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THE 


PYTCHLEY  HUNT 

PAST  AND  PRESENT 


ITS  HISTORY  FROM  ITS  FOUNDATION  TO   THE  FRFSE.VT 

DAY;     WITH   FERSONAL    ANECDOTES,    AND    MEMOIRS 

OF   THE  MASTERS   AND   PRINCIPAL   MEMBERS-, 

INCLUDING  THE   WOODLANDS;  ALSO 

UNPUBLISHED  LETTERS   OF 

SIR  F.  B.  HEAD,  Bart., 


BY   THE    LATE 

H.    O.   NETHERCOTE,    Esq. 

FIFTY  XEAE6  A  MEIIBEK  OF  THIS  FAMOIS  HUNT. 


WITH  PORTRAITS  OF  EARL  SPENCER,  SIR  CHARLES  KNIGHTLEY,  COL.  ANSTRUTHER  THOMSON, 
MR,  GEORGE  PAYNE,  AND  THE  AUTHOR;  AND  A  VIEW  OF  OLD  PYTCHLEY  HALL. 


EDITED    BY 

CHARLES  EDMONDS, 

EDITOR    OF   THE    "  ISHiM  "    SHAKESPEAKE  ;    "  BASILICON   DORON  "    OF   KING   JAMES    I.  ; 
"the    POETRY   OP  THE   ANTI-JACOBIN,"   ETC. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


LONDON : 

SAMPSON  LOW,  MARSTON,  SEARLE,  &  RIYIXGTON, 

Limited, 
§t.  Sunstan's  goxtsc, 

Fetter  Lane,  Fleet  Steeet. 

1888. 
[^All  rights  reserved^ 


In  four  volumes,  Imperial  8vo,  31J.  ^d.  each. 

Portraits  of  Celebrated  Raceliorses, 

Past  and  Present,  from  1702. 


Containing  over  400  plates,  reproduced  in  fac-simile  from 
the  best  pictures. 


London: 

SAMPSON  LOW,  MARSTON,  SEARLE,  &  RIVINGTON,  Ld., 

St.  Dunstan's  House,  Fettee  Lane,  E.G. 


IBeaitation* 


Dear  Lord  Spencer, 

To  whom  could  a  history  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt  be  more 
fittingly  dedicated  than  to  a  member  of  that  illustrious  family 
which  has,  not  only  from  tlie  earliest  days  of  its  institution 
been  its  main  pillar  and  support_,  but  which  has  furnished  four 
of  its  most  efficient  and  notable  Masters  ? 

Not  aiming  at  writing  a  work  that  is  likely  to  reach  the 
dignity  of  ''Criticism,"  I  ask  you  to  accept,  for  what  it  is  worth, 
this  effort  of  a  "'prentice  hand;"  which  is  to  give  a  record  of 
hunting  scenes  and  of  hunting  friends — many  of  the  latter  no 
longer  to  be  found  amongst  us — many,  happily,  still  remaining, 
to  think  of  the  past  and  hope  for  future  joys.  Though  it  would 
please  me  to  think  that  within  the  pages  of  this  work  something 
will  be  found  to  interest  those  who  live  outside  the  "  Pytchley 
Hunt," — ^and  not  them  otAj,  but  even  the  "  Sporting  World  " 
generally, — it  iS;  nevertheless,  written  by  a  "Pytchley  man"  for 
"Pytchley  men;"  and  its  biographical  notices  refer  mainly,  if 
not  entirely,  to  certain  of  those  who  have,  from  time  to  time, 
during  the  last  hundred  years,  been  Masters  or  followers  of  this 
famous  Hunt. 

A  fifty  years'  experience  in  the  latter  category  enables  me 
to  speak  with  some  authority  of  the  persons  and  events  alluded 
to  in  these  pages;  and  I  would  fain  hope  that  as  "Naught  has 
been  set  down  in  malice,"  so  from  "Neither  fear,  favour,  nor 
afiection  "  has  anything  been  portrayed  in  any  other  light  than 
that  of 

TRUTH. 


TO  THE  EEADER. 


The  past  and  present  History  of  tlie  Pytchley  Hunt  was 
prepared  for  publication  by  its  lamented  Author^  with 
great  care  and  wifcli  no  slight  pleasure_,  in  the  hope  that  it 
might  interest  and  amuse  not  the  Hunting- world  alone, 
but  also  a  more  extended  circle  of  readers.  Owing  to 
the  sad  fact  that  the  manuscript  was  completed  only 
one  day  before  his  unexpected  death,  there  was  no 
opportunity  for  giving  any  finishing  touches,  or  correct- 
ing any  oversights. 

The  whole  work  has  been  superintended  during  its 
progress  through  the  press,  and  the  index,  &c.,  compiled, 
by  the  Author  s  old  friend  and  bookseller,  Mr.  Charles 
Edmonds,  who  had  been  previously  solicited  by  him 
to  perform  these  duties,  at  the  appointed  time. 

C.  F.  K 


CONTENTS. 


HISTORY  OF  THE    PYTCHLEY  HUNT ;    TO  THE   DEATH 
OF  MR.  GEOEGE  PAYNE. 

Chapter  I. 

PAGE 

Preliminary — John  Bright  and  the  Pjtchley  Hunt — Mr.  B. 
Disraeli  as  a  hunting-man — Sir  Walter  Scott,  Dandie 
Dinmont's  and  the  Pytchley  packs — Alwin  the  hunter  at 
Pytchley  village,  temp.  "William  I. — Old  Hall  at  Pytchley 
— Abhot  of  Peterborough  a  fox-hunter,  temp.  Richard  II. 
— First  pack  of  hounds  ;  Lord  Arundel's,  1670-1700  ;  Hugo 
MeynelFs,  1782;  Earl  Snencer's,  1750 — The  hounds  and 
CMub  at  Pytchley— "  Order  of  the  White  Collar"— Eael 
Spenceb,  Master,  1783-1796 — Members  of  the  Hunt  in 
1782— Mr.  BuLLER  of  Maidwell,  Master,  1796— Diary  of 
Thomas  Isham,  of  Lamport — Mr.  John  Waede,  Master, 
1797-1808 — Lane  Family — Various  dispositions  of  hounds — 
Lord  Althoep,  Master,  1808-1817 — Letters  to  his  father 
— Club  at  Pytchley  re-established — "Rapping'' — Three  and 
four-bottle  men — J  era  Wood — Mr.  Ehves  and  Mr.  Small, 
great  dandies — Mr.  Davy — Mr.  Nethercote  of  Moulton — Mr. 
Cook  of  Hothorp — Lords  Jersey  and  Plymouth — Mr.  Peter 
and  Colonel  C.  Allix — Mr.  Lucas — Mr.  Bouverie  of  Delapre 
— Colonel  Bouverie — Mr.  Curwen — Mx.  John  Stevenson  of 
Northampton — The  Rev.  John  AVhalley — Lord  Waterford — 
Mr.  Elmore — Mr,  Andrew  of  Harleston — Charles  King  and 
his  hunting-diary — Hunting  better  in  old  days — Sport- 
spoilers — Excellence  of  Sywell  Wood — Lord  Althorp  resigns 
the  Mastership     .........        1 


vlli  Contents, 


Chapter  II. 

PAGE 

Character  of  Lord  Althorp  ;  an  Agriculturist  and  Breeder  of  Short- 
horns ;  a  boxer  and  supporter  of  pugilism ;  with  anecdotes 
of  Parson  Ambrose ;  Lord  Byron,  and  Jackson  the  prize- 
fighter; Gullj',  Cribb,  and  others — The  prize-ring — Fee- 
DEEiCK,  fourth  Eael  Spencee — The  Althorp  District — 
Sandars  Gorse — Sie  Chaeles  Knightley,  Master,  1817- 
18  ;  a  fine  horseman,  and  breeder  of  Shorthorns — an  ardent 
Horticulturist — his  house  at  Fawsley,  and  secret  chamber — 
Lord  Sondes,  Master,  1818-19— Sie  Bellingham  Geaham, 
Master,  1819 — Notices  of  some  of  the  usual  visitors  to  a 
Pytchley  Meet :  Dick  Gurney  ;  Squire  Wood  of  Brixworth  ; 
Matthew  Oldacre;  Sir  R.  Murchison  ;  Captain  Blunt ;  Admiral 
Sir  W.  Pell ;  Rev.  Vere  Isham ;  Rev.  John  Whalley ;  Rev. 
W.  Dickens  ;  Rev.  J.  0.  Humphrey;  Rev.  J.  Wickes;  and 
Rev.  Loraine  Smith — Henry  Couch,  a  military  deserter  and 
felon ;  his  singular  career  and  extraordinary  letters        .        .     31 

Chapter  III. 

Me.  John  Chawoeth  Musters,  Master,  1821 — Opinions  on 
his  hounds — Troublesome  foxes — Attachment  of  his  hounds 
— His  qualifications  for  the  Mastership — Me.  Osbaldeston, 
Master,  1827 — His  appearance,  manners  and  abilities — 
Excellence  of  his  hounds — The  best  riders  at  Melton,  1820-30 
— Osbaldeston's  excellence  as  a  steeplechase  rider — Race  on 
'  Grimaldi '  against  'Moonraker' — Celebrity  of  his  bitch- 
pack — Run  from  Misterton  to  Laughton  Mills — Match  to 
ride  200  miles  in  ten  hours,  with  the  horses  used — Chal- 
lenges all  the  world  for  20,OOOL — As  a  shot,  a  cricketer,  a 
boxer,  an  M.P.,  and  a  turfite — Mr.  Wilkins,  blaster,  1834 
— Jack  Stevens,  Huntsman,  his  early  death — "Billy" 
Russell — Mr,  George  Payne,  Master,  1835 — The  Earl 
of  Chesterfield,  Master,  1838 — Lords  Cardigan,  Maid- 
stone, and  Macdonald — Old  times  and  manners — Perfec- 
tion of  Lord  Chesterfield's  arrangements — His  resignation 
in  1840— The  Hon.  Wilbraham  Tollemache—"  Ginger " 
Stubbs,  and  other  hunters — Dick  Christian  and  Matty 
Milton — Old  horses  not  so  safe  as  young  ones — Daniel 
Lambert — Mr,  T,  Assheton  Smith — Dick  Christian  and  Bill 
Wright 78 

Chapter  IV. 

Mb.  T.  "  Gentleman  "  Smith,  Master,  1840— Sir  Francis  H, 
Goodricze,  Master,    1842-44 — The    Brixworth  Sporting- 


Contents,  ix 


Pauper — Mb.  Geoege  Patne,  Master,  1844-48— Mr. 
Bouverie  and  Mr.  C.  C.  F.  Greville,  his  turf-confederates — 
"Alarm,"  "Speed  the  Plough,"  and  "West  Australian" — 
"Whist  playing,  1836 — Lord  De  Eos  accused  of  cheating ; 
and  his  action  for  slander^ — Mr.  Payne  a  witness ;  his  cross- 
examination — Sir  W.  Ingilhy,  a  witness — Lord  Alvanley's 
bon-mot — Mr.  Payne's  avidity  for  speculation — One  in 
tallow — "  Dirty  Dick  '' — Fatal  accidents  in  the  hunting-field 
to  Mr.  Sawhridge  and  Lord  Inverurie — Mr.  Payne,  a  good 
host — His  iron  constitution- — Waim  affection  for  his  sisters 
and  brother — Letter  to  Mr.  Nethercote  on  the  latter's  death 
— A  regular  church-attendant — A  good  "whip" — Sam 
Daniel,  J.  Harris,  J.  Meecher,  Davis,  and  Jim  Pearson, 
popular  coachmen,  till  ruined  by  railways — An  inebriated 
horse — Mr.  Payne  and  his  brother,  bad  cricketers — Excel- 
lence of  the  ^Northamptonshire  Cricket  Club — Mr.  Payne  a 
skilful  pugilist,  and  a  patron  of  the  P.P. — Presentation  of  a 
silver  Epergne — Eesigns  the  Mastership,  1848,  and  retires 
from  the  hunting-field — His  death — Song  in  his  honour  by 
a  Northamptonshire  farmer  .         .         .         .         .         .         .112 


MEMOIES  OF  THE  FOLLOWING  MASTEES 
(Continuing  the  History  to  the  Present  Time). 

Lord  Alford,  the  Earl  of  Hopetoun.  the  Hon.  F.  Yilliers,  the 
Hon.  C.  Cust,  Col.  Anstruther  Thomson,  Mr.  J.  A.  Craven, 
Earl  Spencer,  Mr.  Herbert  Langham  (the  present  Master)    .  149 


3Part  fe. 

MEMOIES  OF  MEMBEES. 

Mr.  A.  A.  Young,  Capt.  G.  Ashby  Ashby,  Mr.  Ambrose  Isted, 
Mr.  E.  Lee  Bevan,  Mr.  W.  Angerstein,  Capt.  "  Bay  "  Middle! 
ton,  Capt.  Mildmav  Clerk,  Major  Whyte  Melville,  Hon.  H. 
Liddell  (Lord  Eavensworth),  Eev.  H.  Eokeby,  Mr.  W.  H. 
Foster,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simson,  the  late  Capt.  Gist,  Mr.  Pender, 

a 


Contents. 


PAGE 

Mr.  Jcame?on,  Mr.  Hazelhurst,  Mr.  Daniel,  Mr.  P.  A.  Miintz, 
Lord  Bra  JO,  the  late  Rev.  J.  T.  Drake,  Lord  Erskine,  Mr.  C. 
Wroughton,  IMr.  F.  and  Miss  Lans^ham,  Sir  Rainald  Knight- 
ley,  Bart.,  Mr.  Drurj  Wake,  Mr.  J.  Nethercote,  Major 
Newland,  Mr.  Stirling  Crawfurd,  Lord  Henley,  Mr.  J.  Lovell, 
Sir  Francis  Bond  Head,  Bart.,  Capb.  Riddell,  Miss  Alder  son, 
Sir  Charles  Isham,  Bart.,  Mr.  J.  Gilbert,  Mr.  John  Bennett, 
Mr.  Mills,  Mr.  J.  Entwisle,  Mr.  J.  Gough    .         .         .         .233 

Mehoirs  of  the  Northampton  Brigade         ....  330 
Memoirs  of  Farmer  Members 333 

Memoirs  of  Woodland  Members. 

The  Duke  of  Buccleuch,  the  Earl  of  Cardigan,  Mr.  Tryon,  Lord 

Lilford,  Lord  Lyveden,  Mr.  Clarke  Thornhili        .         .         .  348 


"The  Pytchley  :  "  a  Hunting-Poem 358 

Letter  of  a  Young  Lady- Naturalist 360 

Unpublished  Letters   of  Sir  Francis  Bond  Head,  Bart., 

on  Hunting  Subjects  (including  his  last)       ....  362 


LIST  OF  PLATES. 


PAGE 

V^iEW  OF  Old  Pytchley  Kall         ....       Frontispiece 

POKTEAIT  OF  EaEL  SpENCER 188 

For  the  use  of  this  portrait  (on  a  reduced  scale),  the 
publishers  are  indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  the  proprietors  o£ 
the  "  County  Gentleman  "  Sporting  Gazette. 

Portrait  of  Sir  Charles  Kxightley,  Bart.         ...       45 

Portrait  of  Mr.  George  Payne    .        .         .         .        .        .9!^ 

Portrait  of  Colonel  Anstruther  Tho:mson        .        .        .166 


THE    PYTCHLEY   HUNT, 
PAST  AND  PEESENT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Preliminary — John  Bright  and  the  Pytchlpy  Hunt — X\r.  B.  Disraeli 
as  a  hunting-man — Sir  Walter  Scott,  Dandie  Dinijiont's  and  the 
Pvtchley  packs — Alwin  the  hunter  at  Pytchley  village,  tem^J. 
William  I.— Old  Hall  at  Pytchley— Abbot  of  Peterborough  a 
fox-hunter,  temp.  Richard  II. — First  pack  of  hounds  ;  Lord 
Arundel's,  1670-1700;  Hugo  Meynell's,  1782;  Earl  Spencer's, 
1750.— The  hounds  and  Club  at  Pytchley— "  Order  of  the  White 
Collar" — Earl  Spencer,  J/a^z'er,  1783-1796 — Members  of  the 
Hunt  in  1782.— Mr.  Buller  of  Maidwell,  Master,  1796 
— Diary  of  Thomas  Isham,  of  Lamport — Mr.  John  Waede, 
Master^  1797-1808 — Lan&  Family— Various  dispositions  of 
hounds — Lord  Althorp,  Master,  1808-1817 — Letters  to  his 
father — Club  at  Pytchley  re-established — "  Rapping  " — Three 
and  four-bottle  men — Jem  Wood — Mr.  Elwes  and  Mr.  Small, 
great  dandies — Mr.  Davy — Mr.  Nethercote  of  Moulton — Mr. 
Cook  of  Hothorp — Lords  Jersey  and  Plymouth — Mr.  Peter  and 
Colonel  C.  AUix — Mr.  Lucas — Mr.  Bouverie  of  Delapre — Colonel 
Bouverie — Mr.  Curwen — Mr.  John  Stevenson  of  Northampton 
—The  Rev.  John  Whalley— Lord  Waterford— Mr.  Elmore— 
Mr.  Andrew  of  Harleston — Charles  King  and  his  hunting-diary 
— Hunting  better  in  old  da3's — Sport-spoilers — Excellence  of 
Sywell  Wood — Lord  Althorp  resigns  the  Mastership. 

It  may  be  safe  to  assert  that  no  institution,  sporting  or 
otherwise,  ever  received  a  more  unintentional  and 
marked  tribute  to  its  popularity,  than  in  the  laughter 
which  greeted  the  ears  of  Mr.  John  Bright  when  one 
night  in  the  House  of  Commons  he  called  "  the  Pytchley 
Hunt  '^  "  the  Pitchley.'^     Honourable  Members  seemed 

B 


2     The  Pytchley  Himt,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

astonished  that  one  of  tlieir  number,  and  that  so  distin- 
gaished  a  one  as  the   senior  member  for  Birmiaghara, 
should  be  ignorant  of  the  proper  mode  of  pronouncing 
the  name  of  this  well-known    hunt,  and    received  the 
"  lapsus   linguae  ^^    with    shouts    of  amusement.      Often 
before  had  the  great  orator  moved  the  august  occupants 
of    the    benches    around   him    to   laughter,    but   on   no 
previous  occasion,  perhaps,  had  he  so  fairly   '^  brought 
down  the  House"  as  on  this.     Unlike  his  great  political 
opponent.    Lord    Beaconsfield,    who,    at    least    on    one 
occasion,    seems    to   have  distinguished   himself  on  the 
"  Pigskin,'^  Mr.  Bright  had  probably  never  seen  a  pack 
of   hounds    in  the  field.     To   him    "  the  Quorn,"   "  the 
Pytchley,"  and  "  the  Cottesmore,"  are  institutions  un- 
worthy   the    notice   of  any  rightly  thinking  man,    and 
great  must  have   been  his  surprise   at   finding  that   so 
small   an  error  had  raised  so   great  a  laugh.     His  illus- 
trious rival,   on  the  occasion  just  referred  to,  seems,  by 
his  own  account,  to   have  accomplished  a   feat   in  the 
saddle  quite  equal  to  any  that  he  performed  on  the  floor 
of  the    "  House.^'      Writing   to  his  sister    in  1834,  he 
says,  "  I  hunted  the  other  day  w4th   Sir  Henry  Smith's 
hounds,    and,    although    not    in    pink,    was    the  best- 
mounted    man  in  the    field ;    riding  an  Arabian   mare, 
which    I    nearly  killed,   a   run    of  thirty  miles;    and    I 
stopped    at    nothing."      A    run    of    thirty    miles    on    an 
Arabian  mare,  and  stopping,  at  nothing  !     The  reader  of 
such  a  performance  may  well  borrow  the  exclamation  of 
Duminie  Sampson,  and  exclaim  "  Prodigious. '^     "Of  all 
pleasure  cometh  satiety  at  last,"  says  the  moralist;  and 
whatever   the  sensations    of  the    rider   may  have   been 
during  the  last  three  or  four  of  the  thirty  miles,  it  is 


CHAP.  I.]      Scott — Disraeli — Pytchley  Hall.  3 

clear  that  the  Arabian  mare  had  had  enough  of  it.  But  as 
the  "  Dizzy  '^  of  old  could,  according  to  this  statement, 
have  given  the  great  demagogue  any  amount  of  weight 
across  a  country,  so  he,  on  his  part,  would  have  been 
"lost^'  by  his  opponent  across  the  waters  of  a  salmon 
river.  Had  the  unpretentious  stream  dividing  the  Lord- 
ships of  Pytchley  and  Isham  been  a  rapid  torrent,  the 
home  of  speckled  trout  or  lordly  salmon,  instead  of 
only  that  of  the  pugnacious  minnow  and  lowly  "  miller^s 
thumb,"  a  residence  in  the  village  for  fishing  purposes 
might  have  taught  the  great  piscator  the  correct  pro- 
nunciation of  its  name.  Even  in  this  respect  Mr. 
Bright  was  in  good  company,  as  Sir  Walter  Scott,  in 
describing  the  fox-hunting  with  Dandie  Dinmont's 
heterogeneous  pack,  says  that  a  member  of  the  '^^Pychley^^ 
(leaving  out  the  ^'  t ")  Hunt  might  have  cast  a  super- 
cilious look  both  on  the  equipment  of  the  horsemen,  and 
the  queer  admixture  of  the  hounds  !  It  is  somewhat 
singular  that  in  the  records  of  the  village  from  whence 
the  Pytchley  Hunt  derives  its  title  there  is  to  be  found, 
in  the  times  prior  to  those  of  William  the  Conqueror 
the  name  of  one  ^^  Alwin  the  huntsman;"  evidently  a 
personage  of  some  importance,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
destroy  the  wild  animals  frequenting  the  adjacent 
forests.  Those  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  possess  the 
clever  pen-and-ink  sketch  of  the  "  Old  Hall  at  Pytchley,'^  ^ 
done  by  the  late  George  Clark,  schoolmaster  of  Scald- 
well,  will  see  that  it  was  built  in  the  reign  of  Queen 
Elizabeth  by  Sir  Euseby  Isham,  and  that  the  ancient 
Lords  of  the  Manor  held  it  of  the  King  on  the  condition 

^  A  reduoed  cony  of  tLis  sketch  forms  one  o£  the  illustrations  to  the 
present  volume. — Ed. 

B    2 


4      The  PytcJiley  Hinit,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

"  to  furnish  dogs  at  their  own  cost  to  destroy  the  wolves, 
foxes,  polecats,  and  other  vermin  in  the  counties  of 
^Northampton,  Rutland,  Oxford,  Essex,  and  Buckingham.'' 
The  house  and  estate  passed  successively  through  the 
families  of  Isham,  Lane,  Washbourne,  and  Knightley.  It 
then  became  the  property  of  Mr.  George  Payne,  who 
pulled  the  house  down  in  1829,  and  afterwards  sold  the 
estate  to  Mr.  Jones  Loyd,  father  to  the  late  Lord  Over- 
stone,  who  left  it  to  his  daughter  and  her  husband, 
Lord  and  Lady  Wantage,  whose  property  it  now  is  (1886). 
The  conditions  upon  which  the  Lords  of  the  Manor  of 
Pytchley  held  their  possessions  seem  to  have  been 
sufficiently  onerous  ;  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
hunting  in  those  days  and  hunting  in  the  present  differ 
from  each  other  in  a  far  greater  degree  than  hunting 
with  the  Quorn  or  Pytchley,  and  hunting  with  trencher- 
fed  packs  on  the  Cumberland  Hills,  do  now. 

At  the  period  when  wolves  and  other  beasts  of  prey 
inhabited  the  forests  which  covered  the  greater  surface 
of  the  island,  the  one  object  of  the  hunter  was  to  kill  and 
destroy  in  the  interest  of  the  occupant  of  the  land. 
The  wolf  of  that  day  had  not  been  educated  up  to  lying 
down  with  the  lamb,  unless  he  was  inside  him ;  and  the 
ravages  among  flocks  and  herds  by  wild  animals  greatly 
added  to  the  difficulties  of  the  agriculturist.  He  who 
now  kills  a  fox,  otherwise  than  by  the  aid  of  hounds 
(unless  indeed  by  accident),  earns  for  himself  the  oppro- 
brious name  of  ^^  Vulpicide,'^  and  is  likely  to  become  a 
*^  Pariah ''  in  society  and  a  ^' Boycottee.'^  In  the  far-off 
days  of  which  we  are  speaking,  the  Lupicide  and  the 
fox-killer  were  looked  upon  as  public  benefactors,  and 
^Torthy  of  all   commendation.     An  ^^  unsportsmanlike  " 


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CHAP.  I.]  First  Pack  of  Hotmds.  5 

action  could  not,  at  that  period,  be  committed,  as  the 
meaning  now  attached  to  the  word  "  sport "  was  then 
unknown.  ^^  Crossbow  "  and  "  net  ^^  first,  and  "  gun  " 
afterwards,  were  the  legitimate  allies  of  hounds  and 
terrier,  nor  was  it  easy,  even  with  this  assistance,  to  keep 
down  the  number  of  the  destroyers.  In  the  days  of 
Alwin,  the  Pytchley  huntsman,  who  has  been  referred  to 
above,  the  fox  was  not  even  included  in  the  list  of 
animals  of  the  chase.  The  stag  and  hare  are  constantly 
mentioned  as  being  hunted  by  the  Anglo-Norman  sports- 
men, but  the  first  notice  we  have  of  the  fox  occurs  in 
the  reign  of  Richard  the  Second,  when  the  Abbot  of 
Peterborough  becomes  entitled  by  charter  to  pursue  that 
wily  animal. 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  when  the  first  regularly  appointed 
pack  of  hounds  was  established,  but  this  could  not  have 
been  until  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  at  soonest. 
So  long  as  the  country  remained  disafforested,  the  hart, 
the  wolf,  the  wild  boar,  and  the  hare  were  the  principal 
objects  of  the  chase  :  and  the  harrier  long  had  the  pre- 
cedence of  the  foxhound.  At  first  the  neighbouring 
farmers  kept  a  hound  or  two  each  (as  is  still  the  .custom 
in  Cumberland  and  some  of  the  neighbouring  counties), 
and  joined  together  occasionally  to  kill  a  fox  that  had 
waxed  fat  upon  their  lambs  and  poultry.  Next  a  few 
couples  were  kept  by  small  Squires  who  could  afford  the 
expense  ;  and  they  joined  packs  :  and  so  by  slow  degrees, 
as  riding  in  "the  open  ^'  became  more  feasible,  the 
present  system  was  elaborated.  It  is  known,  however, 
that  Lord  Arundel  kept  a  pack  of  foxhounds  between 
the  years  1670  and  1700,  which  hunted  in  Wiltshire  and 
Hampshire ;  and  it  is  from  the   descendants    of  those 


6     The  Pytchley  Html,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

hounds  that  the  famous  Hugo  Meynell  formed  his  pack 
at  Quornden  in  1782. 

About  thirty  years  before  this,  John  George,  Earl 
Spencer,  the  first  of  the  four  Masters  furnished  by  this 
noble  house,  formed  a  club  at  the  old  Hall  in  the  little 
village  of  Pytchley,  and  removed  the  hounds  from  Althorp 
to  kennels  erected  at  that  place.  Lord  Spencer  now 
introduced  the  system  of  dividing  the  country  into  two, 
and  hunting  the  woodlands  and  that  part  of  the  open 
lying  east  of  the  Northampton  and  Market  Harbro^  road, 
during  certain  months  of  the  season  ;  the  part  lying 
west  of  the  dividing-line  being  reserved  for  the  remain- 
ing months.  The  system  of  not  drawing  any  covert 
over  the  allotted  boundary  was  so  rigidly  adhered  to, 
that,  even  in  the  event  of  a  kill,  the  hounds  were  always 
taken  back  to  the  side  on  which  the  fox  was  found. 
This  so  circumscribed  the  country  that  the  same  coverts 
were  being  constantly  disturbed,  with  the  result  that 
blank  days  were  of  frequent  occurrence ;  an  event  un- 
known in  the  present  time. 

The  county  gentlemen  and  strangers  who  were 
members  of  the  Club  made  the  old  Hall  their  residence 
for  just  as  long  as  suited  their  convenience  ;  the  apart- 
ments, as  they  became  vacant,  being  eagerly  taken  up 
by  candidates  for  the  "  Order  of  the  White  Collar.^^  It 
is  somewhat  singular  that  it  is  uncertain  to  what  cause 
this  badge  of  distinction  owes  its  origin  ;  nor  is  any 
allusion  to  it  to  be  found  in  any  of  the  records  of  the 
hunt  kept  at  Althorp. 

Lord  Spencer,  the  founder  of  the  Pytchley  Club,  died 
in  1783;  and  his  son,  also  named  *^  John  George,"  who 
took  a  prominent  part  in  politics,  and  became  Firsfc  Lord 


CHAP.  I.]     Second  Lord  Spencer — Mr.  Bnller.  7 

of  tlie  Admiralty,  assumed  tlie  Mastership  of  tbe 
country,  and  held  it  thirteen  years.  He  was  a  very  fine 
horseman,  and  his  stud  was  formed  of  animals  of  the 
highest  class  only.  So  different  were  the  customs  of 
that  time  from  what  they  happily  are  now,  that  it  was 
held  to  be  contrary  to  etiquette  for  any  one  to  pass  his 
lordship  in  the  field,  except  the  huntsman.  During 
these  years,  the  Pytchley  Hunt  attained  a  high  degree  of 
popularity,  many  of  the  magnates  of  the  land  being 
desirous  of  becoming  members  of  it.  To  what  an  extent 
this  was  the  case  may  be  learned  from  the  subjoined  list 
of  the  names  on  the  books  at  the  Club  in  1782  : — 


Earl  Spencer.  Mr.  Powis. 

Earl  of  Jersey.  Mr.  Conyers. 

Earl  of  Westmoreland.  Mr.  C.  Finch. 

]\larquis  of  Graham.  Mr.  Raynsford. 

Viscount  Althorp-  Earl  of  Lincoln. 

l)uke  of  Devonshire.  Viscount  Eairbord. 

Viscount  Torrington.  Sir  Horace  Mann. 

Earl  of  Winchels  a.  H(m.  P.  Granville. 

Lord  R.  Cavendish.  Mr.  Bouverie. 

Erirl  of  Aylesford.  Mr.  Poyntz. 

Earl  of  Powis.  Mr.  Fleming. 

Hon.  G.  St.  John.  Mr.  Hatton. 

Mr.  Knightle3%  Mr.  Doughty. 

Mr.  Scaweu.    .  Mr.  Assneton  Smith. 


To  the  great  regret  of  all  connected  with  the  Pytchley 
Hunt,  political  duties  necessitated  Lord  Spencer,  in 
1796,  to  relinquish  the  post  he  had  filled  with  so  much 
distinction  for  thirteen  years  ;  and  for  one  season,  Mr. 
BuLLEK,  of  Maid  well  Hall,  undertook  the  management 
of  affairs.  Lord  Spencer's  celebrated  huntsman,  "  Dick 
Knight,^'  has  left  a  name  which  will  ever  be  remembered 
in  the  records  of  not  only  the  Pytchley  Hunt,  but   also 


8     The  PytcJiley  Himt,  Past  and  Present,     [chap.  i. 

of  the  huntsmen-heroes  of  the  past.     Born  at  Courteen- 
hall,  of  parents  in  whose  eyes  there  was  '^  nothing  like 
leather,"  he  was  brought  up  to  make  rather  than  wear  a 
top-boot ;  but  a  natural  love  for  all  things  pertaining  to 
sport  soon  got  him    among    hounds    and    horses ;    and 
advancing  step  by  step  he  succeeded  in  attaining  the 
pinnacle  of  his  ambition  by  becoming  Huntsman  to   the 
famous  Pytchley  Hounds.     In  the  well-known  picture  by 
Mr.  Loraine  Smith,  of  Enderby  Hall,  Knight  is  portrayed 
as  finishing  a  run  on  a  cart-horse  taken  out  of  a  plough 
team,  his  own  animal  being  completely  knocked  u"p.     In 
a  second  picture  by  the  same  skilful  hand,  he  is  depicted 
jumping  a  fence  beneath  the  overhanging  bough  of  a 
tree,  with  head  bowed  downwards  and  both  legs  over  his 
horse's  neck.     The  reason  of  his  appearing  in  this  some- 
what unusual  attitude  was,  that  one  day  at  the  Meet  a 
stranger  said  to  him,  ''  Knight,  I've  heard  a  good  deal  of 
your  riding,  but  if  you  beat  me  to-day,  I  will  give  you 
the  horse  I  am  on.^'     '^  All  right,  sir,^'  said  Knight,  "  we 
shall  see."     During  the  run  they  came  to  a  fence,  the 
only  jumpable    place  in  which   w^as    under   a  tree,  the 
branches    of    which    overhung,  and    scarcely  left  space 
sufficient  for  a  man  and  horse  to  get  through.     Bending 
his  head  and  throwing  his  legs  over  his  animal's  neck,  Dick 
went  through  the  opening  like  a  clow^n  through  a  drum. 
This  w^as  too  much  for  the  stranger,  who  preferred  losing 
his  horse  to  risking  his  neck  by  following,  and  honourably 
carried  out  what  he  had  undertaken  to  do,  by  sending 
his  steed  to  the  more  plucky  horseman  on  the  following 
morning.     Knight  was  famous  for  possessing  a  voice  so 
powerful  that  a  well-known  sportsman  used  to  declare 
that  from  his  house  at  Wellingborough  he  could   on   a 


CHAP.  I.]  Dick  Knight, 


clear  frosty  morning  hear  Dick^s  '^  holloa'^  in  Sywell 
Wood^  a  distance  of,  at  least,  three  miles  as  the  crow 
flies.  This  speaks  well  for  the  acoustic  properties  of  the 
atmosphere  between  the  respective  points  spoken  of,  as 
well  as  for  the  strength  of  Dick's  lungs.  Bnt  a  still 
more  remarkable  instance  of  the  far-reaching  power  of 
sound  is  given  in  the  interesting  diary,  written  in  Latin 
in  the  seventeenth  century  (admirably  translated  by  the 
Rev.  Robert  Isham),  of  Mr.  Thomas  Isham  of  Lamport 
Hall.  It  is  there  stated  that  durina*  the  naval  ensraa-e- 
ment  between  the  Eno-lish  and  French  combined  fleets 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Dutch  on  the  other,  in  1672, 
the  report  of  the  guns  was  distinctly  heard  at  Brixworth. 
It  was  in  this  action  that  Lord  Sandwich,  the  admiral, 
was  blown  up  in  his  ship,  with  eight  hundred  of  his  men, 
though  the  Dutch  were  defeated,  and  were  pursued  to 
the  coast  of  Holland  by  the  English  fleet.  If  this  story 
be  correct,  and  some  may  be  tempted  to  say  ^''  Credat 
Judgeus,^'  the  voice  of  the  cannon  must  have  travelled  a 
distance  of  over  120  miles,  Southwold  being  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Ely  the,  twenty-eight  miles  north-east  of  Ipswich. 
In  1827,  during  the  battle  of  Navarino,  Mr.  John  Yere 
Isham,  then  quartered  at  Corfu,  distinctly  heard  the 
firing  at  a  distance  of,  at  least,  200  miles ;  and  on  the 
naval  reception  of  the  Sultan  by  the  Queen  at  Portsmouth, 
the  sound  of  guns  discharged  on  the  Welsh  coast  was 
plainly  distinguished  at  Portsmouth. 

Knight  was  so  highly  esteemed  by  his  master  that  the 
latter  overlooked  a  freedom  of  speech  in  him  which 
certainly  would  have  been  ventured  upon  by  no 
other  man,  be  his  position  what  it  might.  It  was  said 
that  on   one   occasion,   seeing   Lord    Spencer  taking   a 


lo   The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

longisli  look  at  a  fence^  he  called  out  to  him  *''  Come 
along,  my  lord,  the  longer  you  look  afc  it,  the  less  yoa  will 
like  it/'  The  line  of  hills  facing  Marston  and  Thed  ding- 
worth  village  being  neutral,  a  good  deal  of  jealousy  arose 
between  the  '^  thrasters  ^'  of  the  respective  hunts  ;  and 
Mr.  Assheton  Smith  (father  of  Tom  A.  Smith)  used  to 
try  and  cut  down  Dick  Knight.  Hence  the  motif  of 
the  picture,  by  the  same  talented  hand  as  the  others  before 
spoken  of,  in  which  the  Pytchley  Huntsman,  mounted 
on  his  famous  horse  "Contract,^'  is  supposed  to  be 
saying  that  "  he  would  show  these  d — d  Quornites  a 
trick. '' 

In  the  following  year,  1797,  the  country  was  taken  by 
the  well-known  sportsman  and  M.F.H.,  Mr.  John  WARof; 
a  gentleman,  who  at  the  termination  of  his  hunting  career 
was  able  to  boast  that  he  had  been  a  Master  of  Hounds 
for  fifty-seven  years.  Not  approving  the  system  of 
dividing  the  country  into  two  parts,  he  established 
himself  in  the  old  Hall  at  Boughton,  near  Northampton, 
built  kennels  there,  and  made  that  village  his  place  of 
residence.  During  the  eleven  years  of  his  Mastership, 
the  Club  at  Pytchley  was  closed,  and  it  seemed  as  if 
"  Ichabod  ^^  were  written  on  the  portals  of  this  fashion- 
able seat  of  hunting.  Another  member  of  the  Spencer 
family,  however,  as  will  shortly  appear,  restored  it  to  all 
its  pristine  glory.  For  three  generations,  the  care  and 
management  of  the  Club  in  all  its  domestic  arrangements 
were  in  the.  hands  of  the  family  of  Lane,  a  member  of 
which,  himself  born  in  the  old  Hall,  still  survives  to  tell 
the  tale  of  other  days.  Nearly  fourscore  years  having 
constituted  him  the  oldest  tenant  on  the  Wantage 
estate,  he  w^as  called  upon  at  the  audit  dinner  of  1886, 


CHAP.  I.]    Air.  Warde,  Maste)' — Lane  Fa77tily.      1 1 

to  propose  tlie  health  of  the  new  landlord,  Lord 
Wantage.  Few  then  present  will  forget  the  impressive 
manner  in  which  the  venerable  and  much  respected 
gentleman  performed  this  duty,  the  feeling  of  his  being 
a  link  with  the  phase  of  the  county  history  now  passed 
away  adding  in  no  slight  degree  to  the  interest  of  his 
words  and  appearance.  May  the  name  that  he  bears 
long  survive  to  uphold  the  high  character  of  the 
Northamptonshire  tenant-farmer,  and  remind  future 
generations  of  the  old  Pvtchley  days. 

Mr.  Warde,  who  from  a  photograph  in  the  possession 
of  the  writer  (taken,  of  course,  from  a  picture)  in  which 
he  is  represented  mounted  on  a  well-bred  horse,  with 
a  favourite  hound  looking  up  in  his  face,  must  have 
been  a  man  of  enormous  bulk,  and  in  every  respect 
one  of  the  old-fashioned  sort.  He  was  remarkable  for 
the  bone,  size,  and  power  of  the  hounds  he  bred  ;  which 
he  did  on  the  principle  that  you  may  at  pleasure 
diminish  the  size  and  power  of  the  animal  you  wish  to 
breed,  but  it  is  not  easv  to  increase  or  even  maintain  a 
standard  that  it  has  taken  years  to  attain.  It  was 
thought  that  his  hounds  always  carried  too  much  flesh ; 
but  he  defended  this  on  the  score  that  it  was  essential 
in  a  country  where  big  woodlands  had  to  be  hunted. 
In  this  view  he  was  supported  by  the  celebrated  Tom 
Rose,  Huntsman  to  the  grandfather  of  the  present  Duke 
of  Grafton.  Such  hounds  would  hardly  be  suited  to  the 
present  style  of  riding,  when  the  ^'  ladies  ^^  are  kept  for 
the  '*big^'  Meets,  because  tliey  are  smaller,  more  active 
and  more  capable  of  escaping  danger  from  the  mob  of 
horsemen  than  the  less  wieldy  "  gentlemen.^''  The 
former,  too,  have  another  advantage  over  the  rival  sex. 


1 2    The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

When  ridden  over  tliey  forget  it  sooner,  and  do  not 
take  tlie  injury  so  much  to  heart  as  tlieir  ^'  big  brothers  '^ 
are  in  the  habit  of  doing.  These  will  frequently  resent 
the  offence  for  an  entire  day,  skulking  about  and  doing 
no  work;  whilst  one  of  his  "little  sisters '''  will  forgive 
and  forget  a  few  minutes  after  having  received  an  injury. 
In  more  points  than  people  are  aware  of,  are  hounds  of 
like  passions  with  human  beings.  Like  their  masters,  not 
only  are  they  loving,  grateful  or  industrious,  but  they 
form  high  opinions  of  their  own  abilities  and  give  them- 
selves airs  so  ridiculous  as  to  be  highly  amusing  to  those 
who  are  conversant  with  their  habits.  All  who  are 
accustomed  to  hounds  are  often  struck  with  the  opposite 
characters  of  those  of  one  and  the  same  litter.  Mr. 
Warde  bred  two  puppies  in  1787,  Alfred  and  Audrey  ; 
the  former  was  the  wildest  and  most  difficult  hound  to 
break  he  ever  had ;  the  latter  was  steady  from  the  first 
and  gave  no  trouble,  and  her  master  used  to  say  of 
her,  ''  When  the  rest  are  of  no  use,  Audrey  is  my  best 
friend."  During  a  fair  hunting-run,  one  day,  from 
Sandars  Covert  to  Holcot  Bridge,  a  puppy  was  observed 
by  one  of  the  field  to  be  following  on  the  line  when  some 
of  the  older  ones  had  failed  to  acknowledsfe  it.  "  That 
will  make  a  good  hound,  some  day.  Will,"  said  the  gentle- 
man who  had  noticed  the  performance,  to  the  Huntsman. 
"Yes,  sir,"  was  the  reply,  "  if  what  he  has  just  done 
doesn't  make  him  too  conceited/'  At  the  time  when 
hard  riding  first  came  into  vogue,  and  Mr.  Warde's  big 
hounds  began  to  be  voted  "slow,"  the  Meltonians  were 
in  the  habit  of  speaking  of  them  as  "  Warde's  jack- 
asses ;"  but  they  never  brayed  without  reason,  and  were 
so  much  better  on  cold-scenting  days  than  the  smaller 


CFTAP.  I.]        Lord  AltJiorp^  Master,  1808.  13 

and  faster  hounds^  tliat  they  were  in  lai^h  favour  with  all 
who  enjoyed  hunting'  for  hunting's  sake.  One  of  the 
great  runs  of  Mr.  Wardens  time  was  from  Marston  Wood 
to  Skeffington  in  Leicestershire.  It  would  seem  from 
the  subjoined  letter  of  Lord  Althorp  to  his  father,  dated 
May  28th,  1804,  that  there  must  have  been  some 
difficulties  between  Mr.  Warde  and  certain  members  of 
the  hunt,  on  the  withdrawal  of  the  hounds  from  Pytchley 
to  Boughton.  In  it  he  writes:  ^^At  the  Pytchley 
meeting  on  Saturday,  Doughty,  Carter,  Cartwright  and 
Thornton,  desired  to  take  their  names  out  of  the  list ;  but 
we  agreed  not  to  do  it  until  they  had  heard  what  we  settled 
about  the  hounds  going  to  Pytchley.  We  agreed  that 
the  first  meeting  should  begin  the  first  Monday  in 
November,  and  last  four  weeks  :  and  that  the  second 
should  begin  the  second  week  in  February,  and  last  six 
weeks.  John  Warde  said  that  the  hounds  should  hunt 
from  the  Pytchley  kennels  during  the  whole  of  bof h  these 
m.eetings,  though  I  confess  that  I  do  not  think  that  he  is 
pledged  to  it  so  completely  as  I  could  wish.  I  hope^ 
however,  that  you  will  be  able  to  settle  the  arrange- 
ment completely  when  you  see  him.'^ 

Four  years  afterwards,  writing  from  Delapi-e  Abbey  to 
his  father.  Lord  Althorp  says  :  "  Feb.  12th,  1808.  Dear 
Father, — I  have  to  tell  you  that  I  have  concluded  the 
bargain  with  John  Warde,  and  am  to  give  him  a 
thousand  pounds  for  the  hounds,  and  not  to  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  horses.  I  have  done  this  because 
I  should  not  have  felt  comfortable  if,  after  all  the 
civilities  he  has  all  along  shown  me,  he  had  any  excuse 
whatever  to  complain  of  my  conduct  towards  him."  A 
fortnight  after  this  we  read  in  a  letter  dated  ^^  Pytchley, 


1 4   The  Pytchley  Hitnt^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 


March  2nrl,  1808.  Dear  Fatlier,— Jolin  Warde  has  put  the 
hounds  entirely  into  my  management,  and  never  comes 
out  himself  ;  so  that  at  present  I  am  answerable  for  all 
the  merit  and  the  reverse  of  the  pack  that  comes  out. 
My  luck  has  as  yet  been  extreme.  Monday  was  the 
first  day  I  took  them  out  in  the  open.  It  was  a  bad 
scent,  but  the  old  pack  hunted  quite  perfectly,  and  we 
ran  from  Sywell  Wood  to  Drayton  Park,  but  did  not 
kill.  I  took  the  young  hounds  out  yesterday,  who  are 
as  bad  a  pack  as  anybody  ever  saw  ;  but  fortunately  we 
had  a  good  scent,  and  got  a  tolerable  run.  We  found  a 
second  fox  in  Harrington  Dales  and  went  away  with  him 
at  best  pace  to  Shortwood.  We  then  hunted  at  a 
forward  hunting-scent  over  Lamport  earths  to  Maidwell, 
where  we  again  set  to  very  hard  running  over  Harring- 
ton and  Rothwell  fields,  through  Thorpe  Underwood 
over  the  brook  by  Gaultney  Wood;  got  a  view  of  him 
near  Dob  Hall,  and  killed  him  near  Gaultney  Wood,  in 
an  hour  and  twenty  minutes.  From  Maidwell  to  killing 
was  a  decided  burst  without  a  check ;  and  every  horse 
was  tired  except  my  '  Poacher  ^  and  Felton  Hervey's 
horse.  I  do  not  often  give  you  an  account  of  a  run,  but 
I  think  you  will  be  pleased  to  hear  of  my  beginning  so 
well,  as  it  will  make  people  sanguine  about  my  system 
(though  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  it),  and  will  keep  up 
the  subscriptions."  Then  follows  a  postscript,  not  with- 
out its  interest:  "I  have  gained  some  credit  for  not 
hunting  on  Ash  Wednesday,  when  every  pack  in  the 
neighbourhood  did." 

We  have  now,  John,  Viscount  Althorp,  afterwards 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
statesmen  of  the  day,  established  as  Master  of  the  Pytchley 


CHAP.  I.]  Pytchley  Club — '' Rapping y  15 

Hunt.  The  hounds  were  again  taken  back  to  Pytchley  for 
a  part  of  tlie  season,  as  of  old ;  and  the  Club  so  long  left 
out  in  tlie  cold^  recovered  all  its  former  attractions. 
Writing  of  this  period^  ^^  the  Druid  '^  says  :  "  Pytchley 
was  at  that  time  in  the  zenith  of  its  glory.  The 
mornings  afforded  unmixed  pleasure,  and  nectar  crowned 
the  night."  Among  the  names  of  members  of  the  Club 
at  that  time,  those  of  Kuightley,  Elwes,  Payne  (father 
of  George  Payne),  Nethercote,  Lord  Sondes,  Davy,  Rose, 
Cook,  Hanbury,  Isham,  were  all  of  the  county — whilst 
among  the  strangers  were  those  of  Hugo  Meynell, 
Gurney  (Dick),  Sir  David  and  James  Baird,  Allix,  Lucas, 
Bowen,  Frank  Forester,  Sefton,  Hervey,  &c.,  &c.  The 
studs  were  of  the  first  order,  and  the  riders  were 
worthy  of  them.  Jealousy  was  unknown,  and  sport 
alone  was  the  object  of  all."  In  asserting  thus  much 
the  author  of  ^' Silk  and  Scarlet"  contemplates  a  state 
of  things  which  probably  never  existed  at  any  time  or  in 
any  place  where  men  and  horses  were  jointly  concerned ; 
but  it  is  likely  that  jealous  riding  was  not  nearly  so 
common  then  as  now.  There  were  '^  bruisers"  in  those 
days,  but  they  were  not  so  frequent  as  they  became 
when,  wealth  getting  more  generally  diffused,  the  number 
of  hunting-men  increased  twenty  fold.  A  somewhat 
peculiar  custom  at  the  Club  was,  that  any  member  after 
dinner,  on  depositing  half-a-crown  in  a  wine-glass,  might 
name  and  put  up  to  auction  the  horse  of  any  other 
member,  the  owner  being  entitled  to  one  bid  on  his 
own  behest.  This  custom  was  called  "^  rapping,"  from 
the  raps  on  the  table  which  accompanied  each  bid. 
It  -was  on  one  of  these  occasions  that  Mr.  Nether- 
cote  sold    ''  Lancet  "  to  Mr.  John  Cook,  of  Hothorp,  for 


1 6   TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

the  then  unprecedented  sum  of  620/.  To  judge 
of  him  from  a  painting  at  Moulton  Grange,  he  was  a 
chestnut  horse,  standing  about  15.3^  with  good  shoulders, 
strong  quarters,  a  sensible  head,  and  a  hunter  all  over 
in  appearance.  Sir  Charles  Knightley,  than  whom  there 
was  no  better  judge,  used  to  say  that  barring  a  little 
lack  of  quality,  he  was  as  nice  a  horse  as  could  be 
seen.  By  the  advice  of  his  friend,  the  Rev.  Loraine 
Smith,  Mr.  Nethercote  bought  him  from  a  doctor  at 
Leicester  for  120  guineas,  and  so  highly  did  he  him- 
self esteem  him  as  a  performer  in  the  field,  that 
his  own  bid  for  him  was  400  guineas.  On  the  follow- 
ing morning,  the  vendor,  thinking  it  likely  that  his 
old  college-friend  had  bid  under  the  influences  more 
common  after  dinner  than  at  an  earlier  hour,  proposed 
that  the  bargain  should  be  off.  Mr.  Cook,  however, 
declared  his  determination  to  retain  the  horse  ;  and  many 
years  afterwards  assured  the  writer  of  these  lines  that  he 
only  wished  that  at  that  moment  he  could  find  another 
''  Lancet  ^'  at  the  same  price.  The  incident  created  some 
sensation  at  the  time,  and  is  referred  to  in  a  history  of 
Northamptonshire,  by  the  Rev.  W.  James,  of  Thedding- 
worth.  The  amount,  large  as  it  was,  was  exceeded 
soon  after  by  Lord  Plymouth  giving  Mr.  Peter  Allix 
of  Swaffham  House,  near  Newmarket^  700/.  for  a  mare 
not  fit  to  carry  more  than  twelve  stone ;  and  this  pur- 
chase was  not  an  after-dinner  one,  when  things  are 
apt  to  be  somewhat  in  favour  of  the  vendor.  When  the 
wine  is  in,  the  wit  is  said  to  be  elsewhere ;  and  at  a  period 
which  may  be  called  the  "  three-bottle  one,''  it  must  have 
been  incumbent  on  every  prudent  man  not  to  take  part 
in  the  post-prandial  ''  rap.""     In  the  days  now  spoken  of, 


CHAP.  I.]  Lord  Alt Jiorp's  Master shijb.  17 

the  man  wlio  could  not  quietly  dispose  of  three  bottles  of 
old  port  was  not  held  in  much  esteem  as  a  boon  com- 
panion ;  nor  did  the  seasoned  soaker  see  any  necessity 
for  drawing  a  line  at  three  bottles^  as  we  learn  from  an 
anecdote  of  the  times,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  a  lady, 
hearing  a  gentleman  say  that  '^  he  had  finished  his  third 
bottle  '^  of  port  after  dinner,  asked  in  some  surprise  : 
'^  What^  sir  !  unassisted  ?  ^^  ^^  Oh,  no^  ma'am/'  was  the 
answer,  "  I  was  assisted  by  a  bottle  of  Madeira  !  '^  In 
these  days  we  can  scarcely  believe  that  the  greatest 
statesman  of  his  own  and  perhaps  of  any  time,  as  he 
entered  the  House  of  Commons  one  night,  declared  to 
the  friend  by  his  side  that  "he  saw  two  Speakers  !  ''  and 
that  he  did  this  sans  peur  et  sans  reproche  ! 

Never  did  country  have  a  more  efficient  Master  than 
John,  Viscount  Althorp,  who,  politics  notwithstanding, 
devoted  himself  heart  and  soul  to  his  new  duties.  For 
eight  months  out  of  the  twelve  he  was  constantly  with  his 
hounds;  and  he  spared  no  expense  nor  trouble  in  the 
improvement  of  the  pack,  the  size  of  which  he  thought  it 
wise  to  reduce.  A  bold  and  determined  rider,  heedless 
of  the  convenient  gate,  and  with  no  sort  of  knowledge  of 
the  whereabouts  of  "  Shuffler's  bottom,'"'  his  song  to  his 
hounds  ever  was,  "  Where  thou  goest  I  will  go.''  Posting 
horses  at  convenient  distances  on  the  road,  he  would 
frequently  ride  from  Spencer  House,  St.  James's,  to 
Pytchley,  for  the  next  day's  hunting.  Though  a  cou- 
rageous, he  was  by  no  means  a  polished,  horseman  ;  and 
a  loose  seat  brought  with  it  many  a  fall  that  might  have 
been  avoided.  So  frequently  did  he  dislocate  his  shoulder 
that  he  sent  one  of  his  whips  to  the  Northampton  Infir- 
mary to  be  instructed  how  to  put  it  in.     So  liable  did 

c 


1 8    The  PytcJiley  Hunt^  Past  and  Pi^esent.    [chap.  i. 

tbe  limb  become  to  dislocation  that  it  would  occasionally 
get  displaced  if  he  chanced  to  throw  up  his  arm  in  going 
over  a  fence.  In  the  cub-hnuting  season  he  usually  took 
a  cottage  at  Brigstock  with  Sir  Charles  Knightley,  so 
that  he  might  watch  the  conduct  of  the  new  entries  ;  and 
he  thus  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  hunting. 
His  stud  usually  consisted  of  about  thirty  horses,  all  of 
high  character,  and  the  cost  of  his  establishment  was 
seldom  less  than  from  4500Z.  to  5000/.  per  annum.  In 
the  summer  of  1810,  writing  from  Ryde  to  his  father, 
with  his  thoughts,  as  usual,  ever  full  of  hunting,  he  says  : 
"  Since  you  have  been  gone,  I  have  been  learning  to 
draw  horses  and  hounds,  in  order  to  increase  the  number 
of  my  Brigstock  amusements  ;  and  for  the  furtherance  of 
this  purpose  I  have  ordered  George  Bentley  to  show  you 
some  studies  of  horses  by  Stubbs  and  Gilpin,  and  bring 
them  here  with  you.  I  was  surprised  and  rather  disap- 
pointed at  putting  my  shoulder  out  in  opening  a  window, 
but  am  somewhat  comforted  at  finding  it  is  a  very  likely 
thing  to  do  ;  for  in  opening  the  same  window  with  my 
left  arm,  I  perceived  that  the  whole  strain  came  from 
the  shoulder.'' 

After  Lord  Althorp's  marriage  with  Miss  Acklom, 
heiress  to  the  Wiseton  estate  in  Nottinghamshire  (who 
died  in  her  confinement  in  the  following'  year),  he  lived 
for  one  year  at  Dallington  Hall,  but  Spratton  being 
vacant  he  wished  to  move  there,  the  position  being  more 
favourable  for  hunting.  In  the  spring  of  1814,  he  thus 
writes  on  this  matter  to  his  father :  ^"^  I  do  not  quite 
agree  with  you  on  the  relative  merits  of  Dallington  and 
Spratton.  I  allow  that  the  house  at  Dallington  is  the 
best   of  tbe   two,  but  Spratton  is  quite    good  enough. 


