THE LAST KENTISH REBELLION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5706, 14 July 1879, Page 3

THE LAST KENTISH REBELLION.

(From the Kentish Magazine.) Kent, although the most loyal of counties, has had more than its fair share of rebellions ! but of all the risings against the powers that were, the most singular was that which some fifty years ago opposed civilians to military force. This rising has many of the elements of a comedy, but unfortunately ended too tragically and had too many sad episodes to allow us to speak very lightly of it. most Kentish rebellions the opposition to constituted, authority has cohae from the more intelligent classes—classes which had capacity enough to understand wrongs and courage enough to attempt to right them according to their lights. In the emeute which a couple of generations ago stained the furze and ferns of Bossenden Wood with Kentish blood, the cause was utterly contemptible and the agents still more despicable. But to understand this cause and these agents, we must go back a few years to the date of the first Reform Bill.

In August, 1832, an eccentric individual made his appearance in Canterbury, and put up at the “ Rose Inn" in that city. Soon the citizens became aware of the fact that they had a great man among them —no less a being than the Count Rothschin Rothschild. The waiter at the “ Rose”declared it, and the landlord affirmed it. • It was true that the count, although much given to Scripture dissertation, was rather short of money, but he had £IO,OOO in bullion in London waiting to be sent for, and the confiding waiter at the “ R'ose,” who had saved a little money, was only too jglad to advance his lordship sufficient for current needs, on the strength of a promise of an estate or a pension, or both, from the illustrious and pious stranger. But the stranger proved to be still more illustrious. As Count Rothschild, he was only known as a foreign noble, but soon it was learned from the sympathetic waiter, that the guest of the “ Bose” was an English noble man, or ought to be, by the title of Lord Courtney, of Powderham Castle, near which ancestral mansion was situated the small estate which his lordship had in his eye f r the domestic of the “ Rose,” who was calmly contented with the vision of a blissful future where travellers should cease from troubling and waiters be at rest. Shortly, however, it appeared that a misconception had arisen. The illustrious stranger explained that he was not Lord Courtney, but Sir William P. Honey wood Courtney; but who would, if he had his rights, which he was still striving for, be no less a personage than the Earl of Devon. To look at him he might have been anybody, and his' appearance had doubtless as much influence on himself as on others. He looked a man of about thirty-five (he told the people he was two thousand years old), rather above the middle size, broad-shouldered, with a muscular but supple and well-knit frame, and with an easy carriage and perfect self-possession. His hair was dark, parted in the middle (a somewhat striking arrangement in those days), cut short in front, but descending behind in long ringlets. He had a bushy beard, whiskers, and long moustache ; his eyes were small and restless, hut the features were very regular, and might indeed be called handsome. He was said at the time to be very like the portraits of the Savior painted by the earlier Italian schools, a presentment which his style of hair tended to perfect, although the eyes and forehead were too mean to compare with the figures on Raphael’s ideal canvasses. There are men now living in various parts of Kent who can very well remember the excitement which this visitor caused, and his grotesque dresses, and fervid speeches, and singular actions. Many people in Canterbury regarded him with a mixture of awe and enthusiasm, deeming him as one either endowed with great wealth, or as an inspired delegate from above ; in either case he was a man considered worth knowing and supporting, from either a temporal dr spiritual point of view. An election, the first under the new Reform Bill; took place in Canterbury, in December, 1832, and many of the citizens were somewhat shocked and troubled when Sir William P. H. Courtney, Kight of Malta, was nominated as a candidate. His platform was a strange one, but strange as it was, it was sufficiently sweeping and benevolent to secure not a few adherents. Mr. Watson polled 850, Lord Pordwich 820, while Sir W. Courtney polled 37 4. Although rejected by the city, he did not discontinue his activity and prodigal promises. A few days after the election he went over from Dover to Boulogne in an open boat, and returned, : after a few hair-breadth ’scapes, to Canterbury. The next scene moves a little north. In February, 1833, a smuggling vessel had been chased round the North Foreland by a revenue cutter, and after a chase, during which the pursued vessel threw three contraband casks overboard, the bold mariners who had illegally brought spirits across the vasty deep, were seized and taken to Maidstone, where they were tried for smuggling. At this point Sir W. P. Courtney somewhat unexpectedly appeared, acting for the defence, and in one case volunteering evidence. He swore that he had followed the revenue cutter from Deal in an open boat, and that the casks which the smugglers were alleged to have thrown overboard, were in situ before either vessel approached the spot where they were found. Sir. William was not believed, the smugglers were convicted, and it was soon known in Canterbury that the Government intended to prosecutejthe Knight of Malta for perjury. On this the waiter at the “Rose,” beginning to feel heart-sick at deferred hope, and doubtful as to the divine mission of the knight, became pressing for the money he had advanced to the prospective proprietor of Powderham Castle, and disliking the way in which his importunities were met by Bible quotations, made .no more ado, but charged the gallant gentleman with obtaining money under false pretences. Amid much excitement Sir William was. committed for trial at the City Sessions,: but at the instance of the counsel foi the prosecution, the defendant was released on recognisances, the trial for perjury being still pending. At the end of July in that year he was brought up at Maidstone for trial on the charge of perjury, and although Captain Gordon, 8.N., Mr. Francis, and half a dozen others, gave evidence as to his character, and although his counsel explained that the defendant was not to be judged by northern standards, inasmuch as he “ had slept in the tent of the Arab and braved the scimitar of the Turk,” the hon. “knight” was convicted, and sentenced by Mr. Justice Parke to three months’ imprisonment and seven years’ transportation. Sir William, however, did not live seven years, but unfortunately Kent had not heard the last of him. This 1 rather severe sentence had the eflfeo of drawing the attention of the authorities to his case,, and after being imprisoned a little while the Knight of Malta was removed to Banning Heath Asylum as a certified lunatic. It now transpired that Sir William was the son of a Mr. Thom, and had been a spirit merchant and malstfer in Truro, Cornwall, from which place he had mysteriously disappeared about 1830.

