14th November 1817: Lancelot Rolleston sends the indemnifying confessions of Nottinghamshire Luddites to the Home Office

My Lord

I have the honour of enclosing your Lordship four acknowledgements taken by me in comformity to the proclamation issued last summer; I have reason to believe many others would have come forward had they not been dissuaded by old Badder who went round for that purpose. Since I had the honour of seeing your Lordship, I have had frequent opportunities of ascertaining the effect produced by the proceedings of the last year, which I am fully convinced have not only destroyed the spirit of Luddism, but impressed the minds of that class of the [community] with a respect for the Justice, as well as a proper sense of the power of the [laws].

I know your Lordship to be well acquainted with the specious and designing characters of Ward, Henson &c &c but it is not to these men I allude, but their misguided instruments, who profess a just feeling of indignation against their seducers, & will not again I think be easily led to a recommission of similar crimes. My last plan for the apprehension of Christr. Blackburn is laid, but I have very faint hopes of success, but should I succeed, your Lordship shall immediately be informed.

I have [etc]
Lanct. Rolleston

Watnall
Nov. 14th. 1817

[Confessions follow]

County of Nottingham

I Jonathan Austin of Basford in the County of Nottingham do hereby acknowledge myself to have been a party at the breaking of the frames at Bramcote last summer

Jonathan
my X mark―
Austin

Acknowledged
Before me July 22nd 1817

Lanct. Rolleston one of his Majesty’s justices of the peace for the said County


County of Nottingham

I Joseph Mellors of Basford in the County of Nottingham do hereby acknowledge myself to have been actively concerned in the framebreaking at Carnel’s house at Bulwell & at the different houses at Lambley in Octr. last

his
Joseph x Mellors
mark

Acknowledged before me one of his Majesty’s justices of the peace for the said County

this 23rd of July 22nd 1817

Lanct. Rolleston 


I, John Lomas of the parish of Bulwell do hereby acknowledge myself to have been actively concerned in breaking frames at Lambley in Octr. last & also at Thos, Carnells at Bulwell last winter.

Acknowledged before me
one of his Majesty’s justices
of the Peace for the County
of Nottingham

John
his X mark
Lomas

Lanct. Rolleston


I, Nathan Diggle of Basford in the County of Nottingham do hereby acknowledge myself to have been actively concerned in breaking frames at Mullins & Wrights at Radford, at Carnell’s at Bulwell, at the different houses in Lambley, & at Bramley, at Bramcote, all in the last two years

Nathan Diggle

Acknowledged before me
One of his Majesty’s justices
Of the Peace for the County of
Notts. This 27th of Aug. 1817

Lanct. Rolleston

27th March 1817: Daniel Diggle writes to his family, from Nottingham Gaol

Nottingham County Gaol, March 27, 1817.

DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,

I take the opportunity of writing to you, hoping these few lines will find you in good health as they leave me better than ever I have been for many years, thanks be to God for it. I can die happy, for I put my trust in God—God is all my cry; night and day do I put my trust in him. I have now nearly finished another week, perhaps it may be my last week in this world, at least my last week will come. I shall not live another week on the earth; death is drawing nearer and nearer—it is sure to go, but how soon is uncertain. I might have been cut off in my mad career, then what would have become of me.