CHAP.  I,]    Good  Riders  and  Runs — Dandies.  1 9 

The  neiglibourhood  at  Spratton  is  better  tlian  the  other,- 
the  roads  better,  and  the  country,  if  anything,  rather 
prettier.  The  distance  to  ride  from  Althorp  is  nothing, 
and  Esther  (Lady  Althorp)  will  not  want  to  go  back- 
wards and  forwards  often  in  a  carriage.  When  to  these 
considerations  I  add  that  it  is  in  nearly  the  best  pos- 
sible situation  for  hunting  both  the  Pytchley  and 
Althorp  countries,  I  cannot  help  preferring  it. to  the 
other,"  In  a  letter  dated  Spratton,  March  31st,  1815, 
he  says  :  *^  We  have  had  the  most  extraordinary  sport 
I  ever  saw  in  my  life.  On  Tuesday,  after  a  burst  from 
Blueberries  of  forty  minutes  to  ground  beyond  Brix- 
worth,  we  found  at  three  o'clock  at  Pursers  Hills,  and 
after  a  ring  by  Maidwell  and  Scotland  Wood,  went 
straight  away  and  killed  our  fox  beyond  Little  Harrow- 
den  in  two  hours.  Yesterday  we  ran  from  Sywell  Wood 
to  Pip  well,  and  killed  there  in  an  hour  and  a  half '^  The 
shoulder-trouble  continued,  for  we  find  in  a  letter 
written  from  Ecton  to  his  father,  two  years  after  the 
above :  ^'  I  had  a  severe  fall  yesterday  and  put  my 
shoulder  out  again,  I  was  copiously  blooded  and  am 
rather  weak  and  stiff  to-day,"  One  of  Lord  Althorp^ s 
best  runs  was  from  Pursers  Hills,  by  Hothorp,  to 
Wistow  in  Leicestershire,  where  the  fox  was  killed ;  the 
first  fifty  minutes  being  without  a  check.  Twice  in  one 
year  a  fox  found  at  Crick  was  killed  in  Badby  Wood  ; 
and  on  another  occasion,  after  a  brilliant  hour  and 
seventeen  minutes  from  the  same  covert,  by  Lilbourne, 
Hempton,  Naseby  and  Sibbertoft,  the  death  took  place 
at  Marston  village.  Besides  the  Master  himself,  amongst 
the  many  who  rode  well  to  hounds,  were  Sir  Charles 
Knightley,  who  will  be  referred  to  later   on ;  Mr.  Elwcs 

c  2 


20   The  PytcJiley  Hitnt^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

of  Billing — light  as  a  feather,  and  so  great  a  dandy  that 
he  had  his  hunting-boots  made  by  three  different 
artists,  the  tops  by  the  well-known  Tom  Marshall  of 
Northampton,  and  the  centres  and  feet  by  two  separate 
professors.  In  point  of  dandyism,  however,  the  Sqnire 
of  Billing  was  not  '^  in  the  hunt  '^  with  a  Mr.  Small, 
whose  great  object  in  life  seems  to  have  been  to  act  the 
"  Beau.^^  He  wore  a  round-crowned  hat,  fitting  him  like 
a  hunting-cap  ;  a  pepper-and-salt  coat ;  leather  breeches, 
beautifully  cleaned,  buttoning  high  above  the  boot;  boots 
like  polished  ebony,  very  short  tops ;  and  narrow  leather 
garters  with  small  silver  buckles.  He  was  no  less 
particular  about  the  appearance  of  his  horses,  his  bits 
and  stirrups  being  most  highly  polished.  He  had  two 
black  mares  exactly  alike ;  both  had  their  ears  cropped 
and  he  rode  each  in  a  martingale.  His  saddle  was  old- 
i'ashioned,  the  pommel  low  and  back,  and  the  panels  of 
plush.  Whenever  his  horses  travelled,  he  had  stuffed  pads 
to  hang  on  the  pillar  of  the  stall,  to  prevent  any  chafing 
of  the  hips.  Sir  Charles  Knightley's  only  rival  in  point  of 
horsemanship  and  sporting-appearance  when  7nou7ited,  was 
Mr.  Davy,  who  resided  alternately  at  Spratton,  Pitsford, 
and  Duston.  Tall,  sHm,  and  exceedingly  neat  in  his  attire, 
he  possessed  the  advantage  of  good  hands  and  seat ; 
and  was  so  active  that  he  would  jump  into  the  saddle 
with  his  horse  at  full  gallop.  Mr.  Nethercote,  noted  for 
his  eye  to  hounds,  and  his  quiet  and  determined  style  of 
ridiug,  was  always  in  a  good  place  when  hounds  were 
running,  and  made  an  excellent  pilot  for  any  stranger 
who  wished  to  see  what  was  going  on.  This  gentle- 
man is  referred  to  by  a  writer  in  the  Sporting  Magazine 
of   184G,   who,   quoting    from  one  who  was  present  on 


CHAP.  I.]        Mr,  Nethercote — -Jem  Wood,  2 1 

the  occasion,  and  gave  a  description  of  tlie  day's  sport, 
thus  writes  :  "  One  day  at  Sywell  Wood  we  were  not  able 
to  throw  off  till  12.30  for  the  snow:  at  that  time  it  had 
sufficiently  melted,  and  an  immediate  find  was  followed 
by  a  very  sharp  burst ;  and  in  the  bustle  the  snowballs 
from  the  horses'  feet  were  anything  but  sport.  We 
soon  came  upon  an  ox-fence — a  very  liigh  flight  of  rails 
— a  sort  of  a  hedge  and  a  deep,  wet,  broad  ditch  on  the 
other  side.  The  leading  man,  Mr.  Nethercote,  a  deter- 
mined rider,  charged  it  on  a  well-known  hunter,  whose 
four  legs,  however,  the  snow  took  from  under  him  on 
taking-off,  and  he  went  through  into  the  next  field ;  as 
ugly  a  fall  as  need  be,  where  he  lay,  horse  and  all, 
doubled  up  like  a  hedgehog.  I  made  use  of  the  fallen 
man's  clearance,  and  hearing  from  himself  that,  as  the 
Irishman  says,  he  was  not  kilt  eutirely,  I  made  play  as  I 
was  best  able."  The  writer  continues,  '^  We  had  a  trying 
sharp  burst  of  iSve  miles,  to  a  drain,  whence  our  fox 
was  bolted  in  about  five  minutes,  and  thence  a  very 
severe  chivy  by  Orlingbury  and  Isham  to  a  large  home- 
stead near  Barton  Seagrave  where  King  (huntsman) 
seeing  that  Pug  was  likely  to  prove  tricky,  gave  the 
hounds  a  lift  and  turned  up  Charley  in  a  ditch.  Jem 
Wood,  the  first  whip,  than  whom  no  more  brilliant 
rider  ever  lived,  not  excepting  Dick  Christian  himself, 
went  extraordinarily  well  in  this  run,  on  a  raw  five-year- 
old  of  Mr.  Elwes  of  Billing.  All  the  time  Wood  seemed 
going  at  his  ease,  and  the  mare  at  hers  apparently,  and 
made  no  bones  about  it.  I  have  seen  him  on  all  sorts, 
and  once  on  a  coach-horse,  to  which  he  was  reduced 
by  an  accident;  and  it  was  all  the  same.  They  all 
went  brilliantly,  but  how  was  probably  as  much  known 


2  2    The  PytcJiley  Htnit,  Past  and  Present,    [chap,  i. 

to  Wood  as  to  themselves.  His  stjle^  in  every  sense  of 
tlie  word,  was  *  impressive/  He  put  them  at  any  things 
generally  fastish.  That  he  had  them  at  his  will  in  an 
extraordinary  way,  I  infer,  as  I  can  safely  say  that  I 
never  saw  a  horse  refuse  with  him.  He  had  a  fine  voice^ 
knew  his  business  to  a  T^  and  was  one  of  the  civilest 
beings  living." 

Mr.  Cook  of  Hothorp,  the  purchaser  of  the  high- 
priced  '^Lancet/' without  being  a  great  horseman,  w^as 
always  well  in  the  front  and  did  not  know  what  it  was 
to  let  another  man  pound  him  at  any  place.  Lords 
Jersey  and  Plymouth  were  both  first-rate  men  to 
hounds,  and  hunting  from  Market  Harbro'  did  not 
w^aut  for  opportunities  to  try  and  cut  down  either 
Quorn  or  Pytchley  thrusters  as  occasion  offered.  Mr. 
Peter  Allix,  afterwards  M.P.  for  Cambridgeshire,  was 
one  of  the  rough-and-ready  school,  who  meant  going, 
and  never  failed  to  carry  out  his  purpose.  Not  at 
any  time  having  the  fear  of  a  bullfinch  before  his 
eyes,  be  it  ever  so  thrusty,  he  earned  for  himself  the 
nickname  of  '^  Scratchface."  He  afterwards  kept  a 
pack  of  harriers  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Newmarket, 
and  showed  a  g-reat  deal  of  such  sport  as  may  be  got 
out  of  the  pursuit  of  '^  poor  puss."  His  brother. 
Colonel  Allix  of  the  Grenadier  Guards,  who,  like  his 
brother,  hunted  from  Brixworth,  was  noted  for  being 
one  of  the  three  handsomest  men  in  London.  Anxious 
to  see  as  much  as  he  could  with  a  stud  not  overlarge^ 
his  maxim  was,  never  to  keep  the  horse  out  long  who 
was  expected  to  come  out  often.  His  return  home, 
therefore,  was  usually  at  an  earlier  hour  than  most  of  the 
field;  but  should  there  have  been  a  run  during  the  time 


CHAP.  I.]  Col.  Allix — Mr.  Lucas — Col.  Bouverie.  23 

he  was  out,  no  man  was  more  sure  to  Lave  seen  it.  In 
after  years,  a  guest  at  Moulton  Grange  for  a  few  weeks' 
hunting  in  the  old  country,  he  was  to  be  seen  on  a 
thorough-bred  chestnut  horse  by  '^  Economist  ^'  called 
^^  Rhino  '^ — the  vf'riest  slug  that  ever  went  into  a 
hunting-field.  With  the  aid  of  a  stout  cutting  whip  and 
a  sharp  pair  of  spurs,  the  still-handsome  old  Guardsman 
was  not  to  be  denied ;  and  many  a  younger  man  was 
not  too  proud  to  wait  until  the  Colonel  had  made  a  hole 
in  the  big  place  through  which  he  might  find  a  way  into 
the  field  beyond.  All  too  soon  he  received  his  summons 
to  "  join  the  majority  \^  but  his  connection  with  the 
Pytchley  is  still  kept  up  by  his  son  having  married  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  Richard  Lee  Bevan  of  Brixworth  Hall. 
Mr.  Lucas,  at  that  time  one  of  the  wearers  of  the  White 
Collar,  had  good  reason  to  remember  a  dark  evening  on 
a  cold  December  day,  when  on  his  return  to  Pytchley 
after  a  distant  kill,  the  darkness  became  so  intense  that 
he  lost  his  way  in  attempting  to  find  a  gate  out  of  a 
grass-field.  Happily  he  stumbled  on  a  barn,  where  he 
and  his  horse  passed  the  weary  hours  of  a  winter's  night 
as  best  they  could,  causing  no  little  anxiety  to  the  more 
fortunate  members  of  the  Club,  seated  safe  and  sound 
around  the  dinner-table.  For  many  years  the  place  of 
shelter  was  known  as  Lucas's  barn. 

The  Squire  of  Delapre,  though  never  an  enthusiastic 
sportsman  or  much  of  a  performer  in  the  field,  was  a 
frequent  attendant  at  the  Meets,  where  few  excelled  him 
in  the  neat  and  dapper  appearance  of  himself,  horse  or 
groom.  His  son.  Colonel  Bouverie,  for  many  years  in 
command  of  the  Blues,  like  his  father,  was  never  remark- 
able for  his  achievements  across  country,  but  on  the  flat 


24   The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

had  scarcely  a  rival  as  a  gentleman-jockey.  In  tlie 
•*^old^^  Sporting  Magazine  for  March,  1838^  an  amusing 
account  is  given  of  a  match  for  50^.,  which  came  off 
at  the  Pytchley  Hunt  Eaces  on  March  28th  of  that 
year,  between  Mr.  Hungerford's  "  Brilliant  '^  and  Mr. 
(Billy)  Russell's  "  Valentine/'  ten  stone  each.  Colonel 
Bouverie  rode  the  former^  and  the  latter  was  steered  by 
a  Mr.  Curwen,  an  Irishman,  who  at  that  time  was  hunt- 
ing from  Abington  Abbey.  The  betting  on  the  race 
seems  to  have  fluctuated  from  2bl.  to  Is.  to  lOOZ.  to  2^.  6c?.. 
on  the  winner :  a  bet  which  was  offered  by  Mr.  George 
Payne  when  the  horses  were  within  the  distance. 
''Valentine,"  who  had  been  last  for  the  Tally  Ho  stakes, 
made  the  running,  the  mare  hanging  on  his  quarters  and 
scarcely  being  able  to  go  slow  enough.  Thus  they  kept 
to  the  distance-post,  where  all  the  wind  seemed  to  have 
left  poor  ''  Valentine's ''  body.  His  jockey,  however, 
appeared  bent  upon  reaching  the  winning-post;  but 
not  content  with  flogging  him  for  200  yards  before 
attaining  the  desired  point,  he  gave  him  two  or  three, 
just  for  friendship's  sake,  after  passing  the  chair  !  Bursts 
of  laughter  greeted  Mr.  Cur  wen  on  his  return  to  the 
winning-post,  who  explained  his  action  by  saying  that 
''he  was  actually  obliged  to  whip  him  to  keep  him  mov- 
ing." A  postscript  is  added  to  this  effect :  "  N.B. — Mr. 
Curwen  would  be  a  perfect  treasure  to  any  one  in  want 
of  a  portable  threshing-machine.  " 

"  True  Blue,"  a  famous  horse  at  that  time  as  a  steeple- 
chaser— the  property  of  a  well-known  liquor-merchant  of 
Northampton,  Mr.  John  Stevenson — won  the  Farmers'  Cup 
of  fifty  sovereigns  on  the  same  day ;  Mr.  S.  Harris  of 
Wootten  being  second  with   his   bay   mare   "Adelaide." 


CHAP.  I.]  Rev.JoJiJi  Whalley — Lord  Waterford.  25 

Familiar  in  many   a  Northamptonshire   ear  will  be  the 
names   of  the  connty-gentlemen  who  were  on  the  small 
Stand    on  that   occasion,  well-nigh   half  a  century  ago. 
Lords    Southampton,   Bateman,    Compton,    Lilford;    the 
Hon.  P.  Pierrepont,  F.  Villiers,  H.  AVatson,  C.  Forester, 
R.  Needham  ;  Sir  F.  H.  Goodricke,  C.  Knightley,  Nether- 
cote,  Loraine  Smith,  Peyton,  Wellesley,  Curzon,  Cope- 
land,  Lambs.     Of  these  one  only  survives,  the  Rev.  John 
Whalley,  then  Rector  of  Ecton,to  call  to  mind  the  Pytchley 
Hunt  Meeting  of  nearly  fifty  years  ago.     On   the   day 
following,  a  steeple-chase,  in   which  many  of   the   most 
celebrated  horses  of  the  day  were  engaged,  came  off  at 
Little  Honghton,  over  a  course  of  such  severity  that  the 
complaints  of  its  impracticability  were    numerous,    and 
Captain  Phillipson — known  as  '^handsome  Jack ^' — with- 
drew his  mare  '^  Mirth  ^^  on  account  of  the  size  of  the 
fences.     None  of  the  jockeys,  not  even  the  famous  Captain 
Beecher,  quite  relished  the  formidable  aspect  of  either  the 
timber  or   the  water  that  had   to  be  negotiated,  except 
Lord  Waterford,  who  liked  everything  as  big  as  possible. 
His  horse  "Yellow  Dwarf ^'  started  second  favoui-ite  to 
Mr.  Anderson^s   (the   horsedealer)   ^'  Jerry,"  who  carried 
twelve  pounds  extra,  the  prices  respectively  being  live  to 
two,  and  seven  to  two.     Captain  Childe's  "  Conrad  "  and 
^'  Yellow  Dwarf"  made  the  running,  and  jumped  the  first 
brook    splendidly;  afterwards  taking    the    gate    on   the 
towing-path  to  avoid  the  heavy  ground.     Lord  Water- 
ford now  forged   ahead,  and  at  the  second  brook  was 
200  yards    in  advance  of  the    nearest    horse.     At    the 
place  where  it  was  to  be  jumped  an  immense  crowd  of 
Northampton  snobs  w^ere  collected,  who  so  closed  in  upon 
the  "Yellow  Dwarf  "  that  his  rider  had  to  take  it  almost 


2  6   The  Pytchley  Himt,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

at  a  walk.  He  contrived,  notwithstanding,  to  reacli  the 
opposite  side,  but  the  bank  giving  way  he  fell  backwards 
into  the  water,  and  conld  not  be  got  out  until  all  chance 
was  over.  ''  Conrad  ^'  cleared  the  brook  in  fine  style, 
and  won  the  race  easily ;  "  Jerry ''  being  second,  and 
Captain  Beecher  third,  on  Mr.  Fairlie's  grey  horse 
"  Spicey.''^  Captain  Childe  being  quartered  at  Northamp- 
ton the  result  of  the  race  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the 
locals,  though  there  is  little  doubt  that  Lord  Waterford 
would  have  won  it  had  he  had  fair  play  at  the  second 
brook. 

From  another  steeple-chase,  open  to  all  England, 
which  came  off  in  this  locality,  and  which  was  won  by 
^'  Cigar,^'  Mr.  Elmore's  ^'  Lottery "  was  barred ;  the 
greatest  compliment,  probably,  that  ever  was  paid  to 
a  horse,  and  a  striking  testimony  to  his  exceeding 
merit. 

Some  few  may  still  remember  a  race  on  the  ISTorth- 
ampton  Course,  in  which  a  worthy  mercer  and  citizen  of 
the  town  competed  with  H.M.  King  William  lY.  for  the 
Gold  Cup.  The  names  of  only  two  horses  figured  on  the 
card  for  this  race,  and  these  were  his  Majesty's 
"  Hindostan ''  and  Mr.  Whitworth's  "  Peon.''  The 
latter,  somewhat  a  commoner  in  appearance,  was 
troubled  with  the  ''  slows,"  and  '^  Hindostan "  appro- 
priately carried  off  the  piece  of  plate,  which  may 
possibly  still  be  found  amongst  the  treasures  of  the 
Empress  of  India. 

This  was  prior  to  the  days  of  the  new  Stand,  and  when 
the  little  County  Stand  occupied  a  position  opposite  to 
the  winning-post  on  the  north  side  of  the  course.  In  the 
old  Sporting   Magazine  of    1844  we    learn   that  on  the 


CHAP.  I.]  Mr.  Andrezv  of  Harleston — C/'ias.  King.  27 

29tli  of  July  of  tliat  year,  the  first  stone  of  a  new  Stand 
was  laid  at  Nortliampton  by  Mr.  Jolin  Stevenson 
(owner  of  ''True  Blue  ^^  and  '' Duenna/')  accompanied 
by  tlie  mayor  of  tlie  borougli  and  the  town  council, 
and  other  gentlemen  favourable  to  racing.  After  the 
ceremony  the  company  retired  to  a  marquee  erected  on 
the  ground,  to  partake  of  wine,  the  mayor  presiding. 
After  the  customary  toasts,  the  healths  of  the  Marquis 
of  Exeter,  Earl  Spencer,  the  Earl  of  Cardigan,  the  Hon. 
Captain  Spencer,  George  Payne,  Esq.,  and  Fox-hunting 
were  given ;  and  there  appeared  on  the  part  of  all 
assembled  a  determination  to  use  every  endeavour  to 
make  the  Northampton  Races  second  to  none  in  the 
kingdom. 

Mr.  Andrew  of  Harleston  was  a  good  man  on  a  horse, 
and  like  his  friends  and  neighbours,  Messrs.  Elwes 
and  Bouverie,  was  short  in  stature  and  light  in  weight, 
though  scarcely  so  particular  in  the  shape  and  cut  of 
his  garments  as  either  of  these.  This  trio  of  country 
squires  were  each  fond  of  tbe  turf;  but  the  owner  of 
Harleston  could  not  boast  the  prudence  of  either  of  the 
others,  and  so  seriously  injured  his  fortune  by  his  specu- 
lations that,  after  a  while,  the  property  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Lord  Spencer,  and  became  part  of  the  Althorp 
territory. 

No  name  as  a  Huntsman  is  more  familiar  to  old  North- 
amptonshire, or  at  all  events  to  that  portion  of  it  hunted 
by  the  Pytchley  hounds,  than  that  of  Charles  King. 
Unknown  to  the  present  generation,  in  the  time  of  Lord 
Althorp  it  was  to  the  hunting-man  of  that  day  what  the 
names  of  Charles  Payne  and  Will  Goodall  have  been 
during  the  last   thirty  years.     He   was  tall  and  slight, 


2  8   The  Pytchley  Htnit,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

riding  considerably  under  twelve  stone,  and  though  a  good 
horseman  he  would  always  let  an  aspiring  rider  break  the 
binders  for  him,  and  would  rather  get  his  horse^s  hind 
legs  into  a  fence  and  make  him  creep  through  than  jump 
it.  He  had  a  sharp  eye  for  a  gap,  and  could  bore  a 
hole  through  a  big  fence  as  well  as  any  man.  King^s 
hands  and  seat  were  as  good  as  could  be,  and  his  fac3 
was  bright  and  intelligent.  During  a  run,  it  lit  up  with 
singular  animation,  and  wore  a  look  of  such  extreme 
satisfaction  as  to  give  a  beholder  the  feeling  that  he  was 
in  the  full  fruition  of  the  greatest  happiness  to  be  found 
here  below.  To  him,  life  might  be  a"  wale  ^'  as  Mrs. 
Gamp  declared  ;  but  if  it  were  taken  in  the  '^  wale  ^^  of 
Cottesbrooke  or  that  about  Misterton  or  Crick,  it  was 
not  such  a  very  bad  place  after  all.  Having  had  the 
advantage  of  a  good  education,  he  could  not  only  ride, 
dance,  play  the  fiddle,  and  hunt  a  pack  of  hounds  better 
than  most  men,  but  he  kept  a  diary  of  each  day's  pro- 
ceedings, which  is  remarkable  for  the  minuteness  and 
accuracy  with  which  the  different  incidents  were  recorded. 
No  day  closed  without  his  setting  down  the  names  of 
those  who  were  out,  and  the  list  of  the  hounds,  with 
observations  on  their  behaviour,  such  as  :  "  '  Plunder  ' 
noisy  at  her  fences."  "*  Glider^  ran  a  hare  to  Byfield 
and  back  to  Charwelton  spinny."  "  The  young  hounds 
ran  a  cur  and  two  greyhounds  half  a  mile  down  a  lane. 
Corn  was  standing  (November  18th,  1816)  as  we  went 
through  Kilsby  Field."  '^  Young  F.  dug  out  a  fox,  and 
sold  him  in  Kettering  Market."  Several  volumes  of 
these  records,  full  of  interest  to  any  hunting-man,  are  to 
be  found  on  a  shelf  of  the  Althorp  library,  and  are  open 
for  the  perusal  of  all  who  find  pleasure  in  the  literature 


CHAP.  I.]        Charles  King — Sport-spoilers,  29 

known  as  "  ^otce  Venaticce.'^  Wlien  Lord  Spencer  gave 
up  the  Mastership,  Kino;  resigned  the  horn,  having 
established  for  himself  a  reputation  second  to  none  in 
the  kingdom  as  a  huntsman  of  the  highest  class.  He 
took  a  small  farm  under  his  old  master  at  Bringtou,  but 
even  in  those  ante-free-trade  days,  he  soon  discovered  that 
the  "'  cobbler  who  does  not  stick  to  his  last  "  is  apt  to 
find  a  new  trade  bad  to  live  by. 

It  is  see  a  by  the  journals  so  accurately  kept  by  King, 
that  the  sport  during  the  years  of  his  huntsmanship  was 
far  better,  day  by  day,  than  what  is  experienced  at  the 
present  time.  It  is  not  likely  that  scent  has  greatly 
altered,  the  drain-pipes  notwithstanding  ;  but  flocks,  and 
herds,  and  shepherd-dogs,  the  three  great  antagonistic 
forces  to  sport,  have  increased  twentyfold  siuce  those 
days,  as  have  "hard  ridiug,^^  ""  spring- Cap  tains,"  and 
foot-folk  of  all  descriptions.  Game,  too,  being  far  more 
plentiful  than  of  old,  and  rabbits  more  abundant,  the 
fox's  salle  a  manger  is  never  far  distant  from  his 
chambre  de  nuit ;  and  except  when  he  would  "  a- 
wooing  go,'''  he  has  little  chance  of  acquiring  any  know- 
ledge of  distant  points.  Even  in  that  case,  after  having 
made  arrano-ements  with  his  ''  Vixena  "  to  "  meet  him 
by  moonlight  alone,"  the  chances  are  that  the  trysting 
place  is  only  in  some  neighbouring  wood,  from  whence, 
being  roused  by  an  unsympathetic  hound,  he  straightway 
returns  to  a  home  which  he  is  able  to  reach  in  the  course 
of  ton  or  fifteen  minutes.  Eailways  must  not  by  any 
means  be  left  out  of  the  category  of  sport-spoilers : 
obstructionists  with  whom  the  huntsman  of  old  had  in 
no  way  to  deal.  Apart  from  the  danger  attendant  on 
hounds  running  a  mile  or  so  down  a  line,  the  navvy  is 


30   TJie  Pylchley  Hiuit^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  i. 

ever  at  work,  and  heads  tlie  fox,  probably  unconsciously 
to  himself,  or  the  animal  disappears  in  some  unexpected 
drain  at  the  very  moment  when  the  acquisition  of  his 
brush  seems  assured.  Though  large  coverts  like  Sywell 
Wood  and  Wilma  Park  have  been  shorn  of  much  of 
their  acreage  within  the  last  few  years,  plantations  and 
small  spinnies  have  greatly  increased ;  and  as  they 
mostly  contain  a  few  hares  and  rabbits,  the  scent  of  the 
fox  loses  some  of  its  aroma  when  mixed  up  with  that  of 
other  game,  and  tends  to  stop  hounds  and  favour  the 
escape  of  the  object  of  pursuit.  Xo  covert  in  the  whole 
of  the  Pytchley  open  country  is  looked  upon  with  more 
respect,  and  also  with  more  dread,  by  the  hahiiue,  than 
the  well  known  "  Sywell  Wood.^'  It  has  earned  the  first 
from  being  a  sure  '^find"  when  all  other  places  have 
failed,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  season.  The  second  arises  from  the  adhesive  nature 
of  the  circumjacent  soil,  and  from  the  fact  that  the  foxes 
frequenting  it,  when  sent  upon  a  journey  by  hounds, 
almost  invariably  return  after  a  short  '^  outing/^  Many 
a  fine  run  has  had  its  origin  in  Sywell  Wood,  but  few 
take  a  higher  rank  than  that  which,  in  1816,  ended  in  a 
kill  at  Ashley  by  Welland,  when  Sir  Justinian  Isham 
carried  his  knife  in  his  hand  for  the  last  twenty  minutes, 
declaring,  '*'  that  he  and  no  other  should  cut  off  the  brush,^' 
which  he  did.  This  must  have  covered  a  distance  of,  as 
the  crow  flies,  about  seventeen  miles. 

A  bad  fall  in  November,  1817,  during  a  two  hours' 
run  from  Brampton  Wood,  so  shook  Lord  Althorp,  that 
at  the  end  of  that  season,  to  the  great  regret  of  every 
Pytchley  man,  he  resigned  the  Mastership  into  the  hands 
of  his  friend,  Sir  Charles  Knightley. 


i 


CHAP.  II.]  CJiaractej'  of  Lord  AltJiorp.  31 


CHAPTER  II. 

ChaMcter  of  Lord  Althorp  ;  becomes  an  Agriculturist  and  Breeder  of 
Shorthorns  :  a  boxer  and  supporter  of  pugilism  ;  with  anecdotes 
of  Parson  Ami  rose,  Lord  Byron,  and  Jackson  the  prize-tigliter  ; 
Gully,  Cribb,  and  others — 'The  prize-ring — Prize-fight  at  Acheres, 
near  Paris — Feederick,  fourth  EarlSpencee;  a  breeder  of 
racehorses  ;  an  excellent  shot,  and  patron  of"  cricket — The  Althorp 
Distiict — SandarsGorse — Sir  Charles  Knightley,  Master, 
1817-18  ;  his  fine  horsemanship  and  deficient  eloquence — Rivals 
Lord  Althorp  in  breeding  Shorthorns — An  ardent  Horticulturist 
— Resigns  the  Mastership — His  house  at  Fawsley;  its  secret 
chamber;  a  Martin  Mar-prelate  Tract  covertly  printed  there 
— Lord  Sondes,  J/a^^er,  1818-19 — Sir  Bellingham  Graham, 
Master,  1819 — Notices  of  scmie  of  the  usual  visitors  to  a  i^ytchley 
Meet:  Dick  Gurney;  Squire  Wood  of  Brixworth  ;  Matthew 
Oldacre  ;  Sir  Roderick  Murchison  ;  Capt.  Blunt ;  Admiral  Sir 
W.  Pell ;  The  Rev.  Vere  Isham;  The  Rev.  John  Whalley ;  The 
Rev.  W.  Dickens ;  The  Rev.  J.  C.  Humphrey  ;  The  Rev.  J. 
Wickes  ;  and  The  Rev.  Loraine  Smith — Henry  Couch,  a  military 
deserter  and  felon  ;  his  singular  career  and  extraordinary  letters — 
John  Dunt,  a  worthy  old  soldier,  and  his  letter. 

Among  a  long  list  of  honoured  names,  thePytchley  Hunt 
can  point  to  none  more  notable  than  that  of  John 
Charles,  Viscount  Althorp.  Like  the  great  Duke  himself, 
the  polar  star  of  his  life  was  duty,  and  his  most  marked 
characteristic,  ^"^  thoroughness.''^  Whatever  he  under- 
took he  did  with  all  his  might,  and  in  the  best  possible 
manner,  without  much  regard  to  cost.  By  sheer  force  of 
character,  and  a  straightforwardness  of  conduct  never 
equalled  in  the  tortuous  paths  of  political  life,  the  posi- 
tion he  attained  in  the  House  of  Commons  is  almost 
without  a  parallel.     Entirely  wanting  in  the  great  gift  of 


32    TJie  PytcJiley  Htcnt^  Past  and  Pj^esent.  [chap.  h. 

oratory,   without  which  it  is   usually  impossible  to   gain 
the  ear  of  the  House  ;  his  words,  loosely  strung  together 
aud  destitute  of  polish  or  arrangement,  were  listened  to 
with  the  deepest  attention  from  their  being  the   expres- 
sion of  a  thoroughly  honest  man.     So  completely  did  the 
country,  at  critical  times,  look  to  him  for  guidance,  that 
he   was  the    ^^  Atlas  ^'  who  upheld   the  Goverument    of 
Lord  Grey,  and  his  main  support  in  passing  the  Reform 
Bill  of  1832.     Although   Chancellor  of  the   Exchequer, 
and  the  most  important  member  of  the  Cabinet  next  to 
the  Prime  Minister,  he  never  was  so  happy  as  when  away 
from  the  turmoil  of  political  life.     A   thorough  country- 
man, when  in  London  his  song'  might  have  been  at  any 
time:    ^^My  heart's   in  the   Midlands,  my  heart   is  not 
here  ;"  and  long  after  he  had  given  up  huuting  he  used 
to  say  that  "  he  never  should  forget  the  beautiful  music 
of  Sywell  Wood.''^     After  resigning  the   chase,   agricul- 
ture and  the  breeding  of  shorthorns  became  the   great 
passion  of  Lord  Althorp's  life.     An  interesting  letter  to 
his  father,  dated  Wiseton,  October  3rd,  1818,  shows  how 
thoroughly  he  had  entered  upon  this  new  and  fascinating 
pursuit.     He  writes  :  *^  My   expedition  to  the  county  of 
Durham    answered.     I    did   not   spend    quite    so   much 
money  as  I  told  you   I  was  prepared  to   do,   and  I   got 
what  I  wanted,  viz.  three  cows  and  a  bull.     When  I  saw 
'  Lancaster,'  the  bull  for  which  Champion  and  I  were  to 
enter  into  a  confederacy,  I  did  not  like  him  or  his  pro- 
duce sufficiently  well  to  hazard  a  large  sum  of  money  on 
him  ;  but  Simpson  and    Smith,  who  live  at  BakewelPs 
farm  at  Dishley,  bought  him  for  621  guineas.     I  got  the 
two  best   cows,   and  had  to  pay  for  them   handsomely, 
giving   370   for   one,  and    300  for  the    other.     I  bought 


CHAP.  11.]         Lor^d AltJiorp ;  a  Breeder.  -y^Z 

another  cow  for  73  guineas,  which,  may  turn  oufc  as 
valuable  as  either  of  the  others  ;  but  she  sold  cheap 
because  she  is  a  very  great  milker,  and  looked  un- 
commonly thin.  A  bull  calf,  not  six  months  old,  sold 
for  278  guineas/'  Such  were  some  of  the  early  plunges 
of  Lord  Althorp,  which  if  they  did  not  prove  a  mine  of 
wealth,  raised  him  into  the  first  rank  of  shorthorns. 
The  annual  loss  upon  the  Wiseton  farm,  where  the  high- 
bred shorthorns  were  kept,  was  about  3000Z.  The  best 
year  he  ever  experienced  was  one  in  which  the  balance 
on  the  wrong  side  was  400Z.  only.  His  farm  in  North- 
amptonshire was  almost  always  profitable,  the  grazing 
being  managed  with  a  view  to  makiug  it  pay.  Although 
a  farmer,  and  dependent  on  land  for  his  income,  he  threw 
himself  heart  and  soul  into  the  "  Free  Trade  ''  movement, 
believing  that  the  measure  would  be  beneficial  to  the 
country  at  large.  Not  foreseeing  the  gigantic  growth 
of  the  railway-system  in  the  corn-growing  countries,  he 
did  not  apprehend  any  material  fall  in  the  price  of 
cereals,  and  would  have  laughed  had  he  been  told  that 
within  forty  years  after  he  had  passed  away,  wheat 
would  be  selling  at  285.  per  quarter.  Always  fond  of 
shooting,  as  he  was  of  all  outdoor  sports,  in  spite  of 
great  practice  he  never  became  a  good  shot  ;  he  amused 
himself  by  keeping  an  account  of  every  shot  he  fired  in 
the  course  of  the  year,  whether  he  missed  or  killed, 
makiug  up  his  book  periodically. 

Long  after  he  had  given  up  hunting,  and  was  leader 
of  the  Opposition  in  the  House  of  Commons,  he  went 
with  a  party  to  Deville,  the  craniologist,  or  '^skull- 
reader,''  to  test  his  skill  in  telling  character  by  the 
bumps  of  the  head.     ^'  The  man  knows  nothing  about  it,'^ 

D 


34    ^/^^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Pi'esejtt,  [chap.  n. 

he  said  on  liis  return  ;  ^^  he  entirely  missed  my  leading 
passion/^  "  What  do  you  consider  that  to  be  ?  ^'  asked  a 
friend.  ^^  To  see  sporting-dogs  hunt/'  was  the  reply, 
'^  nothing  in  the  world  gives  metlie  same  pleasure."  Not 
inheriting  his  father's  (the  great  bibliophile  of  the  day, 
to  whom  the  Althorp  Library  is  indebted  for  its  price- 
less possessions)  love  for  books,  he  patronized  all  athletic 
exercises,  and  made  a  real  stud}'-  of  boxing,  taking 
lessons  from  the  best  instructors.  He  had  many  a  ^'set- 
to"  with  his  fellow-Harrovian,  Lord  Byron, — a  very 
handy  man  with  his  fists, — and  so  hard  did  he  hit,  that 
it  used  to  be  commonly  said  of  bim  that  he  was  a  ^^  prize- 
figbter  thrown  away.''  This  was  tlie  halcyon  era  of  the 
prize-ring.  The  British  public,  from  the  Prince  Eegent 
to  Jack  the  sweep,  had  imbibed  the  notion  that  a  fight 
was  an  English  and  a  manly  institution,  and  was  an 
antidote  to  the  foreign^ practice  of  settling  disputes  with 
the  knife.  All  its  roguery  and  its  attendant  black- 
guardism were  ignored,  and  the  principal  pugilists  of 
the  time,  men  springing  from  the  lowest  dregs  of  society, 
were  treated  as  equals  by  the  magnates  of  the  land. 
Jackson,  Gully,  Spring,  and  Cribb,  were  looked  upon  as 
heroes  cast  in  no  ordinary  mould;  and  the  first  was 
treated  on  the  most  familiar  terms  by  Lord  Byron ; 
whilst  the  Regent  thought  it  no  degradation  to  drive 
about  Brighton  with  the  second  by  his  side.  Lord 
Althorp  used  to  say  that  his  conviction  of  the  advantages 
of  boxing  was  so  strong  that  he  had  been  seriously  con- 
sidering whether  it  was  not  his  duty  to  attend  every 
prize-fight,  so  as  to  encourage  the  noble  science  to  the 
utmost  of  his  power.  He  would  tell  his  friends,  with  no 
little    animation,    how  he  had  seen  Mendoza    the    Jew 


CHAP  II.]    Lord  Althorp^  a  Patron  of  Boxing.       35 

knocked  down  in  tke  first  five  or  six  rounds  by  Humphrey^ 
and  seeming  almost  beat  till  his  brethren  got  their 
money  on,  when  a  hint  being  given  him,  he  began  in 
earnest  and  soon  turned  the  tables.  He  loved  to  de- 
scribe the  "  great  mill  ^'  between  Gully  and  '^  the  chicken/' 
which  came  oS*  at  Brickhill  in  Bedfordshire ;  how  he 
rode  down  and  was  loitering  about  the  inn-door  when  a 
barouche  and  four  drove  up  with  Lord  Byron  and  a 
party  of  friends  and  Jackson  the  trainer;  how  they  all 
dined  together,  and  how  pleasant  it  had  been.  Then 
the  fight  the  next  day — a  scene,  says  the  describer, 
^'  worthy  of  Homer.''  We  read  in  the  Life  of  Lord. 
Althorp  by  Sir  Denis  Le  Marchant,  that  when  the  party 
come  together  to  witness  this  aifair  had  assembled  over- 
night at  the  '^  George  Hotel,''  it  was  found  that  the  beds 
were  not  sufiicient  in  number ;  so  they  tossed  up,  and 
the  winners  turned  in  first.  At  a  certain  hour  these 
were  called,  and  the  losers  took  their  places.  Among 
the  company  was  the  Rector  of  Blisworth,  ^^  Parson 
Ambrose,"  a  man  too  well  known  in  sporting-circles. 
He  disgraced  a  profession  he  might  have  adorned,  as  he 
was  clever  and  had  a  remarkably  fine  delivery.  Macklin, 
the  actor,  left  him  fifty  pounds,  to  preach  his  funeral 
sermon.  Obliged  at  last  to  fly  from  his  creditors,  he 
died  abroad  in  misery  and  want.  As  a  proof  of  the 
intimate  relations  existing  between  Byron,  the  peer  and 
poet,  and  Jackson,  the  prize-fighter,  we  give  a  letter 
from  the  former  to  the  latter,  bearing  date  September 
18th,  1808. 

^'  Newstead  Abbey. 
"Dear  Jack, — I  wish  you  would  inform  me  what  has 
been  done   by  Jekyll  about   the    pony   I    returned    as 

D  2 


36    TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  n. 

unsound.      £25   is  a  sound  price  for  a  pony;    and  by 
lieavens,  I  will,  if  it  costs  me  £500,  make  an  example   of 
Mr.  J.  if  the  money  be  not  returned  at  once. 
'^  Believe  me^  dear  Jack, 

'*  Yours,  &c., 

''  Byron.'' 

Of  John  Gully,  pugilist,  publican,  liell-keeper,  betting 
man,  country  squire,  and  member  of  parliament,  we  read 
as  follows  in '^ Riley's  Itinerant:'' — 

"  One  evening  I  accompanied  honest  Jack  Emery  (the 
well-know^n  actor),  to  a  tavern  in  Carey  Street  kept  by 
John  Gully.  He  unfortunately  was  from  home,  but  Cribb, 
the  champion  of  England,  was  officiating  as  his  locum- 
tenenSj  handing  about  pots  of  porter  and  grog  with  perse- 
vering industry.  Mrs.  Gully,  a  neat  little  woman,  civil 
and  attentive,  superintended  at  the  bar,  where  we  obtained 
leave  to  sit,  Emery  evidently  being  in  great  favour. 
Cribb,  who  had  obtained  popularity  by  his  prowess,  was 
originally  a  coalheaver,  and  has  several  brothers  in  the 
same  employment.  He  is  sturdy  and  stout-built :  stands 
five  feet  eight,  and  is  clumsy  in  appearance  and  hard- 
featured.  Having  detained  him  a  few  minutes  in 
conversation,  Emery  said  to  me  :  '  Well,  what  do  you 
think  of  him  ?  The  greatest  man  in  his  way,  or  perhaps 
in  any  other,  that  England  can  boast.'  In  spite  of 
there  being  ''  nothing  like  leather,"  we  here  see  the 
actor  giving  precedence  to  the  '^  fighting-man "  over 
all  of  his  own  craft,  and  prepared  to  invest  him  with  a 
greater  halo  of  renown  than  he  would  assign  to  a  Kean 
or  a  Kemble  a  Listen,  or  a  Mathews  !  The  feeling 
that  the  ''  P.R."  as  it  was  termed,  fostered  public 
courage,  and  on  the  whole  was  a  praiseworthy  institu- 


CHAP.  II.]  Prize-fight  near  Paris,  37 

tion,  had  got  so  firm  a  hold,  on  national  sentiment,  that 
though  contrary  to  law,  it  was  something  more  than 
winked  at  by  judges  and  by  magistrates  too.  On  one 
occasion,  a  Cabinet  Council  was  postponed,  so  that  its 
members  might  be  present  at  a  much  talked-of  contest 
between  two  well-known  pugilists ;  and  even  the  clergy, 
it  was  said,  could  not  refrain  from  witnessing  the  exhila- 
rating  spectacle.  The  robberies,  the  dishonest  part 
taken  by  the  principals  who  were  always  ready  to  sell  the 
fight,  and  the  scenes  of  violence  and  tumult  that  usually 
took  place,  gradually  disgusted  the  patrons  of  the 
"  ring,"  and  brought  about  its  downfall.  The  sporting 
papers,  which  had  lavished  on  a  fight,  in  a  jargon 
peculiar  to  themselves,  minutiag  of  description  similar  to 
those  now  bestowed  on  a  cricket  match  or  boat  race,  did 
their  best  to  restore  vitality  to  a  sinking  cause ;  but 
"  law  "  came  to  the  aid  of  an  improved  state  of  feeling, 
and  the  ^^  fisticufiian  '^  candle  guttered  out.  Driven  from 
pillar  to  post,  and  finding  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  his  foot 
on  his  native  soil,  the  puzzled  pugilist,  as  a  last  resource, 
betook  himself  to  the  land  of  the  Gaul.  It  may  truly  be 
said  that  wonders  will  never  cease ;  for  in  the  London 
morning  papers  of  February  16,  1886,  it  was  stated 
that  a  ^^  fight  for  the  Championship  of  England  had 
taken  place  the  day  before,  between  two  men,  Smith 
and  Greenfield,  on  ground  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Paris." 

'*  Coelum  non  auimum  mutant  qui  trans  mare  currunt." 
The  change  of  soil  and  atmosphere,  and  the  passage  over 
the  sea,  in  no  way  changed  the  nature  of  the   plunder- 
seeking  pugilist.     As  on   this  side  of  the   Channel,  the 
mock   battle  ended  in  a  riot,  the   backers  of  the   man 


o 


8    TJie  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  u. 


about  to  suffer  defeat,  as  soon  as  they  saw  that  tbeh' 
money  was  in  jeopardy,  breaking  into  tbe  ring  and 
putting  an  end  to  tbe  contest.  Tbe  French  journals 
teemed  with  wrath  at  tbe  brutal  exhibition  that  had  been 
transferred  from  our  shores  to  theirs ;  and  in  this  igno- 
minious fashion,  a  hideous  practice  and  national  disgrace 
have  received,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  their  death-blow.  A 
Paris  correspondent  of  one  of  the  London  daily  papers 
sent  the  following  account  of  the  affair.  "  To-day  there 
was  a  real  boxing-match  at  Acheres  in  the  forest  of  St. 
Germain,  which  horrified  the  representatives  of  the  Paris 
press  who  were  invited  to  attend  it.  The  combatants 
were  Smith  and  Greenfield,  who,  fearing  police  inter- 
ference if  they  fought  in  England,  came  over  here  with  a 
party  of  about  250  amateurs  of  the  ''noble  art  of  self- 
defence/'  They  were  told  by  a  member  of  the  horsey 
population  at  Maison-Lafitte  that  there  was  a  clearing  in 
the  forest  at  Acheres  which  was  an  ideal  spot  for  a  P.P. 
fight.  Twenty  mail-coaches  took  the  chief  members  of 
the  party  out  there  in  the  afternoon ;  the  others  went  by 
rail.  Smith  and  his  friend  fought  for  forty  minutes. 
There  were  twenty-five  rounds  before  the  bottle-holder 
of  Greenfield  threw  up  the  sponge.  Greenfield  was  fear- 
fully punished,  and  seemed  terribly  exhausted  while  he 
was  being  attended  to.  Smith  Avas  vociferously  cheered 
by  his  backers.  The  fight  was  for  £500.  A  forester, 
who  was  looking  on,  fainted  when  he  saw  how  Greenfield 
was  being  punished.  I  believe  the  Paris  press  will  call 
upon  the  ^Minister  of  the  Interior  to  prevent  this 
peculiar  kind  of  sport  being  acclimatized  in  France." 
The  above  very  inaccurate  account  of  this  example  of 
civilization,  as  understood  on   the   English   side   of  the 


CHAP.  II.]  Death  of  Earl  Spencer.  39 

Channel,  shows  how  little  the  French  correspondent 
comprehended  the  nature  of  the  thing  about  which  he 
was  writing. 

During  many  years  of  his  life,  Lord  Spencer  suffered 
much  from  his  hereditary  enemy,  gout,  which,  in  his 
person,  defied  all  the  resources  of  medical  science.  A 
rigid  attention  to  diet  and  regular  exercise,  served  to 
scotch,  but  could  not  kill  the  foe  ;  and  no  one  more  than 
he  realized  the  unwisdom  of  the  lady^s  maid,  who  declared 
that  "  health,  after  personal  appearance,  is  the  greatest 
blessing  as  is.^^  So  severe  was  the  abstinence  practised 
by  him  in  the  matter  of  food,  that  it  created  great 
depression  both  in  mind  and  body.  He  used  to  weigh 
his  breakfast,  and  then,  having  eaten  the  small  portion  he 
allowed  himself,  would  rush  from  the  room  to  avoid  any 
further  temptation.  In  the  autumn  of  1845,  he  was, 
with  Lord  G.  Bentinck,  steward  of  Doncaster  races.  On 
the  second  day  of  the  meeting,  he  was  seized  with  sudden 
indisposition,  but  he  rallied  sufficiently  to  be  able  to  join 
his  guests  at  dinner.  Gradually  the  attack  assumed  a 
more  serious  aspect,  and  though  he  was  able  to  return 
to  Wiseton,  it  w^as  evident  that  his  end  was  rapidly 
approaching.  He  prepared  himself  for  death  in  the 
calmest  possible  manner,  had  his  will  read  out  to  him  by 
his  brother,  said,  "  Don't  feel  for  me,  I'm  perfectly 
happy,  and  the  happiness  I  have  enjoyed  in  this  life, 
makes  me  hope  that  it  will  be  granted  me  in  the  next." 
Towards  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  first  of 
October,  1845,  he  breathed  his  last,  and  Northampton- 
shire lost  a  '^  worthy,"  of  whom  it  may  well  be  proud  for 
all  time. 

Twenty  masters  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt  have  come  and 


40   The  Pytchley  Hinit,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  n. 

gone  since  Lord  Althorp  resigned  its  management;  but 
fondly  as  some  of  these  are  remembered,  not  one  more 
completely  realized  the  idea  of  what  a  master  of  hounds 
should  be  than  John  Charles,  Viscount  Althorp. 

Sir  Denis  Le  Marchant's  "Life  of  Earl  Spencer  '^  has 
suffered  the  usual  fate  of  biographies,  and  been  pro- 
nounced "dull,  feeble,  and  unsatisfactory.''  Criticism, 
always  more  ready  to  find  faults  than  merits,  has  set  its 
imyrimatiir  on  Boswell's  "  Life  of  Johnson — '^  "  Yitarum 
facile  Princeps " —  Southey's  "  Nelson,"  Lockhart's 
''  Scott,''  Stanley's  "  Arnold,"  Trevelyan's  ''  Macaulay," 
Miss  Marsh's  "  Hedley  Vicars; "  few,  very  few  more.  But, 
however  tempting  the  subject,  the  intending  biographer 
will  do  well  to  remember  the  commandment,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  scribble  thy  neighbour's  life."  The  fate  await- 
ing the  neglect  of  this  injunction  may  be  that  which 
overtook  Copleston's  "  Life  of  Lord  Dudley,"  of  which 
the  kindly  critic  says  : — 

"Than  the  first  martyr's,  Dudley's  fate 
Was  harder  must  be  owned ; 
Stephen  was  only  stoned  to  death, 
Dudley  was  Coplestoned !  " 

The  Hon.  Frederick  Spencer,  E.N.^  succeeded  his 
brother  in  the  title  and  estates,  but  not  in  the  desire  to 
become  a  master  of  hounds. 

Having  passed  the  early  years  of  his  life  at  sea,  he 
had  little  opportunity  for  developing  the  sporting 
instincts  which  he  shared  with  the  other  members  of  his 
family,  but  there  was  nothing  connected  with  out-door  life 
which  had  not  all  his  sympathy.  Without  ever  becoming 
a  regular  *^  hunting-man,"  he  usually   appeared  at  the 


CHAP.  II.]  Frederick,  Earl  Spencer.  41 

meet  when  it  was  in  tlie  immediate  neighbourhood  of 
Althorp,  and  for  a  few  years  kept  a  pack  of  harriers,  with 
which  he  hunted  regularly.  The  sporting  traditions  of 
the  family  w^ere  adhered  to  with  an  interest  which 
almost  amounted  to  enthusiasm  in  the  cause  of  hunting, 
and  at  no  time  were  foxes  more  strictly  preserved  in  the 
Althorp  district.  To  hear  of  and  talk  over  the  various 
and  varying  incidents  of  a  good  day's  sport,  was  a 
thing  in  which  the  noble  lord  greatly  delighted_,  and 
he  held  in  special  esteem  those  of  his  neighbours  who 
were  known  to  go  well  with  hounds.  To  him  the 
'^  Pytchley'^  are  indebted  for  the  covert  so  well  known 
as  "  Sandars  Gorse.^'  Believing  that  the  picturesque 
and  popular  ^^  Cank  '^  had  seen  its  best  days,  and  was 
losing  its  attraction  for  foxes,  he  established  in  1853 
a  new  covert  in  its  immediate  neighbourhood.  This 
he  wished  to  call  '^Balaclava/'  in  honour  of  the 
famous  charge  which  had  recently  occurred,  but  the 
name  never  took  root,  and  the  place,  after  a  while, 
was  known  as  ^'  Sandars  Gorse,"  from  the  excellent 
sportsman  upon  whose  farm  it  stood,  and  to  whose 
guardianship  it  was  committed.  Owing  to  the  unre- 
mitting care  and  attention  of  Mr.  Henry  Sandars  and 
his  son,  there  are  few  coverts  in  the  country,  in  which 
a  fox  is  more  sure  to  be  at  home  than  this,  and  a  hand- 
some silver  tankard,  presented  by  gentlemen  in  the 
neighbourhood,  marks  their  appreciation  of  the  services 
he  has  rendered  to  the  Hunt.  Thouo^h  no  lonsrer  to 
be  seen  making  the  best  of  his  way  to  the  front,  or 
cramming  his  horse  at  a  woolly  place,  years  and  rheuma- 
tism are  a  heavier  handicap  than  the  dead  weight  so 
sorely    trying    to    horse    and    rider.     No    sooner    has 


42    The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  h. 

Goodall    pat    his    liounds    into  the    well-known    covert 
than 

*'At  the  end  of  the  gorse,  the  old  farmer  in  brown 

Is  seen  on  his  good  little  mare, 
With  a  grin  of  delight  and  a  jolly  bald  crown, 

To  hold  up  his  hat  in  the  air. 
Though  at  heart  he's  as  keen  as  if  youth  were  still  green. 

Yet  (a  secret  all  sportsmen  should  know) 
Not  a  word  will  he  say  till  the  fox  is  away, 

Then  he  gives  you  a  real  '  Tally  Ho  ! '  " 

Many  a  gallant  fox  has  had  his  home  in  Lord 
Spencer^s  substitute  for  the  sloping  sides  of  the  prettiest 
covert  in  Northamptonshire  ;  but  it  was  not  until  long 
after  his  lordship's  lamented  death  that  "  Cank  the 
beautiful "  was  improved  from  off  the  face  of  covert- 
land. 

A  morning  spent  in  scentless  Harleston  Heath  and 
Nobottle  Wood  is  not  usually  an  exhilarating  amuse- 
ment ;  but  so  long  as  it  is  felt  that  ^*  Sandars  Gorse  "  is 
looming  in  the  future,  despair  finds  no  place  in  the 
breast  of  the  sanguine  sportsman.  On  three  separate 
occasions  in  the  season  of  1883,  in  a  snug  piece  lying 
in  the  north-east  corner  of  the  covert,  was  found  the 
"  friend  in  need/'  who  was  a  '^  friend  indeed/'  and  who 
always  made  his  way  to  some  undiscoverable  "  bourne/' 
in  the  region  about  Naseby.  Each  time  the  gallop  was 
a  good  one,  and  a  fourth  attempt  to  elude  his  pursuers 
would  have  again  proved  successful,  had  not  a  whip,  sent 
ahead  to  look  about  him — to  take  a  mean  advantage, 
some  call  it  — seen  the  nearly  lost,  weary  one  creeping 
alongside  a  distant  hedge,  probably  hugging  himself  in 
the  feeling  that  having  saved  his  brush,  he   should  now 


CHAP.  II.]  Lord  Spencer  s  Racers^  and  SJiootiug.     4 


J 


say  goodbye  to  his  old  home.  A  judge  fuU  on  the 
black  cap  before  sentencing  his  victim  to  death,  a  whip 
talies  oj|f' his.  Isaac's  cap  was  seen  to  be  raised  aloft,  the 
end  of  as  stout-hearted  a  fox  as  ever  stood  before  hounds 
was  known  to  be  near.  In  a  few  minutes  little  was  left 
of  an  animal  who  had  fairly  earned  for  himself  the 
monumental  inscription,  '^  In  life  respected_,  in  death 
regretted.''^ 

It  was  in  a  gallop  from  this  covert  that  H.R.H.  the 
Prince  of  Wales  seemed  on  the  point  of  sharing  with 
the  roach  and  dace  the  secrets  of  the  Spratton  Brook  ; 
and  from  here_,  late  on  a  November  afternoon,  few  re- 
maining to  share  in  the  gallop,  a  '^  stranger ''  from 
Sywell  Wood  just  got  home  in  time  to  save  his  life 
from  Captain  Austruther  Thomson's  hounds.  For  some 
time  before  the  end  the  song  of  all  except  the  fox  had 
been  : 

"  Shades  of  evening  close  not  o'er  us, 
Leave  us  quite  alone  awhile." 

and  the  way  out  of  one  field  into  another  had  been  difficult 
to  find ;  but  it  was  not  until  the  field  adjoining  the 
wood  had  been  reached  that  the  master  gave  the 
order  to  stop  the  hounds.  It  was  fondly  hoped  that  on 
the  next  ''  diawing ''  of  Sywell  Wood,  the  same  fox 
might  retrace  his  steps  on  a  return  journey  to  the  covert 
from  whence  he  had  so  lately  been  driv:en;  but  he  was 
never  found  again. 

Like  others  of  his  neighbours,  Lord  Spencer  had  a 
decided  leaning  to  the  turf,  and  availed  himself  of  the 
beautiful  paddocks  at  Harleston  to  make  some  experi- 
ments in  breeding.  A  mare,  named  "  Wryneck,''  from 
an  accident  in  her  stall  which  caused  her  neck  to    be 


/ 


44   The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chai.  h. 

crooked,  had  suflficient  merit  to  give  him  hopes  of  success; 
and  the  famous  "  Cotherstone  ^'  for  some  time  was  *^  at 
home ''  at  Althorp.  Fond  of  shooting,  and  an  excellent 
shot,  the  "  Rocketer  ^^  might  well  crow  with  satisfaction, 
who  had  escaped  the  dangers  of  the  middle  passage  be- 
tween Harleston  Heath  and  Brampton  fox-covert.  Neither 
height  nor  distance  would  avail  him  much  if  his  line  of 
flight  took  him  within  range  of  the  noble  lord's  unerring 
weapon ;  and  he  might  get  what  satisfaction  he  liked  out 
of  the  fact  that  he  was  pretty  sure  to  be  dead  before  he 
reached  terra  firma. 

A  great  admirer  and  patron  of  cricket,  Lord  Spencer 
was  always  ready,  at  the  time  when  ^'  gate-money 
matches  ''  were  almost  unknown,  to  bear  a  portion  of 
the  expense  of  an  important  contest ;  and  to  him  the 
public  were  indebted,  in  a  great  measure,  for  the 
interesting  match  at  Leicester  in  1838,  between  the 
North  and  South  of  England,  when  Alfred  Mynn  got 
126  runs,  and  so  injured  his  left  leg  in  attempting  to 
make  a  new  hit,  known  then  as  the  "  Cambridge 
Poke,"  that  he  was  laid  up  for  many  weeks. 

To  the  great  sorrow  of  all  the  county,  before  he  had 
quite  reached  his  sixtieth  year,  Lord  Spencer  succumbed 
to  a  complaint  which  he  had  long  known  was  incurable. 

Without  at  any  time  laying  himself  out  for  popularity, 
few  men  ever  lived,  who  by  his  own  intrinsic  whole- 
heartedness  had  so  won  the  respect  and  affection  of 
those  of  whom  he  had  himself  formed  a  favourable 
opinion.  So  great  indeed  was  the  confidence  he 
inspired  in  individuals,  that  in  cases  of  difficulty,  when 
the  advice  of  a  soundly-judging  mind  was  required, 
he  was  the  chosen  one  to  whom  the  friend  in  trouble 


"Bi*" 


CHAP.  II.]     Sir  Charles  Knightley,  Master.  45 

was  tlie  first  to  go.  His  liospitality  was  of  that  genial 
description  which,  while  it  included  friends  of  his  own 
rank,  did  not  leave  out  in  the  cold  the  neighbouring 
squire  or  parson — indeed,  he  never  seemed  more  happy 
than  when  his  guests  were  those  of  his  own  neighbour- 
hood. 

After  the  resignation  of  Lord  Althorp  in  1817,  into  no 
hands  more  appropriate  could  the  mastership  of  the 
hounds  have  fallen  than  into  those  of  his  friend,  Sir 
Charles  Knightley,  who  by  virtue  of  his  keenness, 
knowledge  of  hunting,  social  position,  and  general 
popularity,  was  in  every  way  suited  to  the  position. 
A  horseman  of  the  highest  class,  Sir  Charles  at  no 
time  had  a  superior  in  riding  to  hounds,  and  on 
either  of  his  famous  thorough-breds,  "  Sir  Mariner '' 
or  ^^  Benvolio,"  he  was  more  than  a  match  for  tlie 
"  swells  ^^  from  Melton  or  Market  Harbro\  A  hedg-e 
and  brook  between  Brix worth  and  Cottesbrooke,  just 
to  the  left  of  the  station,  still  known  as  "  Sir 
Charles's  leap,^^  is  sufficient  evidence  that  he  was  nob 
to  be  stopped  by  a  fence,  however  formidable,  when 
the  necessity  arose  for  a  little  extra  steam.  Tall,  thin, 
with  aquiline  nose  and  high  cheek-bones,  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Fawsley  baronet  was  such  as  to  make  him 
remarkable  among  a  multitude — an  appearance  en- 
hanced as  he  advanced  in  years  by  a  habit  he  had 
acquired  of  carrying  his  head  bent  upon  his  chest.  A 
consistent  inflexible  Tory  of  the  old  school,  he  repre- 
sented a  division  of  his  native  county  in  Parliament 
for  several  years,  and  fought  many  a  contested  election. 
Not  greatly  blessed  with  the  gift  of  eloquence,  and 
with    a    slight  difficulty  of    utterance,  his    attempts   to 


46   The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  h. 

address  tlie  great  "unwashed^'  in  the  County  Hal],  or 
from  the  balcony  of  the  George  Hotel  at  Northamp- 
ton, were  generally  provocative  of  mach  amusement. 
Unable  to  remember  what  he  wished  to  say  without  the 
assistance  of  notes,  his  thoughts  seemed  to  be  evolved 
from  the  depths  of  his  hat  rather  than  from  his  own 
consciousness,  a  mode  not  at  all  times  successful ;  for 
either  from  not  being  clearly  written,  or  from  not  being 
held  at  an  angle  suiting  the  vision,  the  "  hatograph  '^ 
occasionally  refused  to  yield  up  its  written  treasures 
without  some  coaxing  and  manipulation.  This  excited 
the  mirth  of  the  "paid  unruly"  attached  to  the  oppo- 
sition, and  gave  rise  to  cries  of,  "  Put  on  your  hat, 
Charley;'"'  "  What  'a  you  got  a-looking  at  inside  of  that 
hat  ? ''  and  other  irreverent  remarks  begotten  of  beer 
and  bribery  and  electioneering  manners.  It  was  not 
until  he  had  ceased,  and  his  eloquent  "  Fidus  Achates," 
the  Eeverend  Francis  Litchfield,  the  well-known  rector 
of  Farthinghoe,  had  taken  up  "  the  running,"  that  the 
mob  fairly  settled  down  into  quietude.  To  the  glib  and 
energetic  utterances  of  this  bulwark  of  the  Tory  faith, 
all  were  content  to  listen. 