Tor years after his consignment to Banning Asylum, his father and step-mother, having secured the interest of one or two local members of Parliament, interviewed Lord John Bussell, then Home Secretary, who' ordered the release of Sir William and John Nioholls Thom, on condition that the father should exercise due control and supervision over his son, in view of afresh outbreak of insanity Mr. Thom gave the required promise, but seemed unable to keep it, for ‘4Sir William” was soon heard of again in the neighborhood of Canterbury. His excesses proved, however, too much tor the tolerance of one of his chief supporters, Mr. Francis, of Boughton, with whom he had been living, and Sir William about the. beginning of 1832, retired to the farmhouse of one Culver, who lived at Bossenden Farm.

While at this place the knight developed extravagances which had been less prominent during his residence with Mr. Francis. There was much soreness felt against the new Poor Law at the time, and Sir William, who delighted to be a leader of men, found plenty of material at hand with which to form a band of devoted followers, Bossenden Farm becoming the central propaganda of a new faith, which was to reduce the social inequalities' in this world and the next, to provide a competence to all who held “ the truth,” and to assure them of ultimate. salvation. He secured a number of followers in the Blean, the women, it is said, being the most enthusiastic supporters ; and early in May preparations were made for a “ demonstration," the object of which cannot 'now be well defined, nor probably could they have been defined by anyone who took part in it. “Sir William,” however, provided himself with pistols and shot and a huge cavalry sword, which was carefully sharpened, and a flag of white and blue with a rampant lion, worked probably by the fair Angers of valor.

loving damsels, was furnished for the expedition. On Sunday, May 27, a few of his followers were anointed by him at a well in Waterham to make them invulnerable, and on the Monday “Sir William” left Culver’s farm at Boughton attended by an increasing number of devotees, A loaf of bread was divided and placed on a pole, and thus headed, the procession went through Fairhrook to Goonestone, near Faversham, Courtney directing it on a horse covered with an animal’s skin for a saddle, and dressed himself in broad Spanish hat, velvet coat, and plaid trousers. Thence going through Dargate Common, they supped at Bossenden farm, sleeping that night in an adjacent barn. On Tuesday morning “ Sir •William,” after threatening to shoot anyone who deserted, led his followers to Sittingbourne, where they breakfasted at his expense; they then visited Newham, Eastline, Thrawley, Seldinch, Lees, and Selling, returning on Wednesday evening to Culver’s farm, Mr. Curling, a neighboring farmer, having had three men enticed away from their work, obtained a warrant for their apprehension, blears, a constable, entrusted with this warrant, proceeded in company with his brother to Culver’s farm, and demanded the men referred to. “Sir William” came up to Meats, and after a short parley shot him dead. The brother fled back to Faversham, and “Sir William” and his followers retired to Bossenden Wood.

By half-past one on the afternoon of Thursday, the 31st, a detachment of the 45th, then garrisoned at Canterbury, was at the scene of the murder. Courtney came out from the wood, and Lieut. Bennett stepped up to him with drawn sword, calling on him to surrender. Courtney did not answer, but fired immediately, the shot passing through Lieut. Bennett, who after making an attempt to strike Courtney, fell dead. The soldier who was covering Lieut. Bennett fired at once at Courtney, who fell and died instantly. Much excitement ensued, both parties being rendered desperate by the loss of their commanders, the soldiers firing into the wood from which the men were showing signs of advance. Seven of them were killed, and a constable named Catt, who was in the line of fire, was shot. Many were wounded, but the death list was restricted to those already mentioned— Lieut. Bennett, “ Sir William,” and seven of his followers, George Catt, the constable, and (on the previous day) Mears the constable. After the first volley, the rioters fled in various directions. Two men were arrested for participating in the murder of Mears, and were formally sentenced to death—a sentence which was not carried out. Eight men were arreste i for the murder of Lieut. Bennett. The evidence simply implicated these prisoners with the general riotous behavior of Courtney, and the men who pleaded guilty, were also formally condemned to death. Two of them were transported for life, while the others received sentences of imprisonment of various lengths, Thus ended the last Kentish rebellion, the chief good result of which was that it drew attention to the depth of ignorance in which many of the secluded districts were steeped and led to much educational activity in in the Forest of 31ean.