Gossip in the first decade of Victoria's reign . tablishment, he was released, on security being givenfor his future good behaviour. He then went to live at theresidence of Mr. Francis, of Fairbrook, in the neighbourhoodof Boughton, near Canterbury. Owing to some misunder-standing with the family, he removed to an adjoining cottage,and, at the time of which I write, he lived at a farm-house,called Bossenden farm, occupied by a person named Culver. The influence obtained, by this maniac, over the smallfarmers and peasantry in his neighbourhood, is most astonish-ing. They believed in all he told
Gossip in the first decade of Victoria's reign . tablishment, he was released, on security being givenfor his future good behaviour. He then went to live at theresidence of Mr. Francis, of Fairbrook, in the neighbourhoodof Boughton, near Canterbury. Owing to some misunder-standing with the family, he removed to an adjoining cottage,and, at the time of which I write, he lived at a farm-house,called Bossenden farm, occupied by a person named Culver. The influence obtained, by this maniac, over the smallfarmers and peasantry in his neighbourhood, is most astonish-ing. They believed in all he told them; first that he shouldbe a great chieftain in Kent, and that they should eill live rentfree on his land, and that if they would follow his advice,they should have good living and large estates, as he hadgreat influence at Court, and was to sit at the Queens righthand, on the day of her Coronation, It would seem as ifhis madness, then, was personal and political, but the religiousmania speedily developed itself. He told his deluded 1838] 47. 48 GOSSIP. [1838 followers that they were oppressed by the laws in general,but more particularly by the new poor law; and called uponthem to place themselves under his command. Nearly 100at once joined him, and as they marched through the neigh-bouring parishes their numbers increased. It was then thathe proclaimed his divinity—assuring them that both he andthey were not only invincible, but bullet proof, and thatthey could never die. The following account, which appears to me to be themost succinct of those I have seen, is from the Times ofI June: On Monday (28 May) they sallied forth from the village ofBoughton, where they bought bread, and proceeded to Willsshouse, near Fairbrook. A loaf was broken asunder, andplaced on a pole, with a flag of white and blue, on whichwas a rampant lion. Thence they proceeded to Goodnestone,near Faversham, producing throughout the whole neighbour-hood the greatest excitement, and adding to their numb
Size: 1221px × 2046px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorashtonjo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1903
