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<DATE>2008-05-02</DATE>
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<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B080412.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B02603">
<STC T="W">C973</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">52211924</BIBNO>
<VID>175493</VID>
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<TEXT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="lawsuit">
<PB N="132" REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 7 -->
<HEAD>THE CASE OF <HI>Robert Balch</HI> of <HI>Bridgwater</HI> Gent. &s;itting Member of Parliament for the Borough of <HI>Bridgwater,</HI> in the County of <HI>Sommer&s;et,</HI> petitioned again&s;t by <HI>John Gardner</HI> of <HI>London</HI> Merchant.</HEAD>
<P>THAT the &s;aid Borough of <HI>Bridgwater</HI> did for a long time, <HI>viz.</HI> from the latter end of the Reign of King <HI>James</HI> the I. elect and choo&s;e Members in Parliament by the Common Council con&s;i&s;ting of twenty four till the year 1679.</P>
<P>That from that time the manner of Election of Members for the &s;aid Corporation hath been changed on a di&s;pute between Sir <HI>Francis Roll</HI> and Colonel <HI>Ralph Stawell</HI> for the Right of Electon which was heard before a Committee of Parliament 1679. Where Sir <HI>Francis Roll,</HI> who was cho&s;en by the Inhabitants paying Scot and Lot, was Voted duely Elected, that ever &s;ince that method of electing hath been u&s;ed, <HI>viz.</HI> by the Voices of all the Inhabitants within the &s;aid Borough, that at the time of Election &s;tands rated and paid on the Poors Book, and no other Votes allowed, nor never till now attempted, as can ea&s;ily be made out by the Election of Sir <HI>Francis Roll,</HI> Colonel <HI>Stawell,</HI> Sir <HI>Hal&s;well Tynt,</HI> Sir <HI>Francis Warr,</HI> and others.</P>
<P>That on the death of Mr. <HI>Bull</HI> the la&s;t Member, a Writ i&s;&s;ued out for choo&s;ing ano|ther in his Room and Place, and due notice was publickly given of the time and place of execution of the &s;aid Writ, and the Court being a&s;&s;embled in the <HI>Guild-Hall,</HI> where Mr. <HI>Gardner</HI> the Petitioner was pre&s;ent; the Mayor and Aldermen called for the Over|&s;eers of the Poor, (one of whom was for the Petitioner,) and appointed them, (one with the Original Book, and the other with a Duplicate thereof) to attend the Election at the High Cro&s;s to decide any difference that might ari&s;e on the Election.</P>
<P>That this Poors Book was made in the life time of Mr. <HI>Bull,</HI> and was no way altered nor any per&s;on added or dimini&s;hed.</P>
<P>That accordingly the Election began, and a Poll prayed and taken by two indifferent per&s;ons agreed on.</P>
<P>That none but tho&s;e who were and &s;tood charged in the Poors Book, and had paid, attempted to Poll till towards the end of the Poll.</P>
<P>That the Petitioner (who all along kept an account of the Number of the Voices and the Equallity) finding that his number of Voices was inferiour to Mr. <HI>Balches,</HI> he there|upon procured &s;ome Per&s;ons who were not charged in the Poors Book to Poll for him, but were refu&s;ed, on which he grounds his Petition.</P>
<P>That Proclamation was &s;everal times made, and the Books continued open for &s;ome con&s;iderable time after, and none qualified to Vote coming in, the Poll was &s;hut up and adjourned back again to the <HI>Guild-Hall,</HI> where were two Per&s;ons of each &s;ide agreed upon to in&s;pect the Poll, and on ca&s;ting up the &s;aid Poll, the majority of Voices were found to be for the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Balch,</HI> who was thereupon declared and returned by the Mayor of the &s;aid Borough.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><HI>To be heard before the Committee of Elections on</HI> <DATE>Friday the 2d. <HI>of</HI> December, 1692.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
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