A  parliamentarian  of  the  higher  class  thrown  away, 
the  oratorical  gifts  of  the  Farthinghoe  parson  were  of  no 
common  order,  and  an  ardent  social  though  not  political 
reformer,  his  eloquent  philippics,  delivered  before  his 
brother  magistrates  at  Quarter  Sessions  against  what  he 
termed  the  "  drink-shops,"  would  have  sent  Sir  Wilfrid 
Lawson  into  a  frenzy  of  delight.  Not  a  member  of 
the  House  of  Commons  possessed  a  more  marked  indivi- 
duality of  dress  and  address  than  Sir  Charles  Knightley  ; 
and  though  he  rarely  trusted  himself  to  "give  tongue" 


CHAP.  II.]  Lord  Sondes^  Maste7\  47 

before  tlie  critical  audience,,  Lis  opinion  was  always 
treated  with,  respect.  With  his  friend  and  colleague. 
Lord  Althorp,  he  was  at  one  in  all  matters  except 
politics ;  and  there  they  were  as  far  asunder  as  the  poles. 
Their  rivalry  in  the  field  of  "  shorthorn  "  breeding  was 
of  the  most  amicable  description,  though  the  herd  of 
the  noble  lord,  known  to  agriculturists  as  "  Farmer 
Jack,"  never  touched  the  same  point  of  excellence  as 
that  of  the  Fawsley  baronet.  For  many  a  year,  the 
three  strains  of  blood  most  eagerly  sought  for  and  com- 
manding the  highest  prices  were  those  of  Bates,  Booth, 
and  Sir  Charles  Knightley ;  and  though  shorthorns, 
in  sympathy  with  the  collapse  of  British  agriculture, 
have  fallen  from  the  high  position  which  they  once 
enjoyed,  a  scion  from  the  stock  of  any  of  these  magnates 
of  the  herd-book  is  still  looked  upon  as  a  valuable 
possession.  Wearying  of  the  mastership  all  too  soon,  or 
perhaps  from  not  meeting  with  a  sufiiciently  liberal 
support.  Sir  Charles  retired  at  the  close  of  his  first 
season. 

The  reins  of  office  were  then  taken  up  by  Lord 
Sondes  ;  but  he,  finding  that  twelve  months  of  power 
were  as  much  as  he  cared  for,  resigned  at  the  end  of 
1819,  in  favour  of  Sir  Bellingham  Graham. 

At  this  time,  hunting  from  so  distant  a  point  as 
Pytchley  having  been  found  very  inconvenient.  Sir 
Charles  Knightley  and  certain  of  the  county  gentlemen 
determined  to  erect  kennels  at  a  more  central  point, 
and  Brixworth  was  6xed  upon  as  the  most  suitable  spot 
for  the  new  hunting  capital.  The  old  Pytchley  Club, 
with  all  its  glories,  and  all  its  old  associations,  was  now 
done  away  with ;  and  in  a  few  more  years  the  ancient 


48    The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap,  h. 


building  itself  was  pulled  down  by  order  of  its  owner, 
Mr.  George  Payne. 

On -the  retirement  of  Lord  Sondes,  tbere  seems  to  bave 
been  a  great  difficulty  in  finding  a  successor.  We  read 
in  a  letter  of  Lord  Altborp's,  dated  Althorp,  April,  1820, 
"  I  tbink  tbat  tbe  bounds  will  be  entirely  given  up,  and 
tbat  tbere  will  be  no  bunting  at  all  in  tbis  county. 
Jobn  Warde  offered  bimself  for  fifteen  hundred  a  year ; 
but  be  was  refused.  Hanbury,  afterwards  Lord  Bateman, 
offered  to  take  tbem  if  two  tbousand  a  year  could  be 
raised ;  but  tbis  could  not  be  done.  I  tbink  Knigbtley 
ougbt  to  subscribe  largely;  but  be  will  not  subscribe  at 
all  unless  be  is  paid  for  all  tbe  expense  he  has  been  at 
at  Brixwortb.  He  will  lose  more  comfort  by  this,  if  he 
intends  to  live  in  tbe  county,  than  twice  the  sum  be 
wants  will  procure  him." 

After  the  hounds  had  been  finally  established  at 
Brixwortb,  tbe  most  prominent  members  of  the  Hunt 
appear,  the  one  to  have  given  up  tbe  chase  entirely,  the 
other  to  have  grown  comparatively  indifferent  to  its  at- 
tractions. Politics  and  agriculture,  and  the  cares  atten- 
dant on  a  large  estate,  engrossed  all  Sir  Charles 
Knightley^s  attention.  Towards  the  end  of  bis  days 
another  love  sprang  up  to  occupy  bis  time  and  thoughts, 
viz.  borticulture.  Into  tbis  new  bobby  be  entered 
heart  and  soul ;  and  was  never  satisfied  until  he  had 
placed  in  his  hothouse  or  greenhouse  the  latest  produc- 
tion from  foreign  lands.  For  two  or  three  summers  one 
of  his  greatest  pleasures  was  to  take  bis  friends  into  the 
garden  to  show  them  a  row  of  a  new  and  costly  zonale 
geranium,  known  as  "  Mrs.  Pollock.'^  After  his  eightieth 
year,  be  would  think  nothing  of  driving  sixteen  miles  to 


CHAP.  II.]  Sir  C,  Knightley,  a^id  Fawslty  Hottse,  49 

spend  an  liour  in  the  garden  of  a  brother  floral  fauatico, 
and  return  home  afterwards.  Quick  of  temper  aud  kiud 
of  heart,  the  worthy  old  baronet  on  going  into  the  stable- 
yard  after  breakfast  was  wont  to  be  approached  by 
sundry  old  women  from  the  village_,  each  with  her  separate 
tale  of  woe,  and  her  humble  prayer  for  pecuniary  assist- 
ance. Eight  well  did  the  cunning  old  suppliants  know 
their  man  !  Loud,  sometimes  strong  words,  threats  and 
accusations  of  imposition,  only  heralded  the  inevitable 
shilling  or  half-crown ;  and  the  scene  never  seemed  to 
weary  either  party  by  repetition. 

Universal  was  the  regret  when  it  became  known  that 
death  had  summoned,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  this  unique 
specimen  of  the  fine  old  country  gentleman  to  join  the 
ancestors  who  for  upwards  of  five  hundred  years  had 
been  lords  of  the  manor  of  Fawsley. 

The  stranger,  whether  attracted  by  a  meet  of  the  hounds 
or  in  search  of  the  picturesque,  who  sees  Fawsley  for  the 
first  time,  cannot  but  feel  that  he  is  looking  at  one  of 
the  old  historic  mansions  of  England.  Situated  on  a 
lawn  of  gentle  elevation,  it  commands  an  extensive  and 
beautiful  prospect,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  well-timbered 
park,  which,  inclusive  of  the  well-kuown  ^^  Badby  AYood,^^ 
covers  an  area  of  upwards  of  six  hundred  acres.  In  1416, 
this  property  was  purchased  by  Richard  Knightley,  the 
descendant  of  an  old  Staffordshire  family,  deriving  its 
name  from  the  manor  of  Knightley  in  that  county. 
During  the  Civil  Wars  the  owner  of  the  property  was 
a  warm  adherent  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  married  a 
daughter  of  Hampden,  thereby  strengthening  the  tie 
with  the  anti-royalist^s  party.  The  common  saying  of 
"  under  the  rose  ^^  is  stated  to  have  its  origin  from  the 


50   TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Prese^it.    [chap.  h. 

councils  which  were  held  in  a  secret  chamber  above  the 
oriel  window  in  the  saloon  in  Fawsley  House_,  where 
was  placed  a  printing-press;  and  the  papers  there 
printed  were  dropped  through  a  rose  in  the  ceiling  * 
to  be  despatched  throughout  the  country. 

Though  he  had  long  given  up  appearing  at  the  meets, 
Sir  Charles  was  almost  daily  in  the  saddle  to  the  last ; 
his  seat,  dress,  and  appearance  bearing  ample  testimony 
to  the  fact  th?«t  in  no  place  was  he  more  at  home  than 
on  the  back  of  a  horse.  To  sit  with  an  old  friend  over  a 
bottle  of  old  port  that  for  many  a  year  had  been  mellow- 
ing in  the  Fawsley  cellars,  and  to  talk  over  old  Pytchley 
days,  was  a  treat  in  which  the  veteran  sportsman 
greatly  delighted.  To  fight  his  battles  with  Tom 
Assheton  Smith,  ^^  Jersey,'^  and  ^'  Plymouth  ^'  o^er  again 
— to  recall  the  incidents  of  the  ''  Lancet  ^^  sale — to 
chuckle  over  the  maiivaises  heures  of  "  Lucas ''  in  the 
barn,  or  to  dwell  on  the  merits  of  favourite  hunters, 
were  topics  of  which  he  never  wearied. 

Not  able  to  brook  contradiction,  nor  prone  to  see  much 
merit  in  parliamentary  opponents,  it  was  prudent  for  a 
Whig  guest  to  keep  off  the  tender  ground  of  politics, 
and  to  leave  delicate  questions  of  state  undiscussed. 
Accustomed  to  have  his  own  way,  that  of  others  was  not 
greatly  respected,  and  if  things  were  going  *'  contrary- 
like,^^  either  in  garden  or  farm,  the  passer-by  might  have 
cause  to  think  that  the  language  he  heard  issuing  from 
the  lips  of  Fawsley^s  lord  was  not  that  inculcated  by  his 
own  rector,  or  by  any  of  the  neighbouring  clergy.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  few  county  magnates  have   left  behind 

*  Here  was  secretly  printed  the  second  of  the  Martin  Marprelate 
Tracts,  called  the  Epitome,  1588. — Ed. 


CHAP.  II.]      Death  of  Sir  Charles  Knightley.  51 

them  a  more  honoured  name,  or  one  that  will   stand  out 
in  bolder  relief  in  a  county's  annals. 

The  following  highly  characteristic  letter,  written  by 
Sir  Charles  only  a  few  days  before  his  death,  was  received 
by  the  author  of  this  volume  : — 

^^  My  DEAR  Nethercote, — ^'  The  venison  is  very  good, 
and  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  send  you  a  haunch  when- 
ever you  like  it.  How  have  you  been  lately  ?  I  have 
been  rather  fishy,  and  I  thought  that  the  old  gentleman 
who  stalks  about  with  a  scythe  and  an  hour-glass  was 
going  to  give  me  a  punch ;  but  he  has  let  me  off  for  a 
time,  and  I  am  quite  fresh  again. 

"  Yours  ever  sincerely, 

C.  Knightley." 

*^  Sunday,  22nd  August," — four  days  before  his 
death.  • 

In  less  than  a  week  after  the  above  was  penned, 
that  '^  old  gentleman  with  the  scythe  and  the  hour-glass  '^ 
had  repeated  his  '^  punch,''  and  the  heart,  so  full  of 
hospitable  thought  and  kindly  feelings,  had  ceased  to  beat 
for  ever. 

With  the  transference  from  Pytchley  to  Brix worth  of 
the  hunting  establishment,  the  modern  history  of  the 
"  P.H.''  may  be  said  to  commence.  Old  things  passed 
away.  The  Club,  for  some  time  on  the  wane,  ceased  to 
exist ;  and  even  the  ^^  white  collar,''  so  long  the 
distinctive  mark  of  the  ^'  Pytchley  man,"  now  disappeared 
from  sight. 

Before  discussing  the  incidents  of  the  new  era,  it  will 
be  well  to  pass  in  review  some  of  those  strangers  as  well 
as   natives,  who  from   time  to  time  had  formed,  and  for 

E  2 


52    The  PytcJiley  H^int,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  n. 

some  years  continued  to  form,  the  component  parts  of  a 
"  Pytchley  meet/^     Place  aux  ctrangers. 

Remarkable  for  liis  weight,  and  for  his  success 
in  riding  to  hounds,  in  spite  of  that  disadvantage 
was  the  well-known  Norfolk  squire,  Dick  Gurney. 
Favouring,  as  it  suited  him,  either  Quorn  or  Pjtchley 
with  his  company,  good  nerve  and  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  what  hounds  were  doing,  and  a  quick 
eye  for  the  right  spot  in  a  fence,  enabled  him  to  hold 
at  defiance  the  handicap  of  ^'  too,  too  solid  flesh/'  The 
fame  of  his  leap  over  the  Canal  Bridge  near  Heyford,  on 
his  famous  horse  ''  Sober  Robin,''  is  still  an  incident  of 
note  in  Pytchley  history;  and  old  Quornites  love  to  tell 
how,  after  warning  Tom  Assheton  Smith  not  to  go 
into  a  canal  after  a  hunted  fox,  he  plunged  in  himself, 
fetched  the  animal  out,  and  on  reaching  the  sloping  bank 
laid  with  his  head  downward  aiid  his  legs  upturned  to 
allow  the  water  to  escape  out  of  his  boots  !  Riding 
nineteen  stone,  Mr.  Gurney  was  fain  to  put  up  with 
horses  that  could  carry  the  weight,  without  being  too 
particular  as  to  quality ;  and  the  best  animal  he  ever 
possessed  was,  in  his  appearance,  nothing  less  than  a 
cart-horse, — a  brown  bay  with  a  blaze  down  his  face,  with 
coarse  vulgar  quarters,  and  a  rat-tail  of  a  peculiarly 
aggravating  type.  He  could  go  alongside  of  ^'  Benvolio  '' 
or  "  Sir  Mariner,"  with  Sir  Charles  Knightley  on  them; 
and  he  greatly  distinguished  himself  on  the  hardest  and 
best  day  that  had  been  seen  in  the  country  for  many 
years.  Another  horse  in  his  stud,  totally  lacking  in 
quality,  and  nothing  but  a  machiner  to  look  at  (a  bay 
with  black  'egs,  and  with  plenty  of  hair  about  the  fet- 
locks), helped  to  falsity  the  notion  that  without  blood  no 
horse  could  go  the  pace  and  last. 


CHAP.  II.]  Pytchley  Hunt  Visitors,  ^^i 

Squire  Wood  of  Brixworth  Hall,  about  the  same  time, 
rode  a  chestnut  horse  with  white  legs,  who  for  five-and- 
twenty  minutes  could  carry  his  eighteen  stone  up  to  any 
hounds  in  England.  A  brougham  horse,  and  rather  a 
commoner  than  that,  so  far  as  appearance  went,  he  was 
a  sufficiently  good  hunter  for  his  owner  to  decliue  part- 
ing with  him  to  Lord  Jersey  for  five  hundred  pounds.  In 
our  own  day  we  have  seen  the  welter,  Matthew  Oldacre 
of  Clipston,  a  rare  specimen  of  the  Northampton- 
shire hunting-farmer,  going  well  ahead  on  horses  whose 
fathers  and  mothers  must  have  been  well  acquainted 
with  the  operations  necessary  for  seed-time  and  harvest. 
The  cases  here  mentioned  are  probably  the  exceptions 
that  form  the  rule,  as  to  the  advantages  of  quality  in 
horse  as  well  as  in  man;  but  they  serve  to  prove  two 
things  :  first,  that  a  horse  can  go  in  auy  shape  and 
almost  of  any  birth;  secondly,  that  well-nigh  everything 
depends  upon  the  ^'  man  on  the  box.^' 

An  occasional  attendant  at  the  meets  about  this  time 
was  a  sportsman,  who,  in  after  years  attained  distinction 
amounting  to  a  world-wide  celebrity  in  an  arena  very 
different  from  that  of  the  hunting-field. 

When  Mr.  Murchison  rode  up  to  the  covert  side,  not 
one  thea  present  could  have  supposed  that  he  was  greet- 
ing one,  who  in  a  few  short  years  would  have  established 
the  reputation  of  being  the  greatest  geologist  of  his 
time.  Even  then,  however,  the  bacilli  of  earth-lore  and 
scientific  knowledge  had  entered  into  his  system,  and  on 
every  non-hunting  day  his  time  was  passed  in 
examining  the  gravel-pits  and  stone- quarries  of  the 
neighbourhood. 

About  this  date  a  '^  craze ''  had  entered  the  heads  of  the 


54   The  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Past  and  Pi^esent,  [chap.  h. 

good  people  of  Northampton  tbat  coal  was  to  be  found  at 
Kingsthorpe.  Asked  for  liis  opinion  on  this  iaiportant 
question^  Mr.  Murchison  unhesitatingly  affirmed  that 
''  no  coal  was  to  be  found  anywhere  in  Northampton- 
shire/^ The  stone,  however,  had  been  set  rolling  ;  the 
spirit  of  speculation  was  stalking  abroad,  and  tbe  opinion 
of  a  geologist  who  had  not  a  coaly  mind  was  held  of 
little  worth.  A  company  was  formed ;  shares  were 
taken  up  by  small  tradesmen  and  domestic  servants  ;  a 
shaft  was  sunk  at  Kingsttorpe ;  and  loud  were  the 
promises  of  the  consulting  engineer.  For  a  time,  all 
went  on  merry  as  a  marriage-bell.  Hope  played  her 
usual  part  and  filled  the  air  with  flattering  .tales.  The 
shareholders  of  moderate  means  felt  assured  that  the 
ship  they  had  been  so  long  dreaming  of  had  come  in  at 
last,  and  that  they  were  about  to  be  as  well  off  as  other 
folk,  if  not  better !  When  one  tine  day  it  was  noised 
abroad  ^^  that  coal  of  good  quality  had  been  found  in  the 
pit/^  the  excitement  was  uncontrollable.  Tlie  bells  of 
the  Northampton  churcbes  were  set  a-ringing ;  flags 
were  displayed  from  the  windows ;  pedestrians  in  the 
streets  congratulated  each  other;  and  it  was  agreed  on 
all  sides  that  the  shoemakers'  city  was  to  become  an  im- 
proved Birmingham.  The  rejoicings,  however,  were 
but  short-lived.  On  some  of  the  exultant  shareholders 
wishing  to  hear  all  about  the  discovery  from  the 
engineer  himself,  he  was  nowhere  to  be  found  !  But 
he  left  a  statement  to  the  effect  that  the  pieces  of  the 
much  desired  mineral  had  been  found  in  the  pit,  but — 
that  they  were  only  what  he  had  taken  down  himself ! 
He  kindly  added  the  information  that  "  to  the  best  of 
his  belief,  there  was  no  other  coal  within  miles  of  where 


CHAP.  II.]    Sir  Rod.  Mttrchison — Capt.  Blunt,       55 

they  had  been  digging."  Thus  the  bubble  burst,  and 
many  an  honest,  hardworking  man  lost  the  savings  of  a 
lifetime.  The  chimney  of  the  shaft  still  remains  as  a 
monument  of  man's  folly  and  credulity. 

Mr.  Murchison''s  new  pursuit  speedily  grew  too  en- 
grossing, and  took  up  too  much  of  his  time  to  allow  of  a 
frequent  visit  to  Brixworth.  Science  had  not,  at  that 
time,  begun  to  teach  that  the  Book  of  Genesis  was  all 
wrong — that  the  world  was  millions  of  years  old — that 
man^s  first  parent  was  a  bit  of  jelly,  which,  by  process 
of  improvement  called  "evolution,"  first  grew  into  an 
^'  ape,"  and  then  into  being  a  '^  man."  A  body  of 
philosophical  faddists — known  as  ^^Positivists  '^  or  ^^  Cock- 
sureists" — had  not  then  written  books  to  prove  that 
seeing  is  not  believing  without  touching  and  handling ; 
and  the  unscientific  and  simple-minded  poet  had  not 
"  chafi'ed  "  his  philosophical  friends  with  the  lines  : — 

"  An  ape  there  was  in  the  days  that  were  earlier ; 
Centuries  passed  and  its  hair  it  grew  curlier ; 
Centuries  more  gave  a  thumb  to  its  wrist. 
And  then  it  was  man  and  a  Positivist." 

After  quitting  Northamptonshire,  Mr.  Murchison 
(afterwards  Sir  Roderick)  never  again  pursued  the 
*'  wily  one,"  unless  it  was  to  dig  out  its  fossilized 
remains  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  where  he  may 
have  fallen  a  victim  to  a  Deinotherium  or  some  other 
Palaeozoic  monster. 

Another  welcome  visitor  at  Brixworth  at  this  time  was 
Captain  Blunt,  of  Crabbit  Park,  Sussex,  father  to  Mr. 
Wilfred  Scawen  Blunt,  so  well  known  as  the  friend  of 
Arabi,  the  Soudanese,  the  Parnellites,  and  all  the  enemies 
of  his  country,  and  of  the  opposers  of  legitimate  authority. 


56    The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  h. 

Attractive  in  appearance  and  manner^  tlie  handsome  ex- 
guardsman  won  for  himself  additional  sympathy  from 
having  lost  a  leg  at  the  Battle  of  Corunna,  where  his 
regiment  greatly  distinguished  itself.  The  disadvantage 
of  having  but  one  available  leg,  however,  did  not  seem 
greatly  to  affect  his  riding,  for  although  a  "  monoped  ^' 
himself,  there  was  scarcely  a  "  biped  ^^  in  the  field  who 
had  greatly  the  advantage  of  him  in  a  run.  A  frequent 
and  always  a  welcome  guest  wherever  he  went,  he  was 
always  accompanied  by  an  old  and  faithful  servant,  who 
was  well  known  by  his  skill  in  playing  the  Jew's  harp, 
— a  musical  instrument  now  quite  unknown.  Summoned 
into  the  dining-room  after  dinner,  the  modest  but  skilful 
performer  used  to  delight  the  company  with  the  effect  he 
produced ;  the  children  of  the  family,  permitted  to  sit  up 
on  purpose,  being  always  the  most  appreciative  portion 
of  the  audience.  How  the  little  instrument,  held  between 
the  jaws,  capable  of  only  small  thiugs  at  the  deftest  bands, 
got  its  original  and  self-evident  name  of  '^  Jaw's  harp"*'  con- 
verted into  ^''/e It; 'sharp,''  it  is  not  easy  to  say.  Another 
producer  of  sweet  sounds  in  vogue  at  the  same  time,  and 
known  as  the  -^olian  harp,  like  the  Jew's  harp,  seems  to 
have  gone  out  of  favour.  Fashioned  like  an  elongated 
zithern,  it  could  lay  claim  to  a  certain  weirdness  from 
the  sounds  it  produced  being  elicited  without  the  agency 
of  human  hand.  Resting  in  the  sill  of  a  window,  the 
breeze  passing  across  the  strings  caused  it  to  emit  tones 
so  plaintive  and  soothing  that  for  a  time  they  were 
pleasant  to  listen  to ;  a  little  of  the  '^  fairy-like  music," 
however,  went  a  long  way,  and  the  jaded  ear  a  bit 
wearied  of  the  monotony. 

Unconsciously  following  in  the  steps  of  Mr.  Blunt,  a 


CHAP.  II.]  Adjuiral  Sir  Watkin  Pell.  57 

late  Italian  miaister,  M.  Negre,  used  to  take  into  the 
country  with  him,  for  the  amusement  of  his  hosts,  a 
chef,  his  cook,  who  was  no  less  skilful  in  the  conjuring 
than  he  was  in  the  culinary  art. 

Another  one-legged  man  who  had  ^^  all  his  buttons  on/' 
as  regarded  hunting,  as  well  as  seafaring  matters,  was 
Captain,  afterwards  Admiral,  Sir  Watkin  Pell,  E.N.,  of 
Sywell  Hall.  Losing  his  leg  when  a  midshipman,  in  an 
attempt  to  cut  out  an  enemy's  gun-boat,  he  got  so  accus- 
tomed to  the  ways  of  a  cork  leg,  that  it  formed  no  im- 
pediment to  him  in  his  profession,  or  in  the  enjoyment  of 
life,  be  he  where  he  might.  Fond  of  hunting,  as  of  all 
wild  sports,  he  rode  boldly,  though  in  thorough  sailor-like 
fashion,  and  clinging  on,  ^^  fore  and  aft,"  took  the  fences 
pretty  much  as  they  came.  Having  once  come  to  grief 
in  jumping  the  brook  under  Pytchley,  the  "  old  salt,'' 
with  pardonable  exaggeration,  was  wont  to  boast  that  he 
had  made  acquaintance  with  the  bottom  of  every  stream 
in  the  county.  His  last  command,  before  being  ap- 
pointed to  the  snug  berth  of  the  Deputy-Governorship  of 
Greenwich  Hospital,  was  the  fine  old  three-decker,  Tiie 
Howe.  An  excellent  officer,  a  strict  disciplinarian,  and  a 
bit  of  a  martinet,  no  ship  in  Malta  Harbour  was  in  such 
trim  as  Tlie  Howe.  The  night  before  leaving  the  island, 
dining-  with  a  friend  to  whom  he  had  handed  over  his 
Maltese  cook,  the  performance  of  his  late  ^'  chef"  did 
not  at  all  come  up  to  the  high  recommendations  he  had 
given  him.  Begging  that  he  might  be  sent  for  as  soon 
as  the  ladies  had  left  the  dining-room,  the  Admiral 
informed  him  that  ''  had  he  sent  up  such  a  dinner  on 
board,  he  would  have  received  three  dozen  there  and 
then ! " 


58    The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  it. 

"Xext  came  the  parson, 
The  parson,  the  parson, 
Next  came  the  parson, 

The  shortest  way  to  seek. 

"  And  like  a  phantom  lost  to  view, 
From  point  to  point  the  parson  flew. 
The  parish  at  a  pinch  can  do 
Without  him  for  a  week." 

So  sings  Whyte-Melville,  tlie  Horace  of  hunting-poets, 
who  at  all  times  had  a  rhyme  to  spare  in  favour  of  the 
black  coat  and  white  tie  that  marked  the  clerical 
sportsman.  Of  the  four  rectors  now  to  pass  before  the 
reader  of  these  pages,  not  one  was  qualified  to  excuse 
himself  to  his  bishop  for  his  hunting-ways,  ^^  that  he 
never  was  in  the  same  field  with  the  hounds. ^^  Long 
and  fast  must  they  have  run  before  they  out-stripped 
that  Eector  of  Lamport,  who  some  sixty  years  since, 
had  no  superior  as  a  horseman,  and  who  was -too  thankful 
to  pick  up  at  a  reduced  figure  the  animal  that  was  "  one 
too  many  '^  for  some  less  skilful  rider.  The  father  of 
four  sons,  three  of  whom  could  find  their  way  across 
Northamptonshire  rather  better  than  most  men,  the  Rev. 
Vere  Isham  called  no  man  master  for  nerve,  and  for 
keeping  a  good  place  on  a  rough  mount.  Kind,  courteous, 
and  pleasant  with  all^  not  a  member  of  the  Hunt  was 
regarded  with  greater  respect,  and  the  "  coarse-mouthed 
Squire  '^  (Osbaldeston)  on  one  occasion  received  from 
him  a  lesson  in  ''  soft  answers  "  which  he  would  have 
done  well  not  to  forget.  "  Where  the  h —  are  you  coming 
to,  you  d — d  fool,  you  ?  ^'  exclaimed  the  Pytchley 
master,  when  one  day  the  Rector  of  Lamport  had  a  diflfi- 
culty  in  stopping  a  hard-pulling  horse.  From  some,  an 
address  couched  in  such  language  would  have  provoked 


CHAP.  II.]   V ere  I  shanty  J.  Whalley,  W,  Dickens.   59 

a  reply  iu  correspondirig  terms ;  but  tlie  only  remark  of 
the  kindly  minister  was  :  ^*  Fool,  fool,  am  I  ?  I  daresay 
that  you  are  no  judge,  Squire."  In  no  respect  is  the 
advance  of  refinement  more  marked  than  in  the  style  of 
speech  common  in  the  "  twenties  "  and  long  after,  and 
that  whick  prevails  in  the  present  day.  Then,  one  of  the 
objections  raised  to  a  clergyman's  hunting  was  the  coarse 
language  that  would  be  sure  to  meet  his  ears  in  the  field  : 
now,  if  every  sportsman  present  were  a  parson,  the  tone 
of  conversation  could  not  be  more  free  from  anything 
that  is  objectionable. 

No  styles  of  riding  could  be  more  different  from  each 
other  than  those  of  the  Rector  of  Lamport  and  of  the 
Rev.  John  Whalley,  Rector  of  the  village  of  Ecton.  Tall, 
slim,  and  of  a  peculiarly  graceful  carriage  when  on 
horseback,  the  latter  seemed  to  glide  rather  than  ride 
across  a  country,  and  was  a  worthy  rival  of  Sir  Charles 
Kniglitley  and  of  Mr.  Davy,  though  of  a  rather  later 
date. 

Always  riding  horses  of  a  good  stamp  and  with,  plenty 
of  quality,  the  man  who  found  himself  in  front  of  the 
Ecton  parson  might  be  sure  that  he  was  quite  as  near 
hounds  as  he  ought  to  be. 

The  Rev.  William  Dickens  of  Woollaston  was  a 
^^ customer"  of  another  school.  Living  on  the  Oakley 
side  of  the  country,  it  was  only  occasionally  that  he  met 
the  Pytchley  at  Harrowden,  Finedon,  or  Hardwicke 
village  ;  but  not  a  member  of  either  hunt  was  more  sure 
to  be  ^'  there  or  thereabouts  "  than  Woollaston's  some- 
what irreverent  reverend.  Enjoying  something  of  a  re- 
putation for  ''  smart  sayings,"  as  well  as  smart  riding, 
he  one  day  proved  his  title  to  the  first  at  the  expense  of 


6o   TJie  Pytchley  Himt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  n. 

bis  brother-cleric,  the  Eev.  Mr.  Partridge.  This  gectle- 
man,  beginning  to  feel  some  qualms  as  to  the  propriety 
of  a  clergyman  hunting,  but  unable  to  forego  his 
favourite  amusement,  thought  to  ^^  hedge  '^  by  appearing 
in  trousers  and  shoes,  intead  of  the  usual  breeches  and 
boots.  Greatly  tickled  at  this  change  in  his  friend^s 
attire,  "  -BiUy  '^  Dickens  forthwith  proceeded  to  christen 
him  '^  Perdrix  aux  choux.''' 

For  many  a  long  year  there  was  no  more  familiar  figure 
seen  at  certain  of  the  Quorn  and  Pytchley  meets  than 
that  of  the  E-ev.  John  Cave  Humphrey  of  Laughton. 
The  long,  straight  back,  the  "  once-round  ^^  white  linen 
scarf,  and  the  raucous  voice  still  dwell  on  the  memory 
of  many  a  Pytchley  man  ;  as  does  the  form  of  the  fair 
niece  who  was  said  to  be  the  heroine  of  Whyte-Melville^s 
immortal  "  Market  Harboro'.^^  For  some  time  it  seemed 
in  the  eyes  of  niece  as  well  as  uncle,  that  there  was 
nothing  more  enjoyable  in  this  world  than  the  hunting- 
field.  "  It  is  a  very  solemn  thing  being  married,"  said  a 
parent  to  his  daughter,  on  her  announcing*  her  accept- 
ance of  a  suitor.  ^^Yes,  father,  I  know  it,"  said  the 
fiancee,  "  but  it  is  a  deal  solemner  thing  being  single  !  " 
So  thought,  too,  the  fair  huntress  of  Laughton.  Runs 
with  the  hounds,  however  long,  all  of  a  sudden  seemed 
to  her  nothing  worth  compared  with  a  lifelong  run  with 
a  husband,  and  the  worthy  old  rector  was  left  alone  in 
his  glory.  He,  to  whom  a  day  with  the  hounds  had 
seemed  for  many  a  year  to  be  the  one  great  enjoyment 
of  life,  was  now  no  longer  seen  with  Pytchley  or  with 
Quorn ;  and  after  a  while,  a  strange  name  appeared 
in  the  Clergy  List  as  Rector  of  the  parish  of  Laugh- 
ton. 


CHAP.  II.]  The  Rev.  J.  Wickes.  6i 

In  this  small  clerical  hunting'-pantheon  a  niclie  must  be 
assigned  to  a  reverend  sportsmau,  who,  living  at  one 
time  of  his  life  at  Dodford,  and  afterwards  at  Boughton, 
near  Northampton,  for  many  years  got  his  twice-a-week 
with  hounds  with  commendable  regularity.  Without 
any  clerical  duties  to  perform  latterly,  or  to  engage  his 
attention,  to  see  a  fox  well  hunted,  aud  to  g*et  a  chat 
with  friends  at  the  meet,  was  for  several  seasons  a 
legitimate  source  of  pleasure  to  this  true  lover  of  the 
chase.  Jumping,  with  its  attendant  demands  upon  the 
nervous  system,  and  other  drawbacks,  was  at  no  time  a 
part  of  the  pastime  he  greatly  affected  ;  but  an  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  geographical  position  of  all  gates  and 
gaps  enabled  him  to  see  much  of  what  was  goiug  on. 
Living  in  close  proximity,  at  Boughton,  to  the  house 
occupied  by  the  author  of  ^^  Digby  Grand,^'  he  greatly 
enjoyed  both  his  society  and  his  abilities  as  a  writer,  and 
was  in  the  habit  of  telling  his  reverend  brethren  that  "  if 
they  would  only  read  extracts  from  Whyte-Melville's 
novels  instead  of  preaching  sermons  of  their  own,  it 
would  be  to  the  advantage  of  their  congregations  as  well 
as  of  themselves.'^  The  apt  remarks  and  weather-beaten 
visage  of  this  reverend  sportsman  will  long  be  kindly 
borne  in  mind  by  those  who  esteemed  him  for  his  genial 
nature,  his  willingness  to  assist  a  brother  cleric  in  time 
of  need,  and  above  all,  perhaps,  for  his  genuine  love  of 
hunting.  The  unenlightened  Esquimaux  hopes  that  his 
paradise  will  not  be  without  plenty  of  whales;  and 
probably  that  of  the  old  hunter  just  spoken  of  will  not 
suffer  in  his  eyes  by  the  possession  of  a  nice  sprinkling 
of  foxes. 

Sixth,  and  last,  on  the  present  list  of  clergy,  whose 


62    The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  n. 

more  or  less  spare  time  was  given  to  hunting  the  fox, 
comes  one  whose  costume,  habits,  and  general  lack  of 
self-devotion  to  the  things  more  immediately  pertaining 
to  his  walk  in  life,  rendered  him,  for  full  half  a  century 
a  conspicuous  member  of  society.  The  scion  of  an  old 
Leicestershire  stock,  noted  for  its  love  for  sport  of  any 
kind,  Mr.  Loraine  Smith  inherited  a  full  share  of  the 
'^  family  failing."  For  such  a  one  to  take  "  holy  orders  " 
is  indeed  to  mistake  one's  profession.  But  humanum 
est  errare  ;  and  at  that  time  to  be  shovelled  into  the 
Church  was  a  provision  for  a  son  eagerly  sought  for  by 
puzzled  and  impecunious  parents.  By  nature  and  edu- 
cation more  of  a  country  squire  than  a  country  parson, 
tbe  Rector  of  Passenham,  near  Stony  Stratford,  a  small 
parish  without  exacting  duties,  made  fox-hunting  his 
chief  occupation  and  amusement.  A  brilliant  horseman, 
strong  and  determined,  the  Grafton  Hunt  had  no  finer 
rider  among  its  members,  nor  one  whom  a  stranger 
would  so  speedily  pick  out  as  ''  the  character  "  of  the 
party  assembled  at  the  meet.  Barely  tolerating  the 
black  coat  that  was  the  index  of  his  profession,  his 
hunting  waistcoat  had  a  broad  scarlet  binding,  and  the 
colour  that  was  forbidden  to  himself  came  out  in  bold 
relief  on  the  riding  habits  of  the  lady  members  of  his 
family.  Present  for  once  in  a  way  at  a  "  Visitation  " 
held  at  Northampton,  the  rigid  sombreness  of  his  clerical 
attire  attracted  the  attention  of  two  hunting  church- 
wardens, who  had  never  seen  his  reverence  in  black  and 
all  black.  "  I'll  bet  you  a  bottle  of  wine  there's  some 
scarlet  about  him  somewhere,"  said  one.  "  Done  with 
you,"  said  tbe  other,  and  lost  his  bet ;  as  on  closer 
investigation    a    scarlet  uuder-waistcoat  was  discovered 


CHAP.  II.]  The  Rev.  Loraine  Sinith.  6 


J 


beneath  the  conventional  '*"  vest."     Many  of  his  intimate 
friends  being  among  the  gentry  of  ISTorthamptonshire^  a 
gallop  with  the  "  Py  tchley  "  was  always  a  red-letter  day 
to    him ;    and   his   favourite   mount    was   kept   for    the 
occasion.     To  many  beyond^  as  well  as   within,  his  own 
neighbourhood_,  he  is  known  by  an  engraving  in  which 
he  is  portrayed  charging  a   formidable-looking  "  oxer/' 
on  his  famous  horse  "  Gatto."     The  attitude  of  both  horse 
and  rider  is  given  with  much  spirit  and  accuracy ;  and 
the  resemblance  to  the  latter  merits  a  higher  degree   of 
praise  than  was  accorded  to  the  portrait   of  an  old  and 
esteemed  coachman  in  the  family  of  the   writer    taken 
in  livery.     The  old  man's  wife  was  requested  to  give  her 
opinion  as  to  the  amount  of  resemblance  she  saw  in  the 
picture  to  her  husband.     "  Very  like/'  she  said,  "  but 
particular  the  buttons  !  "     Devoted  to  flowers  in  general, 
and  the  grow^th  of  roses  in  particular,  he  found  in  his 
garden  his  greatest  pleasure  during  the  summer  months  ; 
and  the  well-shaped  pansy  or  picotee  was  to  him  almost 
an  object  of  worship.     The  delights  of  a  garden,  how- 
ever, did  not  erase  from  his  thoughts  the  recollection  of 
winter  joys,  and  a  '^  lick  of  red  paint "  upon  pump,  water- 
pot,  and  flower-prop,  served  to  remind  him  of  the  "  good 
time    coming."     A    cricketer    of    the    old    school,    his 
favourite    "  get-up "    of   nankeen     knee-breeches,    silk 
stockings,  and  a  sock  rolled  over  to  protect  the  ankle, 
gave  his  appearance  a  ''  chic  "  which  would  in  vain  be 
looked  for    now-a-days.     Dressed  as  described,  slowly 
running  to  the  wicket  to  bowl  a  ball   destitute  of  pace, 
curl,  twist  of  any  sort,  he  looked  the  model  of  an  old- 
fashioned,  well-bred  country  cricketer.     The  details  of  a 
singular  experience  met  with  by  Mr.  Loraine  Smith   in 


64   The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  h. 

his  capacity  of  a  magistrate,  cannot  fail  to  interest  tlie 
reader  of  these  pages. 

A  deserter  from  the  68th  Regiment  then  stationed  at 
Canterbury,  Henry  Couch,  on  the  false  pretence  of  being 
on  furlough  and  unable  to  reach  his  home  from  having 
been  robbed  of  his  money,  induced  Mr.  L.  Smith  to 
advance  him  ten  shillings.  Discovering  the  imposition, 
the  police  were  speedily  on  the  track  of  the  rogue 
militant,  who,  ere  many  days  had  elapsed,  found]  himself 
an  occupant  of  a  cell  in  Northampton  gaol,  on  a  charge 
of  defrauding  the  Rev.  Loraine  Smith  of  the  sum  of 
ten  shillings.  A  very  short  acquaintance  with  the  new 
comer  was  sufficient  to  show  the  governor  of  the  gaol 
that  he  had  got  hold  of  a  "  character,"  and  that  he  was 
not  entertaining  "  an  angel  unawares."  Whilst  awaiting 
his  trial,  Couch  helped  to  pass  away  the  time  by  writing 
letters  to  the  Rector  of  Passenham  for  pecuniary  assist- 
ance for  his  defence  at  the  Quarter  Sessions.  These 
letters,  being  without  parallel  in  the  annals  of  corre- 
spondence, are  here  given  for  the  amusement  of  the 
reader,  who  will  not  fail  to  observe  that  each  letter  is 
headed  with  a  text  from  Scripture. 

To  account  for  a  cleverness  and  a  language  that  seem 
inexplicable  coming  from  a  common  soldier,  it  must  be 
stated  that  he  had  been  in  some  way  connected  with  the 
press,  and  so  was  a  man  of  good  education,  as  well  as  of 
unusual  natural  abilities. 

Letter  No.  2. 
"  Now  therefore   there  is  utterly  a  fault  among  you, 
because  ye  go  to  law  one  with  another.     Why  do  ye 
not    rather    suffer    yourselves    to   be    defrauded  ? " — 
1  Cor.  vi.  7. 


CHAP,  ir.]     H.  Coitch^ s  Remarkable  Letters.  65 

^'June  10th,  1851. 
"Eev.  Sir, — Not  to  my  knowledge  having  a  friend 
upon  earth  to  whom  I  could  apply  for  a  favour  in  any 
case  of  emergency,  I  have  been  prevailed  upon  to  do 
violence  to  that  native  modesty  which  has  marked  every 
action  of  my  life  to  apply  to  you  to  befriend  me  with  a 
copy  of  the  depositions  taken  at  Mr.  Congreve's  office 
on  Friday  last.  My  situation  in  this  establishment  is 
not  a  yery  enviable  one,  being  incarcerated  within  the 
four  walls  of  a  small  cell,  with  a  six-inch  door  and 
sundry  bars  of  iron  between  myself  and  liberty. 
Another  walk  from  Stony  Stratford  to  Passenham 
would  afford  an  agreeable  relief.  I  heard  related,  at 
Stony  Stratford  the  other  day,  by  a  person  of  most 
retentive  memory,  a  part  of  a  sermon  delivered  by  your- 
self, in  which  you  stated,  'that  it  often  struck  you  how 
the  devil  must  laugh  when  he  sees  so  many  thousands 
posting  hourly  and  momentarily  the  downward  path  to 
perdition.^  I  entirely  agree  with  you  j  and  it  has 
recently  struck  me  that  his  mirth  must  have  been 
extreme  when  he  saw  me  posting  down  the  road  from 
Passenham  to  Panshanger,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  third 
ultimo  :  he  must  have  enjoyed,  a  double-barrelled  laugh 
then,  one  at  me,  the  other  at  your  Reverence.  Pray, 
Sir,  take  great  care  of  yourself  before  the  Sessions.  I 
am  given  to  understand  that  you  are  partial  to  the  noble 
sport  of  fox-hunting.  It  is  doubtless  an  invigorating 
amusement ;  but  if  in  one  of  these  excursions  you  should 
happen  to  break  your  neck  over  a  gate  or  hurdle, 
though  it  would  be  consistent  with  my  profession  as  a 
Christian  to  forgive  that  gate,  I  certainly  should  never 
forget  it.'^ 


66  The  PytcJiIey  Hiint^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  h. 

In  the  next  letter  lie  expresses  liis  gratitude  for  the 
receipt  of  the  required  papers,  and  solicits  assistance  for 
his  defeuce. 

Letter  3. 

^^  Rev.  Sir, — It  is  with  a  deep  sense  of  gratitude  that 
I  acknowledge  your  kindness  in  complying  with  the 
request  contained  in  my  last  letter  relative  to  the  deposi- 
tions. Depend  upon  it  if  I  can  render  you  a  similar 
service  I  will  not  fail  to  do  so.  In  order  to  facilitate  my 
defence,  I  have  consulted  a  legal  gentleman,  who  will 
undertake  it  for  four  pounds.  I  shall  have  no  difficulty 
in  obtaining  the  whole  of  this  sum,  with  the  trifling 
exception  of  8Z.  19s.  W\d.)  and  this  amount  I  see  little 
prospect  of  getting.  Would  it  be  too  much  to  ask  you, 
who  are  a  minister  of  that  Gospel  which  aflSrms  that  ^  it 
is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive;'  and  that  ^ he 
that  hath  pity  upon  the  poor,  lendeth  unto  the  Lord/ 
who  is  a  very  punctual  Paymaster,  and  wisbes  to  oblige 
me  ?  Now  I  want  tbe  loan  of  that  amount,  for  a  very 
short  time,  on  my  own  personal  security.  I  donH  wish 
vou  to  give  it,  merely  lend  it ;  and  to  place  it  in  your 
ledger  under  the  ten  shillings  you  so  obligingly  lent  me 
at  Passenham.  I  promise  very  faithfully  that  you  shall 
have  the  ten  shillings  again,  and  I  refer  you  for  the 
payment  of  the  3Z.  19s.  \\\db.  to  Proverbs,  chapter  xix. 
verse  17,  where  you  will  find  that  the  money  is  in  very 
safe  hands.  Nor  are  these  the  only  terms  on  which  I 
wish  to  negotiate  this  loan  with  you.  You  wall  remem- 
ber that  my  regiment  is  stationed  at  Canterbury,  and 
that  the  barracks  are  within  ten  minutes^  walk  of  the 
palace  of  the  Archbishop.  Although  I  am  at  present 
in    Northampton    gaol,  few  know  the    extent    of  .my 


CHAP.  II.]    H.  CoiicJis  Remarkable  Letters.  67 

influence  out  of  it.  It  is  just  possible  that  may  be  tlie 
means  one  day  of  getting  your  letters  addressed  to  the 
Very  Rev.  Loraine  Smith,  and  of  having  your  low- 
crowned  gossamer  superseded  by  a  best  superfine 
^'  beaver/-'  with  upturned  brims.  There  are  two  other 
eminent  ecclesiastics  with  whom  I  am  intimately  ac- 
quainted, and  who  might  have  it  in  their  power  to  help 
you  for  my  sake.  Isqyj  do  reflect  upon  this.  Consider 
that  it  would  be  a  very  slight  satisfaction  for  you  to 
deprive  a  widowed  mother  of  an  only  son,  by  getting 
him  sent  to  some-penal  settlement. 

'^Mr.  Loraine  Smith_,  allow  me  to  inquire^  have  you  a 
son  ?  an  only  son  ?  a  wild  reckless  youth?  I  hope  not; 
but  it  is  not  an  absurd  proposition :  if  you  have_,  lend 
me  the  money.  Do  not  keep  me  in  suspense ;  it  is  a 
very  uncomfortable  state  of  existence.  Please  to  convey 
my  warmest  thanks  to  Mr.  Congreve  (Clerk  to  the 
Magistrates  of  the  Stony  Stratford  bench),  for  sending 
me  a  copy  of  the  depositions  :  also  my  respects  through 
him  to  Mrs.  Congreve,  and  to  all  the  diminutive,  juvenile 
Congreves ;  in  short  to  the  whole  box  of  Congreves. 
Tell  Mr.  Congreve  that  in  the  case  of  the  next  prisoner 
brought  to  his  office  for  examination,  I  trust  he  will  not 
ignite  on  so  slight  a  friction,  as  he  did  in  my  case  over 
the  warrant." 

In  the  next  letter,  the  last  of  this  set,  the  reckless 
impertinence  of  the  writer  reaches  its  culminating  point. 
As  usual  it  commences  with  a  text. 

''  Whoso  hath  this  world's  goods,  and  seeth  his 
brother  in  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  com- 
passion ;  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him  ?  '' 

F  2 


68   The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,   [chap.  h. 

Letter  4. 

'•'Rev.  Sir, — Intense   anxiety  caused    by  receiving  no 
reply  to  a   letter  I    addressed   to    you   on  Friday  last, 
makes    me   fear   that   you    must    be    unwell,    perhaps 
seriously  unwell.     This  notion  causes  me  infinite  mental 
ano-uish,  considerins^  as  I  do,    that  illness  alone    could 
have  prevented  you  answering  my  former   letter.     Let 
me  entreat  you    then,  if  you    are    suffering  from   some 
attack    of  illness,  to  avail  yourself  immediately  of  the 
professional    assistance     of    the    most    skilful    medical 
practitioner  in  the  neighbourhood,  so  that  you  maybe 
sufficiently  recovered  to  attend  at  the  Sessions,  or  pur- 
chase   of  some   respectable    druggist   an  abundance  of 
Parr^s  Life  Pills,  or  Morrison^s,  or  those  of  some  other 
eminent  physician,  and  keep  them  in  a  box  of  magnesia, 
and  take   when   required.     Do  not   regard,  either,  the 
vulgar   prejudice    entertained  by  the  ignorant   against 
arsenic  and  prussic  acid.     They  are  as  harmless  in  their 
effects  as  castor  oil.     I  have  known  numerous  instances 
of  parties  who  have  taken  these  invaluable  remedies,  and 
never  required  medicine  again  for  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
Then   take  the  advice  of  a   friend,  not  merely  a  pro- 
fessional friend,  taking  a  deep  interest  in  your  welfare. 
Procure  an  ounce  of  arsenic  and  an  ounce  of  magnesia, 
dissolve  each    in    a  pint  of    hot    water,    warm    tea    or 
sherry,  and  drink  while  hot.     Be  careful  to  leave  none  ; 
but  after  having   swallowed  the  whole,  take  a  lump  of 
su^ar  to  dispel  the  nauseous  taste,  and  then  placing  your 
feet  in  hot  water   (as    hot  as   you  can    endure  it),  and 
wrapping  your  head   in  a  blanket,   go   to  bed.     Strictly 
follow  this  advice,  and  I  have  but  one   opinion  as  to  the 
result.     I  have  just  seen  my  professional  adviser,   who 


CHAP.  II.]   CoticJis  T^'ial,  and  Rog7ies  Diary.  6g 

says  he  will  not  stir  in  my  case  until  he  receives  the 
four  pounds.  Please  send  the  money  as  soon  as  possible 
to  allow  the  man  of  law  to  prepare  his  brief.  With 
many  wishes  for  your  welfare, 

*'  Your's  very  truly, 

'^  Henry  Couch.'^ 

The  trial  took  place,  and  the  sentence  was  one  year's 
imprisonment  with  hard  labour.  Throughout  the  pro- 
ceedings, the  demeanour  of  the  accused  was  eccentric  and 
defiant,  and  on  the  foreman  of  the  jury  returning  the  verdict 
of  "  guilty,^'  the  prisoner  exclaimed,  "  Well,  gentlemen  of 
the  jury,  you  have  fallen  six  feet  in  my  estimation  with- 
in the  last  few  seconds. '^  On  Sergeant  Miller  resuming 
his  seat  after  closing  the  case  for  the  prosecution,Couch 
leant  over  the  dock,  and  touching  him  on  the  shoulder, 
said  :  "  I  say,  lawyer,  was  that  your  first  brief  ?  ^' 
During  his  term  of  imprisonment,  he  was  allowed  to 
write  an  account  of  his  proceedings,  from  the  time  he 
deserted  from  Canterbury,  to  the  day  of  his  apprehension 
at  Skipton  in  Lincolnshire.  In  this  remarkable  record  of 
a  rogue's  evil  deeds.  Couch  gives  a  minute  account  of 
each  day's  proceedings,  with  the  names  and  personal  de- 
scriptions of  the  various  people  he  cheated  and  deceived. 
Having  provided  himself  with  a  forged  furlough,  he  went 
from  town  to  town,  obtaining  billets  at  the  difierent 
public-houses,  and  on  plea  of  being  a  soldier  in  distress, 
getting  money  from  the  magistrates  whose  residences  he 
happened  to  come  across  on  his  road  to  London.  He 
pursued  the  same  tactics  until  he  reached  Thrapston, 
when,  finding  that  he  was  under  suspicion,  he  changed 
his  mode  of  action  and  became  a  recruiting-serjeant,  and 


70    The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Pi^esent.   [chap.  n. 

possessing  the  "  gift  of  the  gab/^  and  also  the  art  of  per- 
suasion, many  a  yokel  and  young  farmer,  full  of  public- 
house  beer  and  swagger,  was  induced  to  pocket  the 
Queen's  shilling,  as  he  believed,  and  was  afterwards 
bought  off  by  reproachful  and  indignant  relations.  The 
sums  demanded  by  the  pseudo-serjeant  for  liberating  his 
victims  from  their  supposed  enlistment,  ranged  from 
twenty  to  thirty  shillings.  Nemesis,  in  the  guise  of  a 
Northampton  county-policeman,  put  an  end  to  the 
nefarious  practices  of  this  arch-rogue  for  some  time  :  but 
the  spirit  of  evil  was  too  strong  within  him  to  allow  of 
his  becoming  an  honest  citizen.  Seven  years  after 
quitting  Northampton  gaol,  he  again  found  himself  one 
of  its  inmates  on  the  same  description  of  charge  as 
before,  obtaining  money  under  false  pretences.  On  his 
way  from  Birmingham  (where  he  had  robbed  his 
employer)  to  London,  he  entered  a  cottage  in  a  village 
near  Northampton,  and  told  the  good  woman  of  the 
house  that  her  son  had  just  been  apprehended  on  a  charge 
of  theft.  After  expressing  his  deep  sympathy  with  her 
in  her  serious  trouble,  he  informed  her  that  he  was  a 
lawyer,  and  would  take  the  delinquent's  case  i:  hand 
on  a  payment  down  of  the  customary  legal  fee  of  six  and 
eightpence.  After  many  protestations  on  the  part  of 
the  unhappy  mother  as  to  her  inability  to  pay  such  a  sum, 
she  contrived  to  raise  it  amongst  her  friends,  and  hand- 
ing it  over  to  her  shameless  impostor,  she  entreated  him 
to  enter  at  once  upon  her  son's  business.  Yery  soon 
after  his  departure,  the  poor  woman  fell  in  with  the  rural 
policeman,  and  at  once  opened  her  heart  on  the  subject 
of  her  sorrow.  A  few  questions  soon  opened  the  eyes  of 
the  policeman  to  the  real  state  of  the  case,  and  off  ho 


CHAP  II.]   Cotick^s  Second  Trial,  a7id  Letters.  71 

started  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  sham  legal  adviser.  It  was 
not  long  before  he  ran  into  his  fox.  The  first  public- 
house  in  the  adjoining  village  was  where  be  had  gone  to 
ground,  and  soon  after  the  name  of  ^^  Harry  Couch  '^  was 
on  the  list  of  prisoners  awaiting  trial  at  the  ensuing 
Quarter  Sessions  for  the  county  of  Northampton. 
Greatly  to  the  surprise  and  disappointment  of  a  crowded 
court,  the  prisoner  pleaded  guilty,  and  he  received  the 
sharp,  but  not  too  severe  sentence  of  '^  seven  years 
transportation.'^  But  even  at  this  apparently  final  stage 
in  his  career,  the  reader  has  not  heard  quite  the  last  of  liim. 
As  one  of  the  county-magistrates,  it  was  the  duty  of 
the  wricer  of  this  history,  in  company  with  a  brother 
justice,  to  visit  the  convict  in  gaol,  and  to  inform  him 
that  he  would  shortly  be  transferred  to  the  government 
prison  at  Wakefield.  Nothing  occurred  at  the  interview 
beyond  the  fact  that  the  writer  remonstrated  with  his 
companion  on  hearing  him  address  the  prisoner  as  *^  Mr. 
Couch.''^     Not  Ions:  after  this  the  mao-isterial  remonstrant 

o  o 

received  a  letter  bearing  on  the  outside  the  ofiicial  mark 
of  *^  Wakefield  Prison. ^^  On  opening  it,  he  proceeded  to 
read  as  follows  : — 

''  168  C.  Register  5558. 
"  My  dear  Harry, — ^^  I  trust  that  you  will  not  consider 
that  my  neglect  in  not  writing  to  give  you  the  opportunity 
of  going  to  Northampton  to  take  a  farewell  of  me,  in- 
volved a  breach  of  that  friendship  which  for  the  last  six: 
years  existed  between  us.  The  fact  is,  that  it  was  not 
until  within  two  hours  of  the  time  that  I  found  myself 
speeding  away  by  express  train  that  I  knew  that  the 
hour  of  my  departure  was  at  hand.  Had  I,  however,  been 
aware  of  the  fact  in  time  to  have  written,  I  do  not  know 


72    TJie  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  n. 

that  I  could  have  done  so^  as  from  the  strength  of  your 
aflfection^  a  personal  interview  might  have  led  to  a  scene ; 
and  that,  of  all  things_,  I  mortally  abhor.  Let  us  then 
look  forward_,  old  boy,  to  our  next  merry  meeting  ;  and  if 
it  be  true  that  absence  makes  the  heart  grow  fonder,  we 
shall  neither  of  us  regret  our  prolonged  separation. 
Seven  years,  tliough,  is  beyond  a  joke,  and  it  certainly 
was  far  more  than  I  had  bargained  for ;  nor  can  I  account 
fur  the  severity  of  the  sentence,  except  upon  the  presump- 
tion that  the  court  must  have  seen  something  in  my 
appearance  that  convinced  them  that  it  would  be  against 
the  interests  of  the  community  that  I  should  be  at  large. 
I  had,  however,  taken  every  precaution  to  divest  myself 
of  all  those  indications  by  which  your  double-distilled, 
capped  and  jewelled  rogue  is  usually  known.  I  had  been 
to  a  hatter  and  had  the  brims  of  my  tile  pressed  down, 
and  I  had  exchanged  my  doeskin  gloves  for  black  kid, 
but  it  all  proved  ineffectual.  It  can't  be  helped  now, 
however;  so  we  must  each  of  us  try  to  bear  up  against 
it.  But  to  come  to  the  more  immediate  purport  of  this 
letter.  Our  mutual  friend,  Hutton,  as  you  know,  has 
resigned  the  chaplaincy  of  the  Northampton  gaol.  I 
verily  believe  that  during  the  nine  years  that  he  has  held 
the  office,  with  singleness  of  heart  he  has  endeavoured  to 
do  all  the  good  in  his  power,  and  to  discharge  his  duty 
with  credit  to  himself,  and  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 
He  deserves  a  testimonial,  and  ought  to  have  one ;  and  I 
ask  you,  my  dear  fellow,  to  set  the  thing  a-going  at  once. 
Give  him  some  such  thing  as  a  silver  inkstand  ;  and  if  it 
be  said  that  this  suggestion  comes  with  a  bad  grace  from 
one  who  sacrifices  nothing  but  his  time  and  trouble  in 
making  it,  I  authorize  you  to  advance  on  my  account  the 


CHAP.  II.]        Henry  CoitcJi^ s  Last  Letters.  "j"^ 

sum  of  two  pounds.  Preserve  tliis  letter  as  a  proof  of 
the  debt,  and  I  will  either  repay  you  when  we  meet,  or 
you  can  deduct  the  amount  when  you  make  your  Avill. 
In  publishing  the  list  of  subscribers,  I  hope  that  the 
names  will  be  printed  alphabetically,  so  that  ^  Couch ' 
will  come  in  just  after  Barton  and  Bevan  [two  county 
magistrates].  It  is  very  humiliating  seeing  one^s  name  at 
the  bottom  of  a  list.  I  did  not  see  you  on  Saturday  last, 
[probably  a  visiting-day].  How  was  it  ?  I  was  glad 
Barton  didn't  come  either.  His  addressing  me  as 
*'  Mister  Couch  !  ^  Do  you  recollect  it  ?  As  the  virtuously- 
indignant  Mrs.  Gamp  exclaimed,  '  The  hidear  !  '  I  felt 
truly  grateful  to  you  for  checking  him  on  that  occasion. 
AVell,  I  must  now  clo^e." 

[Here  follows  a  picture  of  an  imaginary  domestic  circle.] 
"  Remember  me  kindly  toMargaretand  Charlotte,  and  to 
the  dear  old  lady,  as  well.  I  fancy  I  see  her  now,  sitting 
in  the  chimney-corner  with  the  cat  in  her  lap.  Good- 
bye, my  dear  Harry,  and  when  you  next  hear  me  addressed 
as  '  Mister  Couch,^  remind  the  person  who  thus  forgets 
himself,  that  he  compromises  his  dignity  in  so  doing.'' 

A  letter  written  to  the  chaplain  of  the  Northampton 
gaol,  giving  a  description  of  Wakefield  Prison  and  its 
management,  is  too  graphic  and  amusing  not  to  be  given 
at  length  ;  after  which  this  most  remarkable  example  of 
abilities  thrown  away  will  disappear  from  view_,  his 
ultimate  fate  being  unknown. 

Wakefield  Prison.     Eeg.  5558. 

