By W. W. Eavenhill, Esq. 



59 



we niett there this day early to examine the businesse. We finde, that Hunt 

 had two sisters, Elizabeth and Margery, that evening in his chamber : he goes 

 with Elizabeth in womens apparell out of the prison, through the watch; the 

 other sister, Margen T , lieth in Hunt's badd that night; and the escape of the 

 prisoner not known e, till the next morninge, beinge thursday, which day it 

 seeineth he had been to be executed ; the scaffold being up, and all ready for 

 that purpose. It appears to us that Hunt had not irons on, through the goaler's 

 neglect. It also appears to us by several testimonies, that the Sheriffe had 

 often tyines earnestly sent unto him to secure the prisoners with all safety ; and 

 upon the imprisonmente of the persons committed for treason, had issued under 

 his seale of office a warrante for a strickt watch upon the prison day and night. 

 The Copies of the Examinations taken at present we thought good to send up 

 unto your honour ; and we shall wayte your commands, and what you shall 

 please further to have done in the businesse. In the meane tyme Hunt's two 

 sisters, Elizabeth and Margery are secured ; and we shall humbly desire to 

 know your further pleasure concerninge them and the Goaler ; and so we humbly 

 take our leaves, and rest Your honour's most humble 



Ivelchester Friday May 18th, 1655 and faithfull servants 



J. Carte. 

 J. Barker. 



Hue and Cry were speedily abroad for the stopinge of the prisoner. 

 The Superscription 



To the right honorable generall John Disbrowe 



at his lodgings in Whitehall, these humbly present." 



This letter evidently was written by two magistrates who had 

 been summoned to " the open door/'' Was it opened with a silver 

 key ? The justices appear suspicious on the point. We smile at 

 the thought of the tenantless scaffold, and the vain hue and cry, and 

 General Disbrowe's face as he read the letter " at his lodgings in 

 Whitehall/'' Captain Hunt escaped to the continent. History is 

 said to repeat herself, an observation, which here at any rate has 

 some show of truth. 1 60 years after we find Henry Hunt, of Enford, 

 the Reform promoter, sometime M.P. for Preston, who claimed 

 descent from our hero, imprisoned in this very Ilchester Gaol (1820 

 — 1822). 1 But though there may be sympathy to-day for the 



1 Mr. Henry Hunt, in his Memoirs, written by himself during his imprison- 

 ment, and afterwards published, gives a long account of Captain (he calls him 

 Colonel) Thomas Hunt's escape in 1655, taken from family documents, whioh he 

 appears to set out from memory. According to these " Captain Hunt was still at 

 Ilchester the day after he had escaped, wandering about ignorant of the country 

 and heard the bell ring for his execution. It is not mentioned whether 

 he feared his sister was being hung. He was afterwards permitted by a collier 



F 2 



