Goodfolkwhodwellinalawfulland，ifanysuchtherebe，mayforwantofexploration，judgeourneighbourhoodharshly，unlessthewholetruthissetbeforethem。Inbarofsuchprejudice，manyofusaskleavetoexplainhowandwhyitwastherobberscametothatheadinthemidstofus。Wewouldrathernothavehaditso，Godknowsaswellasanybody；butitgrewuponusgently，inthefollowingmanner。OnlyletallwhoreadobservethathereIentermanythingswhichcametomyknowledgeinlateryears。
　　InorabouttheyearofourLord1640，whenallthetroublesofEnglandwereswellingtoanoutburst，greatestatesintheNorthcountryweresuddenlyconfiscated，throughsomefeudoffamiliesandstronginfluenceatCourt，andtheownerswereturnedupontheworld，andmightthinkthemselvesluckytosavetheirnecks。
　　Theseestateswereinco-heirship，jointtenancyI
　　thinktheycalledit，althoughIknownotthemeaning，onlysothatifeithertenantdied，theotherliving，allwouldcometotheliveoneinspiteofanytestament。
　　OneofthejointownerswasSirEnsorDoone，agentlemanofbriskintellect；andtheotherownerwashiscousin，theEarlofLorneandDykemont。
　　LordLornewassomeyearstheelderofhiscousin，EnsorDoone，andwasmakingsuittogainseveranceofthecumbersomejointtenancybyanyfairapportionment，whensuddenlythisblowfellonthembywilesandwoman’smeddling；andinsteadofdividingtheland，theyweredividedfromit。
　　Thenoblemanwasstillwell-to-do，thoughcrippledinhisexpenditure；butasforthecousin，hewasleftabeggar，withmanytobegfromhim。Hethoughtthattheotherhadwrongedhim，andthatallthetroubleoflawbefellthroughhisunjustpetition。ManyfriendsadvisedhimtomakeinterestatCourt；forhavingdonenoharmwhatever，andbeingagoodCatholic，whichLordLornewasnot，hewouldbesuretofindhearingthere，andprobablysomefavour。Buthe，likeaveryhot-brainedman，althoughhehadlongbeenmarriedtothedaughterofhiscousinwhomhelikednonethemoreforthat，wouldhavenothingtosaytoanyattemptatmakingapatchofit，butdroveawaywithhiswifeandsons，andtherelicsofhismoney，swearinghardateverybody。Inthishemayhavebeenquitewrong；
　　probably，perhaps，hewasso；butIamnotconvincedatallbutwhatmostofuswouldhavedonethesame。
　　Somesaythat，inthebitternessofthatwrongandoutrage，heslewagentlemanoftheCourt，whomhesupposedtohaveborneahandintheplunderingofhisfortunes。OtherssaythathebeardedKingCharlestheFirsthimself，inamannerbeyondforgiveness。Onething，atanyrate，issure——SirEnsorwasattainted，andmadeafelonoutlaw，throughsomeviolentdeedensuinguponhisdispossession。
　　Hehadsearchedinmanyquartersforsomebodytohelphim，andwithgoodwarrantforhopingit，inasmuchashe，inluckydays，hadbeenopen-handedandcousinlytoallwhobeggedadviceofhim。Butnowalltheseprovidedhimwithplentyofgoodadviceindeed，andgreatassuranceoffeeling，butnotamovementofleg，orlip，orpurse-stringinhisfavour。Allgoodpeopleofeitherpersuasion，royaltyorcommonalty，knowinghiskitchen-rangetobecold，nolongerwouldplayturnspit。Andthis，itmaybe，searedhisheartmorethanlossoflandandfame。
　　Ingreatdespairatlast，heresolvedtosettleinsomeoutlandishpart，wherenonecouldbefoundtoknowhim；
　　andso，inanevildayforus，hecametotheWestofEngland。Notthatourpartoftheworldisatalloutlandish，accordingtomyviewofitforIneverfoundabetterone，butthatitwasknowntoberugged，andlarge，anddesolate。Andhere，whenhehaddiscoveredaplacewhichseemedalmosttobemadeforhim，sowithdrawn，soself-defended，anduneasyofaccess，someofthecountry-folkaroundbroughthimlittleofferings——asideofbacon，akegofcider，hungmutton，orabrisketofvenison；sothatforalittlewhilehewasveryhonest。Butwhenthenewnessofhiscomingbegantowearaway，andourgoodfolkwereapttothinkthatevenagentlemanoughttoworkorpayothermenfordoingit，andmanyfarmersweregrownwearyofmannerswithoutdiscoursetothem，andallcriedouttooneanotherhowunfairitwasthatowningsuchafertilevalleyyoungmenwouldnotspadeorploughbyreasonofnoblelineage——thentheyoungDoonesgrowinguptookthingstheywouldnotaskfor。