"Rev.  and  dear  Sir, — My  characteristic  presumption 
leads  me  to  imagine  that  I  may  confer  a  pleasure  upon  you 
by   intimating  that    I  am  as   comfortable  here    as   the 


74   The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  n. 

circumstances  of  mj  position  will  permit.  This  esta- 
blishment is  constructed  on  the  same  principle  as  that  at 
Northampton,  but  it  is  far  more  extensive,  affording 
accommodation  for  about  four  hundred  government,  and 
as  many  county  prisoners.  The  former  remain,  as  a 
general  rule,  subject  to  a  different  discipline,  for  about 
nine  months;  and  after  being  carefully  taught  such 
lessons  as  are  inculcated  in  the  1st  Psalm,  and  14tli 
verse  of  Proverbs,  chapter  iv.,  are  sent  to  associate  with 
about  one  thousand  others  similarly  prepared.  I  con- 
template making  an  effort  to  remain  in  a  state  of  sepa- 
ration, though  I  doubt  not  that  I  shall  have  to  become 
honest  by  the  ordinary  routine  of  the  "  system/'  and  so 
remain  a  rogue.  The  principal  employments  here  appear 
to  be  tailoring  and  making  shoes,  and  fancy  and  other 
sorts  of  mats.  The  establishment,  so  far  as  the  convict 
department  goes,  must  be  little  less  than  self-supporting ; 
at  any  rate,  all  the  labour  is  productive.  There  are  none 
of  your  hand-labour  mills  here.  Strange  infatuation  ! 
miserable  delusion  !  that  idleness,  the  chief  characteristic 
of  criminals,  is  to  be  eradicated,  and  a  love  of  industry 
acquired  by  compelling  a  man  to  turn  three  hundred 
revolutions  per  hour,  for  three  hours  in  each  day,  of  those 
diabolical  machines  which  disgrace  the  gaol  of  North- 
ampton. This,  too,  under  the  penalty  of  loss  of  food  for 
non-performance  of  the  task  allotted  out !  Tbe  man  sees 
that  he  is  doing  no  good;  that  a  complicated  machine 
has  been  invented  to  torture  his  body,  and  he  laughs  at 
the  idea  of  acquiring  industrious  habits  by  such  means  ; 
habits  formed  by  compulsion  !  !  Compel  a  man  to  work, 
and  his  mind  revolts  from  it ;  but  lock  him  up  for  three 
or  four  days  without  work,  then  he  will  ask  for  work ; 
which  if  it  is  not  forced  upon  him  as  a  punishment,  he 


CHAP.  II]         Henry  CoticJi' s  Last  Letters.  75 

will  gratefully  accept  as  a  boon.  I  am  employed  as  a 
tailor.  I  am  in  a  very  comfortable  cell,  well  supplied 
witli  books  and  writing  materials.  If  sufficiently  indus- 
trious I  shall  be  credited  witli  fourpence,  sixpence^  or 
eightpence  a  week  out  of  my  earnings ;  I  do  not  know 
in  what  manner  the  remainder  will  be  applied.  I  believe 
that  the  present  amount  of  the  ISTational  Debt  is  two 
hundred  and  eighty  millions  ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that 
the  lesson  taught  by  the  affair  of  Paul,  Strahan  and 
Bates,  will  excite  in  the  authorities  a  becoming  caution 
as  to  how  they  invest  it.  The  chapel  holds  about  1000 
persons.  There  are  two  full  services  on  Sundays ;  and 
one  every  day  from  ten  to  eleven.  The  manifestations 
of  piety  on  the  part  of  the  congregation  must  be  very 
edifying  to  observers  possessed  of  sufficient  charity  to 
believe  in  their  genuineness.  The  prisoners  rise  at  six 
o'clock^  and  are  supposed  to  work  until  half-past  seven, 
when  each  is  supplied  with  eight  ounces  of  bread  (baked 
about  the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest),  and  half  a  pint 
of  very  apocryphal  milk.  I  know  nothiug  of  the  geo- 
logical formation  of  this  part  of  Yorkshire :  about  Scar- 
borough there  is  a  substratum  of  chalk.  Dinner  is 
served  at  one.  This  meal  is  superior  in  quality  to  any- 
thing to  be  found  on  the  table  of  a  working  man,  and  of 
many  an  artisan.  It  is  better  than  that  allowed  in  any 
other  of  this  sort  of  establishment,  which,  in  general,  is 
such  as  a  Grosvenor  or  Belgrave  Square  cat,  anxious  to 
preserve  caste  among  his  peers,  would  not  compromise 
his  dignity  by  coudescending  to  look  at.  At  seven  we 
drop  work,  and  read  until  nine,  when  we  go  to  bed. 
Some  receive  three  or  four  hours'  instruction  in  the  course 
of  the  Aveek,  but  for  this  privilege  I  am  considered  in- 
eligible. 


76   The  Pytchley  Htmt,  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  h. 

"  Expressing  my  warmest  and  most  grateful  thanks  for 
tlie  kindness  you  showed  me  at  Northampton^ 
'*  I  am,  dear  and  Rev.  Sir, 

''  Yours  very  truly, 

'ai.  Couch/' 

Colonel  W.  Cartwright,  to  whom  it  fell,  as  Chairman 
of  Quarter  Sessions,  to  pass  sentence  on  Couch  at  each  of 
the  trials  at  Northampton,  about  the  same  time  received 
from  another  soldier  a  letter  so  opposite  in  its  character 
to  those  given  above,  and  yet  so  unique  in  its  phraseology, 
tlmt  the  reader  of  these  pages  must  not  be  deprived  of 
the  benefit  of  it.  An  old  serjeant  in  the  Rifle  Brigade, 
living  at  Weedon,  wishing  to  fish  in  a  small  stream 
which  ran  through  one  or  two  meadows  occupied  by  the 
gallant  officer,  thus  addressed  him  : — 

"Weedon  Barracks,  May  12th,  1856. 

"  HoNOUEABLE  SiR, — A  discharged  serjeant  of  the  Rifle 
Brigade,  and  one  who  had  the  honour  of  serving  in 
the  same  company,  and  in  more  than  one  campaign  under 
the  command  of  the  gallant  and  much  lamented  Captain 
Cartwright  (killed  in  the  Crimea),  now  makes  bold  to 
solicit  of  his  honoured  and  bereaved  parent  a  written 
permission  to  angle  of  an  evening  in  that  wealthy  brook, 
which,  pursuing  its  way  by  Divine  Will  through  your 
honour's  extensive  domains,  encourages  and  compensates 
the  fertilizing  efforts  of  your  Honour's  tenants,  adds  a 
cheerful  vivacity  to  the  face  of  nature,  seasonably  serene, 
and  furnishes  of  its  finny  population  many  impressive 
convictions  of  the  kind,  unceasiog  regard  of  our  great 
Creator  in  the  various  sustenance,  delicate  and  in- 
vigorating, for  the  more  worthy  portion  of  His  laborious 
creatures. 


CHAP.  Ti.]  John  Dttnf  s  Letter,  jy 

''  Trusting^  Sir,  that  indulgent  time  is  reconciling  you 
to  the  fate  of  my  kind,  deceased  officer^  your  much- 
beloved  and  lamented  son,  and  that  your  Honour  will 
condescend  to  befriend  the  man  whom  that  son  so  often 
befriended,  I  remain,  Honourable  Sir,  with  all  due 
respect, 

^^  Your  Honour's  most  humble  and  devoted 
servant  and  faithful  soldier, 

"John  Dunt. 

^'  War  Department,  Weedon  Barracks." 

It  may  be  asserted,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that 
a  parallel  to  the  letter  given  above  may  be  searched  for 
in  vain  in  any  language.  It  is,  moreover,  a  matter  for 
wonder  how  a  common-soldier's  head  could  have  con- 
tained such  a  wealth  of  imagery,  and  such  a  rich  abun- 
dance of  the  gift  of  ^'  high  falutin'." 


7 8  The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Me.  John  Chawoeth  Musters,  Master^  1821. — Opinions  on  his 
hounds — Troublesome  foxes — Attachment  of  his  hounds — His 
qualifications  for  the  IMastership — Mr.  Osbaldeston,  Master, 
1827 — His  appearance,  manners  and  abilities — Excellence  of  his 
hounds — The  best  riders  at  Melton,  1820-30 — Osbaldeston's 
excellence  as  a  steeplechase  rider — Race  on'Grimaldi'  against 
'  Moonraker  ' — Celebrity  of  his  bitch-pack — Run  from  Misterton 
to  Laughtun  Mills — Match  to  ride  200  miles  in  ten  hours,  with 
the  horses  used — Challenges  all  the  world  for  2O,OO0Z. — As  a  shot, 
a  cricketer,  a  boxer,  an  M.P,,  and  a  Turfite — Mr.  Wilkins, 
Master,  183-i — Jack  Stevens,  huntsman ;  his  early  death — 
"Billy"  Russell— Mr.  George  Payne,  Master,  1835— The 
Earl  of  Chesterfield,  ilXa.^-^^er,  18^58 — Lords  Cardigan,  Maid- 
stone, and  Macdonald — Old  Times  and  Manners — Perfection  of 
Lord  Chesterfield's  arrangements — His  resignation  in  1840 — The 
Hon.  Wilbraham  Tollemarche — "  Ginger "  Stubbs,  and  other 
hunters — Dick  Christian  and  Matty  Milton — Old  horses  not  so 
safe  as  young  ones — Daniel  Lambert — Mr.  T.  Assheton  Smith — 
Dick  Christian  and  Bill  Wright. 

The  modern  history  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt  may  be  said 
to  commence  in  1821,  when  Mr.  John  Chaworth  Musters, 
of  Colwick  Hall,  Notts,  better  known  as  "  Jack  Musters/' 
moved  with  his  own  pack  of  hounds  out  of  Nottingham- 
shire, to  take  the  Mastership  of  the  Pytchley  country. 
The  pleasant  days  and  lively  nights  of  the  ^'  old  club  " 
had  now  passed  away ;  but,  so  far  as  hunting  and  con- 
venience went,  the  removal  of  the  hounds  to  a  central 
point,  and  the  abolition  of  what  may  be  called  the 
"  alternate  system, '^  was  greatly  in  favour  of  sport.  To 
strangers  the  change   was  highly   welcome;   and  Brix- 


CHAP.  III.]  AIi\  John  Chaworth  Mttsters^  Master.  79 

worth  and  Market  Harbro'  now  became  inucli  frequented 
by  hunting-visitors.  The  country  at  that  time  is  de- 
scribed as  being  tremendously  fenced,  the  posts  and 
raihng  of  other  days  having  given  way  to  hedges  which 
never  used  to  be  cut.  ^^  Scarcely  a  horse,""  wrote 
''  Acteon/^  "  can  go  a  season  or  so  in  this  country  with- 
out injury  to,  or  partial  loss  of,  sight ;  and  the  rider  has 
so  much  to  do  to  take  care  of  his  own  eyes,  that  he  cannot 
look  out  as  he  ought  to  do  for  those  of  his  horse  over 
these  tremendously  high  and  stiff  quicks.  Bullock-fences 
and  all  the  variety  necessary  to  keep  in  cattle,  stiff  stiles, 
locked  gates,  and  wide  brooks,  bedeck  the  grass-country 
in  great  profusion.'^ 

Taking  up  his  quarters  at  Pitsford  Hall,  recently 
vacated  by  Colonel  Corbet  of  the  Blues,  a  veteran  sports- 
man, Mr.  Musters  entered  upon  his  duties,  which,  according 
to  ''  Nimrod,^^  were  scarcely  equal  to  the  nature  of  the 
country  or  the  work  expected  of  it.  ^'  Few  packs  of 
hounds  will  stand  a  close  examination,^'  says  this  great 
critic :  '^  Mr.  Musters  certainly  will  not.  The  bitches 
are  handsome,  and  of  good  stamp  ;  but  the  dog-hounds 
are  many  of  them  past  their  prime,  and  as  a  lot,  not  so 
sightly  as  they  should  be.  A  liberal  draught  is  wanted; 
and  a  large  supply  of  three  and  four-year-old  hounds  is 
required.'^ 

About  this  time  the  country  was  unusuall}^  full  of 
badgers,  both  in  the  woodlands  and  elsewhere ;  so  much 
so,  that  while  digging  for  a  hunted  fox  in  Brampton 
Wood,  one  day  after  a  good  run,  five  were  found  in  the 
same  drain.  This  very  poor  relation  of  the  bear,  so  dis- 
tant as  scarcely  to  have  the  claim  of  kinship  allowed 
by  the  latter,  had  grown  so  scarce  in    the  Brocklesby 


8o  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

country,  that  a  member  of  the  family  was  sent  from  the 
Kettering  district  into  that  part  of  Yorkshire  to  act  as 
an  "  earth -maker '*  for  the  foxes.  A  great  improvement 
on  the  artificial  earth,  which  too  frequently  fails  in  its 
purpose. 

Notwithstanding  the  depreciatory  view  taken  by 
"  Nimrod  ^^  of  the  hounds  that  had  been  brought  out  of 
Nottinghamshire,  another  writer  in  the  '^  Sporting 
Magazine,^^  speaking  of  Mr.  Musters,  says  :  '^He  remained 
in  the  Pytchley  country  four  or  five  seasons,  showing 
extraordinary  sport,  and  convincing  his  numerous 
admirers  that,  not  only  was  he  the  most  skilful  hunts- 
man that  had  ever  appeared  in  that  country,  [shade  of 
Charles  King  !  where  were  you,  when  this  was  penned  !] 
but  in  any  other.'"  He  goes  on  to  say :  "  The  stud- 
hounds  of  Mr.  Musters  were  much  sought  after  by  the 
breeders  of  the  day  ;  and  the  blood  of  that  excellent  dog, 
'  Collier,^  was  second  to  none.'^  The  two  great  sporting 
critics  of  the  day,  '^Nimrod  ^'  and  '^  Acteon,^^ do  not  seem 
by  this  to  have  taken  at  all  the  same  view  of  the  merits 
of  a  fox-hound  in  point  of  make  and  shape  ;  and  on 
many  other  points  connected  with  hunting  they  appear 
to  have  walked  on  the  lines  of  '^  two  of  a  trade  never 
aorreeino-.'^ 

o  o 

A  fox  at  Hunsbury  Hill  afforded  some  excellent  runs 
at  this  time,  and  was  so  successful  in  evading  his  pursuers 
that  he  was  known  as  the  *^  Hunsbury  Hill  Devil. ^^  On 
the  last  occasion  of  his  having  been  hunted  by,  and  de- 
feating the  celebrated  Jack  Musters  and  his  three  merry 
men.  Saddler,  Derry,  and  Wood,  he  took  his  usual  line 
through  Wootton  by  Delapre,  Brayfield  Furze,  and  Yard- 
ley  Chase^  to  near  Olney  Bridge,  where  he  again   sue- 


cH.vp.  III.]  Mr.  J.  Chaworth  Mzisters,  Master.         8 1 

ceeded  in  dodging  the  enemy,  and  sending  them  empty 
away.  It  was  supposed,  however,  that  on  the  following 
day  the  poor  "  demon,^^  still  aweary  and  stiff  from  his 
bucketting,  fell  a  victim  to  George  Carter  and  the 
Grafton  hounds,  who  came  across  him  before  he  was 
sufficiently  recovered  to  find  his  way  back  to  his  ^'^  lares  " 
at  Hunsbury  Hill.  Another  fox,  always  at  home  at  Sulby 
Gorse  when  called  upon,  had  often  been  '^  one  too 
many"  for  Mr.  Musters;  and  Mr.  Osbaldeston,  at  that 
time  Master  of  the  Quorn,  had  frequently  been  treated 
in  like  manner  by  a  "  customer  ^^  at  Gartree  Hill.  On 
the  last  day  of  the  season,  each  master  determined  to 
finish  up  with  a  cut  at  his  old  foe,  and  Mr.  Musters 
backed  himself  for  five  pounds  to  bring  his  fox  to  hand 
before  the  Squire  had  succeeded  in  catching  his.  No 
sooner  had  the  former  put  his  hounds  into  cover  than  an 
old  hound  challenged,  and  away  went  the  "Flyer" 
pointing  for  Bos  worth,  and  on  past  Theddingworth,  to 
Laughton  Hills.  Here  a  man  had  been  placed  at  the 
^'earths,"  so  he  retraced  his  steps,  running  the  same  line 
back.  Near  Theddingworth,  he  was  viewed  in  a  large 
pasture,  but  Mr.  Musters  declined  to  lift  his  hounds  a 
yard,  saying  that  he  would  not  take  an  unhandsome 
advantage  of  so  good  an  animal.  This  over-chivalrous 
spirit  lost  him  his  fox,  and  his  five  pounds  as  well.  A 
flock  of  sheep  brought  the  hounds  to  a  check,  the  scent 
suffered  from  a  passing  storm,  and  though  he  was  spoken 
to  on  the  Harbro'  and  Welford  Road,  nothing  could 
be  made  of  it ;  so  that  again  the  fortunate  tenant  of 
Sulby  Gorse  saved  his  brush,  and  lived  to  fight  another 
day. 

Amongst  other  qualifications  rendering  him  pre-eminent 

G 


82  The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap,  m, 

as  a  huntsman,  Mr.  Musters  possessed_,  in  no  ordinary 
degree,    that  of   attaching    hounds  to  himself.     In    his 
"  Notitia  Venatica/^  Mr.  Vyner  tells  a  curious  instance 
of  this  in  the  following  interesting  incident.     When  Mr. 
]\Iusters    hunted     in     Northamptonshire^     the    hounds, 
having  to  meet  in  that  well-known  cover,  Badby  Wood, 
were  taken  on  the  day  previous  by  his  first  whip,  Smith, 
to  sleep  at  the   '^  Bull's  Head  '^  at  Weedon.     On  arriv- 
ing at  a  place  where  the  road  from  Northampton  con- 
verges into  that  by  which  they  were  travelling,  suddenly 
some  of  the  most  foremost  of  the  hounds  became  rest- 
less, and  by  their  manner  Smith  concluded  that  a  travel- 
ling fox  had  passed  near  the  spot.     In  a  few  moments, 
the  whole  pack,  who  had  been  fed,    and  were  jogging 
listlessly  along,    seemed    suddenly  to    be   aroused  from 
their  torpor,  and  in  another  moment  were  out  of  hand. 
The  Huntsman  thought  that  the  devil  had  seized  them ;  the 
Whips  rode  after  them  and  rated;  but  all  to  no  purpose — 
to  stop  them  was  impossible.     At  last  in  turning  a  corner 
about  a  mile  further  on,  who  should  appea"^  in  sight  but 
Mr.   Musters  himself,  who  had  come  by  a  second  road 
and  was  going  quietly  on  his  way,  on  the  hack  he  usually 
rode  to  covert,  to  dine  and  sleep  at  a  friend's  house  near 
the  next  day's  meet.      The  delight  of  the    pack  at    so 
unexpectedly  coming    across  their    beloved  master  was 
indescribable.     One  hound    actually  jumped    upon    the 
horse's  quarters,  and  licked  Mr.  Musters's  face,  and  it 
was  so  difficult  a  matter  to  call  them  ofi",  that  he  was 
oblifi^ed  to  go  out  of  his  way  to  conduct  them  himself 
to    the  inn  where    they  were    to  lodge    for  the    night. 
A  very  spirited  picture  of  this  scene,  with    the   hound 
leaping  upon  the  horse's   back,  was  drawn  by  the  cele- 


CHAP.  III.]      Mr.  G.  Osbaldeston,  Master.  8 


J 


brated  artist  Aiken,  and  decorates  Mr.  Vyner^s  book. 
Speaking  of  Mr.  Musters,  ^^  Nimrod "  goes  on  to  say  : 
^''No  man  was  ever  better  qualified  by  nature  for  a 
Master  of  hounds.  His  personal  appearance  and 
engaging  manners  could  not  fail  to  establish  his  popu- 
larity with  all  who  hunted  with  him ;  and  the  practical 
science  he  displayed  in  the  field  delighted  all  true 
sportsmen.  So  complete  a  master  was  he  of  all 
athletic  sports,  that  at  one  time  of  his  life  he  would 
have  leaped,  hopped,  ridden,  run,  fought,  danced, 
fished,  swum,  shot,  fenced,  played  cricket  (a  game  in 
which  he  considered  he  greatly  excelled),  tennis,  and 
skated,  against  any  man  in  England  !  ^' 

After  remaining  six  years  in  Northamptonshire,  and 
showing  excellent  sport,  Mr.  Musters  returned  to  his 
own  county,  and  the  famous  '^  Squire  Osbaldeston,"" 
leaving  the  Quorn  country  which  he  had  hunted  for 
some  years,  became  Master  of  the  Pytchley  in  1827. 
The  prenomen  of  "  Squire "  by  which  he  was  better 
known  in  the  sporting  world  than  by  his  own  patro- 
nymic, arose  from  the  fact  that  out  of  the  four  packs  of 
hounds  hunting  Leicestershire  at  that  time,  his  was  the 
only  one  not  having  a  nobleman  for  its  Master.  Short 
in  stature,  not  prepossessing  in  appearance  even  on 
horseback,  rough  of  speech,  and  uncouth  in  manner, 
he  excelled  in  every  outdoor  pursuit,  and  at  a  ball  was 
fond  of  displaying  his  skill  in  dancing  a  reel.  The 
chief  event  of  the  evening  on  the  Eace-Ball  night  at 
Northampton  was  when  the  ^'^  Squire,"  occupying  the 
centre  of  the  room,  was  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes  as  ho 
danced,  and  excellently  well  too,  a  Highland  reel.  Oii 
these  occasions,  old  Mr.  Tattersall  might  be  seen  leaning 

G  2 


84  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Pi'esent.  [chap.  m. 

against  the  wall  with  his  lame  leg  slightly  raised,  watchiog 
the  performance,  while  an  amused  and  half-envious  smile 
lit  up  his  genial  face. 

Race  ^'^  Ordinaries  ^'  were  in  vogue  in  those  days,  and 
the  Squire  not  being  a  Rechabite,  the  dancing  followed 
so  immediately  upon  the  dining  that   there  was  scarcely 
time  to  put  on  the  armour  of  sobriety  before  the  fiddles 
struck  up.     Take  him  altogether,  it  is  probable  that  a 
better    ^'  all-round ''  man    never    lived,  but    in  no    one 
thing  did    he  appear    to  have    been  superlatively  good. 
\^    riding    to    hounds    he    had    many    superiors,  as    he 
also   had  in  hunting   them  ;  at  cricket   he  was  not  good 
enough  to  figure  in  the  eleven  of  England ;  and  as  a  shot 
he  was  not  the  equal   of  Captain  Ross  or  of  the  Hon.  G. 
Anson.       Sprung   from   an    old    Yorkshire    family,    Mr. 
Osbaldeston  had  all  the  education  and  advantages  which 
are  the   birthright  of  the   children   of  wealthy  parents, 
and  was    sent   to   Eton,  and    afterwards     to  Brazenose 
College;  the  latter,  equally  with  the  former,  failing  to 
elicit  any  sigu   of  a  predilection  for   classical  learning. 
At  the  earliest   possible  moment  he  shook  from  his  feet 
the   dust  of    chapel  and    of  lecture-room.     Though   not 
quick    in  mastering  the    secrets    of    the  Latin   tongue, 
nor    in    construing    the    metres    of    a  Greek    play,  the 
Yorkshire  squire  was  far  from  lacking  in  ability.     With 
much  natural   acuteness,  he  speedily  acquired   a  know- 
ledge  of  anything  upon   which  he  cared  to   bestow  his 
attention;    and   hounds    and   horses   were    the    earliest 
objects  of  his  interest.     By  strict  adherence  to  the  best 
principles  in  breeding,  by  selecting   as  sires  the  choicest 
blood   of  other  kennels,  and  by  rigidly  rejecting  every 
puppy  that  did  not  seem  likely  to   reach  his  standard,  he 


CHAP.  III.]        Mr.  G.  Osbaldeston,  Master,  85 

succeeded  iu  possessing  himself  of  a  pack  of  hounds 
second  to  none  in  England.  It  was  with  such  a  pack 
as  this  that  he  commenced  to  hnnfc  a  country,  about 
which  he  is  reported  to  have  said,  ^^  I  have  been  in  search 
of  Paradise  all  my  life,  and  have  found  it  at  last/'  Had 
they  only  been  written  at  that  time,  he  might  well  Lave 
quoted  Whyte-Melville's  lines  : — 

"  I  will  show  you  a  country  that  none  can  surpass, 

For  a  flyer  to  cross  hke  a  bird  on  the  winij, 

We  liave  acres  of  woodland,  and  oceans  of  grass, 

We  have  ^ame  in  the  autumn,  and  cubs  in  the  spring. 
We  have  scores  of  good  fellows  hang  out  in  these  shires, 

And  the  best  of  them  all,  are  *  the  Pytchley  Hunt  Squires." 

With  such  tackle,  and  witli  such  escellent  A.D.C.'s 
as  Jack  Stevens  and  Jem  Shirley,  the  ^^  Squire "  was 
bound  to  show  sport,  which  he  undoubtedly  did  do  ;  but 
as  Horseman  or  Huntsman,  he  at  no  time  reached  the 
same  high,  standard  as  his  predecessor,  Mr.  Musters. 
His  nerve  had  been  somewhat  shaken  by  severe  falls, 
and  he  always  made  it  pretty  hot  for  the  mau  who  did 
not  ^WQ  him  plenty  of  room  at  a  fence.  One  great 
drawback  to  Mr.  Osbaldeston,  as  either  Huntsman  or 
Master,  was  that  a  natural  love  of  gossip  bad  grown  iuto 
such  an  inveterate  habit  of  chattering",  that  his  tongue 
never  seemed  at  rest ;  and  even  in  drawing  a  cover  he 
would  let  the  men  do  the  work  whilst  he  talked  with 
some  friend.  In  a  book  of  Hunting-Songs  collected  by 
Mr.  S.  C.  Musters,  and  published  in  1883,  a  classified 
list  of  the  best  performers  at  Melton  between  1820  and 
1830,  Osbaldeston  is  placed  third  in  the  second  class. 
Given  with  all  the  formality  of  a  University  class  list, 
the  names  stand  as  follows  : — 


86  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap,  h  . 


First  Class. 

Tom  Assheton  Smith. 

Lindon. 

Rolleston. 

Lord  Jersey. 

Chaworth  (j\Iusters). 

Cholmelev. 

Hon.  C.  W.  Forester. 

Sir  B  e  1 1  i  n  g  h  a  m 

Graham. 
Davy. 
White 
Ramsden. 
Lowther. 
Staiidish. 
Lord  Plymouth. 
RanclifFe. 
Lord  Alvanley. 


Second  Class. 

V.  Maher. 

jNlaxse. 

Osbaldeston. 

Lord  E..  Manners. 

Mills. 

Pierrepoint. 

Lucas. 

F.  Forrester. 

Lord  Dartmouth. 

Brad  sh  aw. 

Barnett. 

Yane-Powlett. 

Lord  Tavistock. 

Lord  C.  Manners. 

Dottin. 

Christie. 


Third  Class. 

Sir  F.  Burdett. 

C  hester. 

F.  Bentinck. 

M'Kenzie. 

Lord  Aylesford. 

Megler. 

Moore. 

Petre. 

Napier. 

Walker. 

Druramond. 

Arnold. 

Duke  of  Eiutliuid. 

Lord  Lonsdale. 


In  the  above  list  the  most  notable  in  the  first  class  are 
the  names  of  the  following,  the  first  and  foremost  being* 
that  of  Tom  Assheton  Smith,  Master  of  the  Quorn,  and 
confessedly  the  straightest  man  across  country  that  ever 
rode  to  honnds.  He  it  was  who  said  that  on  coming  to 
a  big  fence,  if  a  man  only  threw  his  heart  over  to  the 
other  side  his  horse  was  sure  to  follow ;  a  dictum,  the 
truth  of  which  few  will  care  to  deny.  Lord  Jersey, 
father  of  the  Hon.  Frederick  Yilliers  (himself  a  first- 
rate  man  to  hounds,  and  twice  Master  of  the  Pytchley); 
Sir  Bellingham  Graham  and  Mr.  Cb  a  worth  (Musters), 
both  heads  of  ihe  same  establishment;  Messrs.  Davy 
and  Ramsden,  well-known  with  the  Pytchley  Hunt  of 
that  time ;  and  of  Lord  Alvanley,  Wit,  and  Welter 
weig'ht.  At  the  head  of  the  third  class  appears  the 
name  of  Sir  Francis  Burdett,  iu  his  early  days  the 
most  outspoken  of  Radical  politicians.  A  Radical  of  the 
Radicals,  and  an  idol  of  the  populace,  for  some  time 
there  was   no   measure  which    Sir    Francis    seemed   in- 


CHAP,  in.]  J/r.  Osbaldeston  ;  a  Steeple-chaser.         87 

capable  of  digesting,  or  to  be  at  variance  with  opinions 
which  ultimately  landed  him  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower. 
With  advancing  years,  however,  the  political  camera 
presented  things  in  such  a  different  aspect  that  the 
worthy  baronet  turned  a  complete  ^^  volteface/^  and 
ended  his  days  in  the  full  sanctity  of  Toryism.  Two 
remarkable  instances  of  a  similar  change  of  views  came, 
on  one  occasion,  to  the  notice  of  the  writer  of  these  lines. 
Dining  at  the  table-d'hote  of  an  hotel  in  Florence,  he 
found  himself  seated  between  two  elderly  gentlemen,  0]ie 
an  Englishman,  the  other  a  native  of  the  sister  isle.  In 
the  course  of  conversation,  the  former  stated  that  he 
had  been  the  friend  and  principal  coadjutor  of  the  arch- 
chartist,  Fergus  O'Connor,  whilst  the  other  had  been 
the  lieutenant  of  Smith  O'Brien,  and  had  just  missed 
being  present  at  the  capture  of  that  patriot  in  the  battle 
of  the  ^^  Cabbage-garden.""  Each  had  lived  sufficiently 
long  to  realize  the  fact  that  the  colour  of  political  views 
formed  in  hot  youth  will  not  always  endure  when 
exposed  to  the  sunlight  of  time.  The  former  adherent 
of  the  irrepressible  **  Fergus ''  had  become  a  strong  anti- 
O'Connorite,  and  the  lieutenant  of  General  Smith 
O^Brien  had  subsided  into  being  a  strong  advocate  of 
the  English  alliance. 

._ Though  not  figuring  in  the  first  class  as  a  rider  to 
hounds,  "  Squire  Osbaldeston ''  had  few,  if  any,  superiors 
in  a  steeple-chase,  either  among  professionals  or 
amateurs,  his  quick  eye,  powerful  limbs,  and  un- 
deniable nerve,  when  out  of  a  crowd,  being  greatly  in 
his  favour  where  he  had  to  steer  a  difficult  mount ;  and 
his  services  in  the  capacity  of  a  cross-country  jockey 
were  always  greatly  in  request.     The  Harrovian  of  1832 


88   The  Pylchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

will  not  fail  to  recollect  (especially  if  he  shared  the  fate 
of  the  narrator  of  the  event,  and  came  in  for  ^^  just  a 
taste"  of  the  birch  for  not  being  present  at  the  four 
o'clock  bill  on  that  day)  the  great  match  for  100() 
sovereigns  between  Mr.  Elmore's  ^'  Moonraker "  and 
Mr.  Adams's  ^^  Grimaldi."  The  race,  which  excited 
extraordinary  interest  from  the  celebrity  of  the  animals, 
and  from  the  fact  that  a  few  days  before,  at  St.  Albans, 
the  two  horses  had  run  within  a  head  of  each  other  for 
the  steeple-chase  at  that  place,  came  off  over  Mr. 
Elmore's  farm  cear  Harrow.  Though  "  Grimaldi '' had 
been  defeated  at  St.  Albans,  Mr.  Osbaldeston,  who  was 
the  umpire  on  that  occasion,  was  so  impressed  with  his 
merit,  that  he  gave  the  owner  of  "  Moonraker "  fifty 
pounds  to  run  him  for  a  thousand  sovereigns,  on  con- 
dition that  he  himself  should  ride  '^  Grimaldi."  All 
London  was  emptied  to  witness  the  race,  and  it  being  a 
half-holiday,  few  indeed  were  the  Harrow  boys  who  did 
not  prefer  to  risk  a  '^  swishing  "  to  being  absent  from  so 
great  an  event.  Fate  favoured  the  majority,  but  a  few 
had  to  make  acquaintance  with  the  swing  of  Dr. 
Longley's  arm  for  the  breach  of  a  fundamental  law,  and 
old  ^^  Gustos,"  time-honoured  birch-provider  to  the 
school,  had  a  busy  time  in  preparing  the  instruments  of 
torture.  The  course  selected  was  from  a  field  close  to 
the  seventh  milestone  on  the  Edgware  Road,  and  the 
winning-post  was  in  a  meadow  near  a  farmhouse  at 
Harrow  Weald.  The  distance  to  be  run  was  four  miles, 
and  the  course,  though  heavy  from  recent  rains,  was  all 
grass.  "  Grimaldi  "  started  a  good  favourite,  and  won 
easily;  thus  contirming  the  good  opinion  his  rider  had 
formed  of  him  at  St.  Albans. 


CHAP.  III.]  ]\Ir.  Osbaldestoii^s  pack.  89 

There  were  giant  chasers  and  giant  riders  in  these 
days,  and  the  former  were  mostly  of  a  more  gennine  and 
hunter-like  stamp  than  the  turf-failares  of  modern  times. 
The  names  of  Lottery,  Vivian,  Seventy-four,  Grimaldi, 
Discount,  Cigar,  Yellow  Dwarf,  the  Chandler,  and  many 
another  hippie  hero,  will  come  home  to  the  memory 
of  countless  frosty-powed  sportsmen  of  to-day.  Great 
horses  were  each  and  all  of  these,  but  the  greatest  of  all 
was  Lottery.  Jem  Mason  on  Lotterj^,  in  a  steeple-chase 
of  forty  years  since,  was  what  Archer  on  St.  Gatien  or 
Ormonde  is  at  the  present  time.^  No  higher  compliment 
was  ever  paid  to  a  horse  than  when  Lottery  was 
barred  out  of  a  steeple-chase,  open  to  all  England, 
which  came  off  at  Wootton,  near  JSTorthampton,  in 
1840,  and  which  was  won  by  Cigar,  ridden  by  Allan 
McDonough. 

No  hounds  in  England  had  gained  a  greater  celebrity 
than  Mr.  Osbaldeston's  bitch-pack,  one  of  their  marked 
features  of  excellence  being  that  they  never  lost  their 
presence  of  mind  when  ridden  over,  or  pressed  upon  by 
an  overwhelming  field ;  consequently  their  body  never 
became  broken  up  or  detached.  Proverbially  fast,  a 
more  musical  pack  could  scarcely  be  met  with,  which 
would  seem  to  militate  against  the  theory  that  ""  mute- 
ness ^^  must  needs  accompany  ^'  fleetness.'"  To  the 
genuine  lover  of  hunting,  there  could  be  no  greater  treat 
than  to  see  these  bitches  swimming  along  the  flat 
between  Stanford  Hall  and  Winwick  Warren,  so  close 
together  that  the  ground  could  scarcely  be  seen  between 
them.     Among  innumerable  good  runs,  the   ^'  Squire '' 

^  Since  this  was  penned,  the  famous  jockey,  like  the  author,  has 
departed  this  life. — Ed. 


90  The  Pytchley  Himt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

used  to  distingaisli  one  at  the  end  of  March,  1830,  from 
Misterton  to  the  Laughton  Hills,  as  one  of  the  best  he 
had  ever  seen.  Though  apparently  making  direct  for 
the  earths,  the  fox  passed  right  over  them,  open  as  they 
were,  and  was  killed  within  200  yards  of  the  shelter 
he  had  so  unwisely  rejected.  One  night  after  dinner  at 
Pitsford  Hall,  some  chaff  having  taken  place  as  to  the 
^^  Squire^s''^  powers  of  endurance  on  horseback,  he 
backed  himself  for  1000  guineas  to  ride  200  miles 
ill  ten  hours — he  to  have  as  many  horses  as  he  pleased. 
The  match  was  to  come  off  on  the  round  course  at  New- 
market, and  thirty-two  horses,  chiefly  the  property  of 
himself  and  friends,  and  all  of  the  highest  class,  having 
been  selected  for  the  undertaking,  Mr.  Osbaldeston 
went  into  training  for  a  week.  During  this  time  he 
took  exercise  of  the  severest  description,  and  thought 
nothing  of  riding  to  Newmarket,  sixty  miles  from  Pits- 
ford,  after  hunting  on  a  Wednesday,  and  returning  for  the 
meet  on  the  Friday  following,  after  having  galloped  in 
turn  (on  the  Thursday)  th.e  different  hor-es  he  was  going 
to  ride  in  the  match.  In  the  accomplishment  of  his  task, 
each  horse  was  changed  at  the  end  of  the  four-mile 
circuit,  some  of  them  being  ridden  two  and  three  times, 
and  one,  Tranby — well-known  for  his  speed  and  lasting 
qualities — being  pulled  out  a  fourth  time  !  In  conse- 
quence of  not  being  able  to  get  several  of  the  horses  to 
approach  a  wooden  horse-block  turfed  over  and  erected 
in  front  of  the  stand,  the  rider  had  to  dismount  on  the 
completion  of  each  round,  which  not  only  was  a  loss  of 
time,  but  greatly  increased  the  stress  upon  the  muscles. 
In  spite,  however,  of  this  drawback,  the  ill-temper  shown 
by  Ikey  Solomon,  and  the  ground  not  being  in  a  favour- 


CHAP.  III.] 


Osbaideston' s  Match  against  time. 


91 


able  condition,  tlie  distance  was  accomplished  in  eight 
hours  and  thirty-nine  minutes. 

The  match,  therefore,  was  won  with  an  hour  and  twenty 
minutes  to  spare,  without  any  apparent  distress  to  the 
winner,  who  had  ridden  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  miles 
an  hour  for  eight  and  a  half  successive  hours.  A  list  of 
the  horses  engaged  in  the  undertaking,  with  the  time 
occupied  by  each  in  accomplishing  his  four  miles  circuit, 
will  show  that  Tranby  was  far  the  best,  and  Ikey 
Solomon  far  the  worst  of  the  party. 


Emma 

Paradox 

Liberty 

Coroner 

Oberon 

Don  Juan    . 

Morgan  Rattler 

Paradox 

Cannon  Ball 

Clasher 

Ultima 

Fairy 

Coroner 

Liberty 

Emma 

Don  Juan    . 

Oberon 

Cannon  Ball 

Ultima 

Tranb}',  1st  time 

Fairy 

Morgan  Eattler 

Tramp 

Dolly 

Acorn 


From  the  above  record  it  will  be  seen  that  Tranby 
performed  his  four  circuits  in  8.10,  8.0,  8.50,  and  8.15 
minutes  respectively  ;  that   Skirmisher  alone   was  used 


M. 

s. 

9 

0 

9 

20 

9 

25 

9 

15 

9 

40 

9 

0 

9 

13 

9 

6 

9 

23 

9 

25 

9 

10 

9 

5 

8 

40 

9 

0 

9 

21 

9 

8 

8 

20 

9 

45 

9 

0 

8 

10 

8 

8 

9 

28 

8 

58 

8 

58 

9 

2 

M. 

s. 

Smolensko  . 

8 

52 

Tranby,  2nd  time 

8 

0 

Skirmisher,  1st  time 

9 

25 

Guildford     . 

8 

25 

Dolly  . 

8 

45 

Ikey  Solomon 

.      12 

0 

Tam  0'  Shanter  . 

9 

40 

El  Dorado  . 

9 

2 

Surprise 

9 

10 

Tranby,  3rd  time 

8 

50 

Ipsala 

9 

0 

Streamlet    . 

9 

0 

Coventry     . 

9 

0 

Ringleader  . 

8 

42 

Tranby,  4th  time 

8 

15 

Ipsala 

8 

20 

Skirmisher,  2nd  time 

8 

15 

Guildford    . 

9 

10 

Streamlet    . 

8 

50 

Donegani    . 

9 

12 

Hassan 

9 

0 

Ringleader. 

9 

30 

Coventry     . 

9 

30 

Donegani    . 

10 

15 

Skirmisher,  3rd  time  . 

9 

40 

92    The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap  m. 

three  times,  occupying  respectively  9.25,  8.15,  and  9.40 
minutes,  and  that  Ikey  Solomon  occupied  12  minutes 
in  completing  his  journey,  and  proved  himself  the  black 
sheep  of  the  lot.  After  the  match,  Mr.  Osbaldeston  gave 
a  plate  of  fifty  pounds  to  be  competed  for  by  the  horses 
he  had  ridden,  which  was  won  by  the  Smolensko  colt, 
Donegani  being  second.  No  sooner  had  the  task  been 
completed  than  people  began  to  say  any  one  conld  per- 
form the  same  feat  with  the  same  horses.  Nettled  at 
this,  the  ^^  Squire  ^^  wrote  the  following  letter  to  the 
editor  of  BelVs  Life  in  London  : — 

"  Sir, — There  are  many  men,  I  have  no  doubt,  who  can  do  the  dis- 
tance in  the  time  I  did  it,  who  ride  seven  stone,  if  they  are  to  be 
called  men.  Many  foxhunters,  and  even  jockeys,  before  the  match 
thousrht  it  impossible  to  accomplish  it  in  nine  hours,  who  now  say  that 
any  old  woman  could  do  it.  It  is  the  pace  which  a  man  is  compelled  to 
maintain,  with  such  short  intervals  between  every  four  miles,  that 
distresses  him,  the  muscles  not  having  time  to  recover.  I  never  was 
afraid  of  anything  except  sudden  indisposition.  Having  been  much 
chaffed  about  the  match,  and  told  that  a  jockey  would  do  the  distance 
in  ei<^ht  hours,  I  send  the  following  challenge  to  the  whole  world,  and 
I  name  a  large  sum,  as  I  do  not  care  to  risk  my  health  and  stamina 
for  a  trifle.  If  no  one  takes  me  up,  I  hope  that  I  shall  no  longer  be 
bothered  and  told  that  '  any  fool  could  do  what  I  did.'  A  man  of  my 
years  challenging  all  the  world  to  bring  a  man  of  any  age  against  me 
is  unparalleled  in.  the  history  of  sporting,  and  scarcely  to  be  believed.  I 
now  challenge  any  man  in  the  world  of  any  age,  to  ride  from  200  to 
500  miles,  for  20,000Z. ;  but  if  he  will  only  ride  200  miles,  I  will  stake 
10,000^.  Or,  I  will  ride  against  a  jockey  of  seven  stone,  200  miles, 
receiving  30  minutes  for  the  difference  between  seven  and  eleven  stone 
odd ;  or  I  will  take  10,000Z.  to  3000/.  that  I  will  ride  200  miles  in 
eight  hours,  which  would  be  a  wonderful  performance  for  one  of  m}'" 
weight,  and  as  I  think,  almost  impossible.  At  all  events  the  smallest 
accident  would  cast  the  match,  and  I  should  scarcely  have  time  to 
mount  and  remount.  I  am  always  to  be  heard  of  at  Pitsford,  near 
Northampton.     November  16th,  1832.'' 

Great  exaggerations  prevailed  as  to  the  money  won  by 
the  '*  Squire ''  over  his  match,  some  putting  it  at  upwards 


CHAP.  111.]  Shooting  Matches.  93 

of  30_,000/.j  but  the  real  amount  netted  by  the  winner 
after  the  payment  of  all  expenses  was  1800Z. 

As    shots,    Mr.    Osbaldeston    and  Captain    Ross — the 
latter  the  better  man  at  cross-country — shared  with  the 
Hon.  G.  Anson_,  the  honour  of  being-  the  three  "  cracks 
of  England."     The  three  were  constantly  in  competition, 
and  it  was  hard  to  say  which  of  the  trio  was  the  better 
man.     In    the     match    for    1000    sovereigns     between 
Captain    Ross    and    the  "  Squire,"  which    came    off   at 
Battersea  in  the  May  of  1828,  the  latter  suffered  an  easy 
defeat.     Each  ^as    to    shoot  at    250   birds  at  a    thirty 
yards'  rise.     Four  days  were  taken  up  in  completing  the 
match,  Ross  killing  175  birds,  and  the  "Squire"  164. 
On  the  first    day  the   former  missed  only  seven    shots, 
on     the     second    twenty-two,    on    the     third    eighteen, 
and  on  the  last,   when    he  was    ill,  twenty-eight.     His 
opponent's      misses,     on      each     of      the     four      days 
respectively,     were    tAventy-three,    twenty-five,    twenty- 
three,  and  fifteen.     In  the  November  of  the  same  year,  a 
very  interesting  match  took  place  between  Captain  Ross 
and  the  Hon.    G.  Anson,  which    should    kill  the    most 
partridges,  walking  side  by  side,  on  a  manor  in  Norfolk 
of  Mr.  Henry  De  Ros's.     The  amount  of  the  wager  was 
500  guineas  a  side,  shooting  to  commence  at  a  quarter 
past  eight  a.m.,  and  to  close  at  a  quarter  past  four  p.m. 
Each  party  was  to  have  three  guns  and  as  many  loaders. 
The  day  proved  to  be  foggy  and  therefore  unfavourable, 
and  the  birds  so  wild,  that  at  the  end  of  the  first  hour 
only  four  birds  had  been  bagged,  of  which  Colonel  Anson 
had  secured  three.     Each  shooter,  hoping  to  fatigue  the 
other,  commenced  walking  at  the  rate  of  five  miles  an 
hour  which  they  kept  up  for  the  two  first  hours.  After  that 


94  The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

tliey  dropped  to  a  little  more  than  four,  and  kept  up  that 
pace  for  the  rest  of  the  day,  remaining  all  the  time  bare- 
headed. At  three  p.m.  each  had  killed  ten  brace^  and  at 
four  the  number  was  still  even.  A  quarter  of  an  hour 
only  now  remained  in  which  to  decide  the  issue  of  the 
match.  About  thirty-five  miles  had  been  walked^  mostly 
through  heavy  wet  turnips,  and  Colonel  Anson  was 
beginning  to  fail  in  strength.  At  this  juncture  he  killed 
a  bird^  which  made  him  one  ahead,  but  his  walking  power 
had  ceased,  whilst  his  adversary  was  striding  away  as 
fresh  as  ever.  AYith  a  bird  to  the  bad,  and  the  time  almost 
up,  Captain  Ross  consented  that  the  match  should  be 
considered  a  drawn  one.  The  number  of  birds  scored 
was  twenty- three  brace  and  a  half,  but  many  more  were 
killed,  the  umpires  (Mr.  Osbaldeston  being  one)  not 
being  able  to  decide  to  which  party  they  belonged.  So 
fresh  was  Captain  Ross  at  the  close  of  the  proceedings, 
that  he  offered  to  walk  any  of  the  party  then  present 
to  London,  for  500  guineas !  As  a  cricketer  the 
*^  Squire  ^^  was  a  good  useful  man ;  but  here  again  he  was 
not  in  the  same  flight  with  such  men  as  Lord  Frederick 
Beauclerk  and  Mr.  Ward,  and  though  he  might  have  got 
a  place  amongst  the  eleven  gentlemen  of  his  day,  he  would 
not  have  figured,  at  any  time,  in  the  eleven  of  England. 
In  the  records  of  the  matches  kept  in  the  pavilion  at 
Lord's,  good  scores  are  often  to  be  found  attached  to  the 
name  of  *^  George  Osbaldeston,^'  Esq.,  but  his  fast  under- 
hand bowliug  seems  to  have  been  his  strong  point.  In 
the  days  when  pads  and  gloves  were  only  looming  in  the 
future,  and  cricket-grounds  were  not  the  billiard-tables 
they  now  are,  the  batsman  might  not  be  sure  of  a  very 
rosy  time  who  found  himself  confronted  with  Brown  of 


CHAP.  III.]  Gsbaldeston^  a  Cricketer.  95 

Brigtiton  at  one  end^  and  the  ^'  Squire  ^^  at  tlie  other.     In 
the  Eton  eleven^  however,  of   1835,  was  a  bowler  whose 
pace  exceeded  either  of  the  above-named  ^'  rapid  Jacks.^' 
Neither  Harrovian  nor  Wykehamist  who  played  against 
Eton    in  that  year    is    likely   to   forget    the  Irish    boy 
*^  Whacky  '^  Kirwan,   whose   bowling  or  rather  jerking 
created  a  perfect  panic  among  his  opponents.     '^ Ducks  ^' 
were  the  order  of  the  day,  and  on  one  poor  crest-fallen 
Harrow  boy — Seeley  by    name — as    he     mounted    the 
pavilion   steps,  remarking  to   old  Mr.  Aislabie  that  he 
^'  could    not  make    that   fellow  Kirwan    out,'^  received 
the  comforting  reply  :     "  No,  sir,  but  he  seems  to  have 
no     difficulty    in   making    you    out."     Fast     underhand 
bowling  was  almost  entirely  superseded  by  the   newly- 
invented  round-arm  of  1825  or  thereabouts — Lillywhite, 
S.     Broadbridge,    and    Bailey — three    of    the     earliest 
professors  of  the  new  style,  being  all  slow  bowlers.     Slow 
underhand  bowling  for  a  while  went  quite  out  of  vogue, 
any  muff  being  supposed  to  be  able  to  knock  it  about, 
but  at  last  a  giant  appeared  in  the  form  of ''  William 
Clerk  '^  of  Nottingham.     So  effective  were  his  slows  that 
he  was  little  less  dreaded  than  the  best  of  the  round-arm 
bowlers,  the  "  Nonpareil "  (Lillywhite)   himself  being  at 
times  less  difficult  to  play.     The  style  of  his  performance 
has  been  thus  commemorated  by  some  sympathetic  and 
admiring  rhymester  : — 

"  When  old  Will  Clerk  was  in  the  flesh, 

He  used  to  trundle  slows  ; 
Kound  bowling  then  was  rather  fresh, — 

As  every  blockhead  knows. 
He  didn't  bowl  to  break  5'our  leg. 

Nor  yet  to  smash  your  jaw. 
But  dropped  them  dead  on  the  middle  peg. 

Like  Southerton  or  Shaw," 


96  The  Pytchley  H^int.  Past  and  Prese^it.  [chap.  m. 

A  devoted  adherent  uf  the  '^  Prize  King/^  iew  pugi- 
listic encounters — which  at  that  time  were  the  alias  for 
fights — of  any  moment  took  place  without  the  patronage 
and  support  of  the  ^^  Squire/''  w^ho  himself  was  a  "cus- 
tomer ^^  whose  science  and  sledge-hammer  blows  were 
calculated  to  leave  an  impression  both  on  body  and 
mind  of  an  adversary.  Cast  in-  a  mould  of  iron^  such 
were  his  powers  of  endurance  that  although  he  hunted 
his  own  hounds  six  days  a  week  for  several  successive 
seasons,  he  never  was  heard  to  complain  of  fatigue. 
Born  at  Hutton  Bushell^  in  Yorkshire^  in  1787,  he  gave 
good  proof  of  the  strength  of  his  constitution  by  enduring 
the  chanores  and  chances  of  a  life  of  hazard  and  exer- 
tion  for  nearly  eighty  years,  during  a  part  of  which 
he  sat  in  parliament  as  M.P.  for  Retford.  That  any 
one  with  his  tastes  and  mode  of  living  should  have 
cared  for  a  seat  in  the  House  of  Commons  is  some- 
what surprising,  but  his  attendance  probably  was  very 
occasional,  and  the  position  was  not  one  that  he  held 
long.  Commencing  life  with  a  fortune  sufficient  to 
stand  any  ordinary  wear  and  tear,  the  "animal,^'  which 
from  his  earliest  days  was  his  chief  pride  and  delight, 
ended  by  being  his  destruction  socially  and  morally,  as 
well  as  pecuniarily. 

Shrewd,  and  well  able  to  look  after  his  own  interests 
in  most  things,  the  "  racehorse  ^^  was  to  him  as  it  has 
been  to  myriads  of  others,  moral  and  material  ruin. 
Long  before  his  career  had  come  to  a  close,  pecuniary 
difficulties  overwhelmed  him,  and  certain  transactions 
on  the  turf  caused  him  to  retire  from  public  life.  For 
many  years  tbis  oue-time  ''hero  of  the  sportiug  world,^' 
the   companion   of  the  highest  in  the  land,  lived  in  an 


CHAP.  III.]  Mr,  Wilkins,  Master,  97 

obscure  part  of  London,  associating  only  witli  the  stratum 
of  ^'  hangers-on  of  the  turf/^  lowered  to  their  level  day 
by  day;  what  was  fine  within  him  growing  coarse  to 
sympathize  with  clay;  and  he  died  nnhonoured  though 
not  unsung  in  1866.  On  resigning  the  Mastership  ol 
the  Pytchley  country  in  1834^  he  sold  his  pack  of  hounds 
to  Mr.  Harvey  Coombe  for  2000?.^  and  never  again 
undertook  the  duties  of  an  M.F.H.  His  retirement 
was  caused  by  a  lack  of  support  from  the  members  of 
the  Hunt,  the  subscriptions  to  which  at  that  time  did 
not  reach  1600Z.  per  annum.  The  price  ]ie  obtained 
for  his  hounds  was  somewhat  in  excess  of  that  which 
the  famous  Jack  Mytton  secured  for  a  lot  of  his, 
which  selling  for  about  the  value  of  their  skins  elicited 
from  their  Huntsman  the  remark  that  they  "  ought 
to  have  made  more,  for  they  were  a  capital  lot  of 
hounds  and  would  hunt  anythink,  from  a  helephant  to  a 
hearwig.'" 

When  sold  in  lots  at  TattersalFs  in  1840,  Mr.  Osbal- 
deston's  hounds  fetched  6440Z. ;  five  couple  being  sold 
to  Mr.  Barclay  for  930?. 

On  the  country  becoming  vacant  in  1834,  it  was  taken 
by  Mr.  Wilkins,  M.P.  for  Radnorshire,  a  Welsh  gentle- 
man, who  had  hunted  hounds  in  his  own  country,  and 
was  at  that  time  living  at  the  Rectory  at  Pitsford.  To 
hounds  of  his  own  he  added  a  quantity  from  the  pack  of 
Mr.  Grantley  Berkeley,  who  was  supposed  to  have  some 
share  in  the  management,  and  who  for  some  time  took 
up  his  quarters  at  Brixworth.  Mr.  Wilkins  took  *' Jack 
Stevens^'  for  his  Huntsman,  and  ''Jack  Goddard  "  as 
first  Whip;  but  neither  master,  men,  nor  hounds  could 
be  said  to  be  a  success  ;   and  though  the  sport,  consider- 

H 


98  The  PyicJiley  Hitnt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

ing  all  things^  was  better  tliaii  might  have  been  expected^ 
the  country  again  became  vacant  at  the  end  of  the  same 
season. 

Though  Jack  Stevens's  acquirements  in  the  science  of 
hunting  might  have  been  said  to  touch  the  point  of  *^  un- 
qualified nescience/'  he  was  an  excellent  first  Whip,  a 
brilliant  rider,  and  much  liked  by  everybody.  The  price 
given  for  the  kennel-horses  at  that  particular  period  of 
the  P.H.  annals,  ranged  between  25Z.  and  30^.  Mounted 
one  day  on  one  of  these  costly  animals,  waiting  for  the 
hounds  to  emerge  from  their  kennel,  Jack  Stevens  said  to 
a  farmer  near  him,  "  They  say  that  these  horses  can't 
jump,  let's  try  this  one  ;'^  and  suiting  the  action  to  the 
word,  he  popped  him  over  the  five-barred  gate  leading 
into  the  little  field  adjoining  the  road,  as  if  it  had  been 
nothing  more  formidable  than  a  sheep-tray.  In  1824, 
when  first  Whip  to  the  Quorn  Hunt,  he  broke  a  blood- 
vessel, but  only  laid  by  for  a  few  days,  saying  ''  that  it 
was  no  use  living  if  he  could  not  ride  to  hounds.'^  Never 
really  strong  after  this,  he  died  at  Brixworth  in  1837 
at  the  early  age  of  forty -two.  The  Northampton 
Herald  thus  writes  of  him  :  ^'  It  has  never  been  our  lot 
to  record  the  demise  of  r  man  more  sincerely  regretted 
than  poor  vStevens.  He  had  numerous  masters,  and  served 
them  all  faithfully  and  well.  We  have  our  doubts  about 
his  ever  becoming  a  good  Huntsman  :  as  a  Whipper-in 
he  was  first-rate,  indeed  stood  unrivalled.  He  had  a 
remarkably  quick  eye  to  hounds,  and  a  fine  hand  and 
seat  on  his  horse.  It  was  delightful  to  see  him  cross  the 
big  grass-fields  in  the  Harbro'  country  ;  and  the  ease 
with  which  he  encountered  the  big  fences  that  came  in 
his  way.     But  great  as    Jack's  pace  was,  the  unerring 


■••>s.- 


CHAP.  III.]       G.  Paynes  First  MastersJiip.  99 

hand  of  Time  outrode  lilm,  and  he  is  gone.  May  the 
turf  which  he  adorued  while  living  sit  lightly  over  his 
head  when  dead  !  ^' 

Pitsford  Hall,  usually  the  home  of  the  Master  of  the 
hounds,  was  at  this  time  occupied  by  '^  Billy  Russell  '^  of 
Brancepeth  Castle,  Durham,  kaown  to  his  friends  from 
his  property  in  coal-mines,  and  equally  from  his  atro- 
rufous  complexion,  as  the  ^^  Black  Diamond/^  With 
"  Ginger '^  Stubbs  and  Colonel  Copeland  as  his  guests, 
the  horses  in  his  stables,  all  of  the  highest  class,  did  not 
stand  idle.  But  he  was  not  one  of  those  who  cared  to 
forge  ahead  on  his  own  account ;  and  delicate  health, 
attributable  principally  to  a  total  indifference  to  dietary 
rules,  soon  led  him  to  make  his  bow  to  the  formidable 
fences  of  Northamptonshire.  On  the  resignation  of  Mr. 
Wilkins,  who  afterwards  assumed  the  name  of  "  De 
Winton,''  there  was  some  difficulty  in  finding  a  successor, 
but  to  the  great  delight,  not  only  of  his  brother  county- 
squires  but  of  all  sportsmen,  the  man  best  suited  for  the 
position  in  every  way,  George  Payne  of  Sulby,  consented 
to  undertake  the  Mastership.  As  he  will  be  spoken  of 
at  length  at  the  time  of  his  second  assumption  of  the 
reins  of  government,  it  will  be  sufficient  here  to  say  that 
he  held  them  for  three  years ;  when,  in  1838,  he  made 
way  for  the  Earl  of  Chesterfield.  During  this  period — 
one  in  which  hard  riding  was  much  the  fashion — the 
three  noble  lords,  Cardigan,  Maidstone,  and  Macdonald 
(Lord  of  the  Isles),  were  a  trio  hard  to  catch  and  bad  to 
beat.  The  latter  was  only  an  occasional  attendant  attlio 
Pytchley  Meets;  but,  come  when  he  might,  he  rarely 
failed  to  leave  his  mark;  and  a  bottom  under  Great 
Harrowden,  where  his    horse    cleared    thirty   measured 

H  2 


f  oo  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

feet,  is  still  shown  as  "  the  leap  of  the  Lord  of  the 
Isles/' 

Lord  Maidstone,  hunting  at  that  time  as  the  guest  of 
his  brother-member  of  the  northern  division  of  the 
county,  Colonel  Maunsell  of  Thorpe  Malsor,  was  a 
brilliant  rider,  and  one  who  did  not  easily  brook  having 
to  put  up  with  a  back  seat  in  the  huntiug- field,  or  else- 
v/here.  In  the  House  of  Commons,  he  undertook  to 
''^bell  the  wild  Irish  cat/'  Dan  O'Connell,  though  it  is 
doubtful  if  on  that  occasion  his  lordship  had  not  the  best 
of  the  encounter.  Endowed  with  more  than  ordinary 
ability,  boasting  the  possession  of  some  poetical  powers, 
a  good  classic,  and  not  without  statesmanlike  instinct, 
few  young  men  ever  entered  political  life  giviug  greater 
promise  than  this  young  lord.  Changing  the  sex,  it  may 
truly  be  said  on  his  career :  '^  Mulier  formosa  superne, 
desinit  in  piscem/' 

To  the  third  noble  lord,  a  true  Northamptonshire 
worthy,  further  reference  will  be  made  when  the 
'^  Woodlands  "  come  for  consideration.  These  were  the 
days  when  the  country  squire,  however  innocent  of 
racing  proclivities,  wore  the  coat  known  as  a  "  Newmarket 
cutaway  ;"  when  sisters  and  mothers,  and  sometimes  even 
wives,  embroidered  the  silk  or  velvet  waistcoat  for  their 
nearest  and  dearest.  When  the  black  satin  *^  fall,''  set 
off  with  two  costly  linked  pins,  adorned  the  manly  bosom 
of  the  dinner-swell,  a  blue  coat  with  brass  buttons  and 
velvet  collar  (a  far  more  seemly  garment  than  the  "  clero- 
waiter "  vestments  that  succeeded  it)  completed  his 
evening  '^  get-up."  The  schoolboy  in  those  days  returned 
to  his  books  and  his  birch  after  the  Christmas  holidays 
on  the  outside  of  a  coach,  with  no  further  protection 


CHAP.  III.]       Earl  of  Chesterfield,  AI aster.  roi 

from  the  cold  than  could  be  got  from  a  coat  of  "^  pilot  ^' 
cloth,  and  a  little  straw  for  his  feet.  Shortly  prior  to 
this,  the  "  Growler  ''  and  the  "  Hansom  ^'  were  alike  un- 
known; and  a  *^  one-horse-shay^^  of  any  sort,  when  used 
by  a  gentleman,  carried  with  it  a  taint  of  ^^  infradigish- 
ness/'  The  coach-stand  in  the  street  was  occupied  from 
end  to  end  by  dilapidated  pair-horse  vehicles ;  the 
*^  omnibus  "  system  was  just  putting  out  its  feelers ;  and 
the  ^^  Charleys  ^^  of  old  had  only  just  made  way  for  the 
"  New  Police.'"  The  telegraphic-wire  was  still  among  the 
hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  letters  from  London  to 
Northampton  cost  eightpence  for  postage.  The  railway- 
egg  was  only  in  course  of  incubation,  and  the  London 
and  Birmingham  line  had  not  yet  burst  its  shell.  Hunters 
for  the  distant  Meets  were  sent  on  over-night,  and  there 
was  no  way  of  escaping  the  twenty  mile  homeward-ride 
with  a  tired  horse.  Such  was  the  state  of  things  when 
Lord  Chesterfield  became  Master  of  one  of  the  crack 
packs  of  hounds  of  England. 

