But so far from being intimidated from proceeding, this demonstration only made Sir Roger the more determined.  To have so desperate and irreverent a population coming about his house and woods now presented itself in a much more formidable aspect than ever.  So, next day, not only were the placards once more hoisted, but rewards offered for the discovery of the offenders, attended with all the maledictions of the insulted majesty of the law.  No notice was taken of this, but the whole of Great Stockington was in a buzz and an agitation.  There were posters plastered all over the walls of the town, four times as large as Sir Roger’s notices, in this style:—­

“Englishmen! your dearest rights are menaced!  The Woods of Rockville, your ancient, rightful, and enchanting resorts, are to be closed to you.  Stockingtonians!  The eyes of the world are upon you.  ’Awake! arise! or be forever fallen!’ England expects every man to do his duty!  And your duty is to resist and defy the grasping soil-lords, to seize on your ancient Patrimony!”

“Patrimony!  Ancient and rightful resort of Rockville!” Sir Roger was astounded at the audacity of this upstart, plebeian race.  What!  They actually claimed Rockville, the heritage of a hundred successive Rockvilles, as their own.  Sir Roger determined to carry it to the Sessions; and at the Sessions was a magnificent muster of all his friends.  There was Sir Roger himself in the chair; and on either hand, a prodigious row of county squirearchy.  There was Sir Benjamin Bullockshed, and Sir Thomas Tenterhook, and all the squires,—­Sheepshank, Ramsbottom, Turnbull, Otterbrook, and Swagsides.  The Clerk of Sessions read the notice for the closing of all the footpaths through the woods of Rockville, and declared that this notice had been duly, and for the required period publicly, posted.  The Stockingtonians protested by their able lawyer Daredeville, against any order for the closing of these ancient woods—­the inestimable property of the public.

“Property of the public!” exclaimed Sir Roger.  “Property of the public!” echoed the multitudinous voices of indignant Bullocksheds, Tenterhooks, and Ramsbottoms.  “Why, sir, do you dispute the right of Sir Roger Rockville to his own estate?”

“By no means;” replied the undaunted Daredeville; “the estate of Rockville is unquestionably the property of the honorable baronet, Sir Roger Rockville; but the roads through it are the as unquestionable Property of the public.”

The whole bench looked at itself; that is, at each other, in wrathful astonishment.  The swelling in the diaphragms of the squires Otterbrook, Turnbull, and Swagsides, and all the rest of the worshipful row, was too big to admit of utterance.  Only Sir Roger himself burst forth with an abrupt—­

“Impudent fellows!  But I’ll see them ——­ first!”

“Grant the order!” said Sir Benjamin Bullockshed; and the whole bench nodded assent.  The able lawyer Daredeville retired with a pleasant smile.  He saw an agreeable prospect of plenty of grist to his mill.  Sir Roger was rich, and so was Great Stockington.  He rubbed his hands, not in the least like a man defeated, and thought to himself, “Let them go at it—­all right.”