ended by breaking down the gate.

This conduct was repeated on Tuesday, and on many Saturdays
following; some young trees in the churchyard were cut, and abuse of
the parson written on the walls the idle young men taking this
opportunity to revenge their own quarrels, caused by Mr. Devereux's
former efforts for their reformation.

On Sunday several children were absent from school; all those
belonging to Farmer Gage's labourers were taken away, and one man was
turned off by the farmers for refusing to remove his child.

Now that the war was carried on so openly, Mr. Mohun considered it
his duty to withdraw his custom from one who chose to set his pastor
at defiance. He went to the forge, and had a long conversation with
the blacksmith, but though he was listened to with respect, it was
not easy to make much impression on an ignorant, hot-tempered man,
who had been greatly offended, and prided himself on showing that he
would support the quarrel of his wife and her relations against both
squire and parson; and though Mr. Mohun did persuade him to own that
it was wrong to be at war with the clergyman, the effect of his
arguments was soon done away with by the Gages, and no ground was
gained.

Mr. Gage's farm was unhappily at no great distance from a dissenting
chapel and school, in the adjoining parish of Stoney Bridge, and
thither the farmer and blacksmith betook themselves, with many of the
cottagers of Broom Hill.

One alone of the family of Tom Naylor refused to join him in his