“Most assuredly they would,” replied the reeve; “and furthermore, they would pay the lawyer well who could manage the matter adroitly for them.  This would answer your purpose better than hunting up witches, Master Potts.”

“One pursuit does not interfere with the other in the slightest degree, worthy reeve,” observed Potts.  “I cannot consent to give up my quest of the witches.  My honour is concerned in their extermination.  But to turn to Pendle Forest—­the greater part of it has been disafforested, I presume?”

“It has,” replied the other—­“and we are now in one of the purlieus.”

“Pourallee is the better word, most excellent reeve,” said Potts.  “I tell you thus much, because you appear to be a man of learning.  Manwood, our great authority in such matters, declares a pourallee to be ’a certain territory of ground adjoining unto the forest, mered and bounded with immovable marks, meres, and boundaries, known by matter of record only.’  And as it applies to the perambulation we are about to make, I may as well repeat what the same learned writer further saith touching marks, meres, and boundaries, and how they may be known.  ‘For although,’ he saith, ’a forest doth lie open, and not inclosed with hedge, ditch, pale, or stone-wall, which some other inclosures have; yet in the eye and consideration of the law, the same hath as strong an inclosure by those marks, meres, and boundaries, as if there were a brick wall to encircle the same.’  Marks, learned reeve, are deemed unremovable—­ primo, quia omnes metae forestae sunt integrae domino regi—­and those who take them away are punishable for the trespass at the assizes of the forest. Secundo, because the marks are things that cannot be stirred, as rivers, highways, hills, and the like.  Now, such unremoveable marks, meres, and boundaries we have between the estate of my excellent client, Master Roger Nowell, and that of Mistress Nutter, so that the matter at issue will be easily decided.”

A singular smile crossed the reeve’s countenance, but he made no observation.

“Unless the lady can turn aside streams, remove hills, and pluck up huge trees, we shall win,” pursued Potts, with a chuckle.

Again the reeve smiled, but he forebore to speak.

“You talk of marks, meres, and boundaries, Master Potts,” remarked Richard.  “Are not the words synonymous?”

“Not precisely so, sir,” replied the attorney; “there is a slight difference in their signification, which I will explain to you.  The words of the statute are ’metas, meras, et bundas,’—­now meta, or mark, is an object rising from the ground, as a church, a wall, or a tree; mera, or mere, is the space or interval between the forest and the land adjoining, whereupon the mark may chance to stand; and bunda is the boundary, lying on a level with the forest, as a river, a highway, a pool, or a bog.”

“I comprehend the distinction,” replied Richard.  “And now, as we are on this subject,” he added to the reeve, “I would gladly know the precise nature of your office?”