Page 228 of The Armor of Light

Fishwick outlined why. ‘Since the assault on Moses Crocket’s mill, three more establishments have been targeted by these evildoers,’ he said. ‘Alderman Hornbeam’s Piggery Mill, Alderman Barrowfield’s Old Mill, and my own mill. In all cases machines were damaged, fires were started, and the name NED LUDD was written in large capital letters with red paint on the wall. And there have been similar incidents in nearby towns.’

Hornbeam said: ‘Do we think this man has moved here from the north?’

‘I don’t think he even exists,’ said Fishwick. ‘Ned Ludd is probably a mythical character, like Robin Hood. These atrocities aren’t organized by any central figure, in my opinion. It’s just a case of discontented men imitating other discontented men.’

Rupe Underwood said: ‘I’ve been lucky enough to escape this kindof trouble so far.’ Rupe was in his forties, like Amos. His blond forelock was greying, but he still had the habit of tossing his head to get his hair out of his eyes. He probably would continue to escape vandalism, Spade thought. The processes involved in making silk ribbons were the same as for wool cloth – spinning, dyeing and weaving – but it was a specialist enterprise employing a small number of people. ‘I have to ask,’ Rupe went on, ‘whether the mills that suffered these assaults were guarded?’

‘All of them,’ said Fishwick.

‘So why were the guards ineffective?’

‘My men were overcome and tied up.’

Hornbeam said disgustedly: ‘Mine threw aside their cudgels and ran away. I’ve hired new men and given them pistols, but I’m closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.’

Amos Barrowfield frowned. ‘I’m worried about firearms. If our guards have them, perhaps the Luddites will get them, and then there will be deaths. I’ve increased the number of my guards but kept the same weapons, just cudgels.’

That irritated Hornbeam. ‘If we’re squeamish about counter-measures, we’ll never get rid of the damn Luddites.’

Fishwick bristled. ‘I realize emotions are running high, but we generally try to avoid indecorous language at council meetings, Alderman Hornbeam, if you’ll forgive me.’

‘I beg your pardon,’ Hornbeam said sullenly. ‘But surely most of us have read about the trial of Luddites in York. Sixty-four men were brought before a special assize court. Seventeen were hanged and twenty-four transported. And the machine-breaking has stopped.’

Fishwick said: ‘But we’ve never caught the perpetrators in the act. They always attack at night. They wear hoods with eyeholes, so we don’t even know the colour of their hair. They obviously know their way around the mills, because they work so fast. They get in, do thedamage, and get out again before the alarm can be raised. Then they vanish.’

Rupe said: ‘They probably run a short distance away, take off their hoods, then return in the guise of helpful neighbours and start pouring water on the fire.’

Spade thought that was exactly what they would do.

‘Just a minute,’ said Hornbeam. ‘These problems did not defeat the authorities at York. They knew who the troublemakers were and found them guilty, not worrying about lawyer-like hair-splitting over proof.’

That was true, Spade knew. He had read about the trial in the newspapers. It was very controversial. Some of those accused were nothing to do with the Luddites, and some had alibis, but they were found guilty just the same. Hornbeam clearly wanted the same kind of justice in Kingsbridge.

Hornbeam went on: ‘We know which Kingsbridge hand workers have lost their living because of new machinery. We simply need to make a list.’

Amos said: ‘What, and hang them all?’

‘We could start by arresting them all. At least we could be sure we had the Luddites in the net.’

‘And a couple of hundred law-abiding men.’

‘It’s not that many.’

‘When did you count them, Mr Hornbeam?’

Hornbeam did not like to be questioned. ‘All right, Barrowfield, tell me what your plan is.’

‘Do more for unemployed hand workers.’

‘Such as?’

‘Make sure they get poor relief – and no quibbling.’

That was a direct reproof to Hornbeam as overseer of the poor. He said indignantly: ‘They get what they’re entitled to.’

‘And so they smash machines,’ said Amos. ‘And perhaps they willcontinue so to do unless we help them – regardless of what they might be entitled to according to a strict interpretation of the rules.’

Spade silently cheered Amos.