Documents concerning the Gillingham Riots

Documents concerning the anti-enclosure riots at Gillingham. These papers, together with NP/72 and NP/74, constitute an important source for riots in the seventeenth century. The papers comprise:

• /1: Copy of a deposition against Thomas Randall of Motcombe concerning the riot at Gillingham, 10 November 1645.
• /2: Letter from Mr J. Dolman confirming that the depositions were delivered to Mr Browne, Clerk of the House of Lords, 7 December 1645.
• /3: Letter from Thomas Brunker and J. Dolman to the Earl of Elgin declaring the arrest of the rioters, 15 May 1643.
• /4: Copy of a note set up by some of the foresters at Gillingham calling upon the inhabitants to gather to break down the enclosures at Gillingham and Mere, 24 May 1643.
• /5: Copy of a motion drawn up by Mr Maynard on behalf of Lord Elgin in the House of Lords concerning the examination of Richard Butler, December 1643.
• /6: A long letter from Thomas Brunker to Thomas Christie concerning the 'insolency of the rioters' and containing a detailed account of the riots, 28 June 1645.
• /7: Proposal of Sir Thomas Hatton for examining witnesses, the summoning of offenders and enlarging the powers of justices of the peace, with observations and queries thereunto, 15 May 1643.
• /8-11: Advice of Thomas Hatton, notes of information supplied to the House of Lords, and a draft order prepared for both Houses by Mr Maynard, n.d.
• /12: Letter from Mr J. Dolman to Lady Magdalen Bruce giving an account of proceedings at Gillingham for suppressing the riots, 6 May 1643.
• /13: Letter from Mr J. Dolman to Lady Magdalen Bruce concerning the apprehending of some of the rioters and their discharge, 8 May 1643.
• /14: Mr Maynard's draft of the third order of the House of Lords for suppressing the riots, 10 May 1643.
• /15: Mr Whitacre's and Mr Davis's draft of clauses in which they conceived the order of 11 May 1643 to be defective, May 1643.
• /16: Detailed letter from Thomas Brunker and J. Dolman to the Earl of Elgin describing their actions in the settlement of the disorder at Gillingham 10-14 May, 13 May 1643.
• /17: Note from Thomas Brunker certifying that he promised £10 to the rioters if they left the lord's lands to be spoiled last, n.d.
• /18: Copy of a letter of instruction sent to Mr Brunker, but intended to have been sent by the messengers, 13 May 1643.
• /19: Information on the proceedings of the riots at Gillingham, 11-13 May 1643.
• /20: Copy of a letter intended to have been sent by the messengers to Mr Whitacre, 13 May 1643.
• /21: Mr Maynard's rough draft of the last order of 16 May, with some other notes, c.16 May 1643.
• /22: Letter from Thomas Brunker to the Earl of Elgin describing the coldness of Mr [Matthew] Davis, and the circumstances of the hurting of one of the rioters, 20 May 1643.
• /23: Letter from Thomas Brunker and J. Dolman to the Earl of Elgin certifying that Mr [Matthew] Davis has not taken the examinations yet and has some scruples about his authority, 27 May 1643.
• /24: Letter from Thomas Brunker to his son declaring the proceedings of the rioters since the coming of the King's forces into the west, and desiring an expedient may be found to suppress them, 4 June 1643.
• /25: Note of the corn grounds not thrown open, and the grounds which are laid open in the forest, 4 June 1643.
• /26: 'Interrogator' to be administered to nine witnesses for the finding out and discovery of the rioters, comprising nine questions, 1643.
• /27: Letter from Thomas Brunker to his lordship [the Earl of Elgin] declaring that he retains six men to guard the lodge, and asking if he should retain them longer, 16 June 1643.
• /28: Letter from Thomas Brunker to Mr Christie acknowledging receipt of the order of Captain Ludlowe [Edmund Ludlow (1616/17-1692), army officer and regicide], and describing proceedings since 26 June 1643, 8 July 1643.
• /29: Observations of Edmund Coward of Gillingham and other witnesses concerning the riots, which they will depose upon oath, n.d.
• /30: Judge [Henry] Rolle's citations of precedents under the Statute of Westminster in the case of the riots, n.d.
• /31: The case of Hatfield Chase intended for the House of Commons, delivered by Mr Gibbon, having some relation to the riots at Gillingham, November 1646.
• /32: Copy of a petition intended to be presented to the House of Lords concerning Hatfield Chase, November 1646.
• /33: Copy of an order of both Houses for the suppression of riots at Gillingham, 3 May 1643.
• /34: A true copy of an order of the House of Lords for the quiet possession of the forest at Gillingham, 24 April 1643.
• /35: List of the names of the 'chiefest rioters' at Mere, Gillingham and Motcombe, 126 persons in total, n.d.
• /36: Draft of an order agreed by Mr Browne and Mr Whitams for examinations, n.d.
• /37: Note of the proceedings of the first and second riots destroying the enclosures of the forest at Gillingham, 30 April to 3 May 1643.
• /38: Detailed letter from Thomas Brunker and J. Dolman to the Earl of Elgin describing the the outbreak of the riots and their efforts to suppress them, 20 May 1643.

On the Gillingham riots, see David Underdown, Revel, riot, and rebellion: popular politics and culture in England 1603-1660 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987), pp. 161-2.

Rylands accession no. R45817.