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<DATE>2008-06-02</DATE>
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<NAME>Emma Leeson Huber</NAME>
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<VID>175504</VID>
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<HEAD>THE CASE OF Sir WILLIAM PORTMAN, and JOHN SANDFORD, <ABBR>E&s;q</ABBR> BURGESSES for the <HI>Burrough</HI> of <HI>TA&V;NTON.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THE &s;aid <HI>Burrough</HI> is but a part of one of the Pari&s;hes of <HI>Taunton,</HI> to which Three other Pari&s;hes lie contiguous, by Rea&s;on whereof the In|habitants (being more numerous than the Potwallers (the Name by which the Electors are known) u&s;e to be the Occa&s;ion of Di&s;turbances at the Poll: And therefore before, and at the Election, Sir <HI>William Portman,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Sandford</HI> took what care they could to prevent &s;uch Di&s;turbances.</P>
<P>On <HI>Friday</HI> the <HI>11th,</HI> of <HI>January,</HI> the Mayor (having made a place for him|&s;elf, and the Officers with Mr. <HI>Roe</HI> and Mr. <HI>Purcha&s;e</HI> for Sir <HI>William Portman,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Sandford:</HI> And Mr. <HI>Baker</HI> and Mr. <HI>Wey</HI> for Mr. <HI>Trenchard,</HI> &amp;c. to take the Poll, and al&s;o a Bar to let in the Potwallers, and to keep out tho&s;e who had no Voices) proceeded quietly for &s;ome time; at length, after &s;ome Di&s;turbances begun, upon Mr. <HI>Trenchards</HI> de&s;ire the Mayor adjourned for an hour, and then returned and continued the Poll peaceably, polling on both &s;ides, till almo&s;t night, and then adjourned till next morning, &s;tayed two hours on the place, and by open Proclamations, called for Mr. <HI>Trenchards</HI> Friends to Vote, but none coming, &s;hut up the Poll, and Proclaimed Sir <HI>William Portman</HI> and Mr. <HI>Sandford</HI> to be the Burge&s;&s;es.</P>
<P>As to the Complaint by the Petition concerning the Di&s;turbance and Souldiers, the Truth is.</P>
<P>That &s;ome Leading Men of Mr. <HI>Trenchard's</HI> party, that were di&s;&s;atisfied with this Election, and their Abettors, having invited Mr. <HI>Trenchard</HI> to &s;tand; and having not Votes enough to carry it for him, were the occa&s;ion of the Di&s;turbances; in this manner.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t within the Bar, by fighting without Sticks, and then without the Bar, by provoking and railing Speeches, and by fighting with Sticks, and threat|ning the Mayor and Gentlemen as they went home towards his Hou&s;e after the Adjournment, that if Mr. <HI>Trenchard</HI> was not cho&s;en, they would have the blood of &s;ome of them. Which Di&s;turbances they al&s;o repeated, after the Mayors return to the Poll.</P>
<P>Al&s;o by untrue Allegations of pretended dangers, they di&s;&s;waded Mr. <HI>Tren|chard</HI> from returning to the Poll, or &s;ending his Voters thither, both after the fir&s;t Adjournment and the next Morning, when all was quiet.</P>
<P>And by many other unfair practi&s;es; as before the Poll, by threatning to &s;end in people to get it for Mr. <HI>Trenchard,</HI> if not by fair means by force: And &s;ince the Poll, by offering mony to per&s;wade people to come to <HI>London</HI> to be Witne&s;&s;es again&s;t Sir <HI>William</HI> and Mr. <HI>Sandford,</HI> of things they never knew; and by threatning &s;everal poor people, to turn them out of work, only in ca&s;e they Voted for Sir <HI>William Portman</HI> and Mr. <HI>Sandford,</HI> which &s;ince they have done accordingly.</P>
<P>As to the pretence of any thing done by Souldiers, the Truth is; about twelve Inhabitants Potwallers of <HI>Taunton,</HI> who had taken up Arms for the Prince of <HI>Orange</HI> in Collonel <HI>Lutterells</HI> Regiment, having left their Wives and Families in <HI>Taunton,</HI> by leave from their Officers, came without their Arms, in peaceable manner to the Election, and gave their Votes for Sir <HI>William Port|man</HI> and Mr. <HI>Sandford,</HI> as they had done, at other Elections.</P>
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