Chapter VIII: The Seventeenth Century (3)

All things considered, perhaps Threlfall was as safe here as anywhere had he used ordinary caution, but on August 20 (1690) he was surprised near his house by a party of militia, and as he offered to resist, he was killed by a corporal who was one of the party. At the trial in Manchester in 1694, one John Wilson, of Chipping, made a deposition that Threlfall had told him that he had twenty Irishmen ready for his troop, who had been at his house and in the county waiting for several months.

In the February following a deposition was made before the Mayor of Evesham, in Worcestershire, that divers persons in that neighbourhood had received commissions from King James to raise two regiments of horse, two of dragoons, and three of foot for Lancashire, and that in various places were hidden arms, etc., especially in the houses of Mr. Blundell, of Ince, and John Holland, of Prescot; and further, that the deponent had seen and heard read a letter from the late Queen in the hand of Lord Molyneux's son, which gave assurance from the French King of assistance in arms and men. This information led to the imprisonment of several leading Lancashire Roman Catholics.

In the May following, Mr. Robert Dodsworth declared on oath to the Lord Chief Justice Holt that the troops in Lancashire were to be joined by the late King's forces for Ireland, while the French were to land in Cornwall, and the Duke of Berwick was to cause a diversion in Scotland, but that no rising was to take place until the late King landed in Lancashire, which he had promised to do within a month.

John Lunt in November was committed to Newgate, where he was kept for twenty weeks, and then bailed out to appear at the Lancaster Assizes, where he appeared in August, 1690, and was then committed to Lancaster Castle on a charge of high-treason. Here he remained until April, 1691, when he was brought to trial and acquitted, partly because the Custom-house officers were unable to swear to the papers, and partly because Charles Cawson, the master of the ship, had in the meantime fallen sick and died. Lunt, notwithstanding his long imprisonment and narrow escape from the scaffold, appears almost immediately to have set about raising men and collecting arms for the proposed insurrection. The destruction of the French fleet off the Hague on May 20, 1692, dispersed all thoughts of an invasion and for awhile partially arrested the designs of the conspirators.

The progress of the conspiracy was now slow and spasmodic, and was seriously checked in May, 1694, by the arrest and committal to the Tower of Walter Crosby, on whom were found papers containing many details of the proposed insurrection; but more fatal even than this was that Lunt turned traitor, and on June 15, 1694, made a full confession of all he knew to one of the Secretaries of State. This, then, is the Lancashire Plot as given by the Court advocates, who, if they erred at all, would certainly not do so in favour of the conspirators. As far as Lancashire is concerned, the whole matter was at an end, except that the following gentlemen were all tried at Manchester in 1694, viz.: Caryl, Lord Molyneux, Sir William Gerard, Sir Rowland Stanley, Sir Thomas Clifton, William Dicconson, Esq., Philip Langton, Esq., Bartholomew Walmsley, Esq., and Mr. William Blundell.[166]

It is but fair to add that the various accounts published regarding this so-called Lancashire Plot contain many variations and inconsistencies, and it is no easy matter to decide which of these various writers is correct; a full account of the trials is now, however, in print, to which the curious reader is referred.[167] The result of these trials was that the prisoners were acquitted, the witnesses not being considered worthy of credit; but subsequently the House of Commons, by a vote of 133 to 37, resolved that there were grounds for the prosecution of the gentlemen at Manchester, as it appeared that there was a dangerous plot carried on against the King and his Government; this resolution was also confirmed by the House of Lords.

The Lancashire gentlemen at the next assizes prosecuted Lunt and two others, who were the chief witnesses against them, and they were all three convicted of perjury.

During the reigns of James I. and Charles II. several towns applied for and got fresh powers by royal charter; this was the case with Preston and Liverpool and several smaller towns--amongst the latter were Kirkham and Garstang. At a very early period a market was held at Garstang, but it was not incorporated until 1680, when Charles II. granted a charter whereby the inhabitants were declared to be a "body corporate by the name of the Bailiff and burgesses of the Borough of Garstang." From 1680 to the present time the Bailiff has regularly been elected.

The birth of many new trades in Lancashire dates from the seventeenth century, although many of the national industries were followed here at a much earlier period. We now find numerous references to various trades on the tokens, which were somewhat extensively issued in Lancashire in consequence of the great scarcity of small change shortly after the execution of Charles I. Some of these local tokens were of superior workmanship, and of material calculated to stand the wear to which they were subjected. They represented pennies, half-pennies and farthings.

About 150 varieties of these Lancashire tokens were issued before the close of the seventeenth century,[168] some of which indicate the trade followed by the issuer, and thus furnish some clue to the spread of certain industries within the county. A study of them gives the following results:

SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY TOKENS.

