A LETTER From A FREEHOLDER OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE TO A FRIEND in LONDON, CONCERNING The Election OF THE KNIGHTS of the said COUNTY.  
SIR,  
I have received yours, containing a very necessary and reasonable Request, whereunto I readily return you this plain and faithful Account following.  
The Writ being delivered to the under-Sheriff, the beginning of this Instant August, notice was given by Proclamation throughout the whole County, that the Election for Knights of the Shire for the County of Bucks, should be the twentieth of the said Month at Alisbury.  
But notwithstanding this Legal Appointment the HIGH SHERIFF a few days before the Election, sends his Orders to all the Bailiffs of the several Hundreds to this purpose, That for several weighty Reasons him thereunto moving, he intended to adjourn the Court, which was to be holden at Alisbury on Wednesday the twentieth, to be held at Buckingham on Thursday the 21th. at eight of the Clock in the Morning.  
But the major part of the Bailiffs thought it illegal, that after Proclamation made according to Law, the High Sheriff should order another time and place, and therefore did not give notice, so that almost all the Gentry and Freeholders of the County met at Alisbury, and at Buckingham there was only the High Sheriff Sir Timber T. with a very small number of their Faction: And at night by order of the Bailiff the Drums were beaten, which got together about twenty or thirty Boys, that cried about the Town, A Sir Anthony C. and a Sir Ralph V. the latter of which had his name used without his consent or knowledge; But Mr. Wharton, and Mr. Hamden that stood for Knights of the Shire, accompanied with a very great number of Horse, came into Alisbury upon the aforesaid Wednesday about seven of the Clock in the Morning, and were informed that the Sheriff had been there before, and had adjourned the Court, to be held at Buckingham the next Morning by eight of the Clock.  
Whereupon Mr. Wharton, and Mr. Hamden, with several Gentlemen lately Elected to serve in Parliament, and the rest of the Gentlemen of the County attended His Grace the Duke of Buckingham, who was pleased to honour them with his presence at the Election; and there they debated what was then fit to be done. And it was unanimously agreed, that though they must go to Elect at Buckingham, they would neither lie there, nor spend one penny in the place, lest they should be thought to encourage a Town that had so lately made so bad a Choice: And likewise to show their resentment to that illbred Carrier's Son (the present Sheriff) for so high an affront to the whole County to make them go (unnecessarily) Twelve long Miles cross the County in a very rainy day. The Duke of Buckingham being desired by the Gentlemen of the County to acquaint the Freeholders with what they had resolved upon, we were drawn out into the Field, and there his Grace acquainted us with their resolutions, and further desired, that we would return into Alisbury to refresh ourselves, and be ready by two of the Clock that we might go to Winslow in one entire Body (a Town within five miles of Buckingham) and promised that there should be Wagons provided for those that were on foot, and unable to go so far. And if the Town of Winslow were unable to receive them, His Grace, and my Lord Paget, and all the Gentlemen would keep together with them in the Field all night, resolving to far all alike, which was answered with great shouts, crying out, One and All, One and Alls, not only to Buckingham, but from Hundred to Hundred round the County: Nay, were ●t to York rather than lose our former Members that served us faithfully in the last Parliament.  
And then we returned into Alisbury to refresh ourselves, and between two and three of the Clock we marched out with about four thousand Horse, with Drums beating, and Trumpets sounding, Led by His Grace the Duke of Buckingham. Our Foot and Wagons being gone before, and in very good Order, and time, we came to Winslow, and were well satisfied with the mean Accommodation we met with, Every man cheerfully beating his own Charge.  
About five next Morning His Grace mounted, and in the same Order we marched towards Buckingham, and in the way there joined to us two thousand Horse more, which came from several parts of the County, all crying out, A WHARTON AND A HAMDEN: And thus we continued marching to the Town of Buckingham, where those that were on foot, and those that were in the Wagons stood ready to join with us; and thus we went through Buckingham into a great Field beyond the Town, crying out all the way, No Timber T. No Traitors Son, No Pensioner, No Papist, No Betrayers of their Country. And as soon as we were come into the Field, the under-Sheriff, with Mr. Wharton, Mr. Hamden, accompanied with several Gentlemen and Freeholders returned into Buckingham, and waited till eight of the Clock expecting the Sheriff, but he not coming, the under-Sheriff adjourned the Court into the Field.  
In the mean time His Grace of Buckingham, and several other Gentlemen, drew the Horse up into several Troops, which pleaaed the Freeholders, and we marched in very good Order to the top of the Hill.  
The under-Sheriff being then returned, the Writ was opened and read. And there we proceeded to the Election, where Mr. Wharton, and Mr. Hamden were chosen without the least opposition, and Mr. Wharton, and Mr. Hamden were thereupon proclaimed, duly Elected Knights of the Shire for the County of Bucks.  
But whilst the under-Sheriff went to prepare their Indentures, the Sheriff with Sir Timber T. etc. some of the Clergy came into the Town.  
And the Sheriff hearing a PARSON cry out, A Wharton, A Hamden, was so transported with Zeal for the Catholic Cause, that he road up and struck him with his Whip over the Face; the Gentleman apprehending this high Affront to be too great to be born by an English Spirit, and one of his Coat, he Cocked his Beaver, clapped Spurs to his Horse, road up and smote the Carrier's Son with so great a fury, that in the Rancounter the Sheriff fell from his Horse, and had like to have broke his Neck.  
Although this might have been a sufficient warning to a wise man, they had no sooner got him into a House, but he sent his Son to put a further Affront upon the County.  
The Young man comes into the Field just as the Indentures were signing; and first he joys Mr. Wharton of being Elected, and at the same instance demands a Poll. But being asked by the Gentlemen for whom he demanded it, he scornfully replied, for whom he pleased, refusing to name any particular person: But being rebuked by the Gentlemen, saying, Young man, go home, and learn your Lesson better; upon which we gave a great Shout, and he, poor Lad, ashamed of his folly, road away.  
But several of the Freeholders road after him, and whipped him out of the Field into the Town; although he denied to some, and often asked pardon to others of what he had said.  
The Indentures being signed and sealed, we marched back in good Order through Buckingham, all crying out as before, No Timber T. No Traitors Son, No Pensioner, etc. without making any stop, or any manner of Expense in the Town: Part of our Company went to Winslow, and the rest to Alisbury, to refresh ourselves, and so every man to his own home.  
Thus Sir, I have given you a short and true Account of our proceedings; and it was very pleasant to me to see six thousand Horse in so small a County, every man able to bear his own Charges; And I hope the Nobility, Gentry and Freeholders throughout the Kingdom, will be ready on all occasions to give the like Encouragement; and then I doubt not but all the Freeholders in England will be united as one man against Popery, and Arbitrary Government, and follow the Example of these brave English Spirits of Buckinghamshire.  
From Alisbury. August, 23. 1679.  
FINIS.