88 VOICES FROM THE WOODLANDS. 



took the place of old baronial castles, with their portcullises 

 and moats. Churches were erected, and many a small 

 Saxon edifice, with its bell-tower, was seen among the 

 trees; and causeways, made over swamps, often led from 

 one stately dwelling to another, or else rendered some 

 near towns accessible. 



Yonder farmhouse, with its iron-barred door, its wide 

 porch, and ruined moat, was once a place of no small 

 consequence. A squire of high degree dwelt there ; and I 

 remember that his going forth to the meeting of the shire, 

 on public occasions, was attended with considerable state. 

 First came his heavy carriage, drawn by six long-tailed 

 black horses, ponderous as the huge vehicle that slowly 

 wended after them. They had hard work to draw it up the 

 hill ; and not unfrequently, stout yeomen, with spades and 

 mattocks, followed through the deep miry lanes, in order 

 to extricate the coach if needful. After this same heavy 

 lumbering vehicle came riders, two and two, in handsome 

 dresses of green and gold ; for on such state occasions the 



