The case of Thomas Christy of Bedford, esquire 1690 Approx. 10 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). B01932 Wing C1184 ESTC R171034 52211974 ocm 52211974 175543 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. B01932) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 175543) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2739:53) The case of Thomas Christy of Bedford, esquire Christy, Thomas. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [London : 1690] Caption title. Publication data suggested by Wing. Dated at end: To be heard on Friday the 4th of April. Reproduction of the original in the Lincoln's Inn Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng England and Wales. -- Parliament. -- House of Commons -- Contested elections -- Early works to 1800. Elections -- Corrupt practices -- England -- Bedford -- Early works to 1800. Bedford (England) -- Politics and government -- 17th century -- Early works to 1800. Broadsides -- England -- 17th century. 2008-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-09 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-11 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-11 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE CASE OF THOMAS CHRISTY of Bedford , Esquire . THE Precept for the Choice of two Burgesses for Bedford , was made by the Sheriff , and delivered to the Mayor the 18th day of February , who kept the same in his hands above 14 days , viz. until the 5th of March before he would Execute it , allthough Mr. Christie sent daily to him to know what day he would appoint , that his Friends might not be surprized , and all the Answer he would give , was that he should have Legal Notice by Proclaiming the same , which was not till Monday Evening , and the Election on Wednesday after . And altho' the Mayor took so much time , yet he chose to appoint the Election upon Ashwednesday , a Solemn Fast-day , knowing it would please the Anabaptists and other Dissenters , who are numerous in that Town , ( and were all of them , and also the Regulators for Sir William Francklynn ) but would be an offence to the Church Men , for that the Ministers of the five Parishes there , could none of them performe their Duties in the Churches on that day , the whole Town Attending the Election . Whether that delay was made at the instance of Sir William Francklin , who lodged at the Mayors House all the while and spent profusely , or that the Mayor being a common Brewer , and serving a great part of the Inns and Alehouses of the Town , for his private Lucre , may be a question . But it is certain , that the Mayor was wholy directed by him in all things touching the Election , both before , at , and after the same , and would not appoint a time , until Mr. Christy ( being loaded with Libels and Slanders , and other illegal Practices ) they thought themselves secure of the greatest number of Voters . Note , That all Precepts are directed to the Mayor and Bayliffs , but the Mayor would not shew the Precept to Mr. Robert Thomas the Eldest Bayliff , who had equal Power with the Mayor , nor acquaint him with the day of Election or any other of his Proceedings . Upon Ash-Wednesday ( the day of Election ) the four Candidates , were Sir Anthony Chester , Barronet , Sir William Francklyn , Knight , Thomas Hillersdon and Thomas Christie , Esquires : Sir William Francklyn , and Mr. Hillersdon , having joyned their Interest from the beginning : And five Persons were appointed by the Mayor ( by consent of the Candidates ) to take the Polls , viz. one for each Candidate , and another for himself , who Poled all that day , and on the next day till Noon , and then no more Persons coming to Vote on any side , after three Proclamations the Poll was closed , and the Mayor adjourned the finishing the Election , unto the Swan-Inn ( the Treating-House of Sir William Francklyn ) at three of the Clock in the Afternoon , at which time , John Backwel , Esquire , a Member of Parliament , was nominated to be a Teller for Sir Anthony Chester , John Hervey , Esquire , for Mr. Christie , and then Sir William Francklyn , and Mr. Hillersdon , being desired to name their Tellers , they refused to nominate any . The Eldest Bayliff desired they might proceed to finish the Election : but the Mayor and the other Bayliff by direction of Sir William Francklyn , adjourned the Telling and Examining the Poll untill Friday the morrow seavenight after , to the same place , refusing to give any reason , though the said Mr. Backwell and Mr. Hervey declared they should be out of the Country at that time . At which Friday , Mr. Christie , demanded that the Polls might be opened , Examined and Compared one with another . That the number of Votes for each Candidate might be Counted , and that they who had the Majority