10th August 1816: Henry Enfield informs the Home Office of the Luddites plan to assassinate the Nottingham Assize Judge

Nottingham August 10th 1816—

Sir

The Secret Report, of which I now enclose you a Copy for the Information of Lord Sidmouth, was made too late yesterday to enable me to send it by yesterday's post, which I should otherwise have certainly done.—It contained a confirmation of a most dreadful rumour, which has been current during the present week, of a plan having been matured in the Crowd attending the late Trial of Glover and Chettle for Framebreaking, to attack the person of the Judge (Mr. Baron Graham) in case the prisoners had been convicted.—The Trial took place last Saturday at the Assizes for this County, and was protracted, by the multitude of witnesses called on the part of the Prisoners in their defence (the defence being in each case an Alibi) until the late hour of 2 in the morning.—

I sent to Leicester yesterday a confidential communication to Mr. Clarke (the leading Counsel for the Crown) of this confirmation of the rumour—leaving it to his discretion whether to impart it to the Judge.—

The Trial of Towle, Slater and Badder was to come on this morning at Leicester—we are anxiously waiting to know the result.—

I remain
Sir
your hble Sservant

H Enfield

[To] Jas. Beckett Esqr

---

This letter can be found at HO 42/152.