If  a  Hunt  may  bo  said  to  be  at  its  zenith  when  out- 
lay is  the  predominant  feature  of  its  establishment,  it 
cannot  be  doubted  that  the  P.H.  touched  that  point 
duriug  the  reign  of  the  magnificent  Lord  of  Bretby. 
"  Money  no  object'^  was  the  handwriting  on  every  wall, 
and  in  every  stall ;  and  it  is  probable  that  a  finer  lot  of 
horses  were  never  got  together  than  were  to  be  found  at 
Brixworth  between  the  years  1838  and  1841.  Himself 
the  glass  of  fashion,  if  not  quite  the  mould  of  form,  the 
noble  Master  determined  that  everything  should  be 
carried  out  in  accordance  with  the  usual  style  of  his 
expenditure  at  Bretby  and  elsewhere ;  and  nothing  was 
omitted  to  make  the  entourage  perfect  at  every  point. 


1 02    1  he  Pytcliley  Htuit^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iti. 

Riding  full  sixteen  stone^  weight-carriers  of  the  highest 
class  formed  the  stud  of  the  Master;  and  rig'ht  well  did 
he  make  his  way  across  the  big  grass  and  through  the 
stiff  bullfinches  of  the  Pytchley  coantry. 

One  dry  afternoon  in  March^  the  hounds  ran  fast  from 
Langborough  to  Stoke  Wood.  Four  men  had  the  best 
of  it  throughout^  Lord  Chesterfield  upon  his  favourite 
"  Marmion  "  being  one.  Whilst  "  Derry  '^  and  "  Ginger  ^* 
Stubbs  were  struggling  in  the  Loatland  brook,  Marmion 
was  sailing  away,  and  safely  landed  with  his  welter- 
weight on  the  other  side ;  and  when  the  fox  was  run 
into  after  a  capital  fifty  minutes,  the  Master  was  there, 
but  no  Huntsmen.  On  another  occasion,  when  riding 
Claxton,  his  sixteen  stone  did  not  prevent  the  Master 
being  well  up  in  a  clipping  forty  minutes  from  Berrydale 
to  Moulton.  Running  through  Cottesbrooke  '''cow- 
pastures,'^  leaving  Spratton  on  the  right  and  by  '•  Merry 
Tom,^'  the  hounds  quitted  Pitsford  on  the  left^  crossed 
Boughton  Green,  and  ran  into  their  fox  a  little  beyond 
Moulton  village.  In  crossing  Ci'eaton  brook,  "  Derry  ^■' 
left  both  his  stirrups  behind  him,  but  was  well  up  at  the 
finish.  Two  unusually  long  runs  at  this  time  occurred 
with  a  fox  from  Long  Hold,  who,  on  the  first  occasion, 
beat  his  pursuers  in  the  shades  of  evening  at  Earls  Bar- 
ton ;  and,  on  the  second,  fairly  outran  them  at  Kettering. 
Mr.  Smith,  Lord  Chesterfield's  successor,  had  a  cut  at 
the  same  gallant  fox  in  the  following  season,  but  unsuc- 
cessfully, looking  at  it  from  Ms  point  of  view.  He  fancied 
that  he  subsequently  had  the  mit^fortune  to  chop  him  in 
the  Lamport  shrubberies. 

The  secret  of  Lord  Chesterfield  beings  able  to  live 
with  his  hounds  (bought  from  Mr.  Rowland  Errington 


CHAP.  III.]       Earl  of  Chesterfield,  Master 


lo 


on  giving  up  the  Quorn)  when  they  ran  fast^  con- 
sisted in  his  knowing  how  to  gallop,  a  far  more  diffi- 
cult thing  to  do  than  most  people  imagine.  The 
general  idea  is  that  any  fool  can  make  his  horse  put  his 
best  leg  first.  Hear  what  "  Nimrod  ^^  has  to  say  on  this 
point : — ^^  I  have  known  numbers  of  men/'  writes  he, 
"  who  had  plenty  of  nerve  and  who  could  ride  well,  who 
never  saw  a  run  when  the  pace  was  really  fast.  The 
reason  of  this  was,  that  they  were  not  quick  themselves  : 
they  lost  time  at  their  fences,  and  seemed  afraid  to 
gallop.  It  requires  more  nerve  and  a  finer  finger  to 
put  a  horse  along  at  his  best  pace  over  rough  ground 
and  among  grips,  than  to  ride  over  big  fences ;  but 
without  doing  this,  no  man  will  be  able  to  ride  up  to 
hounds  in  a  real  good  scent." 

Like  his  predecessor,  Jack  Stevens,  and  man}''  another 
brilliant  first  Whip,  '^Derry  "  lacked  most  of  the  essen- 
tials that  go  to  constitute  a  Huntsman ;  and  in  an 
establishment  where  everything  was  splendid,  he,  to  use 
the  words  of  that  excellent  sportsman.  Lord  Charles 
Russell,  was  '^  the  splendid  failure."  During  his  first 
season,  Lord  Chesterfield  took  up  his  quarters  at  the 
George  Hotel  at  Northampton ;  after  which  he  moved 
to  Abington  Abbey — the  old-fashioned  seat  of  a  family 
who  had  long  held  an  honoured  name  among  the  ancient 
Squirearchy.  The  hearty  cordial  manner  and  ringing 
laugh  of  Harvey,  the  last  of  the  Thursby  Squires,  is  still 
fondly  remembered  by  a  few  surviving-  friends ;  as 
is  that  member  of  the  family,  who,  as  Rector  of  the 
parish,  won  the  hearts  of  all  by  his  good  looks,  winning 
address,  love  of  sport,  and  attention  to  his  duties. 

Courteous  and  genial  with  all,  Lord  Chesterfield  made 


104  ^-^^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.ih. 

himself  generally  popular ;  but  his  Mastership  was  far 
from  being  a  complete  success.  Surrounded  by  com- 
panions who  delighted  to  turn  night  into  day^  and  who 
neither  in  manners  nor  habits  suited  the  idiosyncrasies 
of  the  country  gentlemen,  the  hunting-atmosphere 
absorbed  a  taint  which  soon  began  to  make  itself  felt. 
Late  to  bed  meant  "  late  to  rise  ;"  and  so  great  was 
the  unpunctuality  at  the  Meets  that  a  feeling  of  dis- 
satisfaction grew  to  be  universal.  To  be  kept  waiting 
upwards  of  an  hour  for  the  Master  was  not  unprovo- 
cative  of  impatience,  if  not  anger :  but  when  the  delay 
was  caused  by  the  non-arrival  of  one,  who,  though 
afterwards  a  lady  of  title,  was  at  no  time  an  ornament 
to  the  social  inorale,  the  burden  was  no  longer  to  be 
endnred. 

At  the  close  of  the  season  of  1840,  Lord  Chesterfield 
shook  from  oft*  his  feet  the  dust  of  Pytchley  entangle- 
ments, returning  into  his  own  county. 

Noble  as  was  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord  of  Bretby, 
the  winnings  of  a  ^^ Priam"  and  a  "Don  John,"  an 
"Industry"  and  a  ^^  Lady  Evelyn,'^  did  not  suffice  to 
fill  the  gaps  made  by  rubbers  and  inordinate  expenditure. 
The  vampire  "  hazard  ^^  sucked  the  life-blood  out  of  a 
princely  estate,  and  20O,00OZ.  disappeared  within  the 
precincts  of  a  Gehenna  of  St.  James's  Street,  known  as 
Crockford's  Club.  The  end  was  a  mere  matter  of  time. 
The  usual  Nemesis  awaited  the  lordly  punter ;  the  wave 
of  ruin  swept  over  fair  Bretby  and  all  its  pleasant 
associations ;  and  after  a  while,  an  unpropertied  title 
passed  to  a  far  distant  kinsman.  The  Earl  heading  tbe 
illustrious  "  trio  ""^  will  be  referred  to  when  the  Woodland 
potentates  come  under  review. 


CHAP.  III.]  ''  Gmger^^  Stubbs.  105 

Another  of  the  good  riders  of  these  days — perhaps  the 
best  of  all — was  the  Hon.  Wilbrahara  Tollemache,  a 
member  of  Lord  Chesterfield^s  suite,  who  could  not  find 
it  in  his  heart  to  play  second  fiddle  to  any  man  when  the 
most  harmonious  of  all  music  was  filling  the  air.  Any 
one  within  hail  of  him  had  at  all  times  the  satisfaction 
of  feeling  that  he  was  as  near  the  hounds  as  he  ought  to 
be. 

An  individual  much  en  evidence  in  a  Pytchley  field 
at  this  date  was  the  well-known  '*  Ginorer  Stubbs."  In 
appearance_,  manner,  and  habits,  no  one  ever  earned  the 
title  of  ^^  sporting-looking  cove  "  more  than  this  some- 
what notorious  gentleman.  Dapper  and  neat  as  a  new 
pin  from  head  to  foot_,  always  wearing  a  faultless  white 
linen  scarf,  and  with  clothes  fitting  to  perfection,  he  bore 
with  him  that  caveat  emptor  air  which  seemed  to  say 
*'  beware."  A  good  horseman  with  plenty  of  nerve,  Lis 
chief  delio-ht  in  huutino-  seemed  to  consist  in  ridino-  over 
big  places  in  cold  blood.  What  hounds  were  doing  was 
to  him  a  matter  of  comparative  indifference,  but  a  double 
post  and  rail  or  a  wide  piece  of  water  were  temptations 
not  to  be  resisted  with  a  "  gallery  ''  looking  on.  The 
vision  of  this  gentleman  riding  at  two  rails  with  a  young 
'^  quick  "  between,  on  a  horse  of  his  friend  Billy  Russell, 
comes  before  the  writer  as  though  it  were  yesterday. 
The  fence  was  in  one  of  the  big  grass-fields  between 
Kelmarsh  and  Clipston,  and  though  hounds  were  only 
on  their  way  to  draw,  the  wide  place  and  the  large  field 
were  impulses  not  to  be  withstood.  The  far  rail  brought 
horse  and  rider  to  grief ;  and  though  '^  the  gallery  "  in- 
dulged in  uncomplimentary  remarks  as  to  the  folly  of 
the  "  show-off,'''  it  was  felt  that  the  pluck  of  the  attempt 


io6  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  P^'esent.  [chap.ih. 

almost  covered  the  amount  of  "  swagger  "  that  incited 
it.  To  the  friend  who  mounted  him  he  had  a  habit  of 
saying,  '^  Fll  do  your  animal  justice  /^  and  accordingly 
takiug  for  hi-3  motto,  "  Fiatjustitia,  mat  Ginger/'  he  soon 
made  it  clear  to  himself  and  to  others  whether  or  no  the 
horse  of  his  friend  was  troubled  with  the  ''  jumps."  He 
rarely  saw  a  run  to  its  close,  "grief  ^'  usually  overtaking 
him  long  before  the  journey  was  completed.  Living  much 
in  a  society  whose  members  did  not  on  all  occasions  '^  take 
the  first  turn  to  the  right  and  go  straight  on/^  he  him- 
self began  to  tread  the  tortuous  pathways  of  the  turf. 
A  cloud  arose  under  which  this  mighty  "  lepper  '*  dis- 
appeared from  view,  and  out  of  which  he  had  not  emerged, 
when  his  name  appeared  on  the  list  of  those  who  hence- 
forth were  to  be  sought  for  under,  rather  than  above,  the 
turf. 

Amongst  the  county  gentlemen  hunting  at  this  time 
were  Messrs.  Charles  aud  Quintus  Yivian,  Mr.  Bouverie, 
Mr.  W.  C.  Nethercote  (Eoyal  Horse  Guards),  Sir  Jus- 
tinian Isbam,  Bart.,  Mr.  Vere  Isham,  Mr.  Harris  of 
Wootton,  Mr.  Wood  of  Brixworth,  Mr.  T.  Wood  of 
Arthingworth,  Mr.  E.  Knightley,  Mr.  G.  Payne,  Mr. 
Hungerford,  Lord  Cardigan,  Mr.  Tryon,  Mr.  W.  Neville  : 
the  field  being  principally  made  up  by  strangers  staying 
at  Brixworth  and  Market  Harborough. 

Occasionally  appearing  at  a  Meet  near  the  last- 
mentioned  town  was  one  who  held  the  same  high 
position  among  professional  horsemen  that  Assbeton 
Smith  did  amoug  gentlemen-riders — Dick  Christian. 

Powerful  in  the  saddle,  perfectly  fearless,  and  ready  to 
undertake  a  mount  which  most  men  would  decline 
without    thanks,  he  was    in  constant  request  to  act    as 


CHAP.  III.]  Dick  Christian.  107 

scIlooI  master  to  the  young  horses  of  the  Meltonians,  and 
also  to  ride  steeple-chases.  Talkative  and  fond  of 
dilating,  the  ''  Druid  '^  has  filled  half  a  volume  with 
entertaining  anecdotes  of  the  exploits  of  himself  and 
others  of  the  same  persuasion.  One  of  Dick's  earliest  feats 
seems  to  have  been  to  jump  a  flock  of  sheep.  He  thus 
describes  it  in  his  own  words  :  ^^  I  once  jumped  a  whole 
flock  of  sheep  near  Gadesby  in  Mr.  Osbaldeston's  time. 
I  think  we'd  found  at  the  Coplow.  They  had  scuttled 
into  a  corner.  Hounds  were  running  like  mad.  I  sends 
my  horse  at  the  rails  and  clears  the  sheep  every  one  of  'em. 
My  horse  he  hits  the  top  of  the  rail  and  goes  clear  baug 
on  his  head.  The  shepherd  he  shouts,  '  Now  hang  you, 
that  just  sarves  you  right.''  I  says,  '  So  it  does,  old 
fellow,'  and  I  gathers  myself  up  and  kills  our  fox  at 
Eagdale.  Deary  me  !  horses  has  rolled  on  me  times  and 
often ;  squeezed  me,  bones  broke,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing.  I  was  with  Mat  Milton  for  some  time;  got 
five  guineas  a  week,  and  lived  as  he  did — meat  and 
drink  best  as  was.  He  sold  ninety-six  horses  to  the 
gentlemen  the  season  I  was  with  him.  Poor  little  Matty  ! 
I  killed  him.  Old  Matty  would  make  him  follow  me.  I 
well  nigh  drownded  him  two  or  three  times.  My  reglar 
orders  were  ^  to  go  and  ketchem,'  and  the  little  chap 
(he  was  such  a  nice  little  boy !),  only  fourteen,  was  never 
to  leave  me.  At  those  very  owdacious  places,  poor  little 
feller,  he  used  to  holler  out,  ^  Dick,  where  are  yer  ?  ' 
He  couldn't  spy  me  for  them  bullfinches,  and  didn't 
know  if  I  were  up  or  down.  When  I  see  those  sort,  I 
says,  ^  Matty,  here's  a  rum  un  afore  us,  ketch  hold,  and 
don't  fear  nothing.' " 

Poor    little  Matty  !  his  experience  of    the  "  ups    and 
downs  "  of  life  did  not  last  long,  and  consumption  all  too 


io8  The  Pytchlcy  Flunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

soon  distracted  his  attention  from  those  Christian  lessons 
which,  were  ill-adapted  to  a  weakly  constitution.  From 
the  following  incident  it  would  seem  that  the  worthy 
tutor  of  poor  Matty  was  quite  equal  to  a  "  plant/^  and 
by  no  means  lived  the  "  nescia  fallere  vita.''  ''  I  had 
a  queer  go  near  here  one  day  when  I  was  with  Mat 
Milton.  I  had  three  horses  out,  all  bays^  and  so  like, 
you  couldn't  tell  the  three  asunder.  Two  of  'em  were 
placed  for  me.  The  first  horse  stood  still  with  me  going 
through  those  sheep-pens  on  the  right  yonder.  The 
second  was  close  by,  and  then  I  tires  it.  Two  farmers, 
John  Parker  and  Jack  Perkins,  them  were  two  owdacious 
boys  at  that  time  of  day — had  been  riding  against  me 
like  fury,  and  never  left  me.  I  gets  on  to  my  third  horse 
and  rides  him  to  the  end  of  the  run.  The  swells  didn't 
know  but  what  it  was  the  same  horse  I  had  been  riding 
all  the  time,  and  Mat  sold  him  for  three  hundred  guineas  : 
he  wasn't  worth  one  hundred.  He  popped  it  on  stiff; 
but  the  gentlemen  then  would  just  as  soon  give  three 
hundred  or  two  hundred  as  one.  Blame  me !  the  more 
you  asked  them  the  better  they  liked  it." 

In  contravention  of  the  prevailing  idea,  Christian  did 
not  look  upon  the  "confidential  mount"  as  an  especially 
safe  one.  *'  Gentlemen,"  he  used  to  saj^,  "  gets  falls  very 
bad  ;  you  see  they're  generally  on  old  horses,  and  the 
old  'uns  fall  like  a  clot  if  they  get  into  difficulties.  Blame 
me !  they  won't  try  to  get  out ;  they  haven't  the 
animation  of  a  young  horse.  Those  young  'uns  will  try 
to  struggle  themselves  right ;  and  they'll  not  touch  you 
if  they  can  help  it.  I'll  be  bound  I'd  be  safer  riding 
twenty  young  horses  than  one  old  one."  He  also  would 
declaim  acrainst  what  are  well  known  in  the  horse-world 


CHAP.  III.]  Dick  Christia7t.  109 

as '^  great  natural  jumpers."  '''Great  natural  jumpers/' 
Dick  was  wont  to  affirm,  ''  are  desperate  dangerous — they 
won't  collect  themselves  and  get  out  of  danger  :  if 
people  get  killed,  a  hundred  to  one  them  great  natural 
jumpers  does  it.  When  they  are  a  little  pumped,  down 
we  comes  with  a  smasher,  and  you  gets  killed  or  goes  on 
by  yourself  into  the  next  field/'  Dick  was  dead  against  / 
"  larking  ; "  and  vowed  that  many  a  good  fencer  had 
been  disgusted  by  it  and  utterly  ruined.  Speaking  of 
'^  Daniel  Lambert/'  the  celebrated  welter-weight  then 
living  at  Stamford,  he  says,  ''  I  knew  Dan,  and  he 
knew  me.  He  used  to  dress  like  a  groom,  and  lived 
quite  private.  There  wasn't  theu  much  more  than  forty 
stone  of  him,  but  he  got  to  be  fifty  latterly.  He  could 
set  a  ^  cock '  uncommon  well,  for  all  he  could  hardly  get 
near  the  table  for  his  bulk.  He  was  a  cheery  man  in 
company,  but  shyish  at  being  looked  at."  The  too-solid 
flesh  that  would  not  melt  from  off  poor  Daniel's  huge  frame 
brought  him  to  a  comparatively  early  grave ;  but  his 
clothes  may  still  be  inspected  on  payment  of  a  trifling 
sum  ;  and  a  painting  of  him  as  he  appeared  in  the  flesh 
decorates  the  sign-post  of  a  small  inn  in  his  native 
town. 

Christian's  chief  object  of  worship  was  Mr.  Assheton 
Smith ;  and  he  used  to  say  of  him  that  ^'  nothing  ever 
turned  him  /'  and  he  was  fond  of  pointing  out  a  big 
ravine  near  the  "  Coplow,"  jumped  by  his  hero,  which 
lie  described  as  '^  twelve  feet  perpendicular  and  twenty- 
one  across."  "  He  got  a  many  falls,  and  always 
seemed  to  ride  loose,  and  went  slant  ways  at  his  jumps.  1 
It's  a  capital  plan  ;  the  horse  gets  his  measure  better.  ! 
If  you  put  his  head  quite  straight,  it's  measured  for  him ; 


I  lo  TJie  PyfcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  m. 

i£  you  put  liim  slantish,  lie  measures  it  for  himself. 
When  Mr.  A.  Smith  rode  at  timber^  he  always  went  slap 
at  the  post,  because  he  said  it  made  the  horse  fancy  that 
he  had  more  to  do  than  he  really  had.'' 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  occurrences  of  this  rouo-h- 
and-ready  horse-breaker's  long  life  must  have  been  the 
one  described  by  himself  as  follows  :  "  Yes,  I  remember 
Bill  Wright  of  Uppingham.  He  was  a  good-hearted 
chap,  but  used  such  very  vulgar  language.  Bill  and  me 
were  partick'lar  friends  ;  boys  together  in  the  racing 
stable.  We  once  quarrelled  out  hunting  with  Lord 
Lonsdale.  If  we  didn't  get  to  whipping  each  other  ! 
for  three  miles  straight  across  country,  cut  for  cut.  All 
the  gentlemen  shouting,  ^Well  done,  Dick!  Well 
done,  Bill !  '  It  pleased  them  uncommon.  We  took 
our  fences  reg'lar.  If  he  was  first  over,  he  waited  for 
me.  If  I  had  fell,  he'd  have  jumped  on  me,  and  blamed 
if  I  wouldn't  have  jumped  smack  on  the  top  of  him! 
We  fought  back-hand  \  any  way  we  could  cut.  I  was 
as  strong  as  an  elephant  then.  We  pulled  our  horses 
slap  bang  against  each  other.  He  gives  me  such  tinglers 
on  the  back  and  shoulders,  but  I  fetches  him  a  clip 
with  the  hook  end  of  my  whip  on  the  side  of  the  head, 
such  a  settler,  and  gives  him  a  black  eye.  Then  I  says, 
'  Bill,  will  you  have  any  more  ? '  We  were  like  brothers 
a'most  after  that.  It  was  all  a  mistake.  He  thought 
I'd  'a-been  crabbing  a  grey  horse  he  wanted  to  sell.  We 
were  the  biggest  of  friends  after  that,  Bill  and  me." 

It  was  not  until  after  he  had  scored  his  eightieth  year 
that  this  hero  of  a  thousand  falls  was  laid  beneath  the 
green  grass  over  which  he  had  galloped  ten  thousand  thou- 
sand times,  and  though  in  '^  Cap  "  Tomline  and  the  well- 


CHAP.  III.] 


Dick  Christian. 


1 1 1 


known  Dick  Webstei'  he  had  worthy  successors  in  his  pro- 
fession^ never  again  can  we  expect  to  see  a  second  Dick 
Christian.  To  the  man  of  sporting  proclivities  troubled 
with  ennui,  to  read  the  "  Christian  Lectures/'  compiled 
and  arranged  by  the  "  Druid/'  will  be  a  means  of  causing 
a  heavy  hour  or  two  to  pass  more  pleasantly  than  that 
adopted  by  the  bed-ridden  old  woman,  who,  when  asked 
how  she  contrived  to  get  through  the  day,  replied, ''  Well, 
you  see,  I  prays  a  bit,  and  I  coughs  a  bit,  and  I  spits  a 
bit,  and  it  all  helps  to  pass  the  time.'' 


1 1 2  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

Me.  T.  "Gentleman"  Smith,  Master,  1840— Sir  Feancis  H. 
G00DEICE.E,  Masiei%  1842-44  — The  Brixworth  Sporting-Pauper 
—Me.  Geoege  Payne,  Master,  1844-48 — Mr.  Bouverie  and 
Mr.  C.  C.  P.  Greville,  his  turf-confederates — '*  Alarm,"  "  Speed 
the  Plough,"  and  "West  Australian  "—Whist-plajing,  1836— 
Lord  De  Eos  accused  of  cheating ;  and  his  action  for  slander — Mr. 
Payne  a  witness  ;  his  cross-examination — Sir  W.  Ingilby,  a 
■witness — Lord  Alvanley's  bon-mot — Mr.  Payne's  avidity  for 
speculation  ;  one  in  tallow — "  Dirty  Dick  " — Fatal  accidents  in 
the  hunting-field  to  Mr.  Sawbridge  and  Lord  Inverury — Mr. 
Payne,  a  good  host — His  iron  constitution — Warm  affection  for 
his  sisters  and  brother — Letter  to  Mr.  ISTethercote  on  the  latter 's 
death — A  regular  church-attendant — A  good  "  whip  " — Sam 
Daniel,  J.  Harris,  J.  Meecher,  Davis,  and  Jem  Pearson,  popular 
coachmen,  till  ruined  by  railways — An  inebriated  horse — Mr. 
Payne  and  his  brother,  bad  cricketers — Excellence  of  the  Korth- 
amptonshire  Cricket  Club — Mr.  Payne  a  skilful  pugilist,  and  a 
patron  of  the  P.R. — Presentation  of  a  silver  Epergne — Resigns 
the  Mastership,  1848,  and  retires  from  the  hunting-field — His 
death — Song  in  his  honour  by  a  Northamptonshire  farmer. 

After  tlie  resignation  of  Lord  Chesterfield,  the  Pytchley 
country  went  a-begging  for  several  months,  and  it  was 
not  until  late  in  the  season  that  Mr.  T.  "  Gentleman  '' 
Smith  of  the  Craven  Hunt  was  induced  by  the  liberality 
of  Lord  Cardigan  to  assume  the  Mastership.  It  was  no 
light  matter  to  follow  such  a  prince  as  the  Lord  of  Bretby 
in  such  a  country  as  the  Pytchley ;  but  confident  in  his 
ability  to  show  sport,  Mr.  Smith  ventured  upon  the 
responsibility  of  getting  an  establishment  together.  The 
new  chief  was  preceded  by  a  great  reputation   acquired 


CHAP.  IV.]      T.  ^'Gentleman  '  Smithy  Master.        ii 


o 


in  Berkshire  and  elsewhere,  and  in  no  way  did  he  belie 
it.  A  more  thorough  Master  of  the  "  noble  science," 
or  one  whose  thoughts  were  more  completely  engrossed 
in  the  ways  of  ^^fox  and  hounds,"  probably  never  carried 
a  horn.  Living  en  garqon  in  Brixworth,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  Jack  Goddard  as  first,  and  Jones  as  second 
whip,  he  contrived  to  get  a  deal  of  successful  work  out  of 
the  worst  lot  of  hounds  and  horses  that  had  ever  been 
seen  in  the  Pytchley  country.  The  former  were  a  part 
of  Lord  Chesterfield's  pack,  purchased  by  the  Hunt  for 
four  hundred  pounds  after  twenty  couple  had  been 
selected  by  Derry  and  sent  to  Lord  Ducie,  which  it  was 
said  were  all  hanged  from  being  so  incorrigibly  wild  ! 
With  hounds  such  as  these,  and  horses  varying  in  value 
from  sixty  to  twenty  pounds,  there  was  an  amount  of 
sport  during  these  two  seasons  which  had  not  been 
approached  during  the  splendour  of  the  reign  of  Mr- 
Smithes  predecessor.  A  fine  and  powerful  horseman, 
the  animal  he  rode,  however  valueless  in  appearance,  was 
bound  to  be  pretty  near  hounds,  "  pace  not  fences  " 
being  the  only  real  difficulty.  So  delighted  was  Lord 
Cardigan  said  to  be  at  the  close  of  an  excellent  run,  that 
he  is  reported  to  have  fairly  embraced  the  skilful  hunts- 
man who  had  been  the  means  of  causing  him  so  much 
pleasure.  The  subscriptions  not  beicg  sufficient  to 
enable  Mr.  Smith  to  hunt  four  days  a  week,  and  meet 
the  difficulties  of  a  weak  establishment,  at  the  close  of  his 
second  season  he  resigned  office ;  and  for  the  seventh 
time  in  ten  years,  the  Pytchley  were  seeking  a  new 
Master. 

Again  Lord  Cardigan  came  to  the  rescue  with  pecu> 
niary  aid,  and  Sir  Francis  Goodricke — brothor-in-law  to 

I 


114  ^^^^  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

Mr.  George  Payne — with  "  Smith  ^^  from  the  Brocklesby 
country  as  his  huntsman,  andJohnson  and  Ned  Kingsbury 
for  whips,  assumed  the  direction  of  affairs.  A  more 
absolutely  unsuccessful  or  unpopular  huntsman  than 
the  one  imported  by  Sir  F.  Goodricke  never  issued  out 
of  the  Brixworth  kennels ;  and  the  Master  himself  nob 
having  the  knack  of  making  himself  liked,  the  new 
management  only  just  outlasted  two  seasons. 

At  this  particular  period,  dropping  for  a  brief  space 
like  a  meteor  upon  the  Pytchley  meets,  appeared  a  figure 
which  might  truthfully  be  said  to  have  been  the  cynosure 
of  all  eyes.  Many  a  Hunt  has  had  the  honour  of  wel- 
coming at  its  meet  a  mounted  empress  and  a  mounted 
prince,  but  to  the  P.H.  alone  has  it  been  granted  to 
number  amongst  its  "  field  ^'  a  mounted  pauper  in  the 
actual  receipt  of  out-door  relief  from  the  Guardians  of  a 
County-Union  ! 

Mounted  on  an  aged  and  dilapidated-looking  bay  horse, 
how  procured  no  one  knew,  and  wearing  on  the  place 
where  his  nose  used  to  grow,  a  square  of  plaister,  this 
sporting  item  of  impecuniosity  became  the  observed  of 
all  observers.  The  "  get-up  "  of  this  attractive  member 
of  the  field  was  strictly  in  accord  with  his  social  monetary 
position,  and  with  the  aspect  and  demeanour  of  his  steed. 
Booted  and  breeched,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to 
assign  a  date  for  the  original  construction  of  either  of 
these  garments,  but  their  antiquity  did  not  exceed  that 
of  the  tall  and  glistening  hat.  Literally  as  well  as 
metaphorically,  this  was  the  crowning  feature  of  the 
whole.  To  take  a  slight  liberty  with  a  popular  song  of 
the  day,  it  may  be  said  that — 


CHAP.  IV.]  The  Brixworth  Sp07'ting- Pauper.  115 

"  A  hat  so  grim  was  on  his  head, 
Methinks  I  see  it  now  ; 
So  wan  and  thin,  with  hue  of  lead, 
And  grease  upon  its  brow." 

However  effective  might  liave  been  the  rest  of  the 
attire,  the  hat  would  have  spoilt  the  lot  ;  and  is  there  any 
portion  of  a  man's  dress  so  potent  in  its  effects  as  a 
'^  shockinsr  bad  hat  "  ?  The  comeliest  features  and  the 
most  aristocratic  bearing  are  alike  at  the  mercy  of  a  hat. 
The  American  poet,  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  formed  his 
opinion  of  a  bishop's  character  and  fitness  for  his  office 
on  seeing  him  hand  over  his  umbrella  to  a  lady  during 
a  heavy  shower,  and  walk  off  in  a  brand-new  hat. 

Having  evidently  formed  a  correct  estimate  of  the 
importance  of  this  covering,  Mr.  Wendell  Holmes  in  one 
of  his  poems  is  found  to  say  : — 

*'  Wear  a  g:ood  hat ;  the  secret  of  your  looks 
Rests  with  the  beaver  in  Canadian  brooks. 
Virtue  may  flourish  in  an  old  cravat, 
But  man  and  nature  scorn  the  '  shocking  hat.' " 

The  Meets  near  home  were  naturally  those  which 
this  unique  specimen  of  the  English  citizen  principally 
affected;  but  on  one  occasion  ^' Eatepayer ^^  (for  by  a 
fine  irony,  that  must  have  been  the  old  ^^  crock's^' 
name)  was  made  to  go  as  far  as  Misterton,  some 
seventeen  miles  from  his  stable-door.  The  historian  of 
these  times  tells  us  that  after  his  long  journey 
he  looked  sorry  for  himself  and  as  if  he  would 
like  to  "  lean  against  a  wall,  and  think ;  '^  but  a 
rally  must  have  taken  place,  as  we  know  that  he 
joined  in  the  chase  for  a  while,  and  ultimately  slept 
in  his  own  stable.  Hearing  of  this,  his  sixth  or 
seventh  day  with  the   hounds,  the  Guardians  seem    to 

I   2 


1 1 6  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

liave  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  in  the  matter  of 
out-door  relief  a  line  should  be  drawn  somewhere.  A 
proposal  made  by  the  chairman  of  the  board  that  it 
should  be  drawn  at  hunting,  was  put  to  the  meeting 
and  carried,  nem.  con.  From  that  time,  such  hunting 
as  fell  to  the  lot  of  poor  ^^  Nosey "  was  done  upon 
two  legs  instead  of  four,  and  he  had  to  realize  from 
experience  the  bitter  fact  that — 

"  Them  as  is  rich,  they  rides  in  chaises ; 
Them  as  is  poor  must  walk  like  blazes.'' 

Hat,  boots,  and  breeches,  were  still  retained  as  an  appro- 
priate costume  for  such  hunting  as  might  be  had  on  foot, 
but  the  gallant  old  "  Ratepayer  "  was  taken  to  the  kennels 
and  converted  into  a  dainty  dish  to  set  before  the  hounds. 
Few  will  be  found  to  deny  that  the  remarkable  individual 
just  referred  to  successfully  accomplished  a  feat  without 
parallel  in  the  history  of  his  country.  To  hunt  for  ever 
so  short  a  time  at  the  expense  of  the  payer  of  rates 
is  an  achievement  of  which  any  man  may  well  be  proud. 
This  story  may  arouse  the  incredulity  of  some  who  read 
these  pages,  but  fortunately  for  the  narrator,  many  still 
survive  who  remember  the  noseless  and  impecunious 
sportsman,  and  can  vouch  for  its  accuracy. 

Should  it  chance  to  meet  the  eye  of  the  Rev.  W.  Bury, 
the  present  energetic  Chairman  of  the  Brixworth  Board, 
or  that  of  his  ^'  Fidus  Achates,"  Mr.  Albert  Pell,  they 
will  wonder  of  what  material  Guardians  could  have  been 
fashioned  some  five-and-forty  years  ago  ;  taking  comfort 
from  the  sure  and  certain  feeling  that  in  this  our  day  the 
pauper  is  as  likely  to  get  relief  en  horseback  as  he  is  on 
foot,  unless  he  walks  into  the  '^  House.'^ 

Upon  the  relinquishment  of  the  reins  of  office  by  Sir 


CHAP.  IV.]       Mr.  George  Payne ^  Alaster.  1 1  j 

F.  Goodricke^  a  fine  horseman,  but  at  no  time  very  popu- 
lar as  an  individualj  tbey  fell  into  tlie  hands  of  one,  who 
not  only  was  the  idol  of  his  county  and  of  his  neighbour- 
hood, but  also  of  society  itself.  For  more  than  half  a 
century  "  George  Payne  ^^  has  been  a  name  to  conjure 
with,  not  only  in  Northamptonshire,  but  in  the  Avide 
sporting-world ;  and  now  that  he  has  passed  away  for 
ever !  its  magic  seems  to  have  lost  but  little  of  its  power. 
Other  districts  have  had  and  still  have  their  names  to 
swear  by.  The  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire  has  its 
Georgre  Lane  Fox,  and  Gloucestershire  its  Duke  of  Beau- 
fort,  but  there  never  has  been  and  never  will  be  but  one 
"  George  Payne.'''  A  stalwart  form,  handsome  counte- 
nance, winning  smile,  and  a  charm  of  manner  never 
equalled,  took  captive  all  who  came  within  the  circle  of 
their  attraction.  It  w^ould  scarcely  be  going  too  far  to 
say  that  no  man  ever  possessed  in  the  same  degree  a 
similar  gift  of  making  himself  acceptable  to  all  sorts  of 
persons.  It  seemed  as  though  he  could  at  all  times  reach 
the  soft  spot  in  any  one^s  heart,  be  they  of  either  sex,  or 
in  any  condition  of  life.  Heir  to  a  fine  place  and  a 
splendid  fortune,  and  endowed  with  abilities  of  no 
common  order,  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  entered  public  life 
as  a  sort  of  '^  Prince  Camaralzaman."" 

Oxford  was  not  more  successful  than  Eton  in  causing 
him  to  appreciate  the  beauties  of  Virgil  or  of  Homer  ; 
and  a  Greek  play  was  at  no  time  ^*  in  it"  with  the 
Racing  Calendar  or  the  Snorting  Magazme.  Differing  from 
the  head  of  his  college  on  matters  touching  its  internal 
discipline,  he  was  recommended  to  seek  a  more  congenial 
sphere,  and  plunging  forthwith  into  the  ocean  of  tempta- 
tion, he  from  that  time  commenced  a  career  of  unchecked 


1 1 8  The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

extravagance  and  self-indulgence.  Having  lost  his 
father  before  lie  had  reached  his  seventh  year^  and  with 
no  one  to  look  to  for  correction  but  a  fond  and  too- 
indulgent  mother,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  his 
early  companions  were  not  all  that  could  be  desired. 
Inheriting  a  love  for  gambling  in  all  its  phases,  he  put 
no  sort  of  constraint  upon  the  evil  passion^  and  before  he 
had  attained  his  twenty-first  year^  cards^  hazard^  and 
the  turf  had  begun  to  undermine  his  splendid  patri- 
mony. 

It  is  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the  Doncaster  St.  Leger, 
that  in  the  year  in  which  Mr.  Gascoigne^s  "  Jerry  *' 
won  that  great  race^  Mr.  Payne  lost  upwards  of  thirty 
thousand  pounds^  and  that^  before  he  had  come  of  age. 
Undaunted  by  his  ill-success  in  1824,  in  the  following 
year  he  followed  the  advice  of  Mr.  Gully,  and  by  backing 
'^  Memnon^^^  for  the  same  race,  recouped  himself  for  his 
previous  losses. 

Earely  fortunate  with  his  own  horses,  considering 
the  number  he  had  in  trainings,  he  occasionally  won  large 
sums  backing  those  of  his  friends.  When  "  Crucifix " 
won  the  Oaks,  his  own  mare  "  Welfare  ^'  ran  second. 
Her  success  which  seemed  imminent  for  a  few  seconds, 
would  have  cost  him  thousands,  as  he  had  backed  Lord 
George  Bentinck's  famous  mare  for  a  large  stake,  not 
dreaming  that  his  own  had  a  shadow  of  a  chance.  His 
remarks  upon  his  own  feelings  when  it  seemed  as  if  he 
were  going  to  have  the  honour  of  being  enrolled  upon 
the  list  of  winners  of  the  "  Oaks,^^  greatly  amused  those 
who  heard  them. 

One  of  his  earliest  confederates  upon  the  turf  was  Mr. 
Bouverie  of  Delapre  Abbey,  near  Northampton,  a  country 


CHAP.  IV.]  G.  Payne^s  Tttrf 'Career,  119 

squire  of  tbe  old  school,  who  loved  to  see  a  thorough- 
bred mare  with  a  foal  at  her  side  wanderiug  under  the 
elms  which  throw  their  shadows  up  to  one  of  good  Queen 
Eleanor's  most  lovely  crosses.  The  colours  of  one  of  the 
partners  being  all  black,  and  the  other  all  white,  it  was 
agreed  to  mix  the  two,  and  hence  the  black  and  white 
stripe  so  familiar  to  the  race-goer  on  the  back  of  that 
excellent  jockey  ^''Flatman'^  (Nat  the  ^' incorruptible  "). 
To  the  same  origin  may  be  ascribed  the  colours  of  the 
well-starched,  twice- round  linen  tie,  which  invariably 
encircled  the  neck  of  Mr.  Payne.  Except  with  ^^  Pyrrhus 
the  First^'  and  "  War  Eagle,'^  the  confederacy  of  these 
two  Northamptonshire  squires  was  not  productive  of 
very  great  results.  The  first,  however,  when  the 
property  of  Mr.  Gully,  won  the  Derby  of  184^6,  and  the 
second  carried  off  the  Doncaster  Cup  of  1847,  having 
previously  nearly  won  the  great  Epsom  event  in  the 
same  year.  As  he  ran  by  the  side  of  his  dam  in  Delaprti 
Park,  so  greatly  did  he  win  the  fancy  of  Mr.  Spencer 
Lytteltou,  that  he  immediately  backed  him  to  win  the 
Derby,  for  which  he  was  only  defeated  by  a  neck. 

At  another  period  of  his  turf  career,  Mr.  Payne  was 
the  confederate  of  Mr.  Charles  Greville,  Clerk  of  the 
Council,  an  ardent  politician,  and  author  of  the  most 
interesting  ^^  Memoirs  of  the  Reign  of  Queen  Victoria." 
By  a  noble  lord,  whose  powers  of  satire  were  of  no  mean 
order,  and  who  usually  wrote  with  a  pen  sharply  nibbed, 
Mr.  Payne's  ally  was  described  in  a  ^'  Society ''  poem  of 
the  day  not  only  as 

'*  Greville  of  a  noble  race, 
With  nose  as  long  as  Portland  Place/' 

but  also  as  the  possessor  of  qualities  by  no  means  of  an 


I20  TJie  Pytchley  Himty  Past  and  Present,  [chap,  iv 


endearing  nature.  How  two  men  so  opposite  in  dis- 
position could  have  worked  together  so  amicably  was  a 
matter  of  surprise  to  the  friends  of  each.  One  silent  and 
morose,  and  constantly  regretting  that  he  did  not  "  shake 
the  straw  of  the  racing-stable  from  off  his  feet_,  and  turn 
his  mind  to  more  worthy  objects ;  '^  the  other  always 
cheery,  loving  everything  connected  with  the  turf,  and 
apparently  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  course  he  was  pur- 
suing. The  first  the  least,  the  second  the  most  popular 
man  in  England  ;  and  yet  they  got  on  together  as  though 
they  were  made  for  each  other.  Mr.  Greville  owned  many 
a  good  horse  during  his  career ;  the  best  of  which  were 
'^  Pussy,''  winner  in  1834  of  the  ''Oaks/'  '^  Mango  "  of 
the  ''  St.  Leger/'  ''  Ariosto,"  "  Muscovite,"  and  ''  Alarm." 
Had  the  latter  proved  successful  in  the  Derby  of  1852, 
which  he  undoubtedlv  would  have  been  had  he  not  been 
kicked  by  another  horse  at  the  starting-post  and  rendered 
hors-de-comhatj  Mr.  Payne  would  have  been  thirty 
thousand  pounds  richer  than  he  was  before  the  race. 
Undoubtedly  the  best  horse  of  his  year,  "Alarm'' 
afterwards  won  the  "  Cambridgeshire  "  under  a  heavy 
weight,  thereby  rendering  the  disappointment  of  tte 
''Derby"  all  the  keener.  '^  Welfare,"  "  Clementina,'^ 
''Ascot,"  "  Glauca,"  "  The  Trapper,"  '' Glendower,"  all 
ran  in  the  ''black  and  white  check"  so  familiar  to  the 
eye  of  turfites ;  and  all  lay  claim  to  a  certain  amount 
of  merit ;  but  it  was  of  the  degree  usually  disastrous  to 
owners — good  enough  to  back,  but  not  good  enough  to 
win  when  most  wanted. 

During  an  unusually  long  career  on  the  turf,  Mr. 
Payne  cannot  be  said  to  have  possessed  one  horse  of 
first-rate  powers,   unless  "  Musket,"  a  legacy  from  his 


cKAr.  IV.]         Q,  Payne,  a  Whist-Player.  121 

friend  Lord  Glasgow_,  may  lay  claim  to  that  distinc- 
tion. 

It  is  not  a  little  singular  that  as  with  a  filly  of  second- 
rate  ability  he  seemed  as  though  he  were  about  to  defeat 
the  best  mare  probably  that  ever  was  foaled,  so  with  a 
very  inferior  animal  called  *^  Speed  the  Plough  ^^  he  acci- 
dentally beat  '^  West  Australian  '^ — one  of  the  greatest 
horses  of  the  turf — for  the  ^'Criterion"  of  1852.  This 
astounding  derangement  of  all  racing  form^  arose  from  a 
mal-practice — to  speak  euphemistically — on  the  part  of 
the  jockey  who  rode  him.  Wishing  another  horse, 
^'  Sittingbourne/'  which  was  trained  by  his  brother,  to 
win  the  race,  the  favourite  was  deliberately  ^^  pulled/^ 
and  ''  Speed  the  Plough  ^^  coming  up  with  an  unexpected 
rush,  the  mighty  West  had  to  lower  his  colours  to  an 
animal  which  two  days  afterwards  he  defeated  out  of 
sight  for  the  Glasgow  Plate. 

A  constant  attendant  at  race-meetings,  anywhere  and 
everywhere,  no  form  was  more  familiar  at  such  places 
than  that  of  the  wearer  of  the  black  frock  coat,  and  the 
black  and  white  linen  necktie.  It  used  indeed  to  be  said 
of  George  Payne,  that  if  all  the  money  he  had  spent  in 
the  hire  of  post-chaises  in  pre-railway  days  had  been 
capitalized,  the  interest  would  have  formed  a  fair  income 
for  a  moderate  man. 

In  addition  to  racing,  cards  and  speculation  of  every 
description  contributed  to  dissipate  the  originally  splendid 
fortune  of  the  owner  of  Sulby_,  Pytchley,  and  other  North- 
amptonshire estates.  At  a  time  when  whist  took  high  rank 
as  a  science,  though  George  Payne  might  have  been  in- 
chided  among  the  *^  wranglers^^  he  could  at  no  time  have 
considered  himself  the  equal  of  Lord  Henry  Bentinck,  the 


122  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

Hon.  George  Anson^  Sir  Eainald  Knightley,  or  Mr.  Clay. 
These  too  were  not  quite  on  tlie  same  level  with  three 
or  four  of  the  French  division,  who  w^ere  considered  to 
play  a  somewhat  more  scientific  game  than  the  English- 
men. 

One  of  the  most  painful  incidents  in  the  life  of  the 
subject  of  this  memoir  was  connected  with  the  whist- 
table — an  affair  v/hich  for  a  time  may  be  said  to  have 
fairly  convulsed  society.  Amongst  the  most  prominent 
members  of  ^^  high  life  '^  at  this  time,  1836,  and  amongst 
the  most  assiduous  devotees  of  whist  was  Henry,  Lord 
De  Ros,  premier  Baron  of  England.  A  long  course  of 
success  both  at  that  game  and  ecarte,  coupled  with  other 
circumstances,  had  brought  the  noble  gamester  under 
suspicion,  and  it  was  determined  that  he  should  be 
watched  while  playiug  at  Graham^s  Club  in  St.  James's 
Street.  The  first  hint  of  foul  play  appeared  in  the 
Satirist,  a  slanderous  and  disreputable  precursor  of 
the  society-papers  of  the  present  day.  The  allusion 
sufiiciently  denoting  the  party  referred  to,  Lord  De  Ros 
directed  proceedings  to  be  taken  against  that  journal  for 
a  libel.  One  of  the  members  of  the  club,  however — Mr. 
Gumming — undertook  himself  to  "  bell  the  cat,"  and 
justified  the  assertion  that  the  noble  lord  had  ^^  played 
foully.''  Upon  this  Lord  De  Ros  brought  his  action 
against  Mr.  Gumming  instead  of  against  the  newspaper, 
and  the  trial  came  ofi"  before  Lord  Chief  Justice  Den- 
man,  Sir  John  Campbell  being  counsel  for  the  com- 
plainant. There  were  two  accusations  against  Sir  John's 
client,  one  that  he  practised  the  trick  called  "  sauter 
la  coupe/'  i.e.  changing  the  turn-up  card,  the  other 
of  marking  the  card  so  as  to  ensure  an  ace  or  king  every 


CHAP.  IV.]         G.  Payne ^  a  Whist-Player. 


123 


time  he  dealt.  Several  witnesses  testified  to  the  latter 
fact_,  and  Sir  William  Ingilby  declared  that  he  had  seen 
the  complainant  do  the  "  sauter  la  coupe/'  if  not  a 
hundred,  more  than  fifty  times.  The  jury  found  for  the 
defendant,  "which  virtually  established  the  charge  of 
cheating  against  the  plaintiff.  Mr.  Payne  being 
summoned  for  the  defence,  in  cross-examination  gave  the 
following  evidence : — 

Counsel. — You  have  been  a  good  deal  connected  with 
gambling  transactions,  I  believe  ? 

Witness. — Yes,  I  have. 

Counsel. — You  have  lost  a  great  deal  of  money  on  the 
race-course,  and  at  cards  ? 

Witness. — Yes,  I  have. 

Counsel. — In  the  early  part  of  your  -career  you  were 
very  unfortunate  ? 

Witness. — Very  much  so. 

Counsel. — You  lost,  I  believe,  the  whole  of  your  patri- 
mony ? 

Witness. — I  lost  a  considerable  portion  of  it. 

Counsel. — You  have  been  more  fortunate  latterly  ? 

Witness. — No,  my  whole  luck  has  continued  pretty 
much  the  same  throughout. 

The  Solicitor-General,  replying  upon  the  whole  case, 
tried  to  make  out  that  Mr.  Payne  had  joined  with  Mr. 
Brooke  Greville  and  others  in  a  conspiracy  against  Lord 
De  Eos,  and  stigmatized  the  former  as  a  professional 
gambler  unworthy  of  credit.  He  went  so  far  as  to  say 
that  the  witness — Payne — having  begun  as  a  dupe, 
ere  long  crystallized  into  something  worse.  This,  the 
last  ounce  of  abuse,  fairly  broke  the  back  of  the 
calumniated  "  camel,"    and    so    exasperated    him    that 


124  TJie  PytcJiley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

lie  resolved  to  take  personal  vengeaDce  upon  his  legal 
traducer. 

For  this  purpose  he  waited  two  or  three  afteruoons, 
armed  with  a  horsewhip^  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
law  courts^  but  happily  the  opportunity  he  sought  did 
not  present  itself;  and  after  a  while,  through  the  good 
offices  of  Lord  Althorp_,  peace  was  restored  between  the 
abuser  and  the  abused. 

Lord  De  Ros  did  not  long  survive  the  social  ostracism 
consequent  upon  the  verdict  of  the  jury,  and  sank  into 
an  early  and  dishonoured  grave.  Lord  Alvauley — the 
wit  and  bon-vivant  of  the  day — on  being  asked  if  Lord 
De  Ros  had  left  a  card  upon  him  since  the  trial,  replied, 
^"  Yes,  and  when  I  saw  that  it  was  not  marked,  I  felt 
sure  he  did  not  mean  it  for  an  honour.''^  He  also  con- 
cocted a  mock  epitaph  for  the  peccant  victim  to  cards, 
which  he  concluded  with  the  words,  ^^  In  patient  expec- 
tation of  the  last  trump." 

A  still  more  remarkable  instance  of  cheating  at  cards 
was  that  of  the  famous  Lord  Barrymore,  the  first  of  the 
"  Plungers,"  who  whilst  playing  whist  with  C.  J.  Fox, 
took  advantage  of  the  large  metal  buttons  on  his  oppo- 
nent's coat  to  see  what  cards  his  hand  was  composed  of  ! 
The  career  of  this  young  nobleman,  who  was  acciden- 
tally shot  by  his  own  servant  in  his  twenty-fourth  year, 
has  never  been  equalled  for  recklessness,  extravagance, 
and  dissipation. 

Ready  to  play  for  stakes  of  any  amount — the  higher 
the  better — George  Payne  was  of  far  too  friendly  a 
nature  to  refuse  to  take  a  hand  at  shilling-whist  in  a 
country  house.  On  these  occasions  the  interest  he 
evinced  in  the  game  was  much  the  same  as  if  the  points 


CHAP.  IV.] 


George  Payne ^  Master. 


125 


had  been  five  pounds,  and  twenty-five  the  rub.  It  was  a 
treat  to  hear  him  tell  of  how  at  one  hotel  at  Hyeres  he 
once  sat  down  with  three  Frenchmen  after  the  table- 
d'hote,  and  played  for  hours  at  ^'sou^'  points,  and  a  franc 
the  rub.  But  it  was  not  by  the  turf,  or  "  bits  of  paste- 
board/^ or  the  "  ivories  ^'  alone,  that  thousands  melted 
from  his  grasp.  There  was  nothing  from  the  "  Three  per 
Cents  "  to  Russian  tallow  in  which  he  would  not  speculate. 
The  investment  he  made  in  the  latter,  during  the  early 
days  of  the  Crimean  War,  will  not  soon  be  forgotten  by 
those  who  witnessed  the  delivery  of  the  article.  A  few 
days  subsequent  to  the  completion  of  the  purchase,  while 
still  in  bed  at  Long's  Hotel,  he  was  awoke  by  the  porter 
to  be  told  ^^  that  the  people  had  brought  the  tallow, 
and  were  waiting  for  orders.''^  Hurrying  down  stairs  he 
found  to  his  dismay  that  Bond  Street  was  so  crowded 
with  carts  laden  with  tallow  to  be  delivered  at  his 
address,  that  the  street-traffic  was  seriously  impeded. 
No  one  was  more  amused  at  the  absurdity  of  his  posi- 
tion than  himself,  and  having  extricated  himself  from  it 
as  quickly  as  he  could,  he  vowed  that  that  should  be 
"  his  last  speculation  in  that  cursed  stuff.^^ 

As  Master  of  the  Pytchley,  George  Payne  was  pre- 
emiuently  the  right  man  in  the  right  place.  Devoted 
to  hunting,  and  popular  with  all,  the  announcement  that 
he  was  willing  once  more  to  be  Master  of  the  P.H.  was 
received  with  general  satisfaction.  Sulby  Hall  having  by 
this  time  passed  into  other  hands,  he  made  Pitsford  Hall 
his  head-quarters,  and  became  his  own  Huntsman,  taking 
Charles  Payn  and  Ned  Kingsbury  ("Dirty  Dick") 
I'or  his  first  and  second  Whips.  Ned,  formerly 
rough-rider  to  Tilbury  of  Pinner,   while  acting  strictly 


126  The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Prese^it,  [chap.  iv. 

up  to  orders,  did  his  master  a  bad  turn  on  one  occasion. 
Four  kennel-horses  having  been  bought  of  an  M.F.H. 
selling  off,  for  a  hundred  pounds,  the  worst  of  the  lot,  as 
far  as  appearance  went,  was  handed  over  to  the  second 
whip.  Falling  in  with  a  good  thing,  the  despised  one  of  the 
quartett  acquitted  himself  so  well,  that  the  owner  was 
asked  whether  he  was  disposed  to  sell  ?  ^^  Let  us  see 
him  perform  once  more,^'  was  the  reply,  and  when  his 
turn  came  again,  the  orders  his  rider  received  were,  ^'  If 
they  run,  put  him  along,  and  get  all  out  of  him  you 
can.^'  They  did  run — he  was  put  along — and  all  that  was 
in  him  was  got  out  of  him,  never  to  return,  as  he  died 
soon  after  from  being  over-ridden. 

Afraid  of  nothing,  '^  Dirty  Dick/^  civillest  and  most 
untidy  of  whips,  had  the  ugliest  seat  on  horseback  that 
can  well  be  imagined ;  but  an  animal,  bad  to  ride, 
generally  met  his  master  when  Ned  Kingsbury  had  the 
handling  of  him.  Ned  was  a  useful  servant,  but  sadly 
given  to  taking  more  than  was  goo.d  for  him.  One  day, 
during  early  cub-hunting,  he  appeared  at  the  meet, 
evidently  "  disguised  in  liquor.^^  This  so  exasperated 
his  master,  that  he  not  only  gave  him  a  sound  thrashing 
there  and  then,  but  bade  him  ^^  never  more  be  officer  of 
mine."  The  latter  threat  yielded  to  an  earnest  petition 
offered  by  the  wife  of  '^  Ebriosus,"  that  rather  than  quit 
Mr.  Payne's  service,  he  would  prefer  to  remain  as  "  boiler 
or  anything.^'' 

Riding  some  fifteen  stone,  he  required  wellbred  power- 
ful horses,  and  in  '^  Field  Marshal,^^  '^  John  BulV^  and  the 
"  Merry  Shepherd,"  he  obtained  them.  It  is  upon  "  Field 
Marshal,"  that  he  was  mounted  in  Barraud's  well-known 
picture   of  the  ^^  Meet  at  Crick,^^  a  somewhat   ragged- 


CHAP.    IV.] 


