62 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



the market square and principal streets filled with 

 horses and carriages that had set down the voters, 

 who were often compelled to sleep from home after 

 polling. It may be well imagined that it was 

 necessary to prolong the time for taking the poll, 

 when it may be mentioned, for example, that in the 

 county of Bucks voters had to be brought from the 

 little town of Olney in the north, and from Colne- 

 brook in the south, to Aylesbury in the centre, each 

 town being nearly thirty-five miles from the polling 

 place, with the roads frequently in a wretched 

 state. 



In one of my books I have told a story which I 

 cannot forbear repeating. It was told me by a 

 very old voter, who vouched for its accuracy. At 

 the general election of 1784 there was a very severe 

 contest for the county of Bucks, the candidates 

 being the Hon. T. Grenville, Sir John Aubrey, 

 Bart., and Lord Verney of Claydon House. The 

 poll lasted fourteen days, and the acrimony with 

 which the contest was carried on may be imagined 

 when I state that, during the poll, a portion of the 

 furniture was brought from Claydon and publicly 

 sold by auction under the order of the Sheriff on 

 the market hill at Aylesbury. His lordship was 

 the popular candidate, and his seat was considered 

 safe on the fourteenth and last day of the poll, as in 

 the morning, about ten o'clock, Verney was about 

 thirty ahead of Aubrey. It is necessary to observe 

 that at that time, whether in borough or county, 

 if the constituency failed to poll one vote within 



