8o RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



beverage in anticipation of the Temperance festival, 

 and the stock of beer was invariably exhausted 

 after the second day, and the Aylesbury brewery 

 each succeeding day sent in a dray of twelve barrels 

 of beer to supply the deficiency ; whilst his wine 

 and spirit merchants provided extra stock, which 

 was always sent in the week before, and consisted 

 of at least twenty gallons of gin, besides rum, 

 brandy, and whisky, was exhausted by the end of 

 the second or third day. This surely was proof 

 enough of the great benefit conferred upon the 

 population by the attendance and speeches of the 

 Goughs, Reynoldses, and other enthusiastic speakers 

 at these meetings. 



It happened that after one of the Parliamentary 

 elections, a petition was presented against the return 

 of the newly elected M.P. for bribery and treating. 

 Joseph attended before a committee of the House 

 of Commons to give evidence as to the feasting 

 of the electors at the ' Bugle.' He was a jolly, 

 rollicking fellow, with a rubicund face, well pim- 

 pled, and otherwise showing ' how oft the black 

 jack to his lips did go.' He was asked, ' If there 

 had been so little drinking at his house, how his 

 face had obtained that singular appearance ."" ' 

 Nothing abashed, Joseph replied ' that he had been 

 sleeping in London the last two nights, and that 

 certain inhabitants of the bed which he slept in had 

 worried him so that he had but little sleep, and they 

 had caused these abrasions and appearances on his 

 face.' This was said in the most deliberate manner, 



