The
CASE of Sir William Drake Knight, concerning his Election and Return as Burgess for the Burrough of
Agmondisham in the County of
Bucks.
Humbly offered to the Consideration of the Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled.
AGmondisham is an Ancient Burrough. The Chief Officers are two Constables. The Electors are all the Inhabitants not receiving Collection. A Precept coming to the Constables for Electing two Burgesses to Serve in the present Parliament.
The day of Election was Thursday the Seventh day of August, 1679.
The Competitors were
- Sir William Drake, who upon the Poll appeared to have 74 good Votes.
- Sir Roger Hill admitted to be duly Elected.
- Algernoone Sydney Esquire, who had only 70 Votes and of them 12 were excepted against.
The Poll was taken in the Forenoon, and some Queries were made against some of the Electors; Proclamation was made for any other that had right to Vote to come in, and none coming the Poll was closed by Consent of all Persons concerned and left [...] in a Gentleman's hands, and by like Consent it was agreed to meet at three a Clock in the Afternoon to inspect the Poll, and Examine the doubtf [...] [...], and that no further Votes than those in the Poll should be admitted on any hand.
In the Afternoon at the time appointed all Parties appeared, and one Nash then offering to Vote for Mr. Sydney [...] refused by [...] Ag [...] which occasioned some dispute, but Sir William Drake then pressed that the Poll might be opened and the questionable Votes examined, and that such as appeared to have the Majority of good Votes might be returned, and for that purpose the Poll was produced; But by the means of Mr. Sydney and some present on his behalf the younger Constable(having by surprize gotten the Precept into his hands) was prevailed withal, (before the Poll was cast up, and the questionable Votes examined) to return Sir Roger Hill and Mr. Sydney, notwithstanding Sir William Drake desired the Poll might be first inspected and examined, and was ready and offered to make out the Exceptions against 12 of Mr. Sydney's Votes, so that Sir William Drake not being able to procure Justice from the younger Constable, applied to the other, and the Poll being produced. opened, cast up and examined, the Numbers and Exceptions appearing as above, the other being the first and Chief Constable of the Burrough, proclaimed and returned Sir Roger Hill and Sir William Drake, to be duly Elected.
The Cause upon the Merits of the Retorn and Election is appointed t [...] be heard Wednesday the Third of November, 1680. at Three in the Afternoon.