Another circumstance greatly embittered the minds of the squires against Mr. Degge. The difficulty which he found in procuring the conviction of a person for any offence against his property, or of defending any of his work-people or the villagers against vexatious warrants issued by one or other of these gentlemen on the suggestions of their bailiffs or keepers, induced him to desire to be made a magistrate of the county as well as the town, which he was. Sir Emanuel Clavering was willing at all times to give him his support, but then he was only one opposed to half a-dozen, or, if they chose to carry the matter to the sessions, many more. Sir Emanuel strongly recommended this step, as although it would leave him in a very slender minority, there were cases which they could deal with on their united warrants, and their influence would be felt altogether more effectual. This object was accomplished through the intervention of Lord Netherland, the Recorder of Castleborough, but to the infinite disgust of the squirearchy, of the stamp described, all round. The epithets of “pauper” and “upstart” were heard once more in every cadence of indignation. Here was this tradesman, this unabashed, irrepressible plebeian, now not only planting himself down in the very midst of them, but usurping their honourable magisterial functions, and mounting the very bench hallowed by their time-honoured dulnesses. Sir Roger Rockville was in a condition of the most deplorable effervescence. Scarcely had this odious apparition started up amongst them, and desecrated the arena of their justiciary operations, when a circumstance occurred which startled them with a proof of the inconveniences which they had to apprehend. A labourer and his son, a boy about ten years of age, was returning from the fields towards Hillmartin village, and were following the footpath through a copse, when the lad saw a thrush’s nest on one of the lowest boughs of a spruce-fir, temptingly nestled close to the stem, not more than a yard from the ground. Away he ran towards it, his father stopping for him on the path. Arrived near the tree, the lad as he ran struck his foot against something and fell, but jumping up, said, “Oh father, here is a great chain!” He was stooping to lift it up, when the father cried out, “Let it alone! let it alone! it is a man-trap!” The boy stood terrified at the dreaded name of a man-trap. The father advanced carefully, poking the ground, which was covered with dead leaves, with a long pole which he picked up. When he came to the spot where the boy stood, he saw part of a strong chain laid bare, and lifting it up, discovered close to his feet a stout iron pin, which was driven into the ground and thus confined the chain. Telling the boy not to move, he gradually lifted the chain till he felt it again fast. “There,” he said, “is the trap.”