s ready to exchange the
excitement of the chase for a bit of civil war. Without that the country
would have grown dull, and ale and venison lost their flavor. There was
no gay London in those days, and a good brisk skirmish with their
neighbors in helm and hauberk was the way of spending their season. It
was their parliamentary debate, and was necessary to thin their woods.
Protection and Free Trade were as much the great topics of interest as
they are now, only they did not trouble themselves so much about Corn
bills. Their bills were of good steel, and their protective measures were
arrows a cloth-yard long. Protection meant a good suit of mail; and a
castle with its duly prescribed moats, bastions, portcullises, and donjon
keep. Free Trade was a lively inroad into the neighboring baron's lands,
and the iportation thence of goodly herds and flocks. Foreign cattle for
home consumption was as _sticking an article_ in their markets as in
ours, only the blows were expended on one another's heads, instead of the
heads of foreign bullocks--that is, bullocks from over the Welch or
Scotch marches, as from beyond the next brook.

Thus lived the Rockvilles for ages. In all the iron combats of those iron
times they took care to have their quota. Whether it were Stephen against
Matilda, or Richard against his father, or John against the barons;
whether it were York or Lancaster, or Tudor or Stuart, the Rockvilles
were to be found in the _melee_, and winning power and lands. So long as
it required only stalwart frames and stout blows, no family cut a more
conspicuous figure. The Rockvilles were at Bosworth Field. The Rockvilles
fought in Ireland under Elizabeth. The Rockvilles were staunch defenders
of the cause in the war of Charles I. with his Parliament. The Rockvilles
even fought for James II. at the Boyne, when three-fourths of the most
loyal of the English nobility and gentry had deserted him in disgust and
indignation. But from that hour they had been less conspicuous.

The opposition to the successful party, that of William of Orange, of
course brought them into disgrace: and though they were never molested on
that account, they retired to their estate, and found it convenient to be
as unobtrusive as possible. Thenceforward you heard no more of the
Rockvilles in the national annals. They became only of consequence in
their own district. They acted as magistrates. They served as high
sheriffs. They were a substantial county