The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-23 00:00:00

RIOT AT HERTFORD.

The following Letters relate to the outrage on
Michaelmas-day at Hertford. The first comes
from Dr. ORD, one of the Magistrates of the
place, and the other from Professor CHRISTIAN :

TO THE EDITOR OF THE COUNTY CHRONICLE.

II ertford, Oct. 11.

Sin—ln consequence of a letter which appeared in your
Paper of the Bth inst., addressed by Professor Christian to the
Mayor, Aldermen, and Corporation of Hertford, I think it
necessary to state the facts relative to the disturbance alluded to.
It has always been usual for the clubs of the labouring class
to hold their annual meetings here on the evening in question,
which produces a very considerable influx of people to the town•
The members for the Borough also visit these meetings, and
distribute certain donations to the clubs assembled.

Ti h- lower orders have evinced considerable dissatisfaction
at one of the regulations of the poor house of Hatfield, which,
under the judicious management of Lord Cranborne, had been
most materially.benefitted ; a collection of boys and,young men
followed his Lordship with strong marks of disapprobation,
instead of the usual tokens of respect with which they hitherto
had so justly received him, until he reached the inn where his
carriage was in waiting. This happened at the time men-
tioned by Mr. Christian ; and several respectable persons then
present declare that there was no rioting, or attempt to excite
disturbance, among the people assembled, or to annoy any, of
the other gentlemen who left the Town-hall, many of whom
went home without perceiving any collection of people in the
streets. The noise which the Professor heard app;ars to have
arisen from his coachman having previously struck some indi-
viduals who were leaning against his open carriage.
Examinations were on'the following morning taken before
me, warrants were issued for the apprehension of four, and
subsequently of two other persons, who were dealt with ac-
cording to law. I can only hear of two stones having been
thrown by this mob. A constable was struck by an intoxi-
cated man, who was instantly removed in custody.
From the very best authority, I have reason to believe the
number collected never exceeded 100, at least two-thirds of
which appeared to have been boys. .
I have thought it my duty to state the above, that an errone-
ous idea of the " brutal and atrocious acts of wicked and de-
testable' delinquents" may not be applied to such a breach of
the peace, as appears from the informations before me to have
taken place.

As it is rim my intention to enter into a correspondence in
the newspapers, I have only to add, that if the Magistrates of
the county wish for further information on the subject, the Ma-
gistrates of the borough will be happy to afford it them.

• JOHN ORD.
TO DIL,ORD, THE MAYOR, THE ALDERMEN, AND TILE

CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF HERTFORD.

GENTLEMEN—I felt it my duty to you and the public to
draw up an account of a shocking riot, which I unfortunately
was involved in on the night of Monday,' the 30th of Novem-
ber. The sickness of my family prevented me from staying in
the neighbourhood,, to assist in bringing the offenders to jus-
tice, and I felt it my duty to send an account of it to the Edi.
for "of the county papers most read at Hertford. I have already
observed that it was the first riot I ever saw or heard in the
course of my life, and it has served to greatly' increase my de-
testation and abhorrence of all rebellion against legal authority.
In my former letter I mentioned that a horse reared very high
in the shafts of a single horse chaise ; my servants tell me that
many great stones were thrown against that chaise with much
force, that a servant was driving It—he will be able to give you
much material information. lam sorry that lam obliged to
be at present at a distance from Hertford ; but from the habits
and occupation of my life, I thought I could not assist you
better than by putting together alid publicly communicating to
you the following information :
By the common law of England, three persons must be
found guilty of a riot, but one may be found guilty of a riot, if
it is proved that he was acting with two others, who are un-
known, or who have escaped. But it has been decided in
modern times, that one person is guilty of a misdemeanour
who solicits or incites one or more to commit an indictable
crime, though the solicitation or incitement is ineffectuil.—
Though that was the common law of England, and therefore
as ancient as Magna Chgria, yet I am proud to say that I
was the first person who brought that excellent law into light
and practice. It will therefore follow that every incitement
to commit a riot is a misdemeanour, which may be prosecuted
and punished exactly in the same manner as the crime of a riot
itself. The punishment is by fine and imprisonment, and
sureties to keep the peace, at the discretion of the Court.
Every person who runs after a gentleman's carriage with in-
tent to insult the owner, or any person belonging to it, or with
an intent to injure it, I should say was guilty of an incitement
to commit a riot, and I should advise every magistrate within
whose jurisdiction this crime is committed, to apprehend the of-
fender by a warrant in the first instance, and to commit him to
the House of Correction or the County Gaol, as he shall think
best, till he finds good bail to a considerable extent to keep the

