CHRONICLE. 



67 



alarming state of the county, and 

 to request the assistance of go- 

 vernment to restore tranquillity. 

 The public have been for some 

 time apprised of various outrages 

 committed in that county, in the 

 bieaking of thrashing machines, 

 and the destruction of barns, 

 corn-stacks, &c. by fire, suspect- 

 ed to be wilful and malicious, the 

 agents in which are presumed to 

 be agricultural labourers, discon- 

 tented because employment and 

 advance of wages did not imme- 

 diately follow the recent rise in 

 the price of corn. These out- 

 rages were, however, only secret 

 and isolated cases. It was not 

 until the end of the week that the 

 discontent of the lower orders 

 broke out into open and general 

 disturbance. 



A reduction in the price of 

 bread and meat was the avowed 

 object of the rioters. They had 

 fixed a maximum for the price of 

 both. They insisted that the low- 

 est price of wheat must be ludf- 

 a-crown a bushel, and that of 

 prime joints of beef fourpence 

 per pound. Mr. Willet, a but- 

 cher, at Brandon, ^vas a marked 

 object of their ill-will, in which 

 Mr. AVillet, the banker, was, 

 from the similarity of his name, 

 in danger of shanng. This cii'- 

 cumstance, and a laudable anxiety 

 to preserve the public peace, in- 

 duced him to take an active pait, 

 and exert all his influence for 

 that j)urpose. On Friday he re- 

 monstrated with them on the 

 dangerous consequences of their 

 proceedings, and promised that 

 their demands should be com- 

 plied with for a fortnight, which 

 would afford time for the con- 

 sideration of their grievances, and 



of the means of redress. The 

 malcontents appeared satisfied 

 with this assurance, gave Mr. 

 Willet three cheers, and parted, 

 after expressing a wish to chair 

 him, which he declined. The 

 tranquillity thus restored was, 

 however, of short duration. 



The distiubance broke out 

 again on Saturday with increased 

 violence, and the malcontents 

 shewed themselves in considerable 

 force. Their whole number 

 amounted to 1.500, divided into 

 several parties, marching in se- 

 \eral directions, for the purpose 

 of attacking the houses of those 

 persons who were obnoxious to 

 them. At Brandon they destroyed 

 several houses, including Mr. 

 Willet's the butcher ; which they 

 completely levelled to the ground. 

 Another party of them proceeded 

 to the village of Halesworth, it 

 is supposed for a like purpose j 

 and the Sheriff of Suffolk, and 

 Mr. Willet, the banker, saw on 

 their way to London, about ten 

 o'clock on Saturday night, a fire 

 near Ely, which they apprehend 

 was the mischievous work of 

 another party of the rioters. 

 Tliey were armed with long heavy 

 sticks, the ends of which, to the 

 extent of several inches, were 

 studded with short iron spikes, 

 sharp at the sides and points. 

 Their flag was inscribed, "Bread 

 or Blood!" and they threatened 

 to march to London. The Sheriflf 

 of Suffolk and Mr. Willet having 

 laid tliis representation before the 

 Secretary of State, received fi'om 

 him a promise of every possible 

 protection, and with this assur- 

 ance they left town on Sunday 

 night on their return home. It 

 appears, from the following ex- 

 F 2 tract 