George  Paynie,  Master, 


127 


hipped  grey,  witli  great  power,  and  a  hunter  all  over. 
A  powerful  and  determined  horseman,  and  knowing  well 
how  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  over  ridge  and  furrow, 
he  rarely  failed  to  be  with  his  hounds  at  the  right 
moment.  The  tones  of  his  voice  being  especially  rich 
and  vocal,  it  was  a  treat  to  hear  him  encouraging  hounds 
in  cover ;  and  his  cheer,  when  they  set-to  to  run  hard, 
was  a  thing  not  easily  to  be  forgotten.  The  echo  of  these 
notes  may  still  ring  in  the  ears  of  a  few  who  were  present 
at  an  unlooked-for  gallop  from  Cottesbrooke  to  Harleston 
Heath.  The  meet  was  at  Stanford  Hall,  but  the  frost 
was  so  severe  that  on  arriving  at  Cold  Ashby,  where  tLe 
hounds  were  awaiting  the  Master,  hunting  was  voted 
impracticable.  The  second  whip  was  sent  on  to  proclaim 
the  fact  of  the  return  home  of  the  hounds,  and  the 
ground  being  less  bard  in  the  low  parts  about  Stanford 
Hall,  the  announcement  was  received  with  equal  surprise 
and  disgust.  Amongst  those  who  rode  homeward  with 
the  hounds,  were  Lord  Clifden,  then  living  at  Brixworth 
Hall,  Mr.  Davenport  Bromley,  Lord  Bateman,  and  Mr. 
H.  0.  Nethercote.  Before  reaching  Cottesbrooke  a 
marked  change  in  the  weather  had  taken  place,  and 
riding  seemed  to  have  become  practicable.  Attempts  were 
made  to  induce  the  Master  to  try  for  a  fox,  which  he 
refused  to  do,  urging  the  scolding  he  should  get  from  all 
those  who  had  gone  home  under  the  belief  that  there  was 
to  be  no  hunting.  On  approaching  the  Hall,  Mr.  Daven- 
port Bromley  again  assailed  Mr.  Payne  with  a  petition 
for  ''just  one  try — only  one — in  that  plantation  opposite 
the  stables. ''  Under  the  full  belief  that  it  did  not  hold 
anything  except  a  hare  or  a  rabbit,  the  Master  consented 
to  run  the  hounds  through  it.     No  sooner  were  they  in 


128  The  Pyfchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

at  oue  end  than  out  went  a  noble-looking  fox  at  the 
other,  and  Mr.  Payne's  cheer  might  have  been  heard  at 
Brixworth.  Passing  the  lodges  and  sinking  the  hill 
towards  Hollowell,  he  bore  to  the  left,  and  leaving  Teeton 
and  Holdenby  behind  him,  just  contrived  to  reach 
Harleston  Heath,  where  he  saved  his  brush  by  getting 
to  ground.  "A  proper  row  you  fellows  have  got  me 
into/'  was  the  Master's  remark  upon  receiving  the  con- 
gratulations of  the  half-dozen  fortunate  participants  of 
the  gallop.  ^^It's  all  very  well  for  you  to  call  it  a  d — d 
good  thing,  but  it's  a  d — d  bad  thing  for  me,  and  I  shall 
never  hear  the  end  of  it.''  Nor  was  he  far  wrong  in 
feeling  that  his  good-nature  had  got  him  into  a  scrape. 
For  many  a  succeeding  post  he  kept  receiving  out- 
pourings of  heart  from  those  who  had  had  to  turn  away 
from  so  favourite  a  meet  as  Stamford  Hall ;  and  on  its 
becoming  known  that  a  capital  run  had  taken  place  on 
that  same  day,  a  perfect  storm  of  reproaches  set  in. 
They  who  were  the  cause  of  the  offence  did  their  "  level 
best "  to  bear  their  share  of  the  blame,  and  after  a  while 
another  good  run  obliterated  the  recollection  of  the  oue 
that  had  been  lost.  During  the  whole  of  this  time,  the 
average  sport  was  far  superior  to  what  it  is  now  that 
surrounding  circumstances  are  so  different  from  what  they 
were.  A  run  from  "  Naseby  Covert "  or  ^^  Tally-ho^'  to 
the  ^'  Hermitage  "  or  "  Brampton  Wood  "  was  an  event  of 
no  infrequent  occurrence  in  those  days,  and  from  the 
stoutness  of  its  foxes,  Badby  Wood  became  quite  a 
favourite  draw.  For  two  or  three  seasons  ^^  Cank " 
rivalled  '^  Crick  ""  in  popularity,  and  the  Wednesday  side 
was  looked  upon  as  safe  to  produce  a  good  day's  sport. 
The  Badby  foxes  had  acquired  a  habit,  on  being  roused 


CHAP.  IV.]  M7\  G.  Payne.  129 

from  their  lair,  of  making  hard  all  for  the  Bicester 
country,  and  on  many  a  Saturday  night,  nine  o^clock 
had  struck  before  the  wearied  hounds  had  reached  their 
kennels  at  Brixworth.  ^^  Crick  Goi'se,"  formed  in  1817, 
and  "Waterloo/' which  came  into  existence  about  the 
same  time,  have  from  their  relative  merits  been  the  most 
popular  of  the  Pytchley  coverts ;  while  in  point  of  anti- 
quity "  Yelvertof  t  Fieldside  "  lays  claims  to  precedence 
over  all  its  fellows.  For  many  a  year,  neither  "  Crick'' 
nor  "  Waterloo  '^  was  in  higher  favour  than  "  Misterton 
Gorse;'"'  but  latterly,  either  the  virtue  has  gone  out  of 
the  foxes  that  frequent  these  strongholds,  or  the  enor- 
mous fields  in  the  first  part  of  the  day  prevent  the  possi- 
bility of  sport.  Amid  many  fine  runs  with  George  Payne, 
a  fifty  minutes  from  Crick  Gorse  to  Naseby  Keservoir 
sticks  tenaciously  to  the  memory  of  the  writer;  as  does 
another,  one  dull  November  afternoon,  from  near  No- 
bottle  Wood  to  Cottesbrooke  village.  This  run  retains 
especial  hold  on  the  memory,  from  the  fact  that  darkness 
having  begun  to  cover  the  earth,  it  was  necessary  to  call 
in  the  aid  of  a  cottager's  lantern  to  allow  of  the  perform- 
ance of  the  fox's  obsequies.  For  some  time  before 
the  end  it  had  been  a  case  of  touch  and  go — and 
more  of  the  first  than  the  second — with  the  fences; 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  friendly  light,  hounds 
■would  have  enacted  this  final  operation,  heard  but 
unseen, 

As  Althorp  House  was  passed,  the    present  owner 
then  ten  years  old,  stood  watching  the  scene,  and  can 
now  tell  from  tradition  every  yard  of  the  line. 

Two    unusually  painful   incidents    occurred   to    leave 
their    mark    upon    the    second    period    of  Mr.    Payne's 

K 


130    The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

Mastership — eacli  ending  in  the  death  of  a  temporary 
member  of  the  Hunt.  A  singular  coincidence  attending 
these  melancholy  occurrences,  was  that  in  either  case 
the  same  fence,  and  a  post  and  rail  under  Winwick 
Warren,  brought  about  the  fatal  result.  The  first  of 
the  two  victims  to  timber  was  a  Mr.  Sawbridge,  an 
elderly  gentleman  hunting  from  the  '^  Coacli  and 
Horses"  at  Brixworth.  On  a  frosty  morning,  the 
meet  being  Chilcoats  (a  name  unknown  to  the  modern 
Pytchley  Hunt),  Mr.  Sawbridge^s  horse  slipped  in  the 
act  of  jumping  a  post  and  rail,  and  fell  heavily  upon 
his  rider.  Scarcely  alive,  the  unfortunate  gentleman 
was  carried  to  Mr.  LovelFs  house  at  the  Warren, 
where,  without  a  hope  of  recovery,  he  lingered  for 
some  hours.  Though  a  stranger,  with  the  kindness 
so  characteristic  of  himself,  Mr.  Payne  remained  at 
the  bedside  of  the  sufferer  till  all  was  over.  Years 
after  the  sad  occurrence,  in  reply  to  a  question  on 
the  point,  he  said,  ^^  I  asked  the  poor  fellow  if  he 
would  like  to  see  a  clergyman,  and  to  my  great  sur- 
prise he  replied,  '''  No,  thank  you,  there's  no  necessity, 
as  I  was  at  church  last  Sunday  !  '' 

The  child  who  told  the  school-inspector  that  Adam 
and  Eve  were  turned  out  of  Paradise  because  they  had 
displeased  their  parents  and  friends  (!)  showed  little  less 
ignorance  than  did  this  septuagenarian  sportsman  of  the 
Christian  scheme.  That  children,  however,  do  not  enjoy 
a  monopoly  of  lack  of  accuracy  in  Scripture-teachings  is 
clear  from  a  ^letter  of  Canon  Wilberforce,  who  writing 
from  Ryde  to  a  friend,  says  : — '^  A  lady  here — a  mother 
of  seven  children,  and  a  member  of  my  Bible-instruction 
class — told  me  the  other  day  that   '^  Jonah  was   thrown 


CHAP.  IV.]  Mr.  G.  Payne,  1 3 1 

out  of  tlie  ark  by  Noali,  and  was  snapped  up  by  a  whale 
passing  by  !  '^ 

T.  Oliver,  the  celebrated  steeple-chase  rider_,  on  his 
death-bed  was  invited  to  summon  some  clergyman  to  see 
him.  "  I  only  wish  to  see  one/'  he  replied,  "  Parson 
Eussell,  out  of  Devonshire/'  Mr.  Kussell  was  written  to, 
and  came  immediately. 

In  the  following  season  the  same  "  post  and  rail/' 
though  not  at  the  identical  spot,  caused  the  death  of  as 
fine  a  young  officer  as  ever  entered  her  Majesty's  service. 
Lord  Inverurie,  heir  to  the  earldom  of  Kintore,  and  a 
lieutenant  in  the  17th  Lancers,  had  for  some  weeks  in 
the  season  of  1843  been  hunting  from  the  ^'  Coach  and 
Horses  "  at  Brixworth. 

In  a  fast  twenty  minutes  from  Hemplow  Hills,  nobody 
had  gone  better  than  the  young  Scotch  lord  upon  his 
favourite  mare,  "  Quatre  Ace."  Patting  her  approvingly 
npon  the  neck  when  the  gallop  was  over,  he  pronounced 
her  to  be  '^  as  good  a  bit  of  stuff  as  man  ever  rode." 
Within  an  hour  after  this  expression,  she  had  fallen  upon 
him  and  killed  him  !  Getting  a  bad  start  from  the  Yel- 
vertoft  cover,  it  was  conjectured  that  he  rode  at  the  rails 
referred  to  in  Mr.  Sawbridge's  case,  when  his  mare,  a 
famous  timber-jumper,  was  somewhat  '^  pumped."  She 
caught  the  top  rail,  and  fell  a  complete  somersault  upon 
her  unfortunate  rider.  He  gave  one  groan,  threw  his 
arms  upwards,  and  never  spoke  again.  He  was  carried 
to  the  house  of  Mr.  Lovell,  and  Mr.  Payne  and  the  Duke 
of  Montrose,  residing  at  Sulby,  remained  with  him  till 
all  was  over  ! 

On  being  referred  to  as  to  the  disposal  of  the  body, 
Lord  Kintore's  reply  was, ''  Where  the  tree  fell,  let  it  lie/' 

K  2 


1 32  The  Pytchley  Httnt^  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

and  a  tablet  in  Brixworth  churcli   {tlie  oldest  church  in 
England)  records  the  simple  fact  of  his  lying  near  that 
spot.     Rarely  has  a  fatal  accident  in  the  hunting-field 
created  a  greater  gloom  than  this.     Beloved  in  his  regi- 
ment— a  universal  favourite — a  keen  sportsman,  and  a 
bold  rider,  brightness  followed  him  wherever  he  went.    It 
was  hard  to  realize  the  stern  fact  that  such  a  one  as  he, 
in  full  fruition  of  health,  youth,  position  and  popularity^ 
had  passed  from  among  us  for  ever.     At  Harrow  with 
him,  though  much  his   senior,  the  narrator   of   this  sad 
event  well  remembers  the   eagerness    with    which   the 
juvenile  sportsman  sought  to   become  a  member  of  the 
"  H.H.^'  or  "  Harrow  Hunt,"  for  which  his  place   in  the 
school  had  rendered  him  for  a    time   ineligible.     The 
''  H.H.'^  here  spoken  of  closely  resembles  a  famous  Hunt 
in  one  respect  only,  namely  its  initials  ;  but  it  is  doubt- 
ful if  the  yoang  Harrovians   did  not  derive    as  much 
pleasure  in  the  illegitimate  pursuit  of  the  rarely- found 
hare,  as  did  the  older  Hambledonians  in  that  of  Reynard 
himself.     H.  Roy ston_,  afterwards  a  well-known  cricketer 
and  bowler   for  the  '^  M.C.C.,^^  was  Huntsman  to  the 
Harrow  hounds ;  whilst  to  his    unbounded  delight,  the 
young  Scotch  lord  was  appointed  to  the  coveted  office 
of  first  (and  only)  Whip.     As  the  thoughts  of  the  past 
arose  before  him,  Charles  Lamb's  touching  lines, — 

"  My  sprightly  schoolmate  gone  before 
To  that  unknown  and  silent  shore, 
Shall  we  not  meet  as  heretofore, 
Some  summer  morning  P  " 

knocked  loudly  at  the  heart  of  the  sur\'iving  Harrovian, 
who,  by  a  few  minutes  only,  escaped  witnessing  the  death 
of  his  old  schoolfellow. 


* 


Chap. IV.]  Mr.  G.  Payne.  133 

As  a  host^  George  Payne  had  few  or  any  equals. 
Neither  witty  nor  particularly  well-read^  he  knew  every- 
thing that  was  going  on,  and  had  the  happy  knack  of  mak- 
ing each  guest  feel  that  he  was  an  item  of  some  importance 
in  the  party  at  which  he  was  present.  Full  of  anecdote 
and  general  information  on  the  topics  of  the  day,  con- 
versation could  not  flag,  and  the  dinner  ever  seemed  too 
short.  Those  dinners  in  the  little  Northamptonshire 
village,  with  George  Payne  at  one  end  of  the  table,  and 
"  Billy ''  at  the  other,  might  well  have  been  looked  upon 
as  nodes  ccenceqiie  Deoriim ;  aud  that,  in  spite  of  an 
occasional  going  to  bed  a  poorer,  if  not  a  wiser  man. 
The  three  genii  presiding  over  the  little  queer-shaped 
room  into  which  the  guests  betook  themselves  after 
dinner,  were  whist,  ecarte,  and  vingt-et-un.  The 
amount  of  the  stakes  was  always  tempered  to  the  purse 
of  the  (so  far)  unshorn  lamb  ;  but  a  good  many  sove- 
reigns were  wont  to  change  hands  in  the  course  of  the 
evening.  In  reply  to  a  query  from  the  writer  of  this 
narrative  to  a  noble  lord  who  was  a  guest  at  Pitsford 
Hall,  on  one  of  these  occasions,  he  thus  writes : — 
''  Whist  was  not  the  game.  We  played  vingt-et-un  until 
a  very  late  hour.  The  party  consisted  of  George  and 
Billy  Payne,  two  Suttons,  Bateman,  F.  Yilliers,  Kooper, 
and  myself.  F.  V.  lost  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  a  very 
short  time,  went  to  his  room,  and  brought  down  the 
money  in  new  bank-notes,  and  retired  from  the  contest. 
I  happened  to  have  thirty-three  pounds  in  my  pocket, 
my  old  bailiff  having  handed  me  thirty  pounds  (thi 
produce  of  some  trees  sold),  just  as  I  was  starting.  I 
soon  lost  this  and  borrowed  some  more  from  G.  P.  I  had 
a  good  deal  of  luck,  and  won  a  hundred  ;  but  the  balance 


134  1^^^^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.    . 

gradually  departed,  and  left  me  at  the  eud  of  tlie  even- 
ing with  thirty  pounds ;  therefore  only  three  pounds  to 
the  bad/' 

To  be  obliged  to  decline  a  dinner  at  Pitsford  Hall  in 
those  days  must  have  caused  much  the  same  disappoint- 
ment that  Sydney  Smith  felt,  when  in  refusing  an 
invitation  from  a  friend,  he  wrote,  "  Very  sorry  can't 
accept ;  got  some  first  cousins.  Wish  they  were  once- 
removed  !  ^' 

Possessed  of  an  iron  constitution,  the  Pytchley  Master 
of  1844  knew  not  the  meaning  of  the  word  fatigue,  and 
he  rarely  cared  to  eat  the  sandwich  he  carried  with  him, 
the  day  of  the  small  portmanteau  (carried  round  the 
second  horseman''s  waist)  having  then  scarcely  com- 
menced. Quick  and  impetuous,  of  a  naturally  fine 
temper,  the  trials  and  aggravations  of  a  huntsman's  life 
rarely,  if  ever,  elicited  an  unseemly  outburst.  In  a  time 
of  strong  words,  of  which  it  is  not  denied  that  he  had  a 
quiver-full,  he  rarely  let  out  at  individuals ;  and  of  the 
bitter  sneer  or  sarcastic  allusion,  he  absolutely  knew 
nothing.  The  most  frequent  recipient  of  certain  words 
that  lurked  on  the  other  side  of  his  tongue,  was  that 
neatest,  nicest-looking,  most  respectable  of  grooms,  John 
Cooper.  Were  he  not  at  hand  with  the  second  horse  at 
the  right  moment,  John  Cooper  might  look  out  for 
squalls,  and  mostly  came  in  for  one  of  more  or  less 
severity.  Always  ready  to  furl  sail  at  any  moment,  no 
"  old  salt ''  cared  less  for  a  storm  at  sea,  than  did  this 
faithful  old  servant  for  a  land-breeze  from  his  master's 
mouth.  On  being  sympathized  with  one  day  by  a  strange 
groom,  on  having  to  put  up  with  some  expressions  that 
w^ere  neither  parliamentary  nor  complimentary,  he  only 


CHAP. IV.]  Mr.  G.  Paym.  135 

lemarked,  "Bless  yer,  lie  don't  mean  notliing  by  it; 
that's  notliing  to  wliat  I'm  accustomed  to.''' 

The  dispenser  of  these  winged  words  is  gone  where 
silence  is  the  only  language,  but  he  who  bore  the 
burden  of  them  is  still  alive,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of 
sucli  a  competence  as  is  the  fruit  of  long  and  faithful 
service. 

One  of  the  most  marked  characteristics  of  George 
Payne's  disposition  was  his  warm  affection  for  his 
eisters,  and  his  only  brother — known  to  his  intimates  as 
"Billy  Payne.''''  .So  greatly  did  the  two  brothers  differ 
in  appearance,  that  nobody  could  have  supposed  them  to 
be  in  any  way  related.  Thick-set  and  dumpy  in  figure, 
so  short  was  "  brother  Bill'"  in  the  leg,  that  after  nego- 
tiating some  fairly  big  fence,  he  would  pat  his  right 
thigh,  and  laughingly  say,  "Well  done,  little  'un,  you 
stuck  to  the  pig's  skin  right  well  that  time,'"  To  judge 
by  his  make  and  shape,  few  would  have  given  him  credit 
for  great  powers  of  endurance ;  but  on  more  than  one 
occasion  when  at  college,  he  rode  from  Cambridge  to 
Sulby  to  meet  the  hounds ;  hunted  all  day,  and  was  back 
in  his  rooms  before  twelve  at  night.  This  is  a  feat  which 
few  would  attempt  to  accomplish. 

A  college  friend  accompanied  him  on  one  occasion,  but 
fatigue  overcame  him  on  the  homeward  ride,  and  he  had 
to  remain  at  Bedford  for  the  night,  leaving  his  com- 
panion to  pursue  his  way  alone.  Subject  to  gout  from 
his  early  days,  the  attacks  of  which  he  did  not  try  to 
parry  by  any  attention  to  dietetic  rules,  he  ultimately 
fell  a  victim  to  it,  and  died  at  Pitsford  Hall  in  the  summer 
of  1848.  The  grief  of  the  surviving  brother  for  a  time 
was  piteous  in  the  extreme.     A  letter  to  a  neighbour 


1 36  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap,  iv. 

one  who  truly  lamented  tlie  loss  of  an  old  and  kindly- 
hearted  friend,  will  show  the  depth  of  the  affection  that 
existed  between  the  brothers. 

'*  My  dear , — I  am  well  aware  how  deeply  you  would 

all  feel  this  awful  visitation.  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe 
to  you  my  misery,  although  I  hope  it  may  please  God  to 
mitigate  the  intense  agony  I  now  suffer.  I  have  bid  adieu 
to  happiness  in  this  world.  The  most  affectionate  and  best 
of  brothers,  as  well  as  the  most  amiable  of  human  beings, 
has  been  snatched  away.  We  were  scarcely  ever  separate 
in  life,  and  the  future  must  be  a  blank  to  me.'^ 

Long  after  he  had  apparently  recovered  his  spirits, 
he  loved  to  recall  some  speech  or  act  of  poor  dear  ^'^Bill.'^ 
From  his  sisters,  Mrs.  T.  Paris  and  Lady  Goodricke — 
each  holding  strong  views  on  religious  matters — G.  Payne 
imbibed  a  marked  distaste  to  hearing  sacred  subjects 
treated  with  levity.  Making  a  point  of  attending  church 
once  on  a  Sunday,  few  there  were  more  attentive  to  what 
was  going  on,  and  an  indifferent  address  from  the  pulpit 
was  not  unlikely  on  his  homeward  walk  to  be  character- 
ized as  a  d — d  bad  performance  !  Most  truly  might  he 
be  said  to  be  one  of  the  many 

"  Who  see  and  hail  the  better  part, 
But  fail  to  take  it  to  the  heart." 

By  no  means  the  equal  of  Messrs.  Musters  and  Os- 
baldeston  in  the  number  of  his  athletic  successes,  as  a 
coachman  or  with  "  the  gloves/^  he  was  something  more 
than  '^  bad  to  beat.*'  At  a  day  when  "  coaching ''  was  at 
its  zenith,  and  the  names  of  Sir  St.  Vincent  Cotton  and 
Sir  Henry  Peyton  were  as  household  words,  G.  Payne  took 
high  rank  as  a  "  whip.'''  To  drive  four-in-hand,  town  or 
country,  was  his  great  delight;  and  he  doubtless  would 


CHAP.  IV.]  Mr,  G.  Payne,  137 

have  taken  much  the  same  view  of  the  position  as  the 
swell,,  who  living  in  the  West  End,  on  being  invited  to 
dine  with  a  friend  in  Bloomsbnry,  as  if  there  were  no  other 
mode  of  getting  there  except  with  a  coach  and  four,  re- 
plied, '^  With  pleasure,  but  where  am  I  to  change  horses  ?" 
Exceedingly  powerful  both  in  arms  and  shoulders,  Mr. 
Payne  with  his  double  thong  could  get  the  last  ounce 
out  of  the  wheeler  inclined  to  make  his  companion  do 
most  of  the  work,  and  the  point  of  his  lash  rarely  failed 
to  reach  a  leader  on  the  desired  spot.  Frequently  on 
the  road  between  London  and  Northampton,  when  the 
Sulby  Squire  was  on  the  box  of  the  Northampton  coach, 
both  horses  and  passengers  quickly  discovered  that  some 
other  hands  than  those  of  the  accustomed  driver  held  the 
reins.  Sure  but  slow  were  John  Harris — most  civil — 
and  S.  Daniel — smartest  and  most  polite  of  Jehus;  but 
when  the  turn  into  the  Angel-yard  at  Northampton  was 
made  without  any  change  of  pace,  it  was  clear  to  the 
spectators  that  a  pilot  of  a  higher  order  than  usual  was  at 
the  helm.  Poor  Sam  Daniel !  your  good  looks,  engaging 
manners,  and  fund  of  anecdote,  sportiug  and  otherwise, 
made  the  journey  by  your  side  always  a  pleasant  one. 
The  lad  schoolward-bound,  forgot  for  a  while  Virgilian 
and  Homeric  horrors,  as  he  listened  to  your  pleasant  talk  ; 
and  the  glass  of  ale  at  Dunstable  or  Hocklifife  looked  all 
the  brighter  and  tasted  all  the  sweeter  for  your  words  of 
praise  of  it.  The  only  act  of  yours,  not  quite  to  be  for- 
given, was,  when  you  rode  your  inimitable  little  hack 
against  the  "Telegraph"  coach  on  the  17th  October, 
1837.  To  ask  a  horse  to  go  sixty-six  miles  continuously 
at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  an  hour,  seems  to  approach  very 
nearly  the  confines  of  cruelty ;  but  both  horse  and  rider. 


1 38  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

if  the  reports  of  the  time  are  to  be  believed,  completed 
the  task  without  suffering  any  serious  fatigue.  The 
match  was  made  between  the  rider  and  Lieutenant 
Wellesley  of  the  12th  Lancers,  then  quartered  at 
Northampton.  The  coach  and  the  horse  quitted  the 
Peacock,  Islington,  at  a  quarter  before  six,  and  Mr. 
Daniel  arrived  at  Northampton,  amid  the  acclamations  of 
a  large  concourse  of  people,  one  minute  and  a  half  earlier 
than  his  competitor.  The  hero  of  this  feat  did  not 
survive  to  share  the  fate  that  after  the  opening  of  the 
London  and  Birmingham  railway  awaited  many  of  his 
brethren  of  the  whij).  ^^Ichabod^^  was  indeed  written 
on  the  brows  of  J.  Harris  of  the  Northampton  coach, 
and  J.  Meecher  of  the  '^  Nottingham  Times/'  when  each 
was  reduced  to  driving  a  "  one-horse  bus  ^'  about  the 
streets  of  the  town  through  which  for  many  a  year  they 
had  tooled  four  well-shaped  steeds.  Nor  could  '^  Davis,'' 
driver  of  the  ^'  Manchester  Telegraph '' — the  fastest 
coach  out  of  London — entertain  kindly  thoughts  of  the 
advance  of  science,  when  he  found  himself  a  "  walking 
postman ''  on  certain  remote  highways  and  byways  of 
Northamptonshire.  It  is  scarcely  a  matter  for  surprise 
that,  in  common  with  many  a  brother  of  the  craft 
of  which  he  was  so  great  a  master,  he  strove  to  drown 
his  cares  in  that  usual  refuge  of  the  destitute — alcohol. 
Pindar,  somewhat  before  the  time  of  Sir  W.  Lawson, 
assured  his  fi'iends  that  apiarov  fxev  vBcop,  i.e.  that  water 
is  the  bebt  of  all  good  tipple ;  but  the  ex-coachman 
didn't  seem  to  see  it,  and  so  hastened  the  end  of  a  life 
out  of  which  a  great  public  benefit  had  filched  all  the 
brightness.  Some  of  my  readers  will  not  fail  to 
remember  the   sad   end   of  Jem  Pearson — the   honest. 


CHAP.  IV.]  Mr.  G.  Payne:  139 

burly,  fiery-faced  partner  of  J.  Meeclier — on  the 
^'  Nottingham  Times.^^  Making  his  last  journey  on  the 
day  before  the  coach  was  to  be  taken  off  the  road  for 
good,  a  wheel  came  off,  the  vehicle  was  upset_,  and  Jem^s 
portly  form  and  ruby-coloured  visage  were  never  seen 
again  on  that  or  any  other  stage.  In  numerous  cases, 
well-conducted  coachmen  found  comfortable  berths  on 
the  new  railways ;  but  a  hard  fate  awaited  many  a 
worthy  man  who,  shutting  his  eyes  to  the  inevitable,  had 
failed  to  lay  by  for  the  rainy  day. 

A  curious  coaching-incident  befell  the  Master  of  the 
P.H.  during'  his  residence  at  Pitsford  Hall.  Staying 
for  a  few  days  at  Leamington  he  drove  some  friends 
to  see  a  fight  for  the  Championship  of  England,  on  a 
four-horse  coach.  On  the  return  home,  one  of  the 
leaders  having  knocked  up,  he  was  taken  out  of  the 
coach,  made  to  swallow  a  bottle  of  sherry,  and  left  on 
the  side  of  the  road  until  further  assistance  could  be 
sent.  On  nearing  the  town  the  noise  of  a  horse  trotting 
behind  the  coach  was  heard,  and  to  the  surprise  and 
amusement  of  the  party  on  the  roof,  the  animal,  revived 
by  the  wine,  came  up  and  took  his  place  by  the  side  of 
the  single  leader  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

As  a  cricketer,  the  Sulby  squire^s  pretensions  were  of 
the  humblest  order ;  but  he  was  an  ardent  admirer  of 
the  game,  and  a  liberal  subscriber  to  a  formidable- 
looking  "red  book,"  armed  with  which  the  Hon.  Sec. 
of  the  "M.C.C."  used  to  traverse  ''Lord's  Ground," 
seeking  whom  he  might  induce  to  inscribe  his  name 
upon  its  pages.  In  the  days  of  old,  the  expenses  of  the 
great  matches  played  at  Lord's  were  defrayed  in  part 
by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  wealthier  members 


140  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap,  iv 

of  the  club,  and  tlie  Hon.  Sec/s  (Mr.  Roger  Kynaston) 
approach,  armed  with,  book  and  seductive  smile,  was  a 
cause  of  frequent  '^  shift  of  seat/^  and  other  mild  tricks 
of  evasion.  In  the  days  now  referred  to,  when  ^'Will 
Caldecourt/^  the  well-known  underhand  bowler,  was 
invited  to  give  an  opinion  as  to  the  powers  of  Mr.  "  So 
and  So "  as  a  cricketer,  he  would  occasionally  reply, 
"  Well,  sir,  as  you  ask  me,  I  should  say  that  he  could 
bat  about  as  well  as  anybody's  sister."  This  was 
about  the  form  of  the  brothers  "George  and  Billy '^ 
Payne,  respectively  ;  but  it  did  not  prevent  the  cricket 
ground  at  Sulby  from  being  frequently  enlightened  with 
village  matches.  The  one  in  which  they  themselves 
occasionally  took  part  was  the  annual  one  between  Sulby 
Hall  and  the  "  Town  and  County  Club." 

Always  going  in  the  two  last  wickets,  the  performance 
was  a  ti^at  to  see,  and  scarcely  less  to  hear.  If  by  some 
good  chance  the  bat  of  either  came  in  contact  with  the  ball, 
go  where  it  might,  both  set  off  to  run,  bound  to  score  or 
die  !  A  collision  usually  took  place  about  midway  be- 
tween the  wickets;  whereupon  expletives  forcible  and 
rapid  were  wont  to  fly  from  the  elder  brother,  urging  a 
hasty  retreat  on  the  part  of  his  fellow-batsman.  His 
legs  being  all  too  short  for  the  emergency,  he  rarely  got 
home  in  time,  and  then  followed  loud  self-reproaches  from 
the  '^  not  out "  cause  of  the  catastrophe.  Should  a  catch 
be  held  or  a  good  hit  accidentally  be  stopped  by  either 
brother  when  out  in  the  field,  the  congratulations  from 
each  to  the  other  were  highly  diverting. 

For  the  County  Club,  almost  entirely  composed  of 
Northampton  tradesmen,  the  match  against  Sulby  was  the 
event  of  the  season.     The  eleven  with  whom  it  had  to 


CHAP.  IV.]  Mr.  G.  Payne.  141 

contend^  though  weakened  by  its  tail^  was  by  no  means 
a  bad  one.     Its  strongest  elements  consisted  of  Charles 
Meyrick,  a  Wykehamist  and  college  friend  of  W.  Payne's 
— a  beautiful  bat  and  fieldsman ;  the  Rev.  W.  Fox,  rector 
of   Cottesbach — a  good  bat  and  thorough,  cricketer,  but 
unable  to  run  the  hits  he  made,  from  heart-complaint.     It 
used  to  be  said  of  this  worthy  parson,  that  like  the  cuckoo^ 
lie  laid  his  own  eggs,  but  could  not  hatch  them,  a  view 
more  in  accordance  with  the  eccentric  habits  of  that  bird 
than  that  taken  by  the  schoolboy  who,  when  asked  by 
an  examiner  in  what  respect  the  cuckoo   differed  from 
other  birds,  replied  "  that  he  never  laid  his  own  eggs/' 
Also  two   brothers  from  Leicester — W.  and  J.  Davis — 
the  one  a  superior  batsman  and  g'ood  wicket-keeper,  the 
other  a  fair  left-hand  round  bowler;    Sir  St.   Vincent 
Cotton,  a  well-known  figure  in  sporting  circles,  who,  if  in 
practice,  was    likely   by  his    hard-hitting    to    keep    the 
fielders  on  the  move  ;  the  Rev.  R.  J  sham — a  useful  man  all 
round  ;  and  two  Pells  from  Clipston,  William  and  Walton, 
with  the    two  Paynes  and  members  of  the    household, 
usually  made  up  the  eleven.     In  the  Northampton  team, 
Messrs.  H.  0.  Nethercote,  Jefi'ery,  Shaw,  Hewlett,  HoUis, 
H.   P.   Markham,    Emery,   Wellneger-Davis,  Dean,  and 
'^  Jack^^  Smith — the  latter  a  stalwart  "lad  o'  wax,'-*  fully 
believing  that  there  was  nothing  like  leather;  but  pre- 
ferring it  in  the  form  of  a  cricket  ball.     Unaccustomed 
to  dining  in  marble  halls,  he  on   one  of  these  occasions 
caused  much  amusement  to  his   host  by  emptying  the 
contents  of  a  boat  of  lobster-sauce    on  to  his   cherry- 
tart  ! — a  mixture  that  seemed  to  be  highly  palatable  to 
the  omnivorous  son  of  St.   Crispin.     Not  content  with 
treating    his    opponents  to  a    sumptuous  repast  in  the 


142  The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

house,  '^  the  Squire  "  would  order  out  in  the  cool  of  the 
evening  a  lordly  bowl  of  '^^  bishop/'  a  vinous  compound 
almost  unknown  in  these  degenerate  days.  Placed  on  a 
side-table  in  the  tent,  the  spiced  mixture  formed  an  eye- 
opener  for  those  about  to  wield  the  willow,  and  a  solace 
for  those  who  had  been  constrained  to  lay  it  down. 

Whether  or  no  this  old-fashioned  mark  of  hospitality  is 
more  honoured  in  the  breach  than  the  observance  is  a 
matter  of  opinion,  but  it  was  much  appreciated  and  never 
abused,  and  is  much  to  be  preferred  to  the  detestable 
practice  of  treating  professionals  to  champagne  at  the 
mid-day  (or  any)  dinner. 

Since  these  days  the  Northamptonshire  Cricket  CI  Lib 
has  risen  into  a  higher  and  more  complete  stage  of  exist- 
ence, and  can  now  hold  its  own  versus  the  ^^  M.C.C.," 
and  counties  of  repute  in  the  cricketing  world.  The 
Sulby  Club,  sharing  the  fate  of  its  founder,  has  passed 
away — like  himself  ever  to  be  remembered  with 
emotions  of  pleasure,  gratitude,  and  regret. 

Falling  in  with  the  spirit  of  the  day,  the  subject  of 
this  memoir  by  no  means  neglected  the  "science^'  of: 
self-defence. 

In  the  healthy  and  muscular  country  gentleman  from 
the  Midlands,  the  famous  "  Tom  Spring  ^'  found  a  pupil 
of  whom  he  might  well  be  proud.  His  uninstructed 
arm,  even  in  his  Eton  days,  had  been  a  formidable 
weapon  of  offence,  but  when  science  and  strength  came  to 
act  in  combination,  the  ^'  rough  ^^  who  cheeked  him  on 
the  race-course  or  in  the  street  was  pretty  sure  to  come 
in  for  a  bad  quarter  of  an  hour.  One  day  at  a  cri<c;ket- 
dinner  held  in  the  Grand  Stand  at  Northampton,  having 
been  informed  that  some  ^^  roughs ''  had  got  into  a  side- 


CHAP.  IV.]  Mr.  G.  Payne.  14^ 

room  and  were  making  free  with  the  provisions,  he 
instantly  took  off  his  coat,  and  went  for  the  lot.  The 
appearance  only  of  the  stalwart  cricketer  was  sufficient 
to  scatter  the  thieves,  and  the  captain  of  the  Sulby  side 
resumed  his  seat  regretting  that  the  *''  curs  ^^  would  not 
stop  to  be  thrashed. 

The  unaccountable  '^  glamour  "  of  the  "  P.  R,"  has  al- 
ready been  referred  to,  and  in  George  Payne  it  found  one 
of  its  most  earnest  advocates.  An  old  sportsman  living  at 
Brixworth,  and  now  approaching  his  seventy-eighth  year, 
told  the  writer  of  these  pages  that  he  witnessed  a  great 
fight  that  came  off  near  Towcester  many  years  ago 
between  two  celebrated  pugilists.  Standing  near  him 
was  a  neighbouring  Duke,  and  hard  by  were  other 
county  magnates  and  Justices  of  the  Peace !  The  day  was 
bitterly  cold,  but  such  was  the  excitement  in  seeing  two 
men  knock  each  other  out  of  all  shape,  that  the  narra- 
tor never  felt  it  for  a  moment,  and  described  the  spectacle 
as  being  ^'  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  enjoyable  he 
ever  witnessed  !  ^'  He  added  the  following  corollary  to 
his  proposition,  namely,  that  on  the  same  night  three  or 
four  of  the  houses  round  about  were  broken  into,  and  that 
the  rioting  and  drunkenness  that  went  on  in  Towcester 
were  disgraceful  in  the  extreme.  Such  was  Mr.  Payne^s 
influence  with  the  ^'  P.R.^'  and  its  associates,  that  when 
"  Owen  Swift  ^'  fought  "  Atkinson  of  Nottingham  ''  near 
Horton,  the  contest  was  not  allowed  to  commence  until 
he  appeared  upon  the  ground. 

During  his  second  Mastership  of  the  Pytchley  hounds, 
ill-success  upon  the  turf,  and  losses  in  other  directions, 
had  produced  their  usual  results,  and  Sulby  Hall  with 
the  property  attached  was   doomed  to  pass   into  other 


144  T^^*^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Pi^csent.  [chap.iv. 

bauds.  For  two  seasons  it  was  hired  by  the  Duke  of 
Montrose,  and  was  afterwards  purchased  by  the  Hon. 
Frederick  and  Lady  Elizabeth  Villiers,  in  whose  posses- 
sion it  reuiained  after  the  death  of  her  husband.  That 
Sulby  should  be  connected  with  any  other  name  than 
that  of  "  Payne  ^'  did  no  little  violence  to  the  feelings  of 
the  many  worshippers  of  the  late  owner,  and  the  rough- 
handed  villagers  who  had  so  joyfully  picked  up  the 
almost  red-hot  shillings  and  half-crowns  that  were 
thrown  about  on  the  celebration  of  his  '^  coming  of  age/^ 
could  scarcely  believe  that  the  beloved  squire  had  left 
his  old  home  for  good  and  all.  The  name  of  a  contem- 
porary, well  known  in  the  annals  of  the  county's  bunting 
and  social  life,  ''^Mr.  Hungerford/'  has  likewise  passed 
away,  and  the  fine  old  Hall  at  Dingley,  the  one-time 
hunting-seat  of  James  the  First,  no  longer  recognizes  a 
Hungerford  as  its  lord  and  master.  Long  connected  by 
ties  of  the  most  intimate  friendship,  the  owners  of  Sulby 
and  Dingley  were  equally  reckless  in  their  expenditure, 
and  in  the  end  the  same  fate  awaited  either  property. 
Happy  is  it  for  the  interests  of  the  '^  P.H.''  that  the 
latter  should  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  so  excellent 
a  sportsman,  and  so  popular  a  nobleman,  as  Viscount 
Downe. 

In  the  March  of  1846,  Mr.  Payne  was  presented  with 
a  magnificent  silver  epergne,  three  feet  six  inches  in 
height,  and  five  hundred  ounces  in  weight,  upon  the  base 
of  which  he  is  portrayed  under  a  tree,  holding  up  over 
his  hounds  the  fox  which  tbey  had  just  run  into.  The 
following  words  were  inscribed  upon  one  of  its  sides: 
"  Presented  to  George  Payne,  Esq.,  of  Sulby  Hall,  by  six 
hundred  farmers,  tradesmen   and  others,  as  a  testimonial 


CHAP.  IV.]      Pixsentation  to  Mr.  G.  Payne  145 

of  their  high  esteem  for  him^  and  gratitude  for  his  unceas- 
ing efforts  to  promote  the  manly  and  health}^  sports  of 
the  county/^  The  ceremonial  of  the  presentation  took 
place  at  the  George  Hotel  at  ISTorthampton^  where  some 
hundreds  sat  down  to  dinner  :  the  members  of  the  hunt 
were  in  their  red  coats.  The  sun  of  the  splendour  of  the 
popular  idol  had  long  begun  to  wane  ;  but  many  of  those 
present  knew  nothing  of  this,  and  looked  upon  the  guest  of 
the  evening  as  the  embodiment  of  sport,  munificence,  and 
pleasant  manners.  As,  pushing  back  his  chair,  he  arose 
to  express  his  gratitude  for  the  magnificent  mark  of  the 
goodwill  of  those  around  him,  he  looked  the  model  of 
a  sportsman,  and  of  an  English  country  gentleman. 

It  was  not  without  some  difficulty  that  he  repressed 
feelings,  that,  at  first,   seemed  likely  to  overcome  him  ; 
but   warming  to  his  work,    his    audience    soon   became 
aware  that  they  were    listening  to   a  man    gifted   with 
oratorical  powers  of  no  common  order.     At  political  and 
other  dinners  he  had  previously  given  the  public  a  taste 
of  his    quality  as    a    speaker,   but   on  this  occasion  his 
feelings   gave   such  fire  to  his  words,  that  the  hearts  of 
his  hearers  were  deeply  touched.     On  resuming  his  seat 
it   seemed   as  though   the  roof  of  the  old  county  ball- 
room must  needs  collapse  with  the   loud,  long-continued 
applause.     It  is  sad  to  know  that  this  splendid  tribute  of 
gratitude  and  esteem  was  never  destined  to  decorate  the 
table  of  him  to  whom  it  was  presented.     Too  large  for  the 
dinner-table  of  the  house  in   which   Mr.  Payne  passed 
the  latter  years  of  his  life,  it  remained  under  the  care  of 
the  silversmiths  (Messrs.  Smith  of  Long  Acre)  in  whose 
atelier  it  was  produced.     On  the  death  of  the  owner  it 
was    bequeathed   to    Lord  Spencer   as   an  heirloom,  on 

L 


1 46  The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present,    [chap.  iv. 

condition  tliat  it  never  was  allowed  to  leave  the  county^ 
or  pass  into  other  hands  than  those  of  the  Lords  of 
Althorp. 

To  the  great  regret  of  all  the  county_,  and  indeed,  of 
all  huntiig-men,  Mr.  Payne  resigned  the  Mastership  of 
the  "  P.H.^^  in  1848,  and  having  done  so  was  scarcely 
ever  seen  again  at  the  cover-side.  He  would  inquire 
how  things  were  going  on  in  the  old  county,  and  liked 
to  hear  of  any  notable  run,  but  he  never  cared  again  to 
join  in  the  sport. 

One  of  the  greatest  of  speculators,  he  never  tried  the 
grand  speculation  of  all  of  entering  a  married  life,  and 
whether  he  took  warning  from  the  man  who  declared 
"  that  his  wife  had  doubled  the  expenses  of  life, 
and  halved  the  pleasures,^^  or  whether,  like  a  Bishop 
Whately,  he  looked  upon  women  as  '^  interesting 
creatures  who  never  reason,  and  poke  the  fire  atop,"  it 
does  not  seem  that  at  any  time  of  his  life  he  seriously 
contemplated  matrimony. 

AVhat  he  might  have  become  had  he  been  suitably 
mated,  who  can  tell  ?  To  those  who  knew  him  best  there 
arise  visions  of  a  country  gentleman,  leader  of  society, 
Master  of  hounds,  Chairman  of  Quarter  Sessions, 
Member  of  Parliament,  possessing  everything  that  makes 
life  desirable,  including  a  popularity  probably  un- 
equalled. But  it  was  not  so  to  be.  Left  to  float 
alone  on  a  sea  never  at  rest ;  tossed  hither  and  thither 
on  the  waves  of  never-ceasing  excitement,  he  became 
a  noble  derelict,  rescued  by  friendly  salvors  from  utter 
shipwreck. 

On  the  10th  of  August,  1878,  at  Lewes  Races,  he  was 
attacked  by  a  paralytic  seizure,  from  which  he  never 


CHAP.  IV.]  Death  of  Mr.  G.  Payne.  147 

recovered,  and  he  died  on  September  2nd,  in  bis  honse  in 
Queen  Street,  May  Fair,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year.  In 
the  book  entitled  '^  Famous  Racing-Men,"  this  event  is 
thus  spoken  of :  ^^  Mr.  Payne's  death  was  sincerely  felt 
and  deplored  by  thousands,  from  the  Queen  herself  to  the 
humblest  Northamptonshire  tradesman ;  and  the  reason 
is  not  far  to  seek.  Gr.  Payne  was  a  sterling  English 
gentleman — sincere  and  unaffected  in  bearing — upright 
in  his  dealings — the  soul  of  honour,  and  as  one  of  his 
oldest  friends  said  of  him  years  ago,  '  beloved  by  men, 
and  idolized  by  women,  children  and  dogs.^'^  In  the 
volume  "  Racing"  of  the  ^^  Badminton  Library  " — one  of 
the  most  delightful  series  of  works  on  sporting  subjects 
ever  published — this  eidolon,  before  which  everybody 
seems  to  have  bowed  down,  is  thus  referred  to  :  ^'  It 
mattered  not  to  whom  he  was  talking — the  gravest 
statesman,  the  most  matter-of-fact  money-grubber,  the 
shyest  girl  ^  out  ^  for  the  first  time  in  her  life — 'One  and 
all,  old  and  young,  left  him  with  the  unalterable  convic- 
tion that  G.  P.  was  the  most  delightful  companion,  he  or 
she  had  ever  come  across ;  and  this  charm  of  manner 
never  left  him  to  the  day  of  his  death.'' 

That  the  ex- Squire  of  Sulby  must  have  been  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  mark  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  on  the 
occurrence  of  his  death,  though  merely  a  ''  Prince  of  the 
Turf  ''  and  of  the  ^'  Gaming  Table,'^  the  obituary  notices  in 
all  the  leading  journals  were  little  less  complimentary  than 
if  he  had  been  a  great  statesman,  a  successful  general, 
or  an  eminent  divine.  In  his  own  county  and  neigh- 
bourhood, many  a  year  will  elapse  ere  in  hall  or  under 
more  humble  roof,  George  Payne  will  cease  to  be  a  name 
regretted.     A  song  composed  by  a  Northamptonshire 

L  2 


148  The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present,  [chap.  iv. 

farmer  in  1846^  well  sliows  the  estimation  in  which  the 
Master  of  the  ''  RH/'  was  held  :— 

"  A  tumbler  of  punch  to  the  health  of  George  Payne ; 

Come  drink,  my  brave  yeomen,  the  toast ; 
We  prefer  it  to  Burgundy,  claret,  champagne, 

For  a  man  that's  a  whole  county's  boast ! 
Here's  a  glass  for  the  high,  and  a  'go '  for  the  low, 

Eich  and  poor  will  both  bid  him  God  speed ; 
Bv.t  we'll  drink  it  in  punch,  for  we  very  well  know 

Whose  the  foxhunter's  friend  at  his  need  I 
There's  no  brook  that's  too  wide,  and  no  buUliach  too  high 

When  he  settles  himself  in  his  seat, 
As  he  cheers  on  his  hounds  in  a  scent,  in  full  cry. 

And  for  pace,  Sir,  be  cannot  be  beat. 
When  his  musical  notes  through  Vanderplank  ring, 

And  Lilbourne  resounds  to  his  voice, 
I  care  not  what  rivals  old  England  may  bring, 

George  Payne  is  the  winner  for  choice. 
In  a  county  all  grass,  and  where  foxes  abound. 

And  with  farmers  so  fond  of  the  sport, 
'T would  be  sad  not  to  hear  the  blythe  cry  of  a  hound. 

Or  forget  one  of  such  a  good  sort. 
So  we'll  drink  to  the  health  of  the  man  of  first  flight, 

And  the  first  in  the  flight  is  '  George  Payne,' 
And  when  wanting  a  sportsman  to  do  what  is  I'ight, 

We  shall  know  where  to  find  him  again." 


END    OF    THE    HISTOEY. 


PAET  11. 


OF    THE 


HISTOEY  OF  THE  PYTCHLEY  HUNT, 

IN 

MEMOIES     OP    THE     MASTEES 

AFTEE   THE    RETIREMENT   OF 

MR.  GEORGE  PAYNE. 

LORD  ALFORD. 

1848. 

It  was  fortunate  for  the  Pytchley  Hunt  and  its 
members^  that  on  the  resignation  of  the  Mastership  of 
Mr.  Payne,  a  suitable  successor  should  have  been  on  the 
spot,  as  it  were,  to  fill  the  vacated  situation.  To  follow 
such  a  man  as  the  ex-Squire  of  Sulby  greatly  enhanced 
the  responsibility  attached  to  an  office  which  of  all  others 
required  to  be  burdened  with  no  extra  weight.  The 
small  boy  who  when  desired  by  a  school-inspector  to  give 
him  his  idea  of  the  meaning  of  "responsibility'^  replied, 
"  If  I  had  only  two  buttons  on  my  trousers,  and  one  of 
them  was  to  come  off,  the  whole  responsibility  would 
rest  on  the  other  "  must  have  been  a  lad  "  with  all  his 
buttons  on  ;  "  no  more  just  appreciation  of  the  exact 
significance  of  a  term  can  well  be  imagined.  To  come 
after  a  man  like  Mr.  Payne,  and  to  fail  in  any  one  of  the 
points  which    had   made  him    so    popular   would   have 


1 50     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

exposed  the  new  Master  to  those  comparisons  which  do 
not  assist  in  bearing  a  newly-undertaken  burden. 
Happily  in  the  case  of  the  new  '^  chef '^  there  was  no  need 
for  comparison.  Half  a  county-man^  from  having 
married  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  Marquis  of  North- 
ampton— residing  at  Harleston  House — devoted  ,  to 
hunting,  and  a  brilliant  rider,  it  was  not  possible  to  find 
a  man  more  acceptable  to  the  farmers  and  landlords  of 
the  ''^P.H.^'  than  Viscount  Alford,  eldest  son  of  Earl 
Brownlow.  With  charming  manners  and  a  remarkabl}^ 
aristocratic  mien  and  appearance,  the  new  Master 
speedily  found  himself  enjoying  a  popularity  which  is 
only  to  be  acquired  by  not  allowing  the  wish  to  show 
sport  to  engender  a  harassing  policy  in  the  field.  No 
greater  mistake  can  be  entertained  by  a  master  of  hounds 
than  to  be  constantly  ^^  nagging"  at  the  horsemen  who  do 
not  do  everything  exactly  "according  to  Cocker."  A 
strongly  expressed  monition,  if  hounds  are  being  over- 
ridden or  some  neglect  of  the  evident  necessity  of  the 
moment  is  being  put  in  practice,  is  always  received  as 
deserved  and  opportune.  The  writer,  however,  after  an 
experience  of  more  than  half  a  century  of  Men  and 
Masters  is  convinced  that  in  the  interests  of  sport,  even 
the  totally  let-alone  policy  is  preferable  to  the  one  of 
constant  remonstrance.  "  Fussiness "  in  a  Master 
produces  irritation  in  those  that  hunt  with  him,  and  that 
begets  a  spirit  of  "  you-be-hangedness  "  which  should 
never  exist  between  a  M.F.H.  and  his  field. 

For  some  years,  an  over-keen  Master  (with  a  by  no 
means  over-good  temper)  of  a  neighbouring  pack,  robbed 
the  day's  hunting  of  more  than  half  its  enjoyment  by  his 
frequent  interference  with  innocent  offenders,  and  the 


Lord  AlforcCs  MastersJiip.  151 

surliness  of  his  Huntsman  did  not  detract  from  the 
general  discomfort.  There  probably  is  no  position  in 
which  tact  and  a  knowledge  of  human  nature  are  more 
necessary  than  that  of  a  M.F.H.,  and  woe  betide  both  him 
and  the  county  where  these  are  greatly  lacking.  Lord 
Alford  well  knew  when  and  to  what  extent  the  crack  of 
his  whip  should  be  heard ;  but  he  never  allowed  it  to  get 
beyond  the  confines  of  courtesy  or  to  excite  ill-will. 

Mr.  Payne,  who  had  bought  fifteen  couple  of  hounds  at 
the  sale  of  Mr.  Green,  when  he  gave  up  the  Quorn 
county,  had  very  few  hounds,  being  unwilling  to  spare 
his  best  bitches,  and  the  kennel  was  principally  kept  np 
by  drafts  from  Lord  Heury  Bentinck.  Lord  Alford 
began  with  a  large  draft  from  the  Belvoir  kennel,  since 
which  time  for  some  years,  Charles  Payn  principally  used 
the  blood  of  Lord  Fitzwilliam's  and  the  Belvoir  kennels. 

If  ever  dog  was  the  object  of  a  man's  idolatry,  the 
Belvoir  hound  ^'  Pillager  ^^  was  the  one  before  whom 
Charles  Payn  was  ready  at  any  time  to  fall  down  and 
worship.  We  read  in  the  pages  of  "  Silk  and  Scarlet  ^' 
that  this  paragon  of  fox-hounds  ran  for  six  seasons  with- 
out ever  requiring  a  taste  of  the  whip,  and  that  in  1858 
there  were  twenty  couple  of  hounds — mostly  tan — related 
to  him.  "  Pliant,"  one  of  his  daughters,  seems  to  have 
distinguished  herself  in  a  run  of  thirty-five  minutes  from 
Lord  Spencer's  cover  to  Sulby  reservoir.  The  fox  after 
running  along-side  the  reservoir  for  some  distance,  dashed 
in  midway;  the  pack  followed,  and  on  reaching  the  middle 
cast  themselves  right  and  left,  whereas  Pliant  went 
straight  across  and  got  half  a  mile  beyond  Sulby  Hall 
before  she  was  caught.  The  fox  was  so  washed  that  the 
hounds  never  "  enjoyed  it ''  after  emerging  from  the  water, 


152      The  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Pa  si  and  Present. 

and  made  his  escape.  Pillager  died  somewhat  suddenly 
of  inflammation  of  the  liver  in  his  sixth  season,  to  the 
great  regret  of  his  numerous  admirers. 

A  case  of  wilful  and  genuine  vulpecidism  is  usually 
looked  upon  in  a  hunting-country  as  an  act  so  base  that 
it  never  could  have  been  perpetrated  before.  The  offence, 
possibly,  may  be  considered  co-eval  with  '^  original  sin"  ! 
At  the  time  of  which  we  are  speaking  a  vulpecide — forget- 
ful of  the  warning  ^'  be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out '' 
— attended  a  Meet  two  or  three  days  after  a  well  proven 
case  of  fox-murder.  He  had  scarcely  shown  his  face  when 
an  honest  and  indignant  yeoman  ^^  went  for  him,"  and 
compelled  him  to  hide  his  shame  by  a  hasty  and  prudent 
retreat. 

Hoping  to  improve  the  breed  of  foxes,  the  new  Master 
turned  down  at  Cottesbrooke  six  brace  of  the  largest 
Scotch  ones  he  could  procure.  For  two  seasons  not  one 
of  these  fresh  importations  was  found,  and  Charles  Payne 
could  never  come  across  or  even  hear  of  more  than  half  of 
them.  Nothing  disappears  more  mysteriouslj^,  or  in  every 
way  conduct  themselves  more  disappointingly  than  foxes 
imported  from  other  districts.  Shortly  before  giving  up 
the  Pytchley  country.  Sir  Bellingham  Graham  got  a 
quantity  of  foxes  from  Herring  in  the  New  Road,  and 
turned  them  down  about  Lamport,  but  they  vanished  to  a 
fox,  and  not  one  of  them  was  found  during  the  short 
remainder  of  that  season. 

It  was  during  the  Mastership  of  Lord  Alford,  that 
Mr.  H.  Barraud  painted  the  well-known  and  popular 
picture  of  the  '^  Meet  at  Crick."  Out  of  forty-three 
figures  there  represented  ten  only  remain  to  tell  the  tale 
of  a  '^  Crick  Meet "  in  the  reign  of  John  Hume,  Viscount 


Loi'd  A Ifords  M aster sh ip,  153 

Alford  (b.  1812^  d.  1851).  These  survivors  are  Lord  Bate- 
rnaiij  Lord  Henley_,  Sir  Eainald  Knightiey,  Sir  T.  Steele, 
Messrs.  Arkwright,  H.  0.  Netliercote/  the  present  Sir 
F.  Head,  Mr.  E.  Lee  Bevan,  Charles  Payne,  and  Ned 
Kingsbury. 

Of  the  group  there  represented,  apart  from  the  Master 
himself,  who,  mounted  on  a  beautiful  chestnut,  bought  of 
Sam  Pell  of  Ecton,  is  talking  to  his  predecessor  in  office, 
Mr.  George  Payne,  the  names  of  Sir  Francis  Bond  Head, 
General  Sir  Thomas  Steele,  Sir  Rainald  Knightley  and 
Mr.  Stirling  Crawfurd  are  all  more  or  less  familiar  to  the 
sportiug  public.  The  welter  weight  on  the  ground, 
holding  his  horse  in  his  left  hand,  talking  to  Charles 
Payn,  is  the  one-time  well  known  West  of  Dallington. 
A  Northamptonshire  yeoman  of  the  grand  old  sort,  to 
him  hunting  was  the  real  enjoyment  of  life.  Hiding 
about  seventeen  stone,  and  usually  having  under  him  low 
thick  horses,  lacking  alike  in  pace  and  quality,  he 
possessed  that  within  which  enabled  him  to  overcome  the 
drawbacks  of  the  bones  being  lined  over-well,  and  the 
pocket  too  scantily.  Occasional  hints  from  a  well-used 
pair  of  persuaders  and  vocal  monitions  from  some  point 
very  low  down  in  his  "manly  bosom,"  saw  him  safe 
through  or  over  many  a  fence,  which  had  been  met  with 
a  "  No,  I  thank  you  '^  from  some  better  mounted  men. 
A  good  farmer,  he  made  an  indifferent  occupation  carry 
him  fairly  well,  ere  prices  began  to  wear  a  vanishing 
figure  ;  but  he  had  few  equals  in  making  an  indifferent 
mount  carry  hiui  across  a  country. 

Being    one    who,  as    far    as    in    him  lay,  was  deter- 

^  Since  the  nbove  was  written,  the  author  whose  hand  had  traced 
it  has  also,  ahis  !  *'  joined  the  majority." — Ed. 


1 54     ^/^^  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Past  and  Present. 

mined  to  keep  ou  the  line  of  the  liounds,  he  was  often 
heard  to  say  that  ^'  he  could  not  understand  why  people 
went  out  hunting  if  they  did  not  mean  to  ride  straight." 
Whilst  enunciatiDg  this  opinion,  little  did  he  remember 
that  out  of  the  many  who  in  the  winter-time  choose  to 
take  their  pleasuring  in  a  hunting-country,  not  one  in 
twenty-five  cares  for  anything  but  the  sociability — the 
spice  of  swagger — the  air  and  exercise.  Let  a  decree  go 
forth  that  all  the  (hunting)  world  shall  be  taxed  accord- 
ing to  individual  performance  with  hounds — that  the 
"  Customer  ^'  should  pay  lightly — and  the  "  Funker  "  be 
mulcted  in  proportion  to  his  funkiness,  how  many  would 
remain  to  send  in  a  return  to  the  tax-collector  ?  The 
now  too-thickly  frequented  Meets  would  be  shorn  of 
three-fourths  of  their  numbers,  and  the  non-advertising 
experiment  would  give  way  to  extra  publicity.  Happily 
it  is  given  to  few  to  believe  that  in  their  case  ^'  nerve  ^' 
is  an  unknown  quantity.  They  see  very  plainly  that 
poor  Shufiier  is  a  terrible  muff,  and  scarcely  refrain  from 
uncomplimentary  criticisms  on  his  style  of  riding;  but 
they  are  more  or  less  blind  to  the  mote  that  is  in  their 
own  eye.  After  dinner,  such  as  these,  on  the  third  or 
fourth  circular  journey  of  the  decanter  of  port  or  claret, 
almost  persuade  themselves  that  they  '^  will  have  a  cut 
at  some  big  brook  ^'  on  the  morrow,  and  the  feeling 
"  crescit  bibendo  ^' — but  on  the  morrow^s  advent  the 
distant  bridge  is  irresistible.  The  ^'  P.H.""  has  not  been 
without  some  remarkable  examples  of  members  troubled 
with  ^''  jumpophobia.^^  Many  remember  an  ex-captain 
of  a  distinguished  infantry  regiment,  who,  hunting  from 
Northampton  for  seven  consecutive  years,  was  never 
seen    to   jump    but    once.     On    this    occasion  a  line  of 


L ord  Alfoi^d's  Mastership,  155 

hurdles  barred  furtlier  progress,  and  no  friendly  rustic 
beinpr  near  to  remove  one,  there  was  nothing  for  it  but 
*^to  do  or  die/^  The  horse  was  willing,  but  the  owner 
weak.  The  unwonted  call  upon  his  energies  induced  the 
surprised  '^'^quad^''  to  rise  higher  than  was  anticipated, 
and  the  displaced  rider  found  to  his  mortification  that 
the  saddle  is  not  always  one  of  those  things  which  stick 
closer  than  a  brother.  The  performance  did  not  escape 
the  kind  observations  of  sundry  onlookers,  and  "laughter 
rang  around.^'  It  is  not  probable  that  the  provider  of 
the  merriment  just  recorded  ever  persuaded  himself  that 
he  would  become  a  ^^  hard  mau  ;  '"^  nor  why  should  he  ? 
Let  every  man  enjoy  himself  in  the  hunting-field  or  else- 
where as  best  suits  his  own  idiosynprasy.  To  do  such 
violence  to  his  own  feelings  as  to  cause  his  heart  to  leave 
its  rightful  spot  and  take  up  a  position  in  the  mouth  is 
not  required  of  any  man.  Upon  such  as  these,  however, 
the  honest  yeoman — a  straight  goer  in  the  walks  as  well 
as  rides  of  life — looked  with  pity,  not  unmingled  with  a 
spice  of  contempt.  A  true  sportsman_,  cheery  and  re- 
spectful in  manner,  William  West  long  enjoyed  the  good- 
will and  esteem  of  all  his  neighbours,  but  a  cloud  over- 
shadowed him  during  the  last  few  years  of  his  life ;  but 
the  hunting- da}' s  he  loved  to  recall  when  all  things  else 
had  well-nigh  passed  out  of  recollection. 

