By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson. 



267 



Thomas Stickle which way he was going in the election. Thomas Stickle 

 told him, that he was going for Mr. A., but that " there was £20 in 

 the way." 



Robert Taylor said that a relation of the Candidate B had gone to one Goody 

 Seryl's house : and said to her, he had heard she wanted to sell her house 

 and he would give more for it than any body else. As she did not seem 

 inclined to sell it, Mr. B's relative called for some ale, and as it wasn't 

 strong enough, he sent out for some brandy. He put the brandy into the 

 ale and made her drink his good health : and when she had done so once 

 or twice, he snatched the key of her house from her, thrust her out of door, 

 and has kept her out ever since. 



Another man had a silver Tobacco-box given him, with hopes he might find it 

 of service. 



Upon another occasion, one Philip Edwards had been heard openly to declare, 

 that he should vote for the man that gave him the best penny. 



Margaret Burgess said that she got, down in hand, in the first place, a nice 

 dress for herself, and in the next a good waistcoat for her husband. And 

 besides that, if said husband would vote for a certain- candidate, there was a 

 promise of a bushel of wheat, and a pair of new breeches for " master." 



" Master" being put into the witness box, said, it was all true about the waist- 

 coat. He had'nt seen any thing of the other article of dress : but however, 

 he had been to the Bell Inn the day before the Election and had been told 

 that if he would only vote for the right person, it would be the best day's 

 work he could do. 



Another man was a shoemaker. He had been told by the same parties that they 

 wanted a shoemaker very bad on their side, and that the first shoemaker 

 that offered, they would maintain him as long as he lived, without making 

 any more shoes. 



The Quarter Sessions used formerly to be held in the Old Town 

 Hall; and in 1632 the town paid eightpence for two burthens of 

 herbs and green rushes to strew the floor with. Carpets are a 

 luxury of no very great antiquity. Our forefathers, even in their 

 private houses, had no " Kidderminster," " Wilton," " Turkey," 

 or " Indian," to walk upon. It was either the bare floor, or 

 rushes. Besides the green rushes, the Corporation of Chippenham 

 made extra preparation for the Justices. Having no ornamental 

 furniture of their own, they sent to Allington House for certain 

 curtain stuff, to be hung about that part of the hall which the 

 Justices occupied, and also for a broad white cloth over their heads 

 where they sat. (Allington House was the residence of Sir Gilbert 

 Pryn, whose monument blocks up a fine window in the church. 

 There is a part of the house still left, used as a barn.) The 



