Star.
London, England, 1826-08-29 00:00:00

/be leaf that falls In aetemn's hour,
TM rest that fades then the stews,
Ath ensbleses of the silent pinerse,
Of Time and cher* o'er as and Mien.
Yet happier is the rose's fate.
Pur swag will other leaves restore,
Andlistseneer will new Bowers create, -7'
As irtight as those which bloomed before I'
Bat when life's morning &cants depart.
And grief succeeds to fancied blies,
Oh, what shall cheer the lonely heart,
Or soften sorrow's bitterness.
TOWS will roll on, and time will bring
Its varied changes—but in vain ; •
There Is in life but este short erring, '
And it can ne'er return again ! •

ASSAULTS AhD ROBBERIES AT PRIDDY FAIR.

CHEDDAR, Anne a.

• This fair, which is held annually in a vale surrounded
by the Mendip Hills, task place on Monday, conform-
ably to immemorial custom, and charter granted to the
Ecclesiastical Authorities of Wells. The fair has always
been held in the highest estimation—is of the most ex-
tensive magnitude, and has been invariably looked up
to as a criterion for the regulation of Vie pries of stock
of all denominations. Business has been conducted in
the most regular and systematic manner for many
years, and until last year, the greatest harmony pre-
vailed amongst all classes who were brought together
for a m.rtual exchange of interest, and for the transac-
tion of agricultural concerns, which could not be set-
tled without the assemblage of large bodies of farmers,
graziers, dealers, Sm.—Last year, however, the spot
which used is be appropriated to the arena for the per-
formance of commercial and agricultural contracts,
was broken in upon by a lawless set of organised rob-
bets from the neighbourhoxl of Bristol, who, in thel
most daring manner, assembled in gangs—aisaulted,'
beat, and robbed numbers of the visitors to the fair, with
an impunity truly astonishing to the inhabitants of a
civilized country.
With the fearful example of last year before the eyes
of The Civil Authorities, it is a little extraordinary that
no means were this year resorted to, ta avert or prevent
the repetition of such disgraceful atrocities; particularly
as it must be a notorious fact, within the compass of
every one's knowledge. that it was not a fair for the
encouragement of idle " pastime," or ig pleasure," but
literally and Lona "dr for the interchange of business
upon a broad and liberal scale; and, consequently,
those who visit it with that view, are ever obliged to
furnish themselves with abundant supplies of ready cash
to effect purchases. It is, however, a painful task V.)
communicate t, you an account of the outrages so da-
ringly committed. which have already come to my
knowledge; observing, at Vie same time, that it is my
firm belief, that they form but a slender proportion in
the scale of offences perpetr.ted there on Monday last,
and which, if not p ovided against at the next anniver-
sary, must inevitably lead to the total annihilation of
every species of business on that favoured and excel-
lently calculated spot. The gangs consist of as many
as 'horn twenty to thirty, and are what are commonly
designiend glpsies—importations from Kingswood,
Bristol, &c. &c. they are accompanied in some instances
by their wives, or abandoned women, who are employed
in the conduct of E. 0. tables, or other IoW species of
gambling. These women attract the attention of the
credulous or unwary to their unlawful games, while the
men crowd round the table, and, appearing to take a
lively interest in the progress of the game, by betting
small sums, empty the pockets of the bystanders of
everything valuable. When the afternoon arrived, the
stratagems resorted to, fee the purposes of plunder,
were by making sham fights, and, thereby, collecting
vast crowns of persons ; and, while two or more of the
principal heroes were engaged in pugilistic combat, the
auxiliary forces were busily employed in what is tech-
nically called conveyancing-1. e. conveying property
from the rightful owners into their own possession. As
night approached, respectable persons, who had been
dining in the booths, were called from them, by some'
of the gang, upon pretence of being wanted by a friend,
and immediately they got outside, were knocked down,
and robbed of everything they possessed. This was
:repeatedly done in the presence of others; but so for-.
miclable were the gangs (often thirty in number). that
they held tl,e honest part of the populace in terrorem.
About five o'clock in the evening, Mr. George Hares,
tf.e landlord of the Miners' Arms Inn, at Shipham, was
knocked off his horse and robbed of six sovereigns and
some silver. Complaint was vain, as there were no le-
gal authorities to redress the grievance. At eight
o'clock, Mr. Tozer, a highly respectable currier, re-
siding at Azbridge, was taking his gloves from his poc-
ket, preparatory to mounting his horse and riding
home; in the act, however, of mounting, a fellow struck
him a violent blow on the forehead, which had the effect
of stunning him, and he was immediately surrounded
by at le ist a dozen pickpockets, who beat. pinioned, and
robbed him of a pocket book, 2!i. in notes, two sove-

reigns, about a pound's worth of silver. a snuff-box, two
silk handkerchiefs, and other articles of leas value. Not
contented with this, they cut the girths of his saddle,
which, together with a new pair of plated stirrups they
conveyed away In triumph! M►. Tour was, besides,
much beaten and kicked about the body, and VIAS after-
wards removed to a farm-house, two miles from the

spot. and brought home to Asbridge on the following
day (Tuesday). Will the reader believe (but such was
the fact) that a vast number of persons witnessed this
barbarous scene, but were literally afraid to render
• assistaace, herbal they should have iihared the same
fete 1 i am happy, however, to say, that one of the ruf-
fians is known to Mr. Tour, and, in all human probs.
will be overtaken by the strong arm of the law.
At a later of the evening, the booths were be-
siegarhy Lihisdassailants; several-respectable people pre-
ferred swim up the whole of the night in the booths;
rather than tea the risk of going out and being robbed;
acd ninny stem* who encountered the risk, came of
without money, and in several instances, had their
clothes torn from their basks l_ _

I have given you but a hasty and imperfect sketch of
what happened; every hoar, however, brings forth fresh
accounts of the barbarous cruelties inflicted on an inn°.
cent and onoffending people ; in vain could the suf-
ferers call for the protection of the magistracy, or the
pouf anmeiteres—the former not residing within :eve.
nl miles of the spot, and the latter receiving no orders
upon the subject. This notice will, however, I hope,
bring forth the exertions of the worthy Magistrates
upon future occasions, and prevent, as far as possible,
a useful depot of business from being turned into a
di den of thicves."