A  different  stamp  of  horseman  was  Mr.  Sam.  Pell,  a 
farmer  well  known  in  those  days,  who  standing  some- 
what at  the  back  in  the  Crick  picture,  seems  to  be 
looking  at  the  rider  of  an  animal  which  shortly  before 
had  occupied  a  stall  in  his  own  stable.  The  P.H. 
members  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  will  not  soon 
forget  the  tell-tale  visage — the  hat  with  brims  of  dean- 


156      The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

like  curl — and  the  determined  riding  of  another  farmer 
of  the  Pytchley  Hunt,  Sam  Pell  of  Ecton.  To  see  him 
at  the  Meet,  the  men  who  knew  him  not  would  say  that 
he  was  no  strict  observer  of  the  formularies  of  the 
Rechabites  and  that  it  was  evident  that  in  his  opinion  it 
was  not  required  of  any  man  "  always  to  come  home  to 
tea."  The  stranger  who  had  gauged  his  habits  thus,  and 
a  little  later  had  seen  him  go  to  hounds,  must  have 
confessed  that  abstinence  is  not  always  the  best  policy, 
where  nerve  is  required.  No  one  liked  a  big  place  better 
or  more  quickly  made  up  his  mind  where  it  was  most 
negotiable ;  few  farmers  had  a  better  class  of  horse  or 
more  completely  repudiated  the  "lardy  dardy'"*  style  of 
riding  them  :  but  his  "  form  ^'  across  country  was  rather 
that  of  valour  than  of  its  better  part — discretion.  Of 
prudence  he  knew  nothing  or  but  very  little,  and  before 
the  end  of  "  a  real  good  thing  "  he  had  but  too  often 
come  to  grief  over  some  all  but  impracticable  place. 

Bright  and  joyous  in  speech  and  manner,  he  ever 
seemed,  when  at  the  cover-side,  as  if  he  had  not  a  care 
in  the  world;  but  *' post  equitem  sedet  atra  cura^^  and  it 
was  not  to  be  expected  that  even  he  had  at  all  times  the 
saddle  all  to  himself.  In  spite  of  air,  exercise  and  a 
healthful  calling,  when  still  in  the  prime  of  life  he  was 
fain  to  obey  the  irresistible  summons,  and  the  P.H.  lost 
from  amongst  its  followers  one  who  was  looked  upon  as 
a  good  specimen  of  the  hard-riding  Farmer. 

Hugging  themselves  under  the  anticipation  of  a  long 
continuance  of  a  Mastership  they  thoroughly  appreciated, 
the  members  of  the  Hunt  were  struck  with  dismay  and 
regret  when  it  became  known  that  Lord  Alford  from 
delicacy  of  health  had  become  necessitated  to  discontinue 


The  Hon.  Frederick  Viltiers  Mastership.   157 

all  active  exercise^  and  he  was  compelled  to  resign  a 
post  the  occupation  of  which  he  seemed  thoroughly  to 
enjoy. 


THE  HON.  FREDERICK  VILLIERS. 

The  difficulty  of  finding  a  successor  to  Lord  Alford 
was  soon  happily  overcome,  the  Hon.  Frederick  Yilliers 
undertaking  to  fill  the  vacant  office.  The  purchase  of 
Sulby  Hall  and  the  estate  from  Mr.  George  Payne 
having  given  Mr.  Villiers  the  position  of  a  county 
proprietor^  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  find  a  more 
suitable  Master  for  the  P.H.  An  elegant,  though  not 
powerful  hoi^eman  like  his  father.  Lord  Jersey,  Mr. 
Villiers  rode  well  to  hounds,  and  from  invariably  eschew- 
ing horses  with  no  manners,  he  was  certain  to  form  one 
of  the  front  rank  during  a  good  thing.  Holdings  his 
field  well  in  hand,  he  never  failed  to  give  the  doer  of 
mischief  "  a  bit  of  his  mind/'  but  never  exceeded  the 
rights  of  his  position,  nor  made  a  too  constant  remon- 
strance. An  excellent  man  of  business,  the  new  owner 
of  Sulby  threw  himself  thoroughly  into  all  county  mat- 
ters, and  never  permitted  pleasure  to  take  the  precedence 
of  duty.  Two  years,  however,  saw  the  completion  of  a 
first  term  of  office  as  M.F.H. ;  and  at  the  end  of  1852, 
the  P.H.  was  once  more  filling  the  role  of  "  flock  without 
a  shepherd.'^ 


LORD  HOPETOUN. 

At  a  time  when  it  seemed  there  would  be  some  diffi- 
culty in  procuring  a  successor  to  Mr.  F.  Yilliers  for  the 


158     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  a7id  Present. 

"  P.H/'  Mastership,  a  youDg  Scotch  Earl  stepped  in  to 
fill  the  gap. 

Having  only  recently  left  Oxford,  where  he  may  be 
said  to  have  first  acquired  his  hunticg  tastes^  Lord 
Hopetoun  found  himself  at  a  very  early  age  without  any 
experience  of  mankind  or  "  dogkind/''  occupying  the 
responsible  post  of  a  Master  of  Fox  Hounds  in  a  crack 
country.  Naturally  shy^  and  dislikiug  any  society  except 
that  of  a  few  old  college-friends,,  the  position  did  not 
appear  to  be  such  an  one  as  would  adapt  itself  to  the 
idiosyncrasies  of  the  youug  Scotch  nobleman ;  but  he 
held  it  nevertheless  for  four  seasons,  much  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  members  of  the  Hunt.  Whether  not 
being  called  upon  for  the  usual  subscription  or  not  being 
called  to  order  in  the  hunting-field  for  transgressions 
ever  so  great,  in  any  way  influenced  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  those  who  hunted  with  him,  it  is  certain  that 
Lord  Hopetoun  earned  for  himself  a  popularity  that  any 
Master  might  covet.  This  is  the  more  remarkable  from 
bis  never  laying  himself  out  to  please — from  his  marked 
coldness  to  strangers — and  his  dislike  to  making  new 
acquaintances.  That  things  went  as  well  as  they  did 
may  be  attributed  in  a  great  measure  to  his  having 
for  his  Huntsman  a  man  so  universally  liked  and  esteemed 
as  Charles  Payn. 

From  him  he  gladly  picked  up  the  rudiments  of 
hound-lore,  and  some  knowledge  of  kennel-ways  and 
necessities,  and  so  became  in  a  measure  to  feel  himself  at 
home  in  a  position  for  which  he  was  not  naturally 
adapted  by  habits  or  disposition.  A  natural  judge  of  a 
horse  he  required  little  assistance  in  the  selection  of  his 
own  animals  or  those  for  the  kennels  :  and   probably  at 


Lord  Hopetoun  s  Mastership,  159 

no  time  have  there  been  more  good  hunters  in  the  Brix- 
worth  stables  than  during  his  Mastership. 

Commenciug  apparently  without  any  nerve  or  even 
desire  for  a  forward  place  in  a  run^  he  gradually  trained 
on  into  being  an  exceedingly  hard  man,  and  pretty  sure  to 
be  found  amongst  the  first  flight.  For  the  first  season 
or  two,  his  chief  delight  seemed  to  be  to  derive  laughing- 
material  out  of  the  falls  and  any  ludicrous  incident  he 
chanced  to  witness  during  the  day ;  any  misadventure 
a.t  water  being  a  source  of  especial  and  unlimited  delight. 
Naturally  clever,  and  with  a  keen  eye  for  the  ridiculous, 
nothing  escaped  his  observation  or  remark.  Seeing  a 
friend  arrive  at  the  Meet  one  day,  riding  a  horse  whose 
tail  was  nearly  hairless  and  stuck  almost  straight  up,  he 
addressed  him  with:  ^^Why,  Yernon,  what  luck  you 
were  in  to  pick  up  such  a  horse  as  that ;  his  tail  will 
serve  as  a  capital  hat-peg  when  you  don't  want  to  hunt 
him."  From  that  day  to  the  last  hour  of  his  sojourn  in 
Northamptonshire,  the  owner  of  the  animal  with  the 
peculiar  extremity  was  known  as  ^'  Hat-peg  Yernon," 
and  is  still  spoken  of  as  such  when  alluded  to  by  any  of 
the  older  members  of  the  Hunt. 

Pitsford  Hall,  as  usual,  was  hired  by  the  noble  lord  as 
his  residence ;  thus  becoming  for  the  fifth  time  since 
1821  the  hunting  abode  of  the  Master  of  the  '^  P.H." 

That  Lord  Hopetoun  took  the  rough  with  the  smooth, 
and  did  not  shirk  the  somewhat  weary  days  in  the 
Woodlands,  is  shown  in  the  pages  of  "  Silk  and  Scarlet/^ 
where  we  find  that  he  and  his  friend  Captain  Newland 
remained  with  the  hounds  on  one  occasion  from  5.15 
a.m.  to  3  p.m.  It  seems  that  the  fox  was  found  in  a 
plantation  close  to  the  road  between  Kettering  and  Stam- 


1 6o     The  Pytckley  Hunt,  Past  a7id  Present, 

ford,  soon  after  five  on  a  morning  early  in  August,  1853. 
After  being  at  it  for  three  hours  the  hounds  changed  on 
to  a  shabby  little  vixen,  who  slipped  like  a  witch  through 
the  briars  and  sedge,  and  fairly  defied  the  dog-pack  to 
make  her  break.  During  the  whole  day  they  threw  up 
only  twice,  and  for  four  hours  expected  to  kill  every 
minute.  At  3  p.m.  Lord  Hopetoun  and  Captain  JSTew- 
land,  quite  tired  out,  went  home.  A  sort  of  cordon  of 
country-people  was  drawn  up  in  one  corner,  but  the 
little  vixen  slipped  through  them  over  and  over  again, 
and  even  when  the  second  Whip  had  been  sent  to  Brig- 
stocke  for  four  couple  of  the  best  bitches,  and  had  tried 
their  best  for  another  hour,  she  was  as  lively  and 
inexhaustible  in  her  dodges  as  ever.  Every  hound  was 
stripped  bare  in  his  breast  and  forelegs,  and  some  dropped 
beaten  on  the  road  on  their  way  home.  To  the 
enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  working  of  hounds  this  may 
have  been  a  day  of  unmitigated  delight  and  enjoyment, 
but  to  any  ordinary  mortal  the  scene  must  have  been  one 
of  intolerable  fatigue,  weariness  and  monotony,  and  a 
warning'  against  a  too  frequent  indulgence  in  the  so-called 
pleasures  of  hunting  in  the  dog-days. 

In  the  following  season  Lord  Hopetoun  had  the  good 
fortune  to  be  able  to  boast  that  his  hounds  had  shown 
the  best  run  ever  seen  with  the  Pytchley  up  to  that  time, 
and  with  which  in  the  eyes  of  his  huntsman,  Charles 
Payn,  "  the  great  Waterloo  run  '^  is  in  no  way  compa- 
rable. The  details  of  this  excellent  day's  sport  were  as 
follows  : — 

On  November  21st,  1854,  a  stormy  morning  which 
cleared  off  into  a  lovely  day,  a  large  field  met  the 
Pytchley  at  North  Kilworth,  and  in  a  coppice  under  Mr. 


L  07' d  Hope  tote  n '  ^  Masfersh  ip,  1 6 1 

Gougli's  (than  wkom  no  better  preserver  of  foxes  ever 
lived)  house^  a  fox  was  found  wlio  went  away  by  North 
Kil worth  House  through  Caldecott  Spinney,  nearly  to 
Misterton,  where  he  turned  to  the  left  near  Swinford, 
left  Stanford  Hall  on  the  right,  South  Kilworth  on  the 
left,  and  crossing  the  Welland  ran  straight  up  to  the 
Pond  Close  at  Hemplow.  Entering  none  of  the  covers, 
he  made  his  way  up  to  Welford  toll-bar,  the  time  up  to 
this  point  being  fifty  minutes  almost  without  a  check,  and 
the  pace  excellent.  The  hounds  then  swimming  on  by 
Naseby  Woollies,  skirted  Sulby  Gorse,  Naseby  covert  and 
"  Tally  Ho,"  traversed  Kelmarsh  osier-bed  and  the 
Church  Spinney,  and  crossing  the  Harboro'  road,  made 
for  Johnson^s  Furze.  Headed  here,  the  fox  made  for 
Scotland  Wood,  but  sticking  to  the  siding  he  left  it  at 
the  middle  gate  on  the  road  to  Hazelbeach,  passed 
through  Maid  well  Dales,  skirted  Berrydale,  and  leaving 
Cottesbrooke  on  the  right,  also  Creaton,  Spratton  and 
Chapel  Brampton  villages  on  the  same  quarter,  he  ran 
up  to  the  Rev.  G.  Howard  Vyse's  garden  at  Boughton. 
Here  the  hounds  nearly  caught  their  fox,  but  he 
contrived  to  slip  them,  and  making  back  through  the 
osier-bed,  he  got  to  ground  in  the  main  earths  in 
Boughton  Clump,  after  running  two  hours  and  twenty- 
five  minutes.  It  was  nearly  an  eighteen  miles  point,  and 
hounds  must  have  run  about  twenty-six.  Charles  Payne, 
after  the  manner  of  all  Huntsmen,  was  satisfied,  by  his 
peculiar  mode  of  skirting  all  the  covers,  that  it  was  the 
same  fox  throughout  ;  and  if  so,  a  stouter  animal  never 
lived  before  hounds.  Out  of  a  field  of  two  hundred  at 
starting,  not  more  than  five  or  six  lived  to  see  the  end, 
amongst  whom  were  Lord  Hopetoun,  who  finished  on  his 


1 62      The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

hack^  wliich  he  fortunately  came  up  witli  on  his  way  home, 
Colonel  Shirley,  Mr.  Edmunds  of  Gruilsboro^,  Mr.  El- 
worthy  of  Brixworth, Charles  Payne,  and  Jack  Woodcock, 
first  Whip. 

Up  to  the  Spratton  road  no  one  had  gone  better  than 
Mr.  Fred.  Yilliers ;  but  at  this  point,  with  three  shoes  off, 
and  a  horse  completely  done  up,  he  was  fain  to  cry 
"  hold,  enono-h,''  and  hope  to  hear  of,  if  he  could  not 
witness,  a  kill.  C.  Payn  was  fortunate  in  having  two  of 
his  best  horses  out,  ISTobbler  and  Firefly,  and  came 
across  the  second  in  the  very  nick  of  time.  At  the 
close  of  a  career  of  fifty  years  with  hounds  he  maintains 
that  this  was  the  finest  run  he  ever  saw,  and  that  the 
*^  Waterloo  day  ^'  is  not  to  be  mentioned  with  it  in  any 
way.  To  this  statement,  inasmuch  as  it  was  far  the 
better  scenting-day  of  the  two — that  during  the  two  hours 
and  twenty-five  minutes  occupied  in  accomplishing  the 
twenty-six  miles,  there  were  two  separate  forty  minutes 
of  the  highest  character — that  the  country  (except  about 
Naseby)  was  mostly  grass — and  that  the  going  was 
particularly  sound  and  good — the  writer,  who  was 
present  on  each  occasion,  gives  his  unqualified  sanction. 

Two  years  subsequently  to  this,  a  letter  to  the  Editor 
of  the  Northamjpton  Herald  gives  an  admirable  sketch 
of  the  ''  P.H/^  as  it  existed  at  that  season — the  last  of 
Lord  Hopetoun^s  Mastership.     It  ran  as  follows : — 

"The   Pytchley  Hounds. 

"Me.  Editor, — Many  a  time  during  the  present  season 
have  I  found  myself  at  the  cover  side  with  the  above- 
named  pack,  an  old  and  early  love,  to  which  I  return 
with  all  the  greater  zest  from  the  long  interval  that  has 


Lord  Hopefoim's  Mastership.  i6 


J 


occurred  between  the  days  of  my  first  courtsliip  and  the 
current  year.     Alas  ! 

Many  a  lad  I  loved  is  dead, 
And  many  a  lass  grown  old, 

and  the  only  men  I  recognized  as  representing  the  men 
of  old  time  were  those  of  Knightley,  Isted,  Nethercote, 
Isham  and  the  young  heir  of  Althorp.  In  vain  did  I  ask 
to  be  shown  a  Cooke^  an  Elwes^  a  Hanbury,  a  Payne^  a 
Hungerford — names  that  will  stir  the  blood  of  many  a 
snowy  head,  and  recall  visions  of  the  days  from  Dick 
Knight  to  the  ^  Squire/  and  his  glorious  bitch-pack.  But 
though  these  be  gone,  their  places  are  not  unworthily 
filled. 

^^  Messrs.  Yilliers,  Oust,  Sir  G.  Jenkiuson,  Clerk, 
Bevan,  Franklin  (Hazelbeach)  and  last,  that  brave  old 
sportsman  with  hair  of  snow  and  heart  of  oak,  Sir  Francis 
B.  Head,  satisfactorily  make  up  the  gap  which  time  has 
worked.  Nor  should  a  ^  heavy  weight '  be  passed  over, 
who,  hailing  from  Kelmarsh,  finds  few  to  beat  him  across 
the  Waterloo  or  any  other  country,  and  seems  only  too 
forgetful  of  the  fact  that  the  human  frame  is  made  up  of 
separate  limbs,  and  that  each  limb  is  liable  to  fracture. 
Charles  Payne,  the  Huntsman,  is  as  fine  a  rider  as  ever 
steered  a  horse  over  a  fence — is  quick  and  cheery  with 
his  hounds — most  anxious  to  show  sport — and  from  his 
civility  and  excellent  conduct  is  a  favourite  with  every- 
body. One  hint  I  would  venture  to  oS'er  him,  namely, 
that  he  should  be  more  careful  not  to  chop  his  foxes. 
More  than  one  have  I  seen  this  season  snapped  up  for 
lack  of  the  awakening  crack  of  the  whip  ;  and  foxes  here 
are  no  longer  plentiful  as  blackberries ;  indeed,  in  the 

M  2 


164     The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present. 

district  about  Overstone,.  a  fox  is  nearly  as  rare  an  animal 
as  a  wolf.  Though  there  has  been  no  one  run  of  espe- 
cial brilliancy,  the  general  sport  has  been  above  the 
average^  and  more  foxes  have  been  honestly  killed  after 
good  hunting-runs  than  has  been  the  case  for  some 
time. 

"  Badby  Wood,  TVelton  Place,  Braunston,  Yanderplanks, 
Buckby  Folly ;  even  Harleston  Heath,  Loatland  Wood, 
Sulby  Gorse,  and  Alford  Thorns,  have  each  contributed 
a  quota  to  the  general  sport,  and  a  forty -seven  minutes 
from  the  first-mentioned  place  may  perhaps  be  set  down 
as  the  best  thing  of  the  season. 

"  I  must  not  conclude  these  remarks  without  referring 
to  the  heavy  blow  the  country  has  received  in  the  retire- 
ment of  the  noble  Master.  The  magnificent  liberality 
displayed  by  the  Earl  during  the  four  years  of  his  Master- 
8hip_,  combined  with  his  quiet  and  unaggTessive  conduct, 
will  long  be  remembered  with  gratitude,  and  I  doubt  if 
the  Hopetoun  and  Charles  Payne  epoch  will  not  be 
looked  back  upon  in  after  years  as  forming  a  very  palmy 
period  in  the  annals  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt.^' 

A-f  ter  giving  up  the  country,  Lord  Hopetoun  purchased 
a  small  estate,  Papillon  Hall,  near  Lubenham,  and 
hunted  for  several  years  with  Mr.  Tailby  and  his  old 
pack  which  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Yilliers 
and  Charles  Cust,  who  shared  the  Mastership  between 
them  for  a  brief  period. 

In  the  spring  of  1875  the  sad  news  reached  England 
that  Lord  Hopetoun  had  died  suddenly  at  Florence  of  a 
virulent  fever,  the  seeds  of  which  had  been  sown  at  Rome 
or  Naples.  So  universally  known  had  the  ex-Master  of 
the    "  P.H.'^  become     amoogst   hunting'-men,    that    the 


Lord  Hop etotcn^s  Mastership,  165 

intelligence  of  his  deatli  in  the  very  prime  of  life  created 
a  wide-spread  feeling  of  sorrow  and  regret. 

By  nature  clever  enough  to  fill  a  position  requiring 
abilities  above  the  average,  he  had  no  taste  for  public 
life,  and  lacking  ambition  and  habits  af  hard  work,  he 
took  no  part  in  politics,  and  rarely  entered  the  House  of 
Lords.  Possessing  a  retentive  memory,  he  delighted  to 
recount  the  amusing  things  he  had  both  seen  and  heard  ; 
and  among  those  with  whom  he  was  intimate,  he  was 
ever  a  most  entertaining  companion.  Few  things  used 
to  amuse  him  more  than  the  descriptions  of  runs  given 
in  local  newspapers,  the  climax  of  his  enjoyment  having 
been  reached  when  one  day,  during  his  Mastership  of  the 
"  P.H.,^'  in  one  of  the  Northampton  papers  he  read  an 
nccount  of  a  Meet  at  Great  Harrowden,  ending-  with, 
^^  after  waiting  for  a  considerable  time  for  his  lordship^s 
appearance,  the  horn  of  the  Huntsman  was  heard,  and 
the  whole  field  was  seen  advancing  to  the  place  of 
meeting  at  full  cry.^'  He  would  greatly  have  enjoyed 
such  deplorable  announcements  to  sporting  ears  as  are 
now  to  be  seen  in  the  sporting  contributions  to  our 
county  journals,  where  we  read  that  ^^  ^  a  red  un  ^  was 
^  discovered '  in  Overstone  Park,  and  that  after  a  while 
the  Mittle  beggar'  seemed  much  ^fatigued.'''  "That  a 
fine  ^  redskin  '  left  his  ^  city  of  refuge '  and  *  scampered 
up '  the  hill  at  a  brisk  pace  before  his  pursuers.  That 
^  puss  rattled  away  '  for  a  considerable  distance.  That 
Sywell  Hayes  was  ^  scrutinized  '  for  a  ^  sly  un,^  but  ^  pug  ' 
was  else  where.''  Snch  are  a  few  of  the  "  gems  "  of 
sporting  contributions  to  country  journals,  whose  hunting 
literature  ought  to  be  entirely  free  from  such  cockneyfied 
absurdities. 


1 66      The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

THE  HON.  F.  VILLIERS  AND  THE  HON. 
C.  GUST. 

In  allying  himself  with  Mr.  Charles  Gust  in  the  Master- 
ship of  the  P.H.^  which  succeeded  that  of  Lord  Hopetoun 
in  1856,  Mr.  Villiers  had  for  his  partner  one  of  those  who 
by  a  natural  geniality  of  disposition  and  winning  manners 
and  countenance,  seem  throughout  their  career  to  have 
at  their  command  the  wills  and  affections  (especially  the 
latter)  of  all  men.  Beloved  by  his  school-fellows  at 
Eton,  as  well  as  by  his  brother-officers  in  the  Blues,  he 
was  no  less  popular  with  ^'  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
men  '^  at  his  Northamptonshire  home  at  Arthingworth, 
and  his  accession  to  even  a  moiety  of  the  Mastership  of 
the  "  P.H.^^  was  hailed  with  universal  satisfaction. 
Ranking  among  the  welter  weights,  and  never  riding 
horses  of  the  very  highest  class,  he  nearly  touched 
"  customer "  point,  and  when  hounds  were  carrying 
ahead,  never  failed  to  occupy  a  forward  place.  Gonsti- 
tutionally  delicate  in  health,  he  was  compelled  somewhat 
suddenly  to  decline  hunting  soon  after  assuming  a  share 
of  the  responsibilities  of  Mastership  ;  and  on  Mr.  Villiers 
objecting  to  continue  in  office  by  himself,  the  country 
once  more  was  compelled  to  look  about  for  a  Master. 


GOL.  ANSTRUTHER  THOMSON. 

When  the  Chelsea  Seer  declared  that  the  population  ot 
England  numbered  30,000,000  "mostly  fools/'  he  also 
divided  them  into  two  classes,  natural  fools,  and  d — d 
fools ;  the  former  being  fools  who  are  such  by  no  fault 
of  their  own,  fools  congenital,  so  to  say — the  latter  fools, 
in  spite  of  knowing  that  they  are  such.     To  no  one  be- 


Col.  Anstruthe7^  Thomsons  Mastership.     i6y 

longing  to  either  of  these  sections  of  the  human  race  is 
it  possible  to  undertake  the  management  of  a  pack  of 
hounds  with  any  hope  of  success. 

A  knowledge  of  mankind,  womankind^  and  dogkind — 
command  of  temper — graciousness  of  speech — and  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  how  to  say  '^  no  ;  "  coupled  with 
a  willingness  to  say  "  yes  ;  ^^ — ample  means,  united  to  a 
good  acquaintance  with  economic  principles,  are  only 
part  of  the  qualifications  necessary  to  form  an  ideal 
M.F.H.  No  wonder  that  many  of  this  pattern  are  not 
to  be  found ;  but  one  such  sat  in  his  study  one  February 
morning  of  the  year  1864,  and  perused  the  following 
letter  from  an  old  and  dear  friend. 

"  Wootton  Ball.  Feb.  26th,  1864. 

'^My  dear  Jack, — Under  the  influence  of  a  ripping  fifty 
minutes  over  grass,  up  wind,  and  all  just  as  it  ought  to  be, 
I  write  you  a  line  as  a  feeler  about  our  country.  I  have  only 
just  heard  that  you  have  really  given  up  the  ^  Fife.^  I 
know  your  habits  so  well  that  I  am  quite  sure  that  you 
will  not  be  happy  without  a  pack  of  hounds  ;  and  indeed 
the  longer  I  live  the  more  cause  I  have  to  agree  with 
Jorrocks,  ^  that  all  time  is  wasted  that  is  not  spent  in 
hunting.^  Now  do  you  think  that  you  would  like  this 
Pytchley  country  ?  We  shall  have  no  Master  after  this 
season,  as  Spencer  has  quite  decided  to  give  the  hounds 
up.  You  know  the  ^  pros '  and  the  '  cons  '  of  the  Pytchley 
as  well  as  I  do.  It  has  the  best  woodlands  in  the  world. 
You  can  hunt  from  August  to  May,  both  inclusive  as 
they  say.  The  disadvantage  is  the  crowd  on  a  Wednes- 
day, which  you  also  know  from  your  experience  with  the 
Atherstone  does  not  do  half  the  mischief  it  appears  as  if 
it  ought  to  do.     If  there  is  a  scent,  it  is  soon  disposed  of; 


1 68     The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present. 

if  not^  you  have  to  feel  your  way.  From  what  I  see,  I  am 
sure  that  if  you  care  to  take  our  country  you  will  be  well 
supported.  I  am  iiot_,  however,  writing  under  authority  ; 
only  between  ourselves.  We  have  a  capital  pack  of 
hounds,  although  it  is  the  fashion  to  abuse  them.  They 
can  hunt  as  well  as  race.  I  think  that  you  would  enjoy 
riding  over  these  grass  fields,  as  much  as  the  hunting  in 
the  deep  Woodlands  on  the  Kettering  side. 

'^  Don't  tell  Mrs.  Thomson  that  I  am  trying  to  tempt  you 
here,  or  I  shall  be  in  disgrace  with  her;  and  of  course  if  you 
did  come  to  us,  no  one  in  Fife  would  ever  speak  to  me 
again.  I  should  much  like  to  see  you  here,  but  that  of 
course  is  as  much  from  private  and  '  mahogany '  motives 
as  from  my  good  opinion  of  your  ratcatching  quaUties. 
I  should  like  it  if  it  could  come  off. 

"  Ever,  my  dear  Jack, 

*^  Yours  very  truly, 

"  Geoege  Whtte  Melville." 

Anxious  to  secure  the  big  fish  that  he  knew  to  be  lying 
in  the  Fifeshire  waters,  the  angler  threw  his  line  with  all 
the  skill  of  which  he  was  capable,  and  after  awhile  fairly 
landed  the  object  of  his  desire.  Well  knowing  his  man, 
Whyte  Melville  felt  assured  that  in  his  friend  Jack  Thom- 
son, not  only  would  the  country  have  as  its  Master  a 
gentleman  to  whom  not  only  the  science  of  hunting  and  the 
minutige  of  kennel-management  were  as  familiar  as  his 
A.  B.  C,  but  also  one  who  would  reach  the  hearts  of  the 
Farmers  almost  as  much  as  George  Payne  himself  had  done. 
An  inexpressible  charm  of  manner — a  smile  peculiarly 
winning  in  its  brightness — and  a  seat  in  the  saddle  denot- 
ing the  perfect  horseman,  almost  immediately  won  for  the 
new  Master  the  goodwill  of  all  his  latest  constituents. 


Col.  AnstrtUher  Thomson^ s  Maste^'ship.   169 

With  Charles  Payne,  Dick  Eoake,  and  Tom  Firr,  as 
assistants,  the  Pytchley  team  for  1864  presented  a  galaxy 
of  hunting  talent  such  as  few  countries  could  boast ;  and 
it  was  clear  tbat  if  sport  were  lacking,  the  fault  could 
only  rest  with  absence  of  "  scent/^ 

Accustomed  to  large  fields  when  Master  of  the-  Ather- 
stone,  Captain  Thomson  was  little  daunted  by  the 
Pytchley  "  Wednesdays,"  a  drawback  to  which,  as  Whyte 
Melville  shows  in  his  letter,  too  much  importance  has 
ever  been  attributed  as  a  sport-spoiler.  Griven  a  scent 
— a  real  run-any- way  scent — and  in  four  minutes  or  less 
after  a  fox  has  broken  cover,  five  hundred  horsemen 
wdll  in  no  way  affect  the  character  of  a  run.  With  a 
bad  scent  or  greatly-dodging  fox,  numbers  undoubt- 
edly tell  injuriously.  The  less  bold  hounds  are  apt  to 
get  kicked  or  ridden  over,  and  the  field  persist  in  creep- 
ing up  to  the  Huntsman,  and  leave  him  little,  if  any, 
room  for  his  cast  on  either  side.  With  a  scent  such  as 
here  described,  sport  could  not  be  expected,  even  if  the 
Huntsman,  Whips  and  Master  were  the  only  people  out  ; 
and  I  still  cliug  to  the  view  that  a  large  Field  is  no  great 
misfortune  so  far  as  sport  is  conoerned.  The  damage 
done  is  quite  another  matter ;  and  so  long  as  Thomas 
CarlyWs  two  descriptions  of  fools  continue  to  infest  the 
laud,  nothing  will  avail  to  prevent  it. 

The  open  secret  of  the  Pytchley  Wednesday  Meets 
affects  only  the  subscription-list,  and  a  word  of  remon- 
strance from  the  Master  or  any  well-known  member 
of  the  Hunt,  when  injury  is  being  committed  unneces- 
sarily, will  be  of  more  avail  than  any  amount  of  non- 
publicity  and  of  non-advertising. 

The  entourage  of  a  Midland   Wednesday   at  a   crack 


170     The  PytcJiley  Hzmt,  Past  and  Present. 

Meet  must  needs  wear  a  more  or  less  formidable  aspect  in 
the  eyes  of  Master  and  Huntsman ;  but "  nothiug  is  so  bad 
as  it  seems  ;^^  and  it  is  to  be  doubted  if  an  accurate 
return  could  be  made  of  spoit  spoiled  by  the  actual 
crowd  on  these  occasions,  whether  it  would  not  be  a  very 
humble  one.  To  half  a  dozen  irrepressible  individuals, 
actuated  partly  by  jealousy,  partly  by  an  insane  desire  to 
be  almost  on  the  backs  of  the  hounds,  is  to  be  attributed 
all  the  harm  that  one  hears  so  much  of,  as  the  conse- 
quence of  '^  the  enormous  crowd — -" 

"  Vexation  sore  ofttimes  he  bore, 
Strong  language  was  in  vain," 

miglit  be  inscribed  on  the  head-stone  of  many  a  defunct 
Huntsman ;  but  after  all,  the  sum  total  of  what  he  ^^  had 
to  go  through,"  in  getting  a  living  was  a  small  matter 
compared  to  the  heavy  sloughs  of  trouble  through  which 
nine  out  of  ten  in  the  same  situation  of  life  probably  bad 
to  struggle. 

Occupying  at  first  a  temporary  residence  close  to  the 
kennels,  Captain  Thomson  soon  after  moved  to  Pitsford 
Hall,  the  chosen  abode,  as  has  already  appeared,  of  many 
a  Pytchley  Master.  Afterwards  returning  to  Brixworth, 
he  made  a  home  at  the  "  Rookery,"  now  tenanted  by 
Captain  Carden.  For  one  season  he  contented  himself 
with  leaving  the  open  country  to  be  hunted  by  Charles 
Payne,  whilst  he  himself  undertook  the  Woodlands ;  but 
this  arrangement  not  proving  satisfactory,  Payne  accepted 
an  offer  to  transfer  his  services  to  Sir  Watkin  W.  Wynn, 
and  his  master  alone  carried  the  horn. 

To  hunt  hounds  and  manage  the  Field  at  the  same 
time  in  such  a  country  as  the  Pytchley  is  by  no  means  a 


Col.  Anstrtithei^  Thomsons  Mastership,    i  7 1 

task  to  be  undertaken  by  the  man  of  ordinary  acquire- 
ments ;  nor  should  it,  if  possible,  ever  fall  to  the  lot  of 
one  individual.  At  no  time,  however,  did  the  task  seem 
too  much  for  Captain  Thomson's  shoulders,  and  by  put- 
ting the  same  principle  in  practice  in  either  case,  that  is 
to  say  letting  alone  as  much  as  possible,  he  secured  sport 
for  his  followers,  and  won  the  goodwill  of  all  who  hunted 
with  him. 

The  average  daily  sport  was  probably  never  higher  than 
during  the  first  five  seasons  of  Mr.  Thomson^s  Master- 
ship; but  the  great  Waterloo  run  of  February  2nd,  1866,. 
so  completely  threw  every  other  into  the  shade,  that  no 
other  will  be  referred  to  in  this  brief  memoir  of  the  hero 
of  a  day  which  has  earned  for  itself  a  reputation 
only  to  be  equalled  by  that  of  the  famous  Billesden 
Coplow  day. 

The  moroing  had  been  wet,  and  the  wind  was  south- 
west, when  a  goodly  field  appeared  at  Arthingworth 
just  as  the  weather  began  to  improve  and  look  well  for 
scent.  For  an  hour  or  so  little  was  done  with  two  or 
three  short-running  foxes  in  Loatland,  and  soon  after  two 
o^clock  the  word  was  given  for  Waterloo.  With  a  word 
and  a  wave  of  the  hand  from  the  Captain,  in  went  seven- 
teen and  a  half  couple  of  hounds,  eager  to  find,  and  little 
dreaming  of  the  day's  work  before  them.  It  soon  be- 
came clear  that  the  animal  was  at  home ;  but  he  lay  so 
close  in  a  heap  of  dead  sticks  that  the  hounds  had  to  be 
taken  all  round  the  cover  and  back  to  the  top  before  he 
could  be  persuaded  to  move.  Old  Morris,  the  second 
horseman,  then  "  viewed  "  him  away  towards  the  tunnel ; 
when  swinging  to  the  left  he  went  over  the  brook  and 
spinney   at   Arthingworth,    and   made     for     Langboro. 


1/2     The  Pytchley  Htint,  Past  and  Present. 

Quitting  this  on  the  opposite  side,  he  crossed  the  Har- 
boro'  road,  traversed  Shipley  Spinney,  and  on  up  the  hill 
towards  Clipston.  Here  the  pace  began  greatly  to  im- 
prove, but  Dick  Roake,  having  viewed  what  he  thought  to 
be  the  hunted  fox  going  another  way,  blew  his  horn,  and 
for  awhile  some  of  the  field  were  here  thrown  out.  Two 
fields  further  on,  Mr.  Thomson  fell  at  a  bullfinch,  and 
losing  a  spur,  stopped  to  pick  it  up  :  this  lost  him  a 
place  which  he  did  not  recover  for  some  time.  Running 
on  without  a  pause,  the  hounds  passed  the  spinney  be- 
tween Oxenden  and  Clipston,  leaving  the  former  village 
on  the  right.  A  slight  hesitation  took  place  opposite  Mr. 
Kirkman's  house,  but  the  scent  was  soon  hit  off,  and 
crossing  the  bottom  at  Farndon,  the  hounds  sank  the 
hill  towards  Lubenham  into  the  Harboro'  road  :  they  then 
raced  down  the  big  field,  and  crossed  the  Welland  at  the 
Harboro'  corner.  At  the  Harboro'  and  Lubenham  road 
they  turned  their  heads  towards  Bowden  Inn,  running 
hard,  with  the  result  that  "grief  was  spread  around." 
Birch  Reynardson  here  fell  at  a  nasty  fence  and  was 
left  in  the  ditch,  and  the  Master  was  reduced  to  a  trot. 
A  whistle  behind  denoted  the  approach  of  Dick  Roake, 
who,  on  coming  up  on  ^'  Usurper,"  said  "  Take  my  horse. 
Sir;  he  has  about  ten  minutes  left;"  but  a  regular 
''  buster"  at  the  succeeding  fence  proved  that  his  late 
rider  had  not  laid  his  account  with  the  difference  of  weight 
between  himself  and  his  Master.  Mr.  Thomson,  however, 
caught  the  hounds  again  at  Bowden  Inn,  where  they 
paused  for  a  bit  on  a  ploughed  field.  The  rail  was 
crossed  to  the  right  of  the  Langton  Road,  and  from 
thence  the  hounds  made  down  for  the  brook,  pointing  to 
Langton  Caudle.     Custance,  the  jockey,   who  had   had 


Col.  AnstriUhe}'  Thomson'' s  A  faster  ship,   lyi^ 

about  tlie  best  of  it  tbrongliout,  got  well  over  tbe  brook, 
into  which  Mi'.  Frank  Langham  and  several  others  fell. 
On  the  top  of  the  next  hill  the  fox  was  headed,  and  turn- 
ing along  the  valley,  crossed  the  road  between  Thorpe 
Langton  and  Great  Bowden,  quitting  the  Caudle  on  the 
left.  Rising  the  hill,  ^^ Usurper"  shot  his  last  bolt,  and 
Mr.  Hay  kindly  lent  his  rider  a  brown  thorough-bred 
horse  to  go  on  with,  from  whom  two  falls  were  obtained 
in  pretty  quick  succession.  He  galloped  so  well,  how- 
ever, that  Mr.  Thomson  did  not  lose  his  place,  and  was 
well  with  his  hounds  between  Stanton  \Yy  vill  and  Cranko. 
Carrying  on  well  past  Glooston  village  and  through 
Glooston  Wood,  Mr.  Hay's  animal  found  that  he  had  had 
enough,  and  Mr.  Walter  De  Winton  came  to  the  rescue 
with  a  comparatively  fresh  second  horse.  Happily,  when 
in  difficulties  with  his  fresh  mount,  ^'  Rainbow  "  suddenly 
turned  up,  as  if  from  the  skies,  and  the  Master  now  felt 
himself  in  paradise. 

The  Harboro^  road  had  let  in  several  horsemen  who 
had  borne  little  of  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day,  and 
there  was  now  little  danger  of  the  hounds  being  left  to 
themselves.  Reduced  at  this  point  to  thirteen  couples 
and  a  half,  they  ran  through  Keythorpe  Wood  towards 
Ram^s  Head,  where  there  were  two  lines  of  scent.  At 
this  time  it  was  about  four  o'clock,  one  hour  and  fifty 
minutes  having  elapsed,  and  eighteen  miles  of  country 
having  been  crossed  since  leaving  Waterloo  Gorse. 
Getting  a  view,  they  ran  on  to  Fallow  Closes,  past  Mr. 
Stud's  house  down  to  Slawston  Cover,  and  pressed  on 
through  the  meadows  to  the  Welland,  the  fox  being  one 
field  before  them.  Here  they  turned  aloug  the  bank  of  the 
riveras  far  as  the  road  leading  to  Medbourne  Station, where 


1/4     TJie  Pytchley  Hitnt^  Past  and  Present. 

the  fox  liad  been  chased  by  a  dog^  and  with  a  failing  scent 
and  light,  at  half-past  five  Mr.  Thomson  stopped  further 
proceedings ;  the  last  hound  to  own  the  scent,  ^^  Graceful/^ 
having  been  the  first  to  speak  to  it  in  Waterloo  Gorse. 
Thus  ended,  somewhat  unsatisfactorily,  one  of  the 
grandest  runs  ever  recorded  in  the  annals  of  fox- 
hunting. 

It  was  over  the  finest  part  of  the  Pytchley  and  Tailby 
countries,  and  for  one  hour  and  fifty  minutes  only  three 
ploughed  fields  were  crossed.  For  one  hour  and  forty 
minutes  Mr.  Thomson  was  without  a  Whipper-in,  nor  once 
had  the  hounds  turned  to  him.  Assisted  only  by  Captain 
Clerk,  of  Spratton,  who,  having  lost  the  first,  came  in  for 
the  second  part  of  the  run  on  a  comparatively  fresh 
horse,  he  got  the  hounds  safely  home  to  Brixworth,  a 
distance  of  eighteen  or  nineteen  miles,  about  ten  o^clock. 
At  ten  minutes  to  eleven  he  sat  down  to  dinner,  after 
which  he  drove  eleven  miles  to  the  Hunt  Ball  at  Harboro', 
where  he  received  an  ovation  worthy  of  the  day^s  per- 
formance. That  this  was  a  grand  day's  sport,  no  one 
who  knows  anything  of  hunting  will  deny ;  that  it  ^^  was 
the  best  ever  known,''  as  has  been  asserted,  is  simply 
claiming  for  it  far  more  than  its  due.  That  a  change  of 
foxes  must  have  taken  place  two  or  three  times  is  evi- 
dent, and  only  during  the  earlier  portion  of  the  run  was 
the  pace  really  severe.  To  Captain  Thomson  himself, 
the  day  must  ever  stand  out  by  itself  as  the  most  re- 
markable one  of  a  long  and  successful  hunting-career. 

To  keep  hounds  on  one  line,  if  not  always  on  the  sam6 
fox,  for  three  hours  and  a  half,  and  half  of  that  time  un- 
assisted by  either  Whip — to  have  ridden  four  or  five 
different  horses  during  the  run — to  have  fallen  several 


Col.  Anstrttther  Thomsoris  Mastership.   175 

times — and  yet  never  to  be  out  of  tlie  way  when  required 
— is  a  feat  which  very  few  huntsmen  are  able  to  boast  of 
having  achieved.  That  the  hounds  should  have  shown 
no  signs  of  especial  fatigue,  spoke  well  for  the  kennel 
management ;  and  all  the  missing  lot  made  their  way 
home  within  twenty-four  hours. 

With  a  kill  at  Hallaton,  or  even  a  fair  run  to  ground 
somewhere  in  the  ^'  Tailby  ^^  country,  and  the  Waterloo 
run  need  have  no  fear  of  being  eclipsed  in  all  time  to 
come. 

It  was  on  this  day  that  Captain  Thomson  first  dis- 
covered what  a  valuable  horse  he  had  got  in  his  five- 
year-old  '^  Rainbow  ; "  an  animal  before  whom  the 
prize-winning  *^  Iris  ^'  had  afterwards  to  play  second 
fiddle  at  TattersalFs  rostrum.  Though  not  his  turn,  on 
that  famous  Friday  morning,  after  two  hours'  exercise 
and  his  water.  Rainbow  was  unexpectedly  called  upon  to 
take  the  place  of  a  lame  horse,  and  do  the  longest  day 
he  had  ever  known.  Beginning  upon  his  favourite  mare 
"Valeria,^'  from  whom  he  changed  to  "Usurper,"  then 
to  a  horse  of  Mr.  W.  Hay's  ;  and  after  him  to  an  animal 
of  Mr.  De  Winton's  ;  it  was  not  until  Grlooston  Wood  was 
reached  that  Rainbow  appeared  upon  the  scene.  From 
that  time  until  the  close,  i.e.,  for  an  hour  and  forty-five 
minutes,  he  did  his  work  without  making  a  mistake  ; 
and  reached  his  stable  at  half-past  ten,  having  been  out 
about  thirteen  hours. 

He  was  a  rich  dark  brown,  standing  sixteen-two,  very 
powerful,  with  fair  pace,  and  most  charming  temper. 
Bold  as  a  lion  at  a  big  place,  he  would  either  creep  or 
jump  as  required,  and  could  go  on  for  ever  and  ever.  Of 
the  innumerable  hunters  that  have  necessarily  passed 


176     The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present, 

througli  the  hands  of  Colonel  Anstrutlier  Thomson,  he 
would  probably  award  the  palm  to  Eainbow  as  the  most 
accomplished  animal  of  the  lot.  Many  a  "  P.H/'  man 
of  to-day,  remembers  the  wall-ejred  Iris — Valeria,  most 
confidential  of  mounts — Borderer — Harold — Hypothec — 
Wanderer — Man  of  the  Age — and  Rainbow  ;  but  the 
greatest  of  these  was  Rainbow. 

..."  every  sportsman,  they  say, 
In  his  lifetime  has  one  that  outrivals  the  rest ; 
So  the  pearl  of  my  casket  I've  shown  you  to-day  ; 
The  gentlest,  the  gamest,  the  boldest,  the  best." 

His  owner  thought  ^^Iris  ^^  badly  sold  at  three  hundred 
and  seventy  guineas,  but  he  was  not  every  man's  horse 
out  of  the  show-ring,  and  his  purchaser,  Mr.  Padwick, 
soon  found  that  in  his  latest  acquisition  to  his  hunting- 
stud  he  had  furnished  himself  with  a  master  and  some- 
thing to  spare.  When  Iris  again  went  to  the  hammer 
he  fetched  exactly  the  same  sum  as  before,  viz.,  370 
guineas ;  though  at  a  later  date  he  again  became  the 
property  of  his  original  owner  at  500L  In  point  of 
money-value,  no  horse  of  Mr.  Thomson's  ever  equalled 
his  famous  '^  Maximus,"  for  whom,  after  his  performance 
in  the  memorable  run  from  Claydon  Woods,  Lord  Stam- 
ford gave  680  guineas..  This  took  place  during  his 
Mastership  of  the  Bicester  Hounds,  and  was  full  six- 
teen mil-es  from  point  to  point  over  the  heavy  Marsh 
Gibbon  country,  up  Brill  Hill  to  '"'^  the  Quarters^'  in 
Oxfordshire.  The  Master  and  five  others  saw  the  best  of 
it,  but  no  one  was  up  at  the  finish. 

Standing  six  feet  three  in  his  shoes,  and  riding  rather 
over  than  under  sixteen  stone,  Mr.  Thomson  found  it 
ex23edient  to  crash  through,   rather    than    fly,   the   big 


Col.  Anstruther  Tko7nsons  Maste7'ship.   177 

Xorthamptoushire  fences ;  and  though  this  took  time,  his 
hounds  were  seldom  long  without  his  assistance.  His 
nerve  in  plunging  into  a  brook,  chancing  the  bottom, 
and  struggling  on  to  the  opposite  bank,  was  a  sight  to 
watch,  rather  than  a  tempting  example  to  follow ;  but 
he  never  failed  in  surmounting  the  difiSculty. 

After  five  years'  good  service  rendered  to  the  "  P.H." 
Mr.  Thomson,  to  the  great  regret  of  both  gentlemen  and 
farmers  of  the  Hunt,  signified  his  intention  of  resigning 
the  Mastership  at  the  close  of  1868-9.  The  reasons  he 
assigned  for  taking  this  course  were,  a  growing  family  all 
wanting  to  hunt — a  balance  at  his  banker's  getting 
fine  by  degrees — and  the  illness  of  Mrs.  Thomson. 

A  requisition  numerously  signed,  urging  him  to  revoke 
his  determination,  was  of  no  avail ;  and  the  ^'  P.H.  ^ 
country  again  became  in  need  of  a  Master.  Mr.  J.  A. 
Craven,  of  Whilton  Lodge,  a  keen  sportsman,  and  de- 
votedly fond  of  hunting,  happily  came  to  the  rescue ;  so 
the  Hunt  was  scarcely  ^^  off  with  the  old  love  before  it 
was  on  with  a  new,^'  Before  his  horses  were  sent  to 
Tattersall's,  Mr.  Thomson  invited  a  large  party  of  ladies, 
members  of  the  hunt,  farmers,  and  others,  to  a  luncheon 
of  inspection.  A  tent  of  considerable  size  was  pitched 
in  the  little  field  opposite  the  Brixworth  stables,  and 
never  was  canvas  more  tastefully  decorated  with  bits, 
bridles,  brushes,  whips,  horns,  and  all  the  equipment  of  a 
hunting-establishment.  At  little  tables  scattered  here 
and  there,  guests  of  high  and  low  degree  met  with  a 
hearty  welcome  from  their  hospitable  host,  and  had  no 
cause  to  find  fault  with  a  want  of  abundance  in  the 
provisions,  or  with  the  quality  of  the  champagne.  Ram 
somewhat   marred   the   parade  of   the   horses,  but   the 

N 


lyH     TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

entertainment  guve  unfeigned  satisfaction-,  and  forged 
anotlier  link  of  union  between  guest  and  parting  host. 
So  deeply  indeed  had  the  "  Captain  ^'  made  his  way  into 
the  hearts  of  all  connected  with  the  "  P.H.,"'  that  it  was 
resolved  as  a  parting  gift  to  present  him  with  his  portrait, 
painted  by  Sir  Francis  Grant,  the  greatest  artist  of  the 
day.  On  the  completion  of  the  picture,  a  work  of  art 
worthy  of  the  painter^  in  which  Captain  Thomson  is 
depicted  on  the  back  of  "Iris/^  surrounded  by  five 
favourite  hounds — all  admirable  likenesses — it  was  de- 
termined to  follow  the  precedent  of  Mr.  George  Payne's 
ceremonial,  and  present  it  at  a  dinner  to  be  held  at 
the  George  Hotel.  Colonel  Loyd  Lindsay  (now  Lord 
Wantage)  presided,  having  on  his  right  and  left  the  late 
and  present  Master,  whilst  the  vice-chair  was  occupied 
by  Mr.  Matthew  Oldacre  of  Clipston. 

Amongst  a  company  too  numerous  to  individualize, 
were  the  Earl  of  Rosslyn,  the  Hon.  H.  Liddell,  the 
Eight  Hon.  G.  Ward  Hunt,  M.P.,  Mr.  Sackville  Stopford, 
M.P.,  Major  Fairfax  Cartwright,  M.P.,  Albert  Pell  Esq., 
M.P.,  Major  G.  Whyte  Melville,  the  Hon.  Fitzpatrick 
Vernon,  Sir  F.  Horn,  Sir  C.  Isham,  Bart.,  Sir  Algernon 
Peyton,  Bart.,  Messrs.  E,.  Lee  Bevan,  H.  0.  Nethercote, 
A.  A.  Young,  H.  H.  Hungerford,  Col.  Arthur,  Col. 
Maddocks,  W.  G.  Duncan,  L.  Thursby,  John  Oliver, 
J.  Bennett,  the  Eev.  C.  F.  Watkins,  &c.,  &c.  The  latter, 
in  virtue  of  his  office  as  Vicar  of  Brixworth,  returned 
thanks  for  the  Bishop  and  Clergy  of  the  diocese,  and 
remarked  that,  *^  though  no  sportsman  himself,  he  came 
there  that  ©•cuing,  not  only  innocently  but  imperatively, 
as  the  clergyman  ol  the  parish  in  which  the  kennels  were 
situated,  to  pay  respect  to  the  gentleman  whom  they  had 


Col.  AnstrtUher  Thomsons  M aster sJiip.   179 

assembled  to  honour.  The  duty  of  a  clergyman  was  not 
only  not  to  sanction  but  to  blame  what  was  positively 
wrong;  but  at  the  same  time  not  to  be  too  severe  with 
those  things  which  had  not  been  positively  forbidden  by 
Divine  command.  (Cheers.)  He  was  about  to  say  some- 
thing which  might  create  a  smile,  but  he  felt  that  there 
was  a  connection  between  Natural  Theology  and  Fox- 
hunting-. {Laughter.)  Did  they  expect  that  certain 
instincts  would  be  given  to  certain  animals  unless  they 
were  designed  to  be  exercised  ?  {Laughter  and  cheers.) 
For  instance^  there  were  the  characteristics  of  the 
retriever^  the  pointer^  the  St.  Bernard  dog,  and  the 
foxhound,  the  latter  of  which  brought  to  condign  punish- 
ment master  Reynard  the  thief-,  thereby  giving  them  a 
lesson  in  retributive  justice.''  (^Laughter.)  The  remarks 
of  the  rev.  gentleman,  being  somewhat  '^out  of  the 
common/'  caused  considerable  amusement. 

In  a  speech  full  of  pertinent  remarks  and  happy  allu- 
sions, the  Chairman  gave  the  health  of  the  guest  of  the 
evening.  Alluding  to  the  picture,  he  said,  '^  It  is  a  time- 
tried  tribute  of  respect,  carrying  with  it  the  best  wishes 
of  no  fewer  than  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  gentle- 
men, who  have  subscribed  for  it.  It  is  a  testimonial  from 
neighbours  and  friends  in  return  for  unceasing  efforts  to 
promote  the  sport  of  fox-hunting,  and  it  is  as  right  for 
me  to  say,  as  it  will  be  gratifying  to  the  recipient  to 
know,  that  the  compliment  originated  among  the  large 
class  of  Farmers  whom  he  has  done  so  much  to  make  his 
friends,"  &c.  The  picture,  which  had  been  veiled  during 
dinner,  was  exposed  at  the  appropriate  moment  during 
the  Chairman's  speech,  and  was  received  with  loud  and 
vehement  cheering, 

N  2 


I  So     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

In  a  speecli  thoroughly  characteristic  of  the  speaker — 
manly — straightforward — and  fairly  free  from  the  con- 
ventional platitudes^  Mr.  Thomson  gave  utterance  to  his 
gratitude  for  the  high  compliment  that  had  just  been 
conferred  upon  him — referred  to  the  requisition  that  he 
had  received  requesting  him  to  reconsider  his  determina- 
tion— and  expressed  his  deep  regret  that  circumstances 
prevented  him  from  complying  with  the  flattering  re- 
quest. He  also  spoke  of  the  many  happy  days  he  had 
spent  with  his  Pytchley  friends^  and  sat  down  amid 
tumultuous  cheering. 

In  proposing  the  House  of  Lords^  Mr.  Young  of  Orling- 
bury  pronounced  Captain  Thomson  to  be  ^'  one  of  the 
finest  sportsmen — one  of  the  most  gallant  horsemen — one 
of  the  most  kind,  urbane  and  courteous  gentlemen  that 
ever  galloped  over  the  grass  fields  of  Northamptonshire." 
Tom  Firr,  late  second  Whip  to  the  ^^  P.H./'  and  at  this 
time  Huntsman  to  the  North  Warwickshire,  sang  an  ex- 
cellent song  of  his  own  composing,  a  poem  upon  Captain 
Thomson  and  Iris,  to  the  tune  of  the  '^  Fine  old  English 
Gentleman,"  which  proved  one  of  the  features  of  the 
evening. 

In  response  to  the  ^'  Members  for  the  County,"  Mr. 
George  Ward  Hunt,  M.P.,  and  Chancellor  of  the  Exche- 
quer— a  keen  lover  of  fox-hunting,  but  from  a  superabun- 
dant vitality  requiring  a  dray-horse  to  carry  him — made  a 
very  entertaining  speech.  "  When  I  came  here,  to-night," 
he  said,  *^  I  did  not  feel  as  if  I  were  coming  in  my 
capacity  as  a  member  for  the  county,  but  as  an  admirer 
of  the  science  of  which  our  guest  is  so  great  a  master.  I 
was  anxious  to  pay  a  tribute  of  respect  to  him  for  the 
Sport  he  has  given  myself  and  my  neighbours  for  the  last 


CoL  Anstruther  Thomso7is  AI aster  ship.   i8i 

five  years.  I  have  not^  I  regret  to  say^  been  able  to  ap- 
pear personally  in  the  hunting-field  of  late  j  that,  however, 
is  my  misfortune  rather  than  my  fault,  as  it  has  been  the 
pleasure  of  some  part  of  this  company  to  send  me  to  a 
distant  country,  where  I  have  been  hunting  with  a  very 
different  pack  from  that  of  the  Pytchley ;  and  one  which, 
to  my  feelings,  is  not  nearly  so  pleasant  a  one.  It  is  a 
stiff  country  though,  and  I  have  seen  some  very  ugly 
falls  in  it.  (Laughter.)  It  has  some  attractions,  however, 
which  no  other  pack  can  boast  of.  It  never  fails  to 
meet,  be  the  weather  what  it  may,  and  there  are  never 
any  blank  days.  (Zanghter.)  Like  you,  we  too  have 
lately  had  a  change  of  Mastership ;  and  we  not  only 
had  a  new  Master,  but  an  entirely  new  pack  of  hounds. 
{Much  laughter.)  You  know  that  it  is  a  very  different 
thing  taking  up  an  old  pack  and  getting  a  lot  of 
old  scratch-dogs  together ;  and  last  season  we  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  at  our  first  Meet  a  pack  consisting 
of  hounds  of  all  sizes,  and  of  all  sorts  of  colours. 
(Great  laughter.)  In  fact  I  heard  some  ill-natared 
people  remark  that  a  good  many  of  the  pack  were  pretty 
well  used  to  the  ratting-business ;  which  didn^t  sound 
nice,  at  all  events.  {Laughter.)  I,  unfortunately,  have  got 
to  such  a  weight  [the  Right  Hon.  Gentleman  rode  about 
twenty-three  stone'],  that  I  ride  to  hunt,  not  hunt  to  ride  ; 
and  I  must  say  that  I  prefer  the  style  of  hunting  in 
which  the  hounds  and  not  the  Huntsman  hunt  the  fox. 
At  the  first  Meet  the  other  day  of  the  St.  Stephen^s  pack, 
I  saw  some  new  hounds,  more  extraordinary  than  any 
which  appeared  last  season.  They  were  importations 
from  the  Tipperary  kennel  [great  laughter) , 'which.  I  don't 
think  any  Master  of  Hounds  would  like  to  see  hunting ; 


1 8  2     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

but  I  hoge  that  some  of  tliem  will  be  drafted  after  a  bit. 
I  used  to  say  that  there  was  no  ill  of  mind  or  body  that 
a  good  gallop  across  country  could  not  cure;  but  that 
was  when  I  could  get  something  to  carry  me.  With  the 
pack  with  which  I  shall  have  to  hunt  for  the  rest  of  the 
season,  the  hunting  is  of  a  kind  that  is  apt  to  produce 
many  ills  both  to  body  and  mind;  but  I  shall  have 
pleasure  in  thinking  that  in  pursuing  the  arduous  labours 
of  the  hunting  at  St.  Stephen^s,  I  shall  have  the 
sympathy  and  good  wishes  of  the  Members  of  the 
Pytchley  Hunt."     (Loud  cheers.) 

