46 ENGLISH AGRICULTURAL LABOURER. 



" It was not the idlest and wastrels who sailed, but the 

 strongest, the healthiest, and the most industrious men in 

 the prime of life and in the full vigour of their strength." 1 



In spite of the secret if not openly expressed hostility 

 of farmer, landowner and parson ; 2 in spite of frequent 

 instances of miscarriage of justice and victimisation, the 

 Union enjoyed a triumphant success for two years. Church- 

 wardens might meanly withdraw allotments and charities ; 

 parsons might proscribe with book and bell young women 

 for speaking at meetings, or threaten to turn an old woman 

 out of her allotment if she allowed her barn to be used for 

 a meeting of the labourers ; but meetings continued to be 

 held. They were held under the stars, if there was no 

 friendly roof to shelter the men when they were gathered 

 together ; they were held on roadside wastes, in sheep- 

 foJds, hi pounds or on windswept commons under the pale 

 moon. 



" The mayor has denied us the Corn Exchange," said 

 Arch, when speaking in the open air at Newbury, " but 

 our Heavenly Father sent us a beautiful nice fine evening, 

 and let us have this spacious building." Nothing could 

 deter this " ranter," who had an abounding faith in the 

 righteousness of his cause and who believed that his 

 mission was divinely ordained. 



At a meeting at Redburn, Bedfordshire, on April 24, 

 1873, all the agricultural labourers of the district 

 appeared to be assembled with their sons and wives. For 

 three hours in a bitterly cold wind they stood on the grass 

 of the common, and all, especially the women, listened 

 intently as the delegates spoke. 3 



At a monster meeting held at Yeovil in June of the same 

 year most of the men wore cards in their hats, upon which 

 the following was printed : 



1 History of Modern England, by Herbert Paul, Vol. III. 



2 " Why did not the Church of England years ago appear manifestly 

 before the country, telling what it knew about the housing conditions, 

 and the conditions of wages of the agricultural labourers ? Why, when 

 Mr. Arch was in the field forty years ago, did not the Church stand out 

 and say : ' This is the merest claim of justice ' ? " Dr. Gore, Bishop of 

 Oxford, 1913- 



The Revolt of the Field, by A. Clayden. 



