Communicated by Mr. James Waylen. 



327 



personal, in this county, they cannot discover that he hath any at 

 present, and in reversion hath only £50 per annum, fee simple, after 

 the decease of his father, William Bennett, o£ South Marston, 

 aforesaid, viz , £40 there, and £10 at Stratton. His father dying 

 some few years after, he petitioned to compound for the said estates 

 in July, 1650, and paid, " at a sixth/' £150. 



Thomas Bennett, of Pyt House, Esq., and his son, John Bennett, 

 gent. The most weighty charge against Mr. Bennett was his 

 having sat with the judges on the illegal Salisbury Commission of 

 1643. Another was contained in a letter sent from Falstone 

 garrison to the effect that, notwithstanding that he had appeared 

 before the Wilts Committee at Falstone, and made for his delin- 

 quency, which was great, some compensation; yet both himself 

 and his son were known to be great sticklers and ringleaders in the 

 Club-business, especially at Shaftesbury, where he and others met 

 to concert measures for resisting Sir Thomas Fairfax's army at 

 Sherbourn, and was along with the rest taken prisoner. In his 

 defence Mr. Bennett admitted that, being aged, and living in the 

 King's quarters, he had been overruled to sit in some commissions 

 for the King rather than forsake his house and family with his wife 

 and thirteen children ; but he afterwards repaired to the Committee 

 sitting at Fallersdown (Falstone) where he disbursed for his five- 

 and-twentieth part, and for other matters objected against him, the 

 sum of £67 ; and he also lent to Edmund Ludlow, to sustain his 

 garrison at Wardour Castle, £100, receiving in return a warrant for 

 his protection and indemnity for the future. Nevertheless, shortly 

 after, by the menaces and threats of the country-people he was 

 enforced to shew himself sometimes at the club-meetings ; but he 

 never thought of doing anything against the authority of Parlia- 

 ment ; and after General Fairfax had declared his dislike of them he 

 abstained, and caused his neighbours to refrain. He craves dispatch, 

 as his long abode in London is very prejudicial to his age and con- 

 stitution ; and he hopes that consideration will be had to his great 

 charge of children, to the harmlessness of his intentions, and to his 

 former disbursements for the service of the Parliament. Signed, 

 1st November, 1645. In another petition he protests that when 



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