should be proclaimed . That each Candidate should have one of the five Polls that were taken , or Coppies thereof . All which , were desired by the Eldest Bayliff also , but denyed by the Mayor at the instigation of Sir William Francklyn , who told the Mayor that he was the sole Judge of the matter , and might if he pleased count the Polls in private , and declare who were to be returned , whereupon the Mayor adjourned again until the next day to the same place , at which time Mr. Christie repeated his former demands , and the Mayor unsealed the Polls , giving out two of the Originals to the Persons who took them , but refused to compare them or count the numbers , or Proclaim those who had the Majority , but kept the other three Polls himself Unsealed , and Adjourned until the Tuesday after , at three of the Clock in the Afternoon , being but one whole day before the sitting of the Parliament ; pretending that he would make a Scrutiny for unqualified Voices , but was told , that he assumed the business and Authority of the Comittee of Elections , and that it was not in his Power to expunge whom he pleased , and was asked what the qualifications were , and what did disable any to Vote , which he refused to declare , and was told by Mr. Christy , that then it was impossible to be prepared , to prove the Legality of the Electors Voices , and although the Electors with much importunity , pressed the Mayor to Proclaim those who were chosen , yet he refused and Adjourned to Tuesday as aforesaid , when he knew that Mr. Christy would be out of Town , and on the Rode for London , to attend the Publick Service ; and in his absence , the Mayor and one of the Bayliffs have returned Sir William Francklyn and Mr. Hillersdon , altho' it appeared upon counting of the Polls , that Sir William Francklyn had 249 Voices , Mr. Hillersdon 284 , and Mr. Christie 291 Voices , so as Mr. Christie had the Majority of all the Candidates , and 42 Voices more than Sir William Francklin . Note , That on Monday morning , the Mayor sent for such Persons as he pleased to his own House , ( who all had Voted for Sir William Francklyn ) and in their Presence , without giving notice to Mr. Christie , had expunged out of the Poll , a great number of Mr. Christies Voices , and refused to give unto the said Eldest Bayliff , who demanded the same , ( and who was also to make a Return ) the names of the Persons which he had so put out of Mr. Christies Voters , or the Reasons why he did so : Whereupon the Eldest Bayliff ( finding that Mr. Christy had the Majority of Voices by above forty , Proclaimed Mr. Hillersdon and Mr. Christie , and Sealed an Indenture accordingly , which the Sheriff hath also returned with the other . Note also , That on the Evening before the Election , the Mayor , Sir William Francklyn and 200 others ( summoned or invited thither by them ) met Tumultuously and Riotously in the Town-Hall , where one Mr. Easton a Draper , read publickly in the Hall before all the Multitude , a Libellous Paper against Mr. Christie . So the Irregularities and Partiality of the Mayor appears in these particulars . 1. He did not shew the Precept to the Eldest Bayliff . 2. Nor acquaint him of the day of Election . 3. But kept the Precept from the 18th of February , to the 5th of March , and delayed the Execution ; being a common Brewer . 4. And gave but one whole days notice of the Election . 5. And then chose to execute it upon Ash-Wednesday . 6. And refused to tell the Poll and declare the Numbers . 7. But Adjourned from the 6th to the 15th , then to the 16th , then to the 18th of March. 8. All these Adjournments against the consent and protestation of the Eldest Bayliff . 9. And were made to Sir William Francklynn's Inn , and not to the Town-Hall . 10. Kept the Poll Unsealed three days in his own hands . 11. Expunged whom he pleased . 12. Made himself Judge of the Qualifications . 13. Refused the Eldest Bayliff , a Note of the Names and Disabillities of the Persons expunged . 14. And summoned a Tumultuous and Riotous Assembly to the Town-Hall , where were read defamatory Libels against Mr. Christie . So if Mayors may Return whom they please , whether duly Elected or not , and not be punished for such Misdemeanours , then they and not the Electors choose Parliament-Men . But now , the Mayor to colour what he hath done so unjustly , with some pretence gives out , that none have Voices , but such as pay to the Church and Poor , whereas the Usage or Custom hath been time out of Mind , that all House-Holders have Voices who do not receive Collection , and so it will be proved for eight or ten Parliaments successively , and such is the Custome in many other places of the Kingdome , and here now they were all admitted to be Polled on both sides . To be heard on Friday the 4th of April .