



To THE Right Woeshipfctl Sir James Thynne, Knt., High Sheeiff 

 OF the County of Wilts. 



The humble petition of the Mayor, Burgesses, and other the inhabitants of the 

 Borough of Wilton, — Humbly showeth that in this late intestine war the in- 

 habitants of the said borough have suffered much prejudice to the great im- 

 poverishment of the said inhabitants. Yet to add more, one Hippisley, late 

 Sheriff of this county, was pleased to add a further prejudice, the removing of 

 the County Court from us to the Devizes ; which hath been continued by his 

 successor [Isaac] Burgess, notwithstanding the right honourable Earl of Pembroke 

 was pleased in the behalf of the said borough to write his letter to the said 

 Burgess for the return thereof, which he slighted, — the said Hippisley and him- 

 self being the creatures of Oliver late Protector. Besides, the inhabitants of the 

 Devizes made one Captain Scotten (being a States' captain) one of their Burgesses, 

 to serve in Parliament, of purpose to be instrumental for the continuance of the 