　　Andhereletme，asasolidman，owneroffivehundredacreswhetherfencedorotherwise，andthatismyownbusiness，churchwardenalsoofthisparishuntilIgotothechurchyard，andproudtobecalledtheparson’sfriend——forabettermanIneverknewwithtobaccoandstrongwaters，noronewhocouldreadthelessonssowellandhehasbeenatBlundell’stoo——onceforallletmedeclare，thatIamathorough-goingChurch-and-Stateman，andRoyalist，withoutanymistakeaboutit。AndthisIlaydown，becausesomepeoplejudgingasausagebytheskin，maytakeinevilpartmylittleglossesofstyleandglibness，andthemottlednatureofmyremarksandcracksnowandthenonthefrying-pan。IassurethemIamgoodinside，andnotabitofrueinme；onlyqueerknots，asofmarjoram，andastupidmannerofbursting。
　　Therewasnotmorethanadozenofthem，countingafewretainerswhostillheldbySirEnsor；butsoontheygrewandmultipliedinamannersurprisingtothinkof。
　　Whetheritwasthevenison，whichwecallastrengtheningvictual，orwhetheritwastheExmoormutton，orthekeensoftairofthemoorlands，anyhowtheDoonesincreasedmuchfasterthantheirhonesty。
　　Atfirsttheyhadbroughtsomeladieswiththem，ofgoodreputewithcharity；andthen，astimewenton，theyaddedtotheirstockbycarrying。Theycarriedoffmanygoodfarmers’daughters，whoweresadlydispleasedatfirst；buttooktothemkindlyafterawhile，andmadeanewhomeintheirbabies。Forwomen，asitseemstome，likestrongmenmorethanweakones，feelingthattheyneedsomestaunchness，somethingtoholdfastby。
　　Andofallthemeninourcountry，althoughweareofathick-setbreed，youscarcecouldfindoneinthree-scorefittobeplacedamongtheDoones，withoutlookingnomorethanatailor。Likeenough，wecouldmeetthemmanformanifwechoseallaroundthecrownandtheskirtsofExmoor，andshowthemwhatacross-buttockmeans，becausewearesostuggy；butinregardofstature，comeliness，andbearing，nowomanwouldlooktwiceatus。NotbutwhatImyself，JohnRidd，andoneortwoIknowof——butitbecomesmebestnottotalkofthat，althoughmyhairisgray。
　　Perhapstheirdenmightwellhavebeenstormed，andthemselvesdrivenoutoftheforest，ifhonestpeoplehadonlyagreedtobeginwiththematoncewhenfirsttheytooktoplundering。Buthavingrespectfortheirgoodbirth，andpityfortheirmisfortunes，andperhapsalittleadmirationatthejusticeofGod，thatrobbedmennowwererobbers，thesquires，andfarmers，andshepherds，atfirstdidnothingmorethangrumblegently，orevenmakealaughofit，eachinthecaseofothers。Afterawhiletheyfoundthemattergonetoofarforlaughter，asviolenceanddeadlyoutragestainedthehandofrobbery，untileverywomanclutchedherchild，andeverymanturnedpaleattheverynameofDoone。ForthesonsandgrandsonsofSirEnsorgrewupinfoulliberty，andhaughtiness，andhatred，toutterscornofGodandman，andbrutalitytowardsdumbanimals。Therewasonlyonegoodthingaboutthem，ifindeeditweregood，towit，theirfaithtooneanother，andtruthtotheirwildeyry。Butthisonlymadethemfearedthemore，socertainwastherevengetheywreakeduponanywhodaredtostrikeaDoone。Onenight，sometenyearsereIwasborn，whentheyweresackingarichman’shousenotveryfarfromMinehead，ashotwasfiredattheminthedark，ofwhichtheytooklittlenotice，andonlyoneofthemknewthatanyharmwasdone。Butwhentheywerewellonthehomewardroad，nothavingslaineithermanorwoman，orevenburnedahousedown，oneoftheirnumberfellfromhissaddle，anddiedwithoutsomuchasagroan。Theyouthhadbeenstruck，butwouldnotcomplain，andperhapstooklittleheedofthewound，whilehewasbleedinginwardly。Hisbrothersandcousinslaidhimsoftlyonabankofwhortle-berries，andjustrodebacktothelonelyhamletwherehehadtakenhisdeath-wound。Nomannorwomanwasleftinthemorning，norhouseforanytodwellin，onlyachildwithitsreasongone。*