-----------------+-------+-------------------------------------------
TOWN. |NUMBER | TRADE INDICATED.
|ISSUED.|
-----------------+-------+-------------------------------------------
Ashton-under-Lyne| 4 | 1 mercer, 1 tallow-chandler, 2 unclassed.
Blackburn | 6 | 4 mercers, 2 apothecaries.
Bolton | 5 | 2 dealers in tobacco, 3 unclassed.
Burnley | 1 | a mercer.
Bury | 1 | ? a saddler.
Chadderdon | 1 | an innkeeper.
Cheetham | 1 | a farrier or blacksmith.
Chorley | 5 | 1 dealer in tobacco, 1 cordwainer,
| | 3 unclassed.
Chowbent | 1 | a woolman.
Clitheroe | 5 | 1 dealer in tobacco, 1 grocer, 1 draper,
| | 2 unclassed.
Colne | 1 | a merchant.
Crosby | 1 | a draper.
Garstang | 1 | a tallow-chandler.
Halliwell | 2 | 1 dealer in tobacco, 1 unclassed.
Halton | 1 | unclassed.
Haslingden | 1 | unclassed.
Heaton | 1 | a tallow chandler.
Holland | 1 | unclassed.
Huyton | 1 | a grocer.
Kirby | 1 | a vintner.
Kirkham | 2 | 1 grocer, 1 unclassed.
Lancaster | 8 | 1 apothecary, 1 woolman, 6 unclassed.
Little Lever | 1 | unclassed.
Liverpool | 12 | 1 sugar merchant, 2 merchants or
| | shop-holders, 1 grocer, 1 apothecary,
| | 1 draper, 6 unclassed.
Manchester | 15 | 1 chapman, 4 grocers, 2 apothecaries,
| | 1 innkeeper, 7 unclassed.
Milnrow | 2 | 1 shoemaker, 1 unclassed.
Newton | 2 | 1 dealer in tobacco, 1 unclassed.
Oldham | 1 | unclassed.
Ormskirk | 6 | 1 grocer, 1 draper, 4 unclassed.
Poulton-le-Fylde | 1 | a draper.
Prescot | 2 | 1 mercer, 1 unclassed.
Preston | 8 | 7 grocers, 1 apothecary.
Risley | 1 | a dealer in tobacco.
Rochdale | 6 | 1 grocer, 1 dealer in woollen goods, 4
| | unclassed.
Shaw | 1 | unclassed.
Tarleton | 1 | unclassed.
Turton | 1 | unclassed.
Warrington | 17 | 2 clothiers, 2 woollen-drapers, 2
| | apothecaries, 1 sugar-dealer, 1
| | draper, 1 grocer, 8 unclassed.
West Houghton | 1 | unclassed.
Whalley | 2 | unclassed.
Wigan | 8 | 1 apothecary, 1 armourer, 1 grocer,
| | 1 tallow-chandler, 4 unclassed.
-----------------+-------+-------------------------------------------

Amongst the unclassified several tokens bore religious emblems, such as "the bleeding heart" and the "dove and olive branch"; and the "eagle and child" was a favourite design. Crests or family arms were also often used, but in these cases there is nothing to indicate the occupation of the person who issued the token.

During the century to which the Lancashire plot just recorded formed a fitting close, Lancashire had witnessed many stirring events--the monarchy had been destroyed, the Commonwealth set up, and the rule of kings again established; Roman Catholics had persecuted Protestants, and Puritans had tried their best to repress Roman Catholicism; and in each and every case this county had done its share: if battles were to be fought, the Lancashire lads were in the thick of them; if religious creeds had to be repressed, in their mistaken zeal, there again were the people of this county to the fore. But, notwithstanding wars, plagues, persecutions, insurrections, and a host of minor evils, Lancashire still progressed, her towns increased in number and in size, and her sons were leading the van in all matters of trade, commerce and enterprise. Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, and other large towns were attracting to them men, not only from the surrounding districts, but from all civilized countries; whilst the woollen and other goods manufactured in the county had already obtained a world-wide fame. Amongst other industries introduced during this century was bell-founding, which trade was carried on in Wigan with considerable success as early as 1647, and many church bells in the surrounding districts came from this foundry.

[Footnote 124: The author read a paper on "The Lancashire Demoniacs" before the Hist. Soc. of Lanc. and Ches. (vol. xxxv.), in which this subject is more fully gone into.]

[Footnote 125: This case does not belong to the seventeenth century, but it is inserted here as bearing upon the subject, and only occurred four years before the century began.]

[Footnote 126: "The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancaster, with the arraignment and trial of nineteene notorious Witches, etc., etc.; London, 1613." Reprinted by the _Chetham Soc._, vol. vi., old series.]

[Footnote 127: See _Lanc., and Ches. Ant. Soc._, x. 215.]

[Footnote 128: Some of these tracts are now very scarce.]

[Footnote 129: One of these was found near Rochdale a few years ago. (See "History of Rochdale," p. 535.)]

[Footnote 130: Satirical poem, Hopkinson's MSS., xxxiv. 85.]

[Footnote 131: "Nicholas Assheton's Journal," _Chetham Soc._, xiv.]

