io8 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



ancient mulberries, at least three centuries old. The 

 orchard contained the cow-house, piggeries, and 

 hospital for horses when lame or ill. This orchard 

 was bounded by a mill stream, and in the midst was 

 a large shallow pond, called a 'stew,' for fresh-water 

 fish, in which was kept an eel trunk, consisting of a 

 strong iron-bound box about four feet long and two 

 feet wide and deep, perforated with holes, and a lid 

 fastened with lock and key, the latter kept by the 

 man cook, who was the head of the servants. In 

 this trunk or box were kept live eels, the trunk 

 having a strong iron chain attached to it, which was 

 fastened to the base of a large tree adjoining ; this 

 enabled the trunk to be hauled up a sloping bank, 

 when the wriggling occupants could be taken out, 

 affording adelicious dish when company required fish. 

 Two or three big perch, with the same number of 

 tench, were also kept there. This was very neces- 

 sary, as there were rarely any fishmongers' shops 

 then in the town, and sea fish only came down from 

 London when plentiful, and was brought by the 

 stage coaches. The brook side was edged by large 

 silvery-leaved Abele trees of more than a century 

 old. A rookery was established in the elms, and 

 plenty of starlings had done the same in the hollow 

 holes in the trunks of the Abeles. The stables were 

 stalled. Boxes being almost unknown, timber and 

 brick built, some of them had what were called bails, 

 large pieces of timber fastened by a short chain to 

 the manger, hanging by chains to a beam in the 

 ceiling above. The lofts for hay, straw, and corn 