　　*Thisviledeedwasdone，beyondalldoubt。
　　Thisaffairmadeprudentpeoplefindmorereasontoletthemalonethantomeddlewiththem；andnowtheyhadsoentrenchedthemselves，andwaxedsostronginnumber，thatnothinglessthanatroopofsoldierscouldwiselyentertheirpremises；andevensoitmightturnoutill，asperchanceweshallseeby-and-by。
　　Fornottomentionthestrengthoftheplace，whichI
　　shalldescribeinitsproperorderwhenIcometovisitit，therewasnotoneamongthembutwasamightyman，straightandtall，andwide，andfittoliftfourhundredweight。IfsonorgrandsonofoldDoone，oroneofthenorthernretainers，failedattheageoftwenty，whilestandingonhisnakedfeettotouchwithhisforeheadthelintelofSirEnsor’sdoor，andtofillthedoorframewithhisshouldersfromsideposteventosidepost，hewasledawaytothenarrowpasswhichmadetheirvalleysodesperate，andthrustfromthecrownwithignominy，togethisownlivinghonestly。Now，themeasureofthatdoorwayis，orratherwas，Ioughttosay，sixfeetandoneinchlengthwise，andtwofeetallbuttwoinchestakencrosswaysintheclear。YetI
　　notonlyhaveheardbutknow，beingsocloselymixedwiththem，thatnodescendantofoldSirEnsor，neitherrelativeofhisexcept，indeed，theCounsellor，whowaskeptbythemforhiswisdom，andnomorethantwooftheirfollowingeverfailedofthattest，andrelapsedtothedifficultwaysofhonesty。
　　NotthatIthinkanythinggreatofastandardthelikeofthat：foriftheyhadsetmeinthatdoor-frameattheageoftwenty，itislikeenoughthatIshouldhavewalkedawaywithitonmyshoulders，thoughIwasnotcometomyfullstrengththen：onlyIamspeakingnowoftheaveragesizeofourneighbourhood，andtheDooneswerefarbeyondthat。Moreover，theyweretaughttoshootwithaheavycarbinesodelicatelyandwisely，thatevenaboycouldpassaballthrougharabbit’sheadatthedistanceoffourscoreyards。Somepeoplemaythinknoughtofthis，beinginpracticewithlongershotsfromthetonguethanfromtheshoulder；
　　nevertheless，todoasaboveis，tomyignorance，verygoodwork，ifyoucanbesuretodoit。NotoneworddoIbelieveofRobinHoodsplittingpeeledwandsatseven-scoreyards，andsuchlike。Whoeverwrotesuchstoriesknewnothowslipperyapeeledwandis，evenifonecouldhitit，andhowitgivestotheonset。Now，lethimstickoneintheground，andtakehisbowandarrowatit，tenyardsaway，orevenfive。
　　Now，afterallthiswhichIhavewritten，andalltherestwhichareaderwillsee，beingquickerofmindthanIamwholeavemorethanhalfbehindme，likeamansowingwheat，withhisdinnerlaidintheditchtoonearhisdog，itismuchbutwhatyouwillunderstandtheDoonesfarbetterthanIdid，ordoeventothismoment；andthereforenonewilldoubtwhenItellthemthatourgoodjusticiariesfearedtomakeanado，orholdanypublicinquiryaboutmydearfather’sdeath。
　　Theywouldallhavehadtoridehomethatnight，andwhocouldsaywhatmightbetidethem。Leastsaidsoonestmended，becauselesschanceofbreaking。
　　Soweburiedhimquietly——allexceptmymother，indeed，forshecouldnotkeepsilence——intheslopinglittlechurchyardofOare，asmeekaplaceasneedbe，withtheLynnbrookdownbelowit。Thereisnotmuchofcompanythereforanybody’stombstone，becausetheparishspreadssofarinwoodsandmoorswithoutdwelling-house。Ifweburyonemaninthreeyears，orevenawomanorchild，wetalkaboutitforthreemonths，andsayitmustbeourturnnext，andscarcelygrowaccustomedtoituntilanothergoes。
　　Anniewasnotallowedtocome，becauseshecriedsoterribly；butsherantothewindow，andsawitall，mooingtherelikealittlecalf，sofrightenedandsoleftalone。AsforEliza，shecamewithme，oneoneachsideofmother，andnotatearwasinhereyes，butsuddenstartsofwonder，andanewthingtobelookedatunwillingly，yetcuriously。Poorlittlething!shewasveryclever，theonlyoneofourfamily——thankGodforthesame——butnonethemoreforthatguessedshewhatitistoloseafather。