LIST OF PARLIAMENTS FROM 1 EDWARD VI., 1549, тo 10 VICTORIA, 1847. health) 6 Mar. 1679 12 July, 1679 0 4 6 SirE.Seymour, Bt. Hindon, Wilts. Wm. Gregory, v. Weobley, Hereford. ed by monarch.) 1 William Williams Chester, Cheshire 7 Ditto Ditto 16 Sir J. Trevor, Kt Denbigh, Denbighs. 4 Henry Powell 1681 28 Mar. 1685 28 July, 1688 26 Feb. 1689 11 Oct. Windsor, Berks. 22 Sir J. Trevor, Kt. Yarmouth, Hants. Paul Foley, v. Trevor(expelled, Hereford, Herefsh. 1694) 27 Nov. 1695 7 July, 1698 2 7 10 Ditto 3 26 4 20 30 Dec. 1701 7 July, 1702 0 6 Ditto SirT. Lyttelton, Bt Woodstock, Oxford. Ditto Ditto Andover, Hants. 2 Ditto 25 Nov. 1710 8 Aug. 12 Nov. 1713 15 Jan. George I.. 17 Mar. 1715 10 Mar. 1713 2 8 14 Wm. Bromley 1721 George II. afterwards Earl 10 May, 1722 5 Aug. 1727 5 2 26 Ditto 2 Nov. 1727 18 April, 1734 6 4 21 Arthur Onslow 13 June, 1734 28 April, 1741 6 10 15 Ditto 27 June, 1741 18 June, 1747 5 11 24 Ditto 13 Aug. 1747 8 April, 1754 6 7 26 Ditto 31 May, 1754 20 Mar. 1761 6 9 20 Ditto George III. 16 May, 1761 12 Mar. 1768 6 10 May, 1768 30 Sept. 1774 6 Ditto Surrey Ditto Ditto Ditto Grantham, Lincoln. Ditto Sir F.Norton, Kt. Guildford, Surrey 9 21 Sir J. Cust, Bt. Ditto 3 Ditto (afterwards Ditto Lord Grantley.) C, W. Cornwall Winchelsea, Sussex Rye, Sussex W. W. Grenville, Buckinghamshire v.Cornwall (died in 1789.) THE REPRESENTATIVE HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. BEDFORDSHIRE, 22 EDWARD I. THIS central county of England, bounded on the north and north-west by Northamptonshire, on the north-east by Huntingdonshire, on the east by Cambridgeshire, on the south and south east by Hertfordshire, and on the west and south-west by Buckinghamshire, is divided into the nine hundreds of Barford, Biggleswade, Clifton, Flitt, Manshead, Redbourne, Stodden, Willey, and Wixamtree. It comprises an area of 463 square statute miles, or 296,320 acres, of which 80,000 are stated to be arable, and 168,000 pasture or common. The population of the county in 1801, was 63,393; in 1811, 70,213; in 1821, 83,716; in 1831, 95,383; and in 1841, 107,936. By the last census, the number of houses appears to be 21,235 inhabited, 519 uninhabited, and 210 building. The chief produce is corn, the vale of Bedford being considered one of the finest districts in the kingdom for its crops, which, however, require much labour and expense in their cultivation. This, together with the depreciation in the value of corn, when compared with stock, makes the rent very low; most of the land north of Bedford does not let for more than 10s. an acre, and some as low as 6s., notwithstanding the considerable expense incurred by proprietors in fencing and making ditches. There is nothing remarkable in the cattle and sheep in this county, there being no indigenous breeds of either. The farms are not in general of great extent. Some few contain from 400 to 500 acres ; but the average size is about 150. Leases for long terms are not common, which is an obstacle to improvement. Farms held from year to year may be kept in good heart, and well cultivated, on the common established system, provided there be a great confidence in the honour of the landlord, that he will not suddenly or capriciously remove a tenant; but no great and permanent improvement can be expected to be made, except by a proprietor or lessee for a considerable term. A tenant liable to be ejected at a short notice, cannot obtain credit to borrow money to lay out on his farm; and if he be prudent, will not lay out his own capital on an uncertainty. Formerly there were many small proprietors and yeomen occupying their own lands to the amount of from 20 to 50 acres ; but they are mostly reduced to the state of cottagers and labourers; thus their class has nearly disappeared. The other productions of the county, are coarse limestone, lime, fuller's-earth, brick-clay, and bricks, coppice and B Par. Members. Par. Members. 