Folios 72-77. Folios 72-74. Letter to Mr [Samuel] Ennew, Clerk of the Peace for Essex,...

Folios 72-77. Folios 72-74. Letter to Mr [Samuel] Ennew, Clerk of the Peace for Essex, from Lord Rochford as Lord-Lieutenant of Essex recommending to the magistrates of Colchester (who had applied to the Secretary at War for troops to be sent to assist in preventing the riots there) that they use their utmost endeavours to stop the riots and to be as expeditious as possible in seizing some of the people involved 'the making early examples of such as shall be found guilty will be the means of preventing further mischief'. Draft. Endorsed 'Read by The King'. Folios 75-76. Letter from F Smythies, in the absence of Mr Ennew, replying to Lord Rochford that the magistrates 'have exerted themselves in a very spirited manner and in a very generous one as gentlemen'. In their private capacity they had raised a large subscription to supply the immediate wants and relieve the present distress of the poor' but this can provide only temporary relief. The general opinion seems to be that only reducing the price of all kinds of provisions, which cannot be effected without legislation, could keep the peace. He says with regard to provisions those at Colchester ' had been in very disagreeable circumstances' with no market the previous Saturday and no butcher's meat, corn meal or flour brought into the town for more than a week. He ends his letter 'upon the whole I think the mob seems rather to gain strength than abate, and what will be the consequence I cannot tell'.