[Footnote 132: Liverpool Municipal Records.]

[Footnote 133: The _Chetham Society_, vols. ii., xlii., and lxvi., contained full details of the Civil War in Lancashire. From this source many of the following particulars are taken.]

[Footnote 134: In a tract dated July 5, 1642, entitled "The Beginning of the Civil Warres in England, or Terrible News from the North," Lord Strange is reported to have approached Manchester with a considerable armed force on July 5, and drawing up at a little distance from the town, demanded that the inhabitants should deliver up their magazines. On their refusal to give them up, he marched against the town, outside of which he was met by "ten small companies set in a faire battalion," and a skirmish took place, which lasted several hours, and resulted in the withdrawal of the Royalist forces with the loss of twenty-seven men. The tract then states "that this is the beginning of the Civill Warre, being the first stroke that hath been struck, and the first bullet that hath been shot." There is much reason to doubt the correctness of this reported fight, as no mention of it is made by contemporary authorities.]

[Footnote 135: These fortifications consisted of posts and chains, and barricades of mud. They were erected under the superintendence of Lieutenant-Colonel Rosworm, a German engineer, at a cost of £30.]

[Footnote 136: A slightly different version of this is given in "Lancashire's Valley of Achor."]

[Footnote 137: Major Edward Robinson, "A Discourse of the Warr in Lancashire," _Chetham Soc._, lxii.]

[Footnote 138: "Lancashire's Valley of Achor."]

[Footnote 139: "A punctuall relation of the passages in Lancashire this week" (February 14, 1642).]

[Footnote 140: This is Major Robinson's statement.]

[Footnote 141: Major Robinson says he "discharged that little pece of ordenance they carried with them divers times," and then walked into the town.]

[Footnote 142: "Lancashire's Valley of Achor."]

[Footnote 143: Edward Bridgeman, late M.P.]

[Footnote 144: This castle was afterwards ordered to be dismantled. Its position rendered it difficult to attack, as it stood on an eminence from which the ground sloped rapidly in every direction. It was entered by the large windows on the east side, and the entrance thus gained, the victory was assured.]

[Footnote 145: This castle was first taken by Colonel Ashton, in June, 1643, but Sir John Girlington, having got hold of it, reoccupied it.]

[Footnote 146: For full details of these two sieges see "Civil War Tracts," _Chetham Soc._, ii.]

[Footnote 147: Seacome's "Memoirs of the House of Stanley."]

[Footnote 148: In Salford Chapel, "for poor distressed Bolton," the very large sum of £140 was collected ("Vicar's Chronicle").]

[Footnote 149: By way of Blackburn and Colne; at the latter place a slight skirmish took place on June 25. At Kirkham, between May and September, 1644, no accounts of the vestry were kept, because "Prince Rupert's army" had command of the county, and many of the parishioners had fled. In 1642 the soldiers "pulled asunder the organ pipes in the church."]

[Footnote 150: "A Discourse of the Warr in Lancashire."]

[Footnote 151: Another authority gives 32,000 (Burghall's "Civil War in Cheshire").]

[Footnote 152: Lieut.-General Cromwell's letter to the Hon. William Lenthall.]

[Footnote 153: Burghall put the killed and wounded at 4,000, and adds that they took 6,000 prisoners!]

[Footnote 154: Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser., 1648-9, p. 219.]

[Footnote 155: For full details of this historic incident see "Stanley Papers," "Civil Warr in Lancashire" (Chetham Society), Seacome's "Memoirs," Hughes' "Boscobel Tracts," etc.]

[Footnote 156: State Papers, Dom. Ser., iv. 240.]

[Footnote 157: Heawood's "Coronation."]

[Footnote 158: Published by Chetham Society, vol. xii., old series.]

[Footnote 159: "Autobiography of William Stout"; London, 1851.]

[Footnote 160: A few years afterwards he was sent to a school in Westmorland, where he was taught both Latin and Greek.]

[Footnote 161: The place where the meal was bolted = sifted.]

[Footnote 162: The cotton trade had not yet arisen. These goods were coatings, and made of wool.]

[Footnote 163: One solitary book, "A Guide to Heaven from the Word," is said on doubtful authority to have been printed at Smithy Door, Manchester, in 1664.]

[Footnote 164: Kingston's "True History of the Several Designs and Conspiracies against his Majesty's Person and Government, as they were carried on from 1688 to 1697."]

[Footnote 165: For full details of this "plot" see the late Mr. Beamont's introduction to "The Jacobite Trials in Manchester, 1694" (_Chetham Soc._, xxviii.), and also Dr. Abbadie's "True History of the Late Conspiracy," etc.; London, 1696.]

[Footnote 166: All well-known Lancashire men, except Sir Rowland Stanley, who lived in Cheshire.]

[Footnote 167: _Chetham Soc._, xxviii.]

[Footnote 168: See _Lanc. and Ches. Ant. Soc._, vol. v.]