peace.
The *Magistrate, at discretion, may bind him to appear
at the next Sessions or Assizes, and abide the further order
of the Court, and in the mean time to keep the peace ;
and if he does not find lae and sufficient bail, he may com-
mit him. But instead of that, he may thus bind hini for
six months, one year, or two years, absolutely, at his discre-
tion ; and if he cannot find sufficient securities, he may com-
mit him to prison, where he must remain till such sureties
are found. This, in the town of Hertford, may be done either
by one or more town magistrates, or one or more county ma-
gistrates. The county magistrates and the town magistrates
never-can sit together so as to vote together. If an order or an
instrument must be signed by two Justices, and if it were sign-
ed by one county Justice and one town Justice, it would be a
perfect nullity. But in such a case as this, it would be proper
that the county Justices and the town Justices should consult
each otherih the most amicable manner, and that the commit-
ments should be made out either by one or the other, as would
have the best effect in the prevention of the repetitioh of so
horrid a crime.

EVery constable within the town of Hertford is bound to obey
both the orders and warrants of the county magistrates, and of
the local magistrates.
Every county magistrate, upon proper, evidence laid before
him, may direct his warrant to a constable within the town of
Hertford, to apprehend and bring before MU' an offender ; or he
may direct any constable acting for a district out of it, to enter
the town of Hertford, and apprehend and bring the offender to
be examined before him, just as he would send for an offender
in Ware, Stanstead, Hoddesdon, or any other part of the
county. If the Magistrate receives this evidence from a servant
or a constable, or has seen the crime committed himself, who is
to be bound to 'prosecute, or who is to be at the expence ?
In all misdemeanouii no one can be compelled to prosecute ;
and it would not be proper that a servant, a constable, or a
justice of the peace; should be put to that expence, which, in
the prosecution of misdemeanours, is far greater than the ex-
pence of the prosecution of felony.
In the town of Hertford, it is much to he deplored that there
is no association for the prosecution of crimes. What has re-
cently occured shows the absolute necesstty of such associations,
and they have lately been uncontrovertibly proved to be legal
and constitutional, as long as the laws of England have had ex-.
istence. I was, therefore, more anxious to shew what every
Magistrate has a power of doing without a prosecutor, and that
power, if properly applied, is quite sufficient to repress every
riotous disposition, both in the town of Hertford, and in every
other place in the county out of that town.
There is now another' most excellent law, a statute lately
passed, produced by one of the members for the town of Hert-
ford. INo statute was ever passed better calculated to secure

PRICE SEVEN PENCE.

respect for property, r.ni obedience- to authority. Every Ma-
gistrate can compel any one, young or old, to make full satisfac-
tion for an injury he wilfully does to .another's property to' the
amount of q. ; and if he cannot pay the damages assessed by
the Justice, with costs, the offender may be immediately sent to
the House of Correction to be kept to hard labour for three
months : if he is under the age of 14 years, he may be sent for
six weeks. In the town of herttord particularly this excellent
statute ought to he perpetually enforced. Those who enjoy
such sport ought to be made to pay liberally and largely for it.
1 never yet knew any man break his own windows, cart, or
wheelbarrow.-

Wherever it was proved before me that any one had throVa
a stone or mud, or any thing at a carriage, or a horse, I should
be inclined to give the same damages a a justiee, that I should
if I were as a Juryman hearing an action of trespass vi et armis ;
and few reasonable men, I should think, would consider that
the full amount of five pounds would be too great damages to
an innocent owner of a carriage, or a horse, &c., from the in-
sult, the terror, and danger, which he must experience, besides
the immediate injury to his property.
This insaluable statute must never sleep, and it will be sure
to crush the seeds of mischievous insurrection.