1698 Lord Russell.* Sir W. Gost- 1747 Sir Danvers Osborn, Bt. Thos. 1700 1701 1702 wick. 1705 Sir Pyncent Chernocke. land Alston, Bt. 1727 Hon. Pattee Byng. Alston. 1722 Hon. Charles Leigh. Sir Row-1768 Earl of Upper Ossory. R. H. 1774 S 1733. C. Leigh, v.Byng (a Peer.) 1780 1734 John Spencer. Sir R. Alston, 1795. John Osborn, v. Ossory (a Peer.) 1741 Sir Roger Burgoyne, Bt. Sir 1796 John Osborn. Hon. St. An John Chester, Bt. drew St. John. * 1698, Dec. 12. A petition of William Duncombe and T. Bramsalls, Esqrs. was presented to the House and read, setting forth. "that at the last election of knights of the shire for the county, Edward, Lord Russell, and Sir William Gostwick, were returned by reason that votes were procured by entertainments and other illegal means, and by reason that many freeholders, who offered to poll for the petitioners, were prevented by the sheriff and his officers; all which proceedings were to the injury of the petitioners, who were candidates at the said election, and ought to have been returned, and praying," &c. Petition rejected. J. of H. of C. Vol. 12 and 13. At this election, a most fiercely contested one, all the candidates being within 20 of each other, the poll stood, Sir P. Chernocke 1261, John Harvey 1264, John Cater 1254, William Hillersden 1241. 1715, March 31. A petition of John Cater, Esq. was read, setting forth, "that at this election, the petitioners, William Hillersden, Sir Pyncent Chernocke, and John Harvey, Esq. stood candidates: that the petitioner and Mr. Hillersden had a majority of legal votes, but several persons voting for the said Mr. Harvey, though not qualified, and by the illegal practises used by Mr. Harvey and agent, there was procured a majority of sixteen for the latter gentleman above the petitioner, who would otherwise have had the majority." The rights of the petitioner admitted; returned accordingly. J. of H. of C. Vol. 18. § The Hon. Thomas Hampden, was a candidate at this election, the poll being, Ossory 1078, Ongley 986, Hampden 715. This election was contested by Lord Ongley, when the poll stood, Ossory 1050, St. John 974, Ongley 973. In 1785, Lord Ongley petitioned the return to be amended in his favour by the correction of a mistake made in the poll owing to a vote, through the negligence of the sheriff, being registered for Mr. St. John, instead of Lord Ongley. On the question arising whether this petition related to the return or the merits of the return, the former was determined, the error ordered to be corrected, and Lord Ongley seated. Subsequently the merits of the election becoming the subject of enquiry, on the petition of the unseated member, which accused Lord Ongley of bribery, and which contained an allegation that the sheriff had admitted many illegal votes in his (Lord Ongley's) favour, and rejected many legal votes for that nobleman, which were tendered for Mr. St. John, the latter recovered his seat. J. of H. of C. Vol. 40. • Mr. John Osborn contested this election; Pym 1138, Fitzpatrick 1084, Osborn 1069. Sir John Osborn, Bart. was an unsuccessful candidate; Tavistock 1458, Pym 1308, Osborn 1214. Mr. Pym was unseated; Macqueen 1515, Tavistock 1258, Pym 1022. § Mr. Stuart lost this election; Tavistock 1137, Payne 1073, Stuart 609. Sir P. Payne was defeated; Russell 1937, Stuart 1871, Payne 1075. |