The  petitioners  beiag  thus  kept  out  of  possession,  brought  their
bill  on  to  a  hearing,  when  Noddell,  as  solicitor  for  those  inhabitants,
got  to  his  assistance  Lieut. -Col.  John  LUburne  and  Major  Jno.
Wyldman,  and  while  the  cause  was  hearing,  the  inhabitants  began  to
(  riot  on  3,400  acres,  which  was  yet  kept  up.  Upon  complaint  to  the
Court  of  Exchequer,  a  summons  was  sent,  and  a  writ  of  assistance
to  the  sheriff  to  quiet  the  possession  until  the  hearing  of  the  cause  ;
but  they  threw  down  the  fences  in  his  presence,  fetched  away  the
tenants'  cattle  by  force,  and  impoimded  them,  refused  to  admit  re-
plevins, and  forced  the  tenants  to  redeem  them  at  what  rate  they
pleased.
The  tenants  repaired  several  times  to  Mich.  Monckton,  a  justice  of
peace,  who  refused  to  grant  any  warrants,  or  pursue  any  legal  course,
but  gave  encouragement  to  the  rioters  ;  and  when  some  of  them  were
indicted  at  the  sessions,  and  found  guilty,  and  it  was  moved  by  some
other  of  the  justices  that  they  should  be  fined  4  or  6  marks  apiece,
he  moved  openly  that  they  might  be  fined  but  Qd.,  and  it  was  carried
at  Is.  apiece.
