DDX 113/5

In the Kings Bench at Westminster

Job Devis of Preston in the County of Lancaster, Innkeeper, John Heaton of the same place, Slater, Joseph Turner of the same place, weaver and Mary Barnes of the same place the wife of Henry Barnes, parish Clerk, severally make Oath as ffollows And ffirst all these Deponents Each speaking for himself and herself Severally Say that During all or the Greatest part of the last Winter a Great Number of Disorderly p[er]sons in the Int. of or professing themselves to be ffriends of Sir Peter Leicester and Sir ffrank Standish Baronets who had there to for offered themselves as Candidates to  Represent the Borough of Preston afd in parliament ffrequently assembled tog[eth]er in the Night time in a Riotous manner doing Very great Injuries and Violences to the persons of sev[era]l other Inhabitants of the said Borough who were in the Int. of John Burgoyne Esq. Who had also theretofore offered himself as a Candidate to Represent the said Borough in Parliament by Assaulting their persons, Breaking their Windows and breaking and Entring into their Houses and these rep[or]ts Severally say that such Outrages and Violences were comitted almost every Night for Several Months by some persons in the Int. of the said Sir Peter Leicester and Sir ffrank Standish that it was very unsafe for these Deponents or any other persons as they Verily believe who were in the Int. of the said John Burgoyne to Stir Out of their Houses in the Night time as it was Generally reported that some persons had been knocked Down almost Every Night by the party  who esposed the Int. of the said Sir Peter Leicester and Sir ffranck Standish and these Depon[en]ts Job Devis, John Heaton and Joseph Turner severally say that upon Saturday the 7th day of November Now last past between the Hours of 9 or 10 in the Evening several persons [in] the Number of 50 and Upwards assembled tog[ether] in a Riotous manner about the House of the same Deponent Job Devis which they Entred and broke open Several Doors, broke several Windows, Chairs and other ffurniture and assaulted, beat and abused sev[era]l p[er]sons their in the said House and Comitted Divers other Outrages and Violence And this Deponent Joseph Turner for himself Saith that whilst the said Mob were comitting the Outrages and Violence aforesaid at the House of the said Job Devis the said Sir ffrank Standish and William Hulton in the said County Esqr. were present in the street opposite the same House and appeared Very active in inciting and Encouraging the said Mob to the comission of the Outrages aforesaid and particularly the said Sir ffrank Standish at that time ffrequently sung or repeated aloud the ffollowing words “May Leicester and Standish for Preston be Chose, Success to your work Boys and Dau[ghter] for your ffoes” or words Nearly to that Effect And this Deponent Joseph Turner ffuther saith that after the comission of the outrages and Violence of the said Sir ffrank Standish and William Dulton and also John Smalley of Preston af[oresai]d Grocer appeared in or about the Head of a Large mob or concourse of people patroling the publick streets in Preston af[oresai]d in a Riotous Manner to the Great Terror and Dismay of Several Inhabitants of the said Borough the said Sir ffrank Standish Carrying a fflambeau in his hand and the said John Smalley Repeatedly Crying out aloud if any man calls out Burgoyne knock him down and these Deponents Mary Barnes and Joseph Turner severally say they have reason to believe that the said Sir ffrank Standish and John Smalley very active in mobs when Great Disorders have been comitted.