I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient humble Servant,
Brighton, Oct. 10-,.1822. ED. CHRISTIAN.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ANCIENT PALACE OF

BRIDEWELL.

Notwithstanding the dilapidations it has un-
dergone from accident and age, and more particularly from the
destruction occasioned by its partial relatilding twenty years
ago, large remains of the ancient and venerable Royal Palace'
of Bridewell still exist, incorporated with the present Bride-
well Hospital. This is a circumstance, we believe, not gene- -
rally known, and was only discovered by us the other day
when viewing the repairs 6f St. Bride's Church. Besides its--
connection with Shakspeare's drama of Henry VIII. (for it
was the place the King lodged at while the mock trial about his
divorce was going on at the Black Friar's Monastery oppo.-
site), as an object of antiquity, and the residence of Royalty,
Bridewell has considerable claims on our notice. We shall give
therefore some account of its original state and appearance,
mention a few historical events attached to it, and bitetly notice,
by way of finish, its present remains.
The Palace of Bridewell was built, or rather rebuilt, in the
year.ls32, by Henry VIII. for the reception-of the Emperor.
Charles V. for a royal mansion had stood here froba 'time im-
memorial. It is said to have been finished in the short space
of six weeks, and if so, was certainly a proof of wonderful ex-
ertion, if we consider its magnitude, numerous buildings, &c.
as the reader will judge when we have described it.
'The best idea afforded us of Bridewell, when in a perfect
state, is from the rude delineation of it in Aggars's Plan of
London, 1560. In that view, which is a bird's-eye, the whole
of it is shown in a way perfectly adapted to the purposes of
description. The Thames front, which stood on the.b,ank•of
the river,- was castellated, and,possessed conaideiable architec-
tural elegance. The other principal front,' extending along the
line of the present Bridge-street, as far as to Bride-lane, was
doubtless answerable in magnificence as originally built, though
it was afterwards disfigured in part by sheds- and other mean
erections. Withinside it was divided into three principal Squares
or courts ; the first, or outward court (which was small), stood
on this side, and has only recently, been pulled, down, and
formed into the present entrance. This led into a "Second
area or square, which still remains, but much modernized, Mid
which is bounded north and west by the back premises of the
houses in Bride-lane and Dorset-street. The third or thief court
yard was the one next the Thames, which was parted from
the other two by the Chapel, and which extended from the
south side of that building, or the site of the present Tudor-
street, to nearly the foot of Blackfriar's Bridge. This latter
court was principally laid out as gardens, having a wall atd
cloister only on its east and west sides, the other squares were
entirely surrounded by buildings. The apartments in the
interior, if we may judge front the great staircase, and other
parts pulled down on re-building the present front, correspond-
ed in grandeur with the outside. Its appearance, when con-
verted into an hospital, was much altered.
Both the Palace and adjoining church derived their names
from St. Bride, or Bridget, called in old writing " Sonde
Brigide," to whom- the church was dedicated ; the Palace
taking the addition of reels, or Brides-well, from a spring near
it, which still exists, and supplies the pump at the bottom of
Bride-lane. This latter designation, however, must be under-
stood as applying only to the structure just described, and which
was of comparatively late date; for some sort of Royal roan-'
sion, as we nave said, seems to have existed on this spot even
before the Conquest, and either that, or a subsequent build-
ing, had been at times the habitation of our Kings for several
ages
Edward VI., on its desertion as a Royal Palace, at the ear-
nest solicitation of Bishop Ridley, gave this-Palace to the city,
for the maintenance and employment of vagrants and idle per.
sons, and of poor boys, uniting it in one Corporation with Beth..
