10th August 1816: Leicester bourgeoisie turn out in force to protect the Assizes Judges

The 16th August 1816 edition of the (Tory) Leicester Journal described the scene early in the morning immediately prior to the commencement of the trial of James Towle and two others for frame-breaking at Loughborough:

Saturday morning presented a most interesting a grateful spectacle: the violent and disgraceful proceedings which are stated to have occurred during the late Assizes at Nottingham, and which were said to have intimidated the Jury, from a conscientious discharge of their duty, induced a large portion of the most respectable inhabitants of this town, to rally round the Constituted Authorities, and give their aid towards the faithful administration of Justice. At 6 o’clock between two and three hundred assembled at the Exchange, each receiving a white wand and a club, and headed by the Chief Magistrate, proceeded in fours to the Judges lodgings, where they formed on each side of the street, after the Judges had entered their carriage, they escorted them to the Castle, and the trials of the LUDDITES were immediately proceeded in.