Sworn at Preston the 14th of June, 1768
Richard Sallom a comissioner

Job Devis (his mark)
John Heaton (his mark)
Joseph Turner
Mary Barnes

DDX 113/6

For the Kings Bench

John Forgey, servant to Alexander Rigby Esq. Captain in the 25th Regiment of ffoot, Richard Leach late of Preston in the County of Lancaster but now of Grosvener Square in the Co: of Middlesex and John Bradley late of Preston aforesaid but now of the Borough of Southwark in the Co: of Surrey, Taylor severally make oath as follows and ffirst these Deponents John fforgey and John Bradley each speaking for himself severally say that during all or the greatest part of the last Winter a great number of disorderly persons in the Int. of Sir Peter Leicester and Sir. Ffrank Standish Barts who had theretofore offered themselves as candidates to represent the Borough of Preston af[oresai]d in parliament frequently assembled together in the night time in a riotous and Tumultuous manner armed with clubs, bludgeons hooped with Iron and Iron spikes fixed to the end of them, axes, hammers and other offensive and destructive weapons and comitted very great violences and outrages upon the persons and properties of several other Inhabitants of the said Borough who were in the Int. of John Burgoyne Esq. who had theretofore offered himself a candidate to represent the said Borough in parliament by knocking them down, breaking their windows and breaking and entering into their Houses and repeated these outrages and violences so often that it was for a long time together very unsafe for these Depon[en]ts or any other persons in the Int. of the said John Burgoyne as they verily believe to stir out of their Houses in the night time nor co[ul]d they remain in safely at home And this Dep[onen]t John fforgey for himself saith that he resided in Preston af[oresai]d from or about the month of September in the year of our Lord 1767 until the latter end of the month of April following And that he hath frequently seen a large mob or riotous assembly of people in the said Borough of Preston headed by Sir ffrank Standish Bart. of Duxbury in the s[ai]d Co: of Lanc[aste]r, Wm Hulton of Hulton in the said County of Lanc[aste]r Esq. and Alex[ande]r Howell of Preston af[oresai]d Esq. and several other Gentlemen in the Int. of the s[ai]d Sir Peter Leicester and Sir ffrank Standish and that during the cou[n]tinance of the sd Sir ffrank Standish, Wm Hulton and Alexr Howell amongst the sd mob or riotous assembly divers violences and outrages were comitted to the persons and properties of several other Inhabitants of the said Borough who were in the Int. of the said John Burgoynes and that they the sd Sir ffrank Standish, Wm Hulton & Alexr Howell greatly incited and encourages the said mob to the com[m]en[cement] of such outrages and violences as well by their public appearences amongst them and the approbation and thanks wch they all repeatedly gave to them for such actions as by all of them, often distributing money amongst the said rioters and all wch they frequently did in the presence of this Depon[en]t.  And this Dep[onen]t John fforgey futher saith that about half an hour past eleven o clock in the night of Saturday the 23rd day of January last as he was going upon a message from his master he was pursued by several person in the Int. of the sd Sir Peter Leicester & Sir ffranck Standish and this Dep[onen]t with difficulty escaped into a public house called the Black Bull in Preston af[oresai]d, that in a few minutes afterw[ar]ds a large mob or concourse of people being assembled near the Church in Preston af[oresai]d and making a great noise and Tumult there the said Sir ffrank Standish, Wm Hulton & Alexr Nowell came out of the sign of the Kings Arms in Church gate in Preston aforesaid and the said Alexander Nowell gave orders to James Heald and Henry Brewer the younger, two of the ringleaders of the said mob and who were distinguished by the Title of Captains to bring down the said Mob from the church gates in Preston and send them into the ffishergate, another street in Preston, that the said Sir ffrank Standish, Wm Hulton & Alexr Nowell continued in the street and joined the said mob when they were opposite the said public House called the Black Bull. That the said mob appeared to have been quarrelling among themselves whereupon the s[ai]d Sir ffrank Standish addressing himself to the mob and clapping several of them upon the shoulders said “my brave fellows don't fall out amongst yourselves but when you meet with any of the other party knock them down and drive them to the Devil & go into ffishergate, break into their Houses and play Hell with them” and the sd Wm Hulton and Alexr Nowell then and there addressed themselves to the said mob and ordered them to go into ffishergate to knock the other party down, to break into their Houses and play Hell with them.  That the sd Sir ffrank Standish, Wm Hulton and Alexr Howell in a few minutes afterw[ar]ds went into the Black Bull parlour and as they were going up stairs into the dining room the sd Sir ffrank Standish turned round to the sd Henry Brewer who generally accompanied him & said go to the mob & take care of the Lads and keep them to their work & then let them have something to drink. And this Depon[den]t John fforgey ffurther saith that as he apprehends and verily Believes the sd mob in obedience to the comand of the sd Sir ffrank Standish, Wm Hulton & Alexr Howell went imediately into the ffishergate & then attacked the House of one Thomas Topping called the Mitre scituate in the ffishergate and did considerable damage thereto and the sd mob in that night or early next morning attacked the house and shop of Wm Stuart of Preston a Bookseller and did considerable damage thereto and this Dep[onden]t John fforget also saith that he hath frequently declared  that he heard the sd Sir ffrank Standish have threatened to illtreat and murder this Dep[onden]t for making such Declaration and Discovery And this Deponent Richd Leach for himself saith that on the 17th day of ffeb[ruar]y last as a number of p[er]sons in the Int. of the sd John Burgoyne were walking peaceably along the Church Gate in Preston af[oresai]d opposite the sign of the Red Lion the sd Sir ffrank Standish & several Gent[lemen] who were in the upper Rooms in the sd House began to throw stones out of the sd Rooms upon the persons in the Street that this Depon[den]t was greatly surprised at such an unprovoked attack more especially to see Sir ffrank Standish concerned therein And this Dep[onden]t imediately turned Round to one Ralph Crompton jun. who stood near him and Expressing his surprize called out “don't you see Sir ffrank Standish throw stones” whereupon the sd Ralph Crompton answered “Yes, I saw him throw stones out of the window” And the Dep[onden]t John Bradley for himself saith that his brother Thomas Bradley of Preston af[oresai]d Taylor was generally employed for the sd Sir ffrank Standish and the he this Dep[onden]t in the beginning of the month of January being frequently in his Brothers work shop there saw several suits of coarse canvas cloth which were made up for diquise for people in the Int. of the sd Sir Peter Leicester & Sir ffr. Standish & this Dep[onen]t apprehends and verily believes such disguises were made by the order or with the approbation of the sd Sir ffrank Standish and with a view as this Dep[onden]t apprehends and verily believes to conceal the persons who sho[ul]d wear the same and this Dep[onden]t saith that the same disguises were frequently worn by several of the Rioters in the Int. of the sd Sir ffrank Standish.

The mark of John fforgey, Richard Leach & John Bradley.

Sworn at my Chambers in Serjeants Inn this 20th day of June 1768 before us.  J Yates.