DEAR BROTHER,

Think of my situation, and keep good company. Do not break the Sabbath-day, and go to some place of worship, that will be the best you can do; for if I had been ruled in time, I should not have been here—that you know too well. I was glad to hear of your getting your liberty once more; and now you have got it again, strive to keep it. If any one entice you to go to the ale-house, do not go with them, unless you know them to be good company, for good company is the best: take my advice, dear brother, that you may be a comfort to my dear father and mother as long as you live. If you take the advice, I am very sure you will take no harm. See what bad company has brought me to. I beg you will take my advice—let me beg and desire you will. If I been at a place of worship on the Sunday night, instead of going to do what I did, how much better a man should I have been. Give my advice to all my companions, that they may repent before it be too late, for there is no repentance in the grave. Lord, hear my prayer for them. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. An unpardoned sinner can have no peace with God. Dear brother, keep the Sabbath by all means, for that is the root of all.—But have I not sinned against God, and deserved this awful punishment? yes, my very heart is sinful, and the sins of my life are more than can be numbered. I have not indeed been what the world calls a great sinner; but oh! how often have I taken God's name in vain; how often have I broken the Sabbath by my sinful pleasure; how many times have I disobeyed my parents; how idle and legitimate have I been; how often have I coveted my neighbour’s goods; surely I must, in God’s sight, be a very great sinner; surely I have reason to fear, lest he should cast me into hell: now Christ is my only Saviour from this place of torment.

[DANIEL DIGGLE]

18th March 1817: The trial of Joseph Mellors, Nathan Diggle & Jonathan Austin, for attacking William Cook, at Nottingham Assizes

On the same day that the Luddite Daniel Diggle was tried and sentenced to death for his part in an abortive attack in Nottingham, his accomplices in a later attack on Lord Middleton's gamekeeper - William Cook - were put on trial at Nottingham Assizes:

JOSEPH MELLORS, NATHAN DIGGLE, and JONATHAN AUSTIN were put to the bar, charged with having in the night between the 2d and 3d of January last, in company with Daniel Diggle, the prisoner on whom sentence had just been passed, and four others, who have absconded, among whom were Henfrey, Woolley, and Shaw,) beset the house of Mr. William Cook, of Shortwood, near Trowell (gamekeeper to the Right Hon. Lord Middleton) and firing at him several times, through his chamber window, and also firing at Francis Woolley, his neighbour, who came to Cook’s assistance. 

In this prosecution Lord Middleton addressed the Learned Judge a very feeling and impressive manner, stating, that as a dreadful example to the country was about to be made in the execution of Daniel Diggle, who was the principal person concerned in the outrage upon the person, family, and dwelling of one of his gamekeepers, his Lordship did not wish any sanguinary or vindictive proceedings against the three others in custody, and the more especially, as he had reason to believe, they were the least guilty of any of the gang: for as to one of them, when Daniel Diggle proposed to break into Cook’s house and murder him, that one prevented Daniel Diggle from so doing: and therefore, with the learned Judge's permission, he (Lord Middleton) would withdraw all further proceedings against them—his Lordship declaring that all proper means should be taken to apprehend Henfrey, Woolley, Shaw, and others, who, it appeared, had been concerned in the attack upon the house of Kerry, but who were equally guilty with Daniel Diggle, in the outrage in the middle of the night at Cook’s. His Lordship declared that his motive was only public justice, and he thought, as to the four in custody, that end had been obtained. 

The Learned Judge very pointedly complimented Lord Middleton upon the propriety of his conduct on the occasion, and in the most solemn and impressive manner addressed the three prisoners at the bar, informing them, that they owed their lives to his Lordships interference in their favor; for it appeared from documents in the Learned Judge's possession that they were guilty, and might have been convicted if the prosecution had been proceeded in. The Learned Judge exhorted them to go home and break off from the gang of depredators with which they had been heretofore connected—to amend their lives—and, in future, to endeavour to live by honest industry; and to beware of ever being brought to the bar of a Court of Justice again.

15th January 1817: 3 more committals for the attack on William Cooke are reported in the press

The Derby Mercury of 30th January 1817 carried a report about further arrests regarding the attack on William Cooke on 2nd January:

On the 15th inst. Joseph Mellors, Nathan Diggle, and Daniel Diggle, were committed to the county gaol, at Nottingham, for trial at the next assizes, charged with shooting at William Cooke and Francis Thorley, at Trowell, Nottinghamshire.

Other information coming to light would, however, lead to different charges being eventually laid upon one of those arrested.