Page 59 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

THE DINNER

After a very considerable, and as it appeared most unnecessary
delay, the company reassembled in the barn, which was situated
about a mile from the memorial.

The company included the names above mentioned, as well as a
very considerable number of the surrounding gentry. About 160
sat down.

Lord Nugent occupied the chair, and was supported by Sir S.
Hancock, Professor Hampden, Sir J. Easthope, &.

The cloth having been removed, The Chairman proposed "The
Health of Her Majesty the Queen," which was drunk with three
times three.

Before the applause which followed this toast had subsided,
some amusement was created by a man thrusting his head through
a space formed by a missing board about 15 feet from the ground
and calling out in a loud voice" Don't speak in a corner, let
all hear!"

The Chairman next gave" the Constitution," which was
enthusiastically responded to by the meeting, who drank the
toast upstanding with all honours.

The Chairman then rose to draw attention of those assembled
to the occasion which had brought them together. (Hear.) They
were met to do honour to the memory of him who two centuries
since had shed blood on that field, and to the cause in which
he spent his life and met his death -that he had embellished
throughout his life and bequeathed by his glorious death to the
love and honour of all who cherished in their breasts a feeling
of gratitude towards those who fought in defence of the
liberties of their common country. (Cheers.) And what was this
cause -for it was their fortune to live in times when it was no
offence to the authorities to speak freely of the tyranny from
which they had been redeemed by our forefather. (Hear, hear.)
They lived in times when that great problem of free majesty had
been solved and acknowledged -that problem, the solution of
which, said Tacitus, "hath joined things aforetime disunited, -
viz., sovereignty and liberty" (Hear, hear) and they were met
on that memorable field to do grateful homage to the cause in
which Hampden died. (prolonged cheers.)

He wished to say a few words on the inscription engraven on
the monument that day completed. He alluded to the expression,
"In defence of the free majesty," which had been objected to by
some persons. He was anxious to justify this. In the Ashmolean
collection at Oxford there was a medallion preserved, shown, on