letn Hospital. Previously to this it.seenis to' have been only
occupied by certain of the Government Offices, for many of the
old Records remained at Bridewell long after its gift to the city,
of which the Lord Treasurer being informed, and that old finca
were kept here in custody of the Chirographer, tie caused the
same to be removed. On the accession of Edward the. Vlth.
treaty was set on foot to sell it, " to one who was about buy-
ing it of the King to pull it down and convert it to his
own use," when Bishop Ridley moved certain persons of the
Court to beg it of his Majesty for an hospital, as has been re-
lated. The Bishop mentions it, in his letter to Sir William
Cecil as " a large, wide, empty house of the King's Majesty,
called Bridewell." One does not, however, know well how
to account for its being spoken of near the same time (not
thirty years after its foundation), by a writer who noth!es
the transaction, as "as an old decayed home of the King's, be-
ing very large and capacious." Is must thus early have been
dreadfully neglected. Edward granted it to the City by in-
denture, made between himself and the Corporation, by the
description of " All that that the manor-house and place of
Bridewell, with the appurtenances, lying and being in the pa-
rish of St. Bridget, in Flete-street.' But though immed.i..
ately appropriated to lodge vagrants in, the City had not pos-
session of it until the reign of Mary, who confirmed her mo-
ther's grant.
In an account of the creation of several noblemen at this Pa-
lace, in one of the Harleian Manuscripts, the names of two
or three of the apartments are mentioned, and which formed
part of the State-rooms. Among these are the Gallery, and
the King's Inner Chamber. Hall, in his Chronicle, also men-
tions the " Great Chamber," or Throne-room, as the place
where Henry harangued the Nobles, summoned on the occa-
sion of his pending divorce with Catherine of Arragon.
The CHAPEL seems always to have stood in the same range
of buildings as at present—but query if exactly in its present
situation ? Strype says, its enlargement in 1620 was matte
by taking in a large room 34 feet long, and of unequal breadth,
" being before a roomempty,-vast, and unsightly,' and which
was afterwards used as a .chancel to it. The Chapel, Court-
house, workhouses, and dwelling-houses, are stated by the same
writer to have been par& rebuilt after the fire of 1666, whidh
destroyed the Thames front, and much of .the Palace, or Hos-
pital.„ and which were never rectified. .
GARDENS AND A CLOISTER have been 'before noticed as
forming parts of the inner or principal square, and the structure
had, no doubt, among its apartments, that necessary and com-
mon appendage to all great residences, a Hall, but its situa-
tion, unless it ran in a parallel direction with the Hall (which
olffreptesentations seem to indicate), we are unacquainted with.
The buildings for domestic purposes must, in so large a fabric,
have been extremely numerous.
Of the present remains of Bridewell, the most prominent-aro
two or three of the hexagonal towers, which originally filled up
the angles of the building. One of them may be.seen, but
much altered, from Water-street, coming to Tudor-street; but
the most periect is at the bottom of Half.paved Court. They
are of Tudor brick(as the antiquaries called it), with stone drets-
ings, in the style of Henry the Eighth's day. Much of the
side front towards Dorset-street may also be traced in its old.
state ; but the largest remains are at the back of Bride-lane,
and may be seen on going up, a small court•there. These con•
stitute part of the north side of the second area or square, and
, are seldom observed, except by incurious neighbours, but much
'pleased us, as we had no idea so great a part of the original
structure was still in existence. Like the towers just mentioned,
this side is built of the small red Tudor brick, and has small
heavy stone-frarned'wintiows. It no doubt was origilially.ex-
posed to the street ; the houses which now hide it, having been
erected after the fired 1666. There may be,. possibly, other
parts.of the ancient Palace remaining, but we have not had-ad.
opportunity of seeing them. •