Mr.  H.  0.  Nethercote  gave  the  health  of  the  Chairman  ; 
and  after  speeches  from  Major  Whyte  Melville,  Sir 
Charles  Isham,  the  Hon.  H.  Liddell  and  others,  a 
memorable  evening  came  to  a  happy  conclusion. 

Thus  was  snapped,  after  five  years  of  satisfactory 
wear,  the  last  link  that  had  united  the  Pytchley  Hunt 
with  the  "  long  Scotch  Gentleman,"  whom  the  Warwick- 
shire yokel  advised  should  be  sent  for  again,  when  on 
one  occasion  a  fox  could  not  be  persuaded  to  leave  one 
of  the  Atherstone  covers. 

A  writer  in  Society  says,  '^No  man  ever  crossed 
the  formidably-fenced  Pytchley  pastures  with  more 
determination  than  Captain  Thomson;  and  though 
hardly  pretending,  like  Assheton  Smith,  always  to  be 
in  the  same  field  with  the  hounds,  he  rarely  allowed 
them  to  get  far  away  from  him." 

Aided  rather  than  stopped  by  weight,  he  would  make 
his  horses  crash  through  thick  fences,  and  high  timber 
that  others  could  not  get  over,  and  he  was  therefore  a 
very  good  man  to  follow,  until  a  brook  barred  the  way. 
Into  that  he  would  plunge  boldly,  trusting  to  chance  for 


Col.  Ansh^zitker  Thomsons  Mastership.    1 8 


o 


getting  out  on  the  far  side ;  so  that  those  who  had 
constitutional  objections  to  a  bath  at  fresco,  seldom 
cared  to  accept  his  lead  when  they  saw  the  gleam  of 
water  ahead.  His  wonderfully  quick  eye  for  a  country, 
and  his  constant  habit  of  taking  advantage  of  every 
good  bit  of  ground,  enabled  him  to  save  his  horse  in  a 
way  that  men  of  less  bulk  seldom  think  of.  When  thei^e 
is  time  to  draw  rein  he  never  rem_ains  a  moment  in  the 
saddle.__  Dismounting  quickly,  he  gives  his  horse  all  the 
relief  possible,  however  brief  the  breathing-space  may 
be.  Few  know  how  much  is  gained  by  a  simple  act  of 
this  kind,  and  very  few  of  those  who  do  know  ever 
practise  it. 

For  one  winter  after  leaving  Northamptonshire,  1870, 
Mr.  Anstruther  Thomson  hunted  the  Atherstone,  but 
the  following  season  he  was  obliged  to  pass  at  Torquay, 
on  account  of  the  illness  of  his  eldest  son.  In  1872  he 
again  undertook  the  management  of  the  Fife  Hounds, 
and  has  continued  to  hunt  them  from  that  time  to  the 
present,  this  being  the  fortieth  year  he  has  occupied  the 
position  of  a  Master  of  Fox-hounds.  Just  at  the  close 
of  Mr.  Thomson's  career  with  the  Pytchley,  an  event 
occurred  in  the  hunting-field  of  Yorkshire  unparalleled 
in  its  tragical  circumstances,  and  which  cast  a  gloom 
throughout  the  breadth  and  length  of  the  land. 

The  York  and  Ainsty  hounds,  whilst  running  between 
Copgrove  and  Newby  Hall,  crossed  the  River  Ure,  which 
was  greatly  swollen  after  the  recent  heavy  rains.  Several 
of  the  field  attempted  the  ford,  which  was  some  distance 
up  the  stream  ;  but  Sir  Charles  Slingsby  and  others  made 
for  the  ferry,  which  is  just  opposite  the  Hall,  and  sig- 
nalled for  the  boat  to  be  sent  across.     The  river  was 


1 84     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

sweeping  along,  swollen  and  angry_,  witli  a  strong,  deep 
current^  and  much  diverted  from  its  usual  cliannel.  The 
stream  was  about  sixty  yards  broad  at  this  spot,  and  the 
feriy  was  under  the  charge  of  the  Newby  Hall  gardener 
and  his  son.  Sir  Charles  Slingsby  was  the  first  to  enter, 
and  was  followed  by  fourteen  or  fifteen  gentlemen  with 
their  horses,  there  being  accommodation  for  only  about 
half  that  number.  Those  in  the  boat  were  the  Master, 
Sir  C.  Slingsby,  Sir  G.  Wombwell,  Ovis  (the  Whip), 
Captain  Vyner,  Mr.  C.  Yyner,  Mr.  Lloyd,  Mr.  Robinson, 
Major  Mussenden  (8th  Hussars),  Captain  Molyneux,  the 
Hon.  H.  Molyneux,  and  some  other  officers  stationed  at 
York.  Lord  Downe,  Lord  Lascelles,  and  others,  not 
being  able  to  find  room  in  the  boat,  awaited  its  return  on 
the  bank.  Ere  one- third  the  distance  had  been  traversed, 
the  Master's  horse  became  restive,  and  kicked  the  animal 
belonging  to  Sir  G.  Wombwell.  The  latter  returned  it, 
and  a  sort  of  panic  set  in  amongst  the  horses.  The  boat 
swayed  from  side  to  side  in  a  most  alarming  manner,  and 
finally  fairly  turned  bottom  upwards.  The  scene  that 
ensued  is  reported  by  a  witness  to  have  been  heartrending 
in  the  extreme.  Heads  began  to  appear  in  difierent  parts 
of  the  stream  to  sink  again,  and  arms  and  hands  were 
flung  up  in  mute  despair.  Horses  were  seen  to  battle 
with  the  current,  striking  out  with  all  their  energy,  but, 
unable  to  resist  the  impetuosity  of  the  stream,  they  were 
carried  away  and  sank.  Lines  formed  of  whips  were  tied 
together  and  thrown  within  reach  of  the  drowning  men, 
and  several  beams  of  wood  were  launched  on  the  surface 
of  the  water.  Captain  Vyner  saved  himself  by  clinging 
to  the  upturned  boat,  and,  reaching  the  top  of  it,  was 
able  to  save  Sir  G.  Wombwell,  and  afterwards  one  of  the 


Col.  Anst7^zither  Jhomson^s  Mastership.   185 

York  ofl&cers.  Mr.  White  got  ashore  by  means  of  the 
ferry-chain^  and  others  were  rescued  from  the  banks. 
When  all  was  over,  and  the  roll  was  called,  six  were 
wanting  ;  namely,  Sir  Charles  Slingsby,  Bart.,  of  Scriven 
Park ;  Mr.  E.  Lloyd,  of  Lingcroft,  near  York ;  Mr.  E. 
Robinson  ;  William  Ovis  (first  Whip) ;  and  the  two  gar- 
deners at  ISTewby  Hall,  the  ferrymen.  Such  were  some 
of  the  incidents  of  a  catastrophe,  the  memory  of  which 
still  hangs  like  a  heavy  cloud  over  tbe  entire  district  in 
which  the  terrible  tragedy  was  enacted. 

Among  the  countless  canine  incidents  which  have 
crossed  the  path  of  Mr.  Anstruther  Thomson,  not  the 
least  amusing  must  have  been  one  which  occurred  in  com- 
pany with  the  present  writer.  Driving  together  near 
BuxtOD,  they  were  encountered  by  the  length  and  breadth 
of  so  unsavoury  an  odour  as  only  to  be  attributed  to 
horse-flesh  slightly  tainted.  '^  Hounds,  by  Jove,'^  ex- 
claimed the  ex-M.F.H.  "  Let  us  get  out  and  bave  a  look.'^ 
No  sooner  said  than  done.  Crossing  an  orchard,  among 
the  boughs  of  which  were  hung  the  joints  which  had  so 
robbed  the  circumambient  air  of  its  natural  sweetness,  a 
kennel  was  soon  espied. 

Addressing  a  light,  neat-looking  man  who  was  digging 
in  his  garden  close  to  the  kennel,  he  was  asked  whether 
we  could  be  permitted  to  see  the  hounds  ?  *'  Certainly, 
gentlemen,"  was  the  reply  in  rich  Irish  brogue.  "  I^m 
the  Huntsman,  and  will  show  you  them  with  pleasure.^' 
Laying  down  his  spade  and  putting  on  his  coat,  he  opened 
the  kennel-door,  and  let  out  about  as  miscellaneous  a 
looking  lot  of  dwarf  foxhounds  as  might  be  found  in  a 
long  day's  march.  "  You  will  be  pleased  to  know,''  said 
I,  "  that  you  are  showing  your  pack  to  the  best  judge 


1 86    The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

of  hounds  in  England — a  gentleman  of  whom  you 
have  probably  often  heard — Colonel  Anstruther  Thom- 
son/' 

'^  Oh,  indeed  have  I,"  was  the  answer,  "  Colonel 
Athersfone  Thomson  !  Why,  of  course  I  have,  and  being 
it's  he,  I  don't  mind  telling  him  that  he  is  now  looking 
at  the  worst  pack  of  hounds  in  England  !  They're  called 
the  Lyme  harriers,  and  there's  scarce  a  decent  hound  in 
the  lot.  When  I  take  them  out  of  a  morning,  they'll 
suddenly  start  off  in  full  cry,  and  run  for  three  or  four 
miles  after  nothing  at  all.'"' 

Greatly  amused  at  this  candid  confession  of  the  short- 
comings of  his  pack,  one  of  the  better-looking  members 
w^as  pointed  out,  and  he  was  subjected  to  the  question, 
"That's  a  good  hound  to  judge  by  appearances.  What 
about  him,  eh  ?  " 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  I'll  just  tell  you.  He'll  go  ten 
times  round  the  same  field  doing  nothiug;  and  then 
he'll  stop  and  scratch,  and  the  worst  of  it  is,  that 
some  of  the  gentlemen  who  belong  to  the  Hunt, 
though  they're  devils  to  ride,  call  it  beautiful 
questing  !  ■" 

'^  But  why  don't  you  get  another  situation  ?  " 

*^  Indeed,  and  I  must,  gentlemen,  for  I  cannot  stand  it 
any  longer ;  but  a  place  is  hard  to  find  nowadays.  I  was 
some  years  Huntsman  to  a  pack  of  hounds  in  County 
Carlow,  but  I  can't  go  back  there,  for  Ireland's  a  lost 
country.  If  you  can  help  me  in  finding  a  new  situation, 
I  shall  take  it  as  a  kindness."  Promising  to  help  if  it 
were  possible,  we  took  leave  of  our  ill-suited  friend — 
as  clean,  nice,  and  well-mannered  a  servant  as  any 
Master  of  harriers  might  wish  to  have  for  a  Huntsman. 


Mr.  J.  A.  Cravens  Mastership,  187 


MR  J.  A.  CRAVEN. 

With  Dick  Eoake  for  Ms  Huntsman,  Mr.  J.  A.  Craven 
assumed  the  Mastership  vacated  by  Colonel  Anstruther 
Thomson,  and  straightway  buckled  into  his  new  position 
as  if  he  were  to  the  manner  born.  An  excellent  judge 
of  a  horse,  and  sparing  no  expense  in  getting  the  right 
sort  of  animal,  both  master  and  men  were  mounted  in  a 
manner  befitting  the  Hunt  over  which  he  presided.  That 
he  was  himself  capable  of  handling  hounds  at  a  pinch  no 
one  for  a  moment  suspected,  but  on  the  occasion  unex- 
pectedly presenting  itself,  the  new  Master  proved  fully 
equal  to  it.  An  accident  having  incapacitated  E-oake^ 
Mr.  Craven  at  once  assumed  the  horn,  and  for  some  time 
drove  the  coach  with  such  success,  that  on  giving  the 
health  of  ^^  the  Master  of  the  Pytchley  hounds  "  on  the 
presentation-night,  Captain  Thomson  said,  "  Mr.  Craven 
has  many  of  the  qualifications  necessary  for  a  Master  of 
Hounds  ;  keenness,  determination,  and  a  power  of  endur- 
ing fatigue  such  as  he  had  rarely  seen  equalled.  In 
punctuality  he  gave  himself  and  other  Masters  a  lesson 
they  would  do  well  to  follow,  for  he  well  knew  that  they 
had  of  tea  blessed  him  for  keeping  them  waiting.  Mr. 
Craven  had  been  obliged  to  take  the  horn  under  very 
trying  circumstances,  and  had  acquitted  himself  exceed- 
ingly well.  He  had  proved  himself  patient  and  steady, 
had  shown  some  good  sport,  and  with  experience  would 
undoubtedly  take  high  rank  as  a  huntsman.^^ 

Such  words  from  such  a  judge  could  not  but  be 
pleasant  to  hear,  and  were  some  reward  for  undertaking 
an  arduous  and  thankless  duty  at  a  critical  moment.  On 
the  reappearance  of  Roake,  which  was  not  long  delayed, 


1 88     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  arid  Present. 

Mr.  Craven  again  fell  into  the  ranks,  and  in  spite  of  the 
nine  long  miles  between  his  own  house  and  Brixworth, 
never  failed  in  keeping  time  at  the  Meets  or  in  attending 
to  his  duties  at  the  kennels.  After  a  while  the  distance 
from  his  work,  the  wear  and  tear  of  long  rides  to  cover, 
and  the  longer  journeys  home,  proved  more  than  he 
cared  to  encounter ;  and  after  three  years  of  office  he 
signified  his  intention  of  giving  up  his  post.  Few  persons 
in  the  course  of  three  years,  by  unfailing  courtesy  to  all, 
and  a  determination  to  carry  out  every  arrangement  in  a 
spirit  of  thoroughness  and  liberality,  had  more  raised 
himself  in  the  good  opinion  of  all  hunting-men,  and  it 
was  with  no  little  regret  that  the  news  of  his  resignation 
was  received. 


LOED  SPENCER. 


On  the  Mastership  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt  again 
becoming  vacant,  nothing  could  be  more  in  accordance 
with  the  fitness  of  things,  than  that  the  post  should  be 
filled  by  a  member  of  that  noble  house  which  had  already 
occupied  it  three  times,  and  whose  name  was  sufficient  to 
impart  to  it  an  eclat  scarcely  to  be  expected  from  any 
other  quarter.  ''The  hour'''  had  arrived,  and  happily 
not  without  "  the  man.''  A  fourth  Lord  Spencer  was 
ready  and  willing  to  undertake  an  office  which  had  been 
held  by  three  of  his  ancestors,  and  which  seemed  as  if  it 
ought  to  constitute  a  part  of  the  appanage  of  the  Althorp 
establishment.  Universal  was  the  satisfaction  caused  by 
the  announcement  that  Lord  Spencer  was  willing  to  take 


f^r^lf*"-^ 


^^^^;^^^v^^^2<l. 


Lord  spencer  s  Mastership.  189 

up  the  reins  let  drop  by  Mr.  Najlor.  Not  the  least  among 
other  advantages  to  be  anticipated  from,  his  so  doing  was 
that  it  gave  rise  to  a  hope  of  that  fixity  and  permanence 
which  is  one  of  the  chief  glories  of  an  old-established 
pack  of  foxhounds  ;  one  which  has  been  so  marked  a 
feature  in  the  Badminton^  the  Grafton,  the  Berkeley_,  and 
the  Fitzwilliam  Hunts,  and  which  has  been  so  sadly 
lacking  with  two  crack  packs  of  England,  the  Pytchley 
and  the  Quorn.  But  as  in  the  case  of  Man  himself,  a 
Hunt  ^'  never  is  but  always  to  be  blessed  ;'^  and  it  was 
decreed  that  the  ^'  P.H/^  was  not  to  escape  the  common 
lot.  After  the  lapse  of  three  short  years,  Lord  Spencer's 
constitution  not  fairly  settled  down  in  the  saddle  of 
endurance,  had  placed  its  veto  upon  further  experiments 
with  the  physical  power,  and  the  edict  went  forth  that 
there  must  be  a  cessation  from  anxiety  and  over- exertion, 
and  that  rest  must  be  found  in  a  more  temperate  climate 
than  was  to  be  met  with,  during  the  trying  months  of  an 
English  winter. 

Looking  back  upon  the  infantile  days  of  the  "  P.H/' 
Master  of  1868,  he  who  witnessed  the  blooding  of 
'^  Master  Jack  Spencer  "  by  Charles  Payne  in  Harleston 
Park,  little  thought  that  the  frightened  shrinking'  child 
of  four  years  old  on  the  pony  so  carefully  led  by  a 
groom,  and  sedulously  watched  by  a  governess,  was  to 
develop  into  the  ''Ked  Earl,""  one  of  Ireland's  greatest 
Viceroys,  and  one  of  England's  most  determined  riders. 
Six  years  after  this,  while  standing  near  Althorp  House 
on  a  November  afternoon,  ^^  Master  Jack  "  watched  with 
no  little  excitement  the  hounds  careering:  across  the 
Park  in  the  early  part  of  a  run  memorable  for  its 
termination  by  candle-light.     But   it  was  not    until   he 


190     TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

had  left  Harrow  that  the  spirit  of  the  old  ancestral  love 
of  huntiDg  began  to  move  within  him. 

The  small  pony^  the  fourteen-hands  cob,  the  depend- 
able full-sized  hunter  J  the  three  first  rungs  of  the 
hunting-ladder  were  all  mounted  in  turn  ;  and  then  came 
the  reaching  of  the  top  round.  Every  man  has  his  own 
idiosyncrasies,  hidden  possibly  from  himself,  but  very 
apparent  to  those  able  to  see  the  beams  of  light  as  well 
as  the  mote  in  their  neighbour's  eyes.  Should  the  subject 
of  this  memoir  not  have  escaped  the  fate  of  every  public 
character — making  enemies — his  greatest  opponent  will 
be  loth  to  deny  that  Thoroughness,  Duty,  and  Justice, 
are  the  three  principles  by  which  he  is  governed  in  all 
his  actions.  To  no  one  living  are  the  words  jiatjustitiaf 
mat  coelum,  more  applicable.  With  him  the  best  day's 
hunting  has  ever  had  to  give  way  to  a  duty,  however 
unpleasant,  and  easily  to  be  shirked,  and  whatever  he 
takes  up  is  carried  out  with  all  the  completeness  that 
his  strong  and  thoughtful  mind  enables  him  to  bring  to 
bear  upon  it. 

The  first  of  the  above  triplet  of  virtues  was  exemplified 
on  each  of  the  occasions  upon  which  he  became  a 
"  Master  of  Hounds,' '  by  the  thoroughness  with  which 
he  at  once  commenced  various  reforms  in  kennel  and 
stables,  not  the  least  being  the  improvement  of  the 
hounds  in  every  respect,  and  by  the  introduction  of  new 
blood.  The  importation  of  the  Duhallow  pack  from  Lord 
Doneraile's  country,  in  1874,  did  not  prove  altogether 
satisfactory;  but  on  assuming  the  Mastership  in  that 
year,  the  hounds  belonging  to  the  "  P.H."  had  reached 
so  low  an  ebb,  that  fresh  blood  from  any  quarter  was  an 
object  of  the  greatest  importance.     In  the   same  spirit, 


L ord  Spencer' s  Mastership.  191 

the  noble  Master^  to  the  injury  of  his  health,  spent  many 
a  laborious  hour  in  the  woodlands  with  the  young  hounds, 
returning  to  Al thorp  in  the  late  evening,  fairly  exhausted 
with  the  day's  work.  A  constitution  not  over  strong  for 
some  time  resisted  the  demands  upon  its  powers,  but  the 
machinery  gave  way  at  last,  and  a  warmer  climate  was 
called  upon  to  undertake  the  repairs  which  could  not 
have  been  looked  for  from  an  English  winter.  As  in 
other  things,  the  characteristic  of  "  thoroughness "  in 
Lord  Spencer  comes  out  strongly  in  the  determination 
with  which,  from  the  very  jBrst  day  he  commenced  his 
hunting  career,  he  has  been  accustomed  to  forge  his  way 
across  a  country.  It  is  probable  that  except  after  a  fall, 
nobody  has  ever  seen  him  in  the  ruck  when  hounds  are 
running,  with  or  without  a  scent :  his  sine  qua  non 
in  hunting  being,  apparently,  to  keep  at  all  times 
as  close  to  the  Huntsman  as  pace  and  propriety  will 
permit. 

The  style  in  which  the  one  object  is  carried  out  does 
not  appear  to  be  a  matter  for  any  consideration.  The 
''  big  pill ''  in  the  shape  of  a  hedge,  with  ditch  on  either 
side,  which  would  be  swallowed  by  a  Foster  or  a  Middle- 
ton  at  one  gulp,  the  noble  Lord  is  usually  seen  with  the 
aid  of  spurs,  heels,  whip  and  words,  to  "  do  ''  at  intervals. 
Nothing,  however,  is  refused  as  being  over-nasty ;  and  be 
the  obstacle  what  it  may,  the  other  side,  sooner  or  later, 
is  sure  to  be  reached.  The  desire  to  ensure  sport,  and 
be  thorough  in  doing  this,  carried  the  noble  Lord  at 
times  too  far — as  he  himself  now  admits — and  he  inter- 
fered with  the  movements  of  the  Field  more  than  they 
always  liked.  No  regiment  of  dragoons  was  kept  under 
stricter  discipline  than  a  Pytchley  field  at  the  time  of 


192     TJie  PytcJiley  Htmi,  Past  and  Pi^esent. 

whicli  we  are  speaking.  Woe  betide  the  adventurous 
wisrbt  who  risked  a  short  cut  to  the  next  ^'  draw,"  or  in 
any  way  seemed  out  of  the  place  which  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Master  was  his  proper  one.  Even  the  homeward-bound 
horseman,  far  on  his  road,  met  with  a  bad  time  if  the 
fox,  chancing  to  cross  his  path^  altered  his  course, 
and  caused  a  momentary  check.  Turning  round  upon 
one  occasion  in  a  Holdenby  pasture  to  rebuke  some 
horsemen,  who,  as  he  thought,  were  following  too 
closely  upon  the  hounds,  the  Master  found  himself 
reproaching  a  small  band  of  shorthorn  brothers,  who, 
with  whisk  of  tail  and  downward  motion  of  the  head, 
seemed  to  treat  with  defiance  the  half-uttered  remark  of 
the  noble,  but  incensed  huntsman. 

An  experience  of  fifty  years  with  Masters  of  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  temper,  has  taught  the  writer  of  these 
pages  that  nothing  is  more  conducive  to  sport  as  well  as 
to  enjoyment  in  hunting  than  a  thorough  sympathy 
between  a  Master  of  Foxhounds  and  his  Field.  When 
in  fault,  the  true  sportsman,  conscious  of  it,  meekly 
accepts  the  mouthful  of  winged  words — eirewv  irrepoevTcov 
— in  a  different  sense  from  that  used  by  Home  Tooke, 
from  the  privileged  quarter ;  but  the  sneer  and  the  scorn- 
ful expression,  when  there  is  little  occasion  for  them, 
rankle  in  the  memory,  and  sow  the  seeds  of  a  future 
collision. 

Lord  Spencer,  in  his  eagerness  to  omit  nothing  to 
secure  spurt,  may  occasionally  have  said  what  some  may 
have  thought  too  much,  but  he  studiously  avoided  the 
use  of  bad  language,  and  would  have  felt  the  greatest 
regret  if  his  words  were  unjustly  applied,  or  if  they 
rankled  in  any  one's  mind. 


Lord  Spencer's  Mastership.  193 

So  much  for  the  seamy  side  of  the  spirit  of  ^'  thorough- 
ness^'  which  leaves  no  stone  uiiturned  to  produce  a  desired 
result.  It  will  not  be  denied  by  any  one  conversant  with 
the  habits  and  practice  of  Lord  Spencer  here  being 
referred  to,  that  "  duty/^  the  second  on  the  list  of  attri- 
butes most  justly  apportioned  to  him  in  the  commencing 
lines  of  this  memoir,  has  ever  been  the  guiding  star  of 
his  life,  and  of  his  actions.  To  no  one  has  it  come  more 
home  that  property  has  its  duties  as  well  as  its  privileges 
and  it  is  asserted  without  fear  of  contradiction  that  no 
pubUc  man,  statesman  or  otherwise,  has  more  consistently 
acted  upon  this  principle.  Many  a  day^s  hunting  has 
been  sacrificed  to  the  performance  of  some  insignificant 
magisterial  duty :  many  a  horse  posted  in  some  likely 
spot,  on  the  chance,  after  work  was  over,  of  coming  in 
for  the  residuum  of  a  run.  But  the  spirits  of  ^^  thorough- 
ness "  and  "  duty,'^  conspicuous  as  they  be  as  motive 
principles  in  the  character  of  one  of  Ireland's  most  famous 
Lord-Lieutenants,  scarcely  hold  their  own  with  the  third- 
named  influence,  ^'  justice.'^  Whether  it  be  in  governing 
a  people,  or  in  weighing  the  conduct,  or  deciding  upon  the 
treatment  of  an  individual,  the  one  and  only  goal  arrived 
at  by  the  representative  of  the  great  house  of  Spencer  is 
■' Justice.''^  With  that  for  a  weapon,  he  believes  that  all 
the  rugged  places  will  be  made  smooth,  and  all  difiiculties 
overcome. 

The  following  letter,  written  in  the  winter  of  December, 
1869,  is  peculiarly  interesting  at  the  present  time — the 
summer  of  1886:  ''We  are  comparatively  quiet  just 
now.  Irish  affairs  are  undergoing  a  crisis,  as  must 
always  be  the  case  where  great  changes  are  taking  place. 
They  who  are  benefited  are  too  accustomed  to  their  old 

0 


1 94     ^-^^  Pytchley  Hunty  Past  and  Present, 

^ievances  to  become  champions  of  order,  and  the 
agitators  do  not  distinguish  between  real  and  iSctitious 
evils.  I  am  satisfied,  however,  that  patience  and  per- 
severance in  doing  justice  and  acting  with  impartiality 
will  eventually  bear  their  fruit.  Those  who  have  to  deal 
with  all  this  have  their  equanimity  sorely  tried,  and  must 
wear  a  thick  sMn/^  The  writer  then  g-oes  on  to  say :  '^  I 
have  had  some  gallops  with  the  Ward  Stag'-hounds  to 
keep  me  going.  A  sharp  ride  to  covert  and  a  good 
thirty  minutes  have  saved  me  from  collapsing.  There  is 
nothing  like  a  good  gallop  across  country,  even  to  stag- 
hounds,  to  drive  dull  care  away.  Three  hours^  for- 
getfulness  of  a  worry  gives  one  a  new  start.  We  had  a 
very  good  run  two  days  ago,  fifteen  miles  from  start  to 
take.  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  being"  in  first ;  only  five 
others  up  at  all.^^ 

Here  we  see  what  hunting  can  eff*ect  for  the  care-worn 
and  thoughtful  statesman,  and  may  learn  to  pity  the 
Viceroy,  to  whom  the  pleasure  and  excitement  of  a 
gallop  after  hounds  are  unknown. 

On  a  later  occasion  the  Lord-Lieutenant  was  quite 
alone  when  the  stag  was  captured  after  a  good  run.  The 
Dublin  journals  loudly  proclaim  the  feat  of  one  man,  and 
that  man  no  other  than  the  Viceroy  himself,  beating  the 
whole  Field,  and  that  Field  a  ''  Ward  Union ''  one.  The 
news  of  this  performance  having  elicited  some  inquiries 
from  a  Pytchley  friend.  Lord  Spencer  replied  as  follows : 
"  My  stag-hunting  adventure  was  very  funny.  After  carry- 
ing me  well  up  to  the  hounds  for  about  twelve  minutes  or  so, 
my  horse  fell  into  a  blind  ditch  attached  to  a  fence,  which 
would  have  staggered  any  field  unaccustomed  to  Irish 
^  obstacles.^     I  lost  a  little  time  in  getting  my  horse  out. 


L  ord  Spencer' s  M aster sh  ip,  195 

also  my  place  among  the  first  few.  Wlien  I  got  up  to 
tlie  road  where  I  lost  sight  of  the  leading  men^  I  fell  in 
with  the  Huntsman  heading  the  second  flight.  He  made 
me  gallop  a  particular  way,  but  finding  that  that  was 
wrong,  he  turned  back,  knowing  that  it  would  be  of  no 
use.  I  persevered  and  made  a  dash  down  some  lanes  as 
a  speculation.  After  going  about  twenty  minutes  I  saw 
what  is  called  ^  the  hunt,'  and  expected  to  catch  it  over 
a  hill  just  in  front  of  me.  To  my  surprise,  up  came  the 
stag  right  to  me,  and  presently  three  couple  of  hounds, 
and  then  five  couple  more,  but  no  one  in  sight.  Of 
course  I  followed  this  lot,  and  had  about  three  miles  of 
splendid  country  all  to  myself.  When  the  stag  was 
taken  not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen,  nor  did  a  horseman 
appear  in  sight  until  I  had  got  to  a  road  five  fields  off  with 
the  hounds,  not  one  of  whom  knew  me.  Some  labourers 
drove  them  to  me  ;  but  when  they  disappeared,  as  they 
soon  did,  off  went  my  reluctant  followers.  In  about 
twenty  minutes  a  stray  man  appeared,  and  ten  minutes 
later  the  Whip,  but  not  a  soul  beside.  It  was  no  great 
feat,  but  it  was  very  amusing.^''  Mr.  Green,  in  page  78 
of  his  very  interesting  volume,  after  describing  an  attack 
of  a  kestrel  on  a  rook,  goes  on  to  say  :  "  Another 
curious  thing  which  I  saw  during  my  visit  to  Ireland, 
was  a  stag,  hounds,  and  horses  all  run  to  a  stand-still,  or 
at  least  to  such  a  state  of  exhaustion  that  none  of  them 
could  move  so  fast  as  I  could  walk.  I  was  sitting  by 
myself  one  afternoon,  when  I  heard  the  cry  of  hounds  as 
if  crossing  the  park.  I  ran  out,  came  up  with  them,  and 
had  no  difficulty  in  keeping  up  with  them.  Only  five  or 
six  horsemen  were  near,  and  their  animals  looked  as  if 
they  had  not  a  leg  to   stand   upon,  and  could  scarcely 

0  2 


1 96     The  Pytchley  Hitnt,  Past  and  Present. 

raise  a  walk.  We  all  went  down  to  the  river,  and  from 
one  of  its  pools  out  jumped  the  stag,  all  amongst  the 
hounds.  He  just  managed  to  hobble  along  for  a  few 
yards  up  the  slope  of  the  green  meadow  with  the  dogs 
lopping  along  heavily  beside  him,  and  just  behind,  when 
he  came  to  a  few  very  low  hurdles.  He  could  only  just 
get  his  fore-legs  over  them  and  then  fell  right  among  the 
leading  hounds.  He  kicked  out  right  and  left  with  his 
hind-legs,  scattered  his  pursuers,  turned  down  again 
toward  the  river,  tumbled  over  the  hurdles  once  more, 
shook  himself  free  from  his  enemies,  and  again  sought 
the  water.  The  hounds  were  now  whipped  off,  and  some 
rustics  plunging  into  the  water,  the  leg-weary  animal 
was  secured.  Though  quite  unable  to  run,  it  was  sur- 
prising to  see  the  courage  and  strength  h«  still  retained. 
He  fought  and  struggled  with  head  and  neck,  and  it 
required  the  efforts  of  some  strong  men  to  make  him  go  in 
the  direction  they  required.  I  was  afterwards  shown  a 
place  in  the  park  where  he  had  fallen  through  being 
unable  to  jump  a  ditch  not  above  two  or  three  feet  wide, 
with  a  fence  about  a  foot  high.  I  never  ascertained  for 
certain  what  the  length  of  the  run  had  been,  but  though 
I  had  often  been  out  hunting  and  greatly  enjoyed  it,  it 
was  very  painful  to  me  on  that  occasion  to  see  all  the 
animals  so  thoroughly  exhausted.  I  suppose  the  hounds 
were  the  '  Ward  Union  ^  pack,  and  I  was  informed  that 
the  stag  bore  the  euphonious  name  of  the  '  Devil.' 
This  scene  took  place  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mullah ud- 
dart  Bridge." 

That  the  above  narrative  is  absolutely  a  truthful  one 
cannot  be  doubted  ;  but  after  half  a  century^s  experience 
with  foxhounds,  the  writer  has  not  only  never  witnessed, 
but  has  never  heard  of  a  similar  incident. 


L  ord  Spencer  s  Mastersh  ip.  197 

Daring  the  period  of  liis  first  Viceroyalty,  Lord  Spencer 
was  desirous  that  Mr.  Craven,  Master  of  the  ^^P.H.'^  at 
that  time,  should  bring  the  Pjtchley  pack  to  Dublin  for 
a  few  days^  hunting  in  the  Meath  country.  All  was  ar- 
ranged for  this  sporting  event  to  come  off,  but  an  accident 
to  Dick  Roake,  the^P.H.^'  huntsman,  necessitated  the 
giving  up  of  the  project.  Determined,  however,  to  intro- 
duce a  hunting-element  other  than  that  by  which  he  was 
surrounded,  the  Lord-Lieutenant  invited  six  of  his  tenants 
from  Northamptonshire  and  other  counties  to  be  his 
guests  for  a  week^s  hunting,  he  undertaking  to  mount 
each  of  them  twice,  and  to  pay  all  expenses. 

The  following  six  gentlemen,  tenant-farmers  all,  re- 
sponded to  the  invitation,  and  passed  such  a  time  as  has 
rarely  fallen  to  the  lot  of  the  unfortunate  agriculturist. 
Treated  with  a  hospitality  and  a  consideration  which  far 
exceeded  all  their  preconceived  ideas  of  what  was  likely 
to  happen,  it  seemed  as  though  Paradise  had  opened  its 
portals  to  do  them  honour.  From  Northamptonshire 
came  Messrs.  Henry  Sandars  of  Brampton,  George  Gee 
of  Welford  Lodge,  W.  Wykes,  and  F.  Elliott  of  Brington. 
Hertfordshire  sent  Mr.  L.  Cox;  Warwickshire,  Mr.  F. 
Fabling;  and  from  out  of  Norfolk  appeared  that  con- 
summate horseman,  Mr.  Everett.  Mounted  on  the  picks 
of  the  basket  in  the  Viceregal  stable,  each  and  all  did 
credit  to  the  different  localities  from  which  they  came, 
and  somewhat  surprised  the  ^^  bruisers  ^'  of  Meath  by 
the  facility  with  which  they  found  their  way  across  an 
unaccustomed  and  difficult  country.  Messrs.  Sandars 
and  Cox  alone  came  to  grief,  and  all  went  merry  as  a 
marriage-bell  from  morn  to  night.  Happy  the  tenant  to 
have  such  a  landlord ;  fortunate  the  country  to  have  such 
a  Yiceroy  ! 


198     The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present, 

Though  something  of  a  cricketer^  and  fond  of  shooting, 
it  is  horse  and  hound  which  really  occupy  the  warm 
corners  in  the  affections  of  the  Pytchley  Master  of  1861 
and  1874;  and  in  no  heart  does  the  love  of  hunting  burn 
more  strongly.  Be  he  where  he  may,  abroad_,  in  Ireland^ 
or  elsewhere,  the  thought  of  what  he  may  be  missing 
with  the  Pytchley  is  constantly  present  with  him  during 
the  winter  months.  Making  a  personal  friend  of  the 
horses  who  carry  him  well,  to  part  with  a  favourite  for 
any  cause  is  a  bereavement  of  no  ordinary  character.  In 
a  letter  to  a  friend,  bearing  date  February,  1858,  he  says  : 
"I  was  out  riding  on  Friday,  and  knew  by  old  Sir 
George's  excitement  that  hounds  were  near.  I  am  glad 
to  hear  of  the  death  of  one  of  the  many  Nobottle  foxes. 
The  one  you  tell  me  of  came,  1  presume,  from  Dodford 
Holt ;  if  so,  that  is  not  a  bad  line  if  you  keep  the  Weeden 
and  Brington  road  sufficiently  to  the  left,  and  so  cross 
those  fine  grass  meadows.  I  should  indeed  have  enjoyed 
the  Saturday  gallop  you  speak  of,  with  Wizard  or  Meteor 
in  their  old  form.^  I  hope  that  the  time  may  come  when  I 
shall  drop  in  for  a  few  such  runs.  I  can  count  on  my  fingers 
every  good  day  I  have  had  with  the  Pytchley  so  far ;  so 
much  have  I  been  prevented  by  one  cause  or  another 
from  hunting  regularly.  I  had  a  very  sad  parting  with 
my  dear  old  horses  on  Thursday  last.  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  clear  my  stables,  which  were  filled  with  a  multi- 
tude of  animals  :  many  useless  to  me,  and  several  nearly 
worn  out.  Reserving  the  two  old  favourites  and  my 
sister's  horse,  I  sent  eighteen  to  TattersalFs.  1  had  no 
idea  until  the  time  arrived,  how  attached  one  can  become 
to  horses.     I  confess  that  I  shed  tears  over  Wizard  and 

'  Both  these  horses  returned  to  Althorp,  and  died  there  at  a  ripe 
old  age. 


Lord  spencer^ s  Mastership,  199 

one  or  two  others  tliat  neiglied  whenever  they  heard  my 
footsteps,  and  whose  every  movement  I  knew  exactly. 
Poor  things  !  I  long  to  hear  that  they  have  fallen  into 
good  hands/' 

Three  years  after  penning  this  epistle,  the  writer  taking 
up  the  reins  lately  held  by  Messrs.  Villiers  and  Cust, 
was  Master  of  the  Pytchley  hounds,  being,  as  has  been 
stated  elsewhere,  the  fourth  member  of  his  family  who 
had  filled  that  post.  Though  young  and  inexperienced, 
that  aptitude  for  becoming  master  of  any  position  taken 
up,  which  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  fortunate  few,  served  him 
in  good  stead ;  and  it  quickly  seemed  as  though  he  were 
"  to  the  manner  born/'  Few  better  proofs  of  the  advan- 
tage of  not  feeling  "  squandered  at  a  crucial  moment,"  or 
in  other  words  of  being  "  master  of  the  position,'*  can  be 
found  than  in  the  case  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mountain,  who, 
when  consulted  by  Charles  II.  as  to  whom  he  should  ap- 
point to  a  vacant  bishopric,  replied :  '^^  If  your  Majesty 
had  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard- seed,  you  would  say  to 
this  Mountain,  '  Be  thou  moved  into  that  See.'  "  Filled 
with  the  aptness  of  this  response,  the  king  took  the  hint, 
and  the  Mountain  forthwith  was  moved  into  the  coveted 
position.  That  artists  as  well  as  clergy  are  occasionally, 
at  all  events,  equal  to  the  occasion,  may  be  inferred  from 
the  following  anecdote  of  Sir  Francis  Chantrey,  the  grea 
sculptor.  Whilst  engaged  on  a  bust  of  Lord  Melbourne 
— eminent  for  his  learning  as  well  as  for  his  statesman- 
ship— the  artist  found  himself  getting  somewhat  out  of 
his  depth  in  discussing  a  scientific  subject.  Not  willing 
to  expose  his  lack  of  knowledge,  he  at  once  became  master 
of  the  position  by  requesting  his  lordship,  "  to  turn  his 
head  a  little  to  the  right,  and  'kee'p  his  mouth  closed  !  " 

The  then  beardless  face  of  the  new  chief  betokened  an 


200     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

easy-going  time  for  evil-doers  with  hounds  as  well  as  for 
'^  dodgers  ^^  and  "short-cutters;^^  but  all  such  rapidly 
discovered  that  they  had  reckoned  without  their  host^  or 
rather  without  their  Master.  Captain  Bruiser  was 
speedily  admonished  to  modulate  his  bruising,  and  the 
sly  shirker  was  warned  of  the  possible  consequences  of 
his  shirkiness.  Whilst  drawing  a  cover,  the  whole  field 
was  directed  to  be  gathered  together  in  one  place,  and 
few  who  hunted  in  those  now  distant  days  will  forget 
the  grip  in  the  field  under  Yelvertoft  Field-side,  beyond 
which — no,  not  for  the  matter  of  an  inch — was  any 
horseman  allowed  to  pass  until  the  fox  was  away. 
Excellent  in  theory  and  full  of  promise  was  this  edict  of 
the  grip,  but  it  ever  seemed  to  fail  in  its  performance. 
A  mistaken  '^  view-holloa^'  or  a  false  line  out  of  cover  at 
once  scattered  the  impatient  host  of  horsemen,  and  it 
was  then  useless  to  try  and  reform  the  line  and  bring  it 
under  subjection. 

Having  the  great  advantage  of  commencing  his  career 
as  M.F.H.  under  the  tuition  of  Charles  Payn — the  most 
pleasant  and  keenest  of  Huntsmen — Lord  Spencer 
quickly  mastered  the  details  of  kennel-management,  and 
so  prepared  himself  for  his  second  term  of  ofl&ce,  when 
he  found  much  that  required  undoing,  and  still  more  that 
wanted  doing  in  the  "  P.H.^'  surroundings.  It  was  during 
the  period  of  his  first  Mastership — in  1863 — that  Lord 
Spencer  was  honoured  with  a  visit  from  his  Royal 
Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  was  pleased  to  seize 
an  opportunity  of  proving  that  England's  future  King 
could  hold  his  own  after  hounds  over  the  big  fences  of 
the  Pytchley  country.  That  he  was  able  to  do  so  was 
shown   in    an   afternoon   gallop  from    Vanderplanks   to 


Lord  spencer  s  Mastership.  201 

Purser's  Hills,  when,  in  spite  of  a  pace  that  was  not 
well  adapted  to  a  welter  weight,  H.R.H.  occupied  am 
excellent  place  until  choked  off  by  the  hill  leadiug"  from 
Blueberries  up  to  Mr.  Pell's  house  at  Hazelbeach  Hill, 
when  he  was  fain  to  dismount,  and  like  any  ordinary 
mortal  led  his  horse  to  the  summit  of  the  ascent.  The 
hounds  at  this  point  being  out  of  sight,  H.R.FL  seemed 
to  think  that  next  to  being  present  at  the  kill,  a  "  drop  o' 
good  beer  '^  was  the  most  desirable  object  at  that  moment, 
so  pulling  up  at  Mr.  PelFs  house,  he  quickly  slaked  a 
" hill-born^'  thirst  in  a  flagon  of  Burton  ale.  A  cigar 
about  the  size  of  a  sausage-roll  was  quickly  transferred 
to  his  lips,  and  the  late  formidable  ascent  soon  formed 
the  downward  path  on  his  road  back  to  Althorp. 

Few  there  present  will  forget  the  scene  that  offered 
itself  when  the  Meet  on  the  occasion  of  his  Poyal 
Highnesses  appearance  for  the  first  time  with  the 
Pytchley  hounds  was  held  at  Holdenby  House.  The 
cortege  of  ladies  and  horsemen,  headed  by  the  Prince  with 
Lady  Spencer,  was  seen  to  issue  from  the  lodge-gates  at 
Althorp,  and  cross  the  pastures  leading  to  this,  one  of  the 
most  interesting  spots  in  English  history.  It  seemed 
as  though  thousands  had  assembled  to  welcome  the  heir 
to  the  throne,  the  descendant  of  that  king  who  had  laid 
down  his  life  on  the  scaffold,  a  victim  to  the  unbridled 
hatred  of  his  enemies. 

On  the  following  day,  his  Royal  Highness  being  mounted 
on  a  clever  dun-coloured  horse — somewhat  slow — from  the 
Althorp  stables,  "  Pale  Ale  "  by  name,  a  fox  from  Sandars 
Cover  crossed  the  Spratton  Brook,  not  far  from  ''  M^rry 
Tom."  Riding  at  the  water  "  like  a  man,"  the  Prince  met 
with  the  sad  experience  that  royalty  does  not  always  have 


202     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

it  all  its  own  way,  and  tliat  when  the  ways  of  a  horse  and 
those  of  the  first  gentleman  in  the  kingdom  come  into 
collision,  it  is  not  the  former  that  usually  has  to  give  in. 
"  Pale  Ale  '^  declined  the  brook,  whip  and  spur  notwith- 
standing, and  the  passage  across  the  stream  was  finally 
effected  by  means  of  a  friendly  ford. 

After  the  completion  of  a  decade  and  a  half  from 
this  time — namely  in  January,  1878, — another  Royalty^ 
different  alike  in  sex,  rank,  and  nationality,  honoured  the 
Pytchley  Hunt  during  Lord  Spencer's  second  Mastership. 

Occupying  the  very  highest  rung  on  the  social  ladder, 
her  lofty  position  did  not  prevent  the  Empress  of  Austria 
from  freely  indulging  in  her  ruling  passion,  horses  and 
hunting.  At  home,  hours  were  spent  in  the  riding- 
school,  where  she  acquired  a  perfection  of  seat  and 
hands,  and  a  mastery  over  her  animal  which  served  her 
in  good  stead  when  a  big  fence  intervened  between 
herself  and  the  hounds  she  was  following.  Attended  by 
a  suite  bearing  names  illustrious  in  Austrian  history,  her 
Majesty  took  up  her  quarters  in  Cottesbrooke  Park, 
where  for  six  weeks  she  *^  witched  the  (Pytchley)  world 
with  noble  horsemanship.""  Buh  duce  '^  Bay  Middleton,'' 
the  task  she  had  set  herself  of  seeing  all  that  there  was  to 
be  seen,  was  performed  in  a  fashion  that  excited  the 
admiration  of  a  critical  field,  and  aroused  the  envy  of 
many  a  rival  horsewoman.  The  custom  of  carrying  a 
fan  as  well  as  a  whip  attracted  much  observation  at  first, 
but  foreign  ways  are  not  always  as  English  ways,  and 
everything  is  good  taste  in  an  Empress.  Courteous  and 
affable,  her  Majesty  was  pleased  to  have  any  Members 
of  the  Hunt  presented  to  her,  and  would  converse  freely 
on  all  topics  connected  with  hunting.     Selected  for  their 


Lord  Spencer  s  Mastership.  203 

powers  rather  than  for  their  appearance_,  her  horses  all  wore 
the  hunting  rather  than  the  parky  cut,  and  few  of  them 
looked  worth  the  money  that  had  been  given  for  them. 
No  sooner  was  it  known  that  a  horse  was  being  looked  at 
for  the  Empress,  than  up  went  its  price,  fifty  per  cent,  if 
not  more. 

Not  naturally  of  a  robust  constitution,  her  Majesty 
hoped  to  find  in  good  English  malt  and  hops  an  antidote 
to  a  feeling  of  exhaustion  which  at  times  sorely  beset 
her.  Calling  at  the  house  of  the  writer  one  evening  on 
her  way  home  from  hunting,  she  smilingly  rejected  the 
preferred  tea,  saying,  "  Please  let  me  have  some  beer,  it 
will  do  me  so  much  more  good."  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
anticipated  benefit  followed  upon  the  modicum  of  John 
Barleycorn  absorbed  on  that  occasion  by  her  Imperial 
Majesty. 

Few  events  in  the  annals  of  the  '^  P.H."  will  stand  out 
for  all  time  to  come  in  higher  relief  than  the  Empress's 
steeple-chase  at  Hopping  Hill,  which  was  got  up  by  her 
own  desire,  and  carried  out  entirely  at  her  own  expense, 
as  a  memento  of  her  sojourn  at  Cottesbrooke. 

This  memorable  event  took  place  on  the  day  of  her 
Majesty's  final  departure  from  the  neighbourhood,  when 
she  entertained  at  luncheon  in  a  marquee  erected  on  the 
crest  of  the  hill  a  large  number  of  royal  and  noble  guests. 
Amongst  the  company  there  assembled  were  to  be  seen 
H.E.H.  the  Princess  of  Wales,  H.R.H.  the  Duchess 
of  Teck,  the  Duchess  of  Manchester,  the  Countess 
Spencer,  the  Countess  M.  Festetics,  the  Prince  Imperial 
of  Austria,  Prince  Lichtenstein,  Earl  Spencer,  and  many 
another  bearing  a  name  of  European  celebrity.  Seated 
in  her  carriage,  with  the  Princess  of  Wales  on  her  left^ 


204     TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

and  Lady  Spencer  opposite,  she  closely  watched  the 
competition  for  the  prizes  she  had  offered,  and  in  one 
race,  at  least,  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  pilot. 
Captain  Middleton,  arrive  an  easy  winner.  Before  quit- 
ting for  the  railway  station,  she  begged  Lord  Spencer  to 
bring  to  the  carriage  any  Member  of  the  Hunt  he  could 
find,  so  that  she  might  personally  take  leave  of  him — an 
act  of  royal  courtesy  and  condescension  that  will  not 
easily  be  forgotten  by  the  recipients  of  the  honour.  The 
cheers  that  greeted  her  Majesty  on  leaving  the  field  were 
loud  and  long,  and  seemed  to  afford  her  much  gratifica- 
tion ;  and  thus  ended  a  memorable  incident  in  the  history 
of  the  Pytchley  Hunt. 

After  an  accident  which  occurred  to  Goodall  early  in 
1877,  Lord  Spencer  hunted  the  hounds  himself,  and 
continued  to  do  so  twice  a  week  in  the  open  ;  and  was 
doing  this  during  the  Empress's  visit.  On  many  an  occa- 
sion he  had  shown  his  aptitude  for  the  difiicult  post,  but 
on  the  day  succeeding  that  of  her  Majesty's  departure  he 
hunted  a  fox  from  Naseby  cover  to  Wilby,  near  Welling- 
borough, in  a  manner  that  would  have  done  credit  to 
'^  Gentleman  ^'  vSmith  himself.  The  distance  from  point  to 
point  cannot  be  less  than  fifteen  miles ;  and  the  scent  at 
no  time  being  anything  more  than  a  ^'  holding  one,''  but 
for  the  exercise  of  great  patience  and  perseverance,  the 
run  might  have  collapsed  at  any  moment. 

At  another  time,  with  a  very  catchy  scent.  Lord  Spencer 
hunted  a  fox  from  Rockingham  across  the  railway, 
twice,  killing  him  in  the  open  near  Uppingham.  On  each 
of  the  occasions  above  referred  to,  his  Lordship  exhibited 
the  true  instincts  of  a  huntsman,  patience  and  self-posses- 
sion,   proving    thereby    that    in    the    diflacult    art    of 


Lord  Spencer  s  Mastership.  205 

hunting   a   fox,  tlie   amateur  is   not  a  wliit  behind   tlie 
professional. 

The  dislike  to  the  gentleman-Huntsman  that  prevailed 
so  strongly  for  a  while,  seems  to  have  yielded  to  the  feel- 
ing- that  in  the  matter  of  handling  hounds  in  the  field  he 
is  little,  if  at  all,  inferior  to  the  '*"  regular  dustman/' 

The  main  advantage  that  the  Professional  has  over  the 
Amateur,  living  as  he  often  does  away  from  the  kennels, 
is  his  constant  presence  among  the  hounds.  No  skill  will 
compensate  for  that  lack  of  sympathy  between  a  pack 
of  hounds  and  their  huntsman,  which  is  the  inevitable 
consequence  of  leaving  them  over-much  to  the  care 
and  society  of  some  other  person.  An  hour  or  so  spent 
occasionally  in  the  kennel  will  scarcely  be  sufficient  to 
generate  that  passionate  attachment  which  leads  the 
hound  to  rejoice  in  his  Master's  scent  and  presence,  and 
causes  him  to  come  at  once  to  the  sound  of  his  voice  or 
the  blast  of  his  horn.  A  fox  is  already  half  killed  when 
his  pursuers  come  quickly  out  of  cover,  and  this  is  rarely 
the  case  unless  the  scent  be  good,  and  they  be  pretty 
close  upon  his  back.  The  cracking  thong  and  the  "  ger 
away  to  him  "  of  the  angry  Whip,  will  have  little  efiect 
if  the  scent  be  bad,  and  he  who  is  "  blowing  away  ''  out- 
side the  cover  has  failed  to  endear  himself  to  his  hounds 
by  being  constantly  with  and  amongst  them.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  few  words  in  the  customary  '^  lingua  canina  " 
from  their  own  familiar  friend,  will  cause  every  rightly- 
thinking  hound  to  hurry  to  the  well-known  voice.  In 
drawing  a  comparison  between  the  amateur  and  the  pro- 
fessional Huntsman,  it  would  seem  that  if  the  former  be 
willing  to  make  a  slave  of  himself  and  undertake  the 
carrying  out  his  duties    in  a    similar     manner   to    the 


2o6     TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Prese^it, 


latter,  there  is  little  to  choose  between  them  in  the 
matter  of  proficiency  in  the  field.  That  a  Huntsman 
should  always  be  with  his  hounds  seems  an  indisput- 
able axiom.  It  has  been  said  that  ^'  mediocrity  at  the 
tail  of  the  pack  is  infinitely  to  be  preferred  to  the 
embodiment  of  science  half  a  mile  behind.'^  To  the 
Professional,  want  of  nerve,  save  under  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, meaus  loss  of  situation.  To  the  Amateur 
much  is  forgiven  in  this  respect  if  he  be  popular,  and 
especially  if  he  pays  the  piper.  How  Squire  Lowndes 
and  the  late  Lord  Southampton,  neither  of  whom  ever 
^'"jumped,"  met  with  even  the  modicum  of  success  they 
could  fairly  lay  claim  to  as  huntsmen,  was  a  thing 
which  "no  feller  could  understand.^^  Few  who  have 
ever  carried  the  horn  could  compete  with  either  of 
these  well-known  sportsmen  in  the  art  of  "  half-a-mile- 
behinding  ;'^  yet  many  a  better  man  has  been  unable  to 
show  an  equally  favourable  record  of  foxes  killed. 

The  cuckoo-cry  is  often  raised  that  '^  any  fool  can  kill  a 
fox  with  a  scent  ;^'  the  answer  to  which  is  "  let  the  fool 
try."  That  he  will  not  perform  this  much-desired  feat 
without  one  is  certain,  but  few  take  into  consideration 
the  "  aliquid  amari,"  '^the  always  a  something,"  that  is 
pretty  sure  to  turn  up  when  least  expected. 

The  old  Scotch  lady  did  not  speak  without  an  experience 
in  disappointment,  when  in  reply  to  a  query  from  a  friend, 
as  to  whether  she  might  congratulate  her  on  her  daughter's 
approaching  marriage,  she  said,  "  Oh,  yes,  I  have  nothing 
to  say  against  it.  It's  true  that  Janie  hates  the  man,  but 
then  there's  always  a  something."  So  in  hunting  a  fox, 
be  the  scent  ever  so  good — the  kill  apparently  ever  so 
certain — the  unexpected  suddenly  turns  up  in  the  form  of 


Lord  Spencer's  Mastership.  207 

a  storm — a  flock  of  sheep — a  change  in  the  atmosphere — 
a  shepherd  dog — or  an  unknown  drain.  In  short  ^^  there^s 
always  a  something ;"  and  nowhere  more  than  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  ^'  wily  animal.'^ 

It  is  a  singular  but  indisputable  fact^  that  however  good 
a  man  may  be  as  first  or  second  Whip,  he  is  by  no  means 
sure  to  succeed  in  the  more  important  position  of  Hunts- 
man. 

Tom  Ranee,  formerly  with  the  Cheshire  Hounds,  feeling 
that  he  was  in  his  right  place  as  first  Whip,  always 
refused  promotion ;  and  the  well-known  Will  Derry, 
huntsman  to  Lord  Chesterfield,  was  little  else  than  a 
brilliant  failure. 

Jack  Stevens  may  be  placed  on  the  same  list,  as  also 
many  another,  who  so  far  as  their  reputation  went  would 
have  been  wise  to  have  followed  Tom  Ranee's  example, 
and  have  remained  content  with  the  subordinate  position. 
To  him,  skilled  as  he  was  in  whipping  in  to  hounds,  the 
profession  of  stone-breaking  would  have  been  preferable 
to  that  of  Huntsman,  and  this  because  he  was  conscious 
of  lacking  the  necessary  qualifications  for  the  ofiice. 

Of  all  the  pastimes  common  to  Englishmen,  to  redress 
thebalanceofits  manifold  pleasures,  there  is  none  so  fraught 
with  disappointments  as  "  the  Chase.""  Be  it  stag,  fox,  or 
hare,  everything  hinges  upon  scent,  and  the  number  of 
really  good  scenting-days  in  a  season  may  usually  be 
reckoned  on  the  fingers  of  either  hand.  In  an  able 
article  on  '^  Things  pertaining  to  Sport ''  which  appeared 
in  a  Field  of  January,  1886,  it  is  maintained  tliat  a 
long  course  of  weather,  uniform  in  temperature,  mild  and 
equable,  is  favourable  to  sport.  A  fifty  years'  experience 
has  taught  the  writer  that  in  the  Pytchley  country,  at  all 
events,  the  truth  is  to  be  found  in  the  converse  of  this 


2o8     The  PytcJiley  Hunty  Past  and  Present, 

proposition.  There,  a  uniformly  dry  or  mild  winter  is 
never  productive  of  sport,  and  the  cry  of  the  Huntsman 
invariably  is,  *'  We  mustn^t  look  for  any  good  scents  until 
we  have  a  change  of  weather." 

In  a  letter  from  Lord  Spencer,  written  long,  long  ago, 
and  from  a  far  distant  spot,  he  says  :  ^^  You  must  not 
expect  many  runs  until  you  exchange  your  mild  weather 
for  some  frost  and  snow  to  sweeten  the  ground;"  and 
this  used  to  be  stoutly  maintained  by  Charles  Payne,  as  it 
still  is  by  Will  Goodall. 

That  ^^  scent  transcendeth  all  Huntsmen,"  and  is  as  true 
now  as  it  was  when  uttered  by  Edmund  de  Laiigley,  one 
of  the  sons  of  Edward  III.,  there  is  no  disputing.  But 
what  is  that  ^'mystery  of  mysteries"  which  we  call  by 
the  name  of  scent  ?  Who  can  unravel  the  impalpable 
puzzle  ?  Who  interpret  the  riddle  that  has  baffled  gene- 
ration after  generation  ?  ^'^  The  world  is  growing  old  !  " 
Those  who  know,  or  say  they  do,  declare  that  it  has  long 
passed  its  six  thousandth  birthday,  and  yet  neither 
physicists  nor  men  of  science  have  been  able  to  tell 
whence  it  cometh  or  whither  it  goeth  ;  or  where  or  when 
it  may  be  looked  for.  Things  alike  in  their  nature 
produce  and  destroy  it — things  totally  dissimilar  work 
with  the  same  result. 

One  sporting  rhymster  tells  us  of  a  great  run  that 
came  oJBf  when  "  the  wind  was  north-east,  forbiddingly- 
keen,'^  whilst  another  bids  us  be  of  good  cheer  with  a 
^'  Soutberly  wind  and  a  cloudy  sky,  which  proclaims  a 
hunting  morning."  Some  sporting  pundits  affirm  that 
the  rolling  hound  and  the  drop-laden  hedge  are  each 
ominous  of  evil,  and  as  regards  the  latter,  all  Hunts- 
men seem  of   one  mind.     No  sooner,  however,  has  the 


Lord  Spencer  s  Mastership.  209 

glistening  liquid-atom  been  dissolved  into  thin  air,  than 
"  Hope  begins  to  tell  its  flattering  tale/'  and  a  run  is 
pronounced  to  be  imminent  by  the  sanguine  believer  in 
atmospheric  effects.  In  hunting,  however,  nothing  is 
sure,  nothing  is  certain.  Experience  shows  that  over 
ground  ever  so  parched  or  ever  so  sodden  with  wet, 
hounds  will  sometimes  fly;  others  be  scarcely  able  to  own 
the  line.  Happily,  however,  for  the  sportsman,  it  may  be 
said  that  the  motto,  Nulla  dies  sine  linea — there  is  "  no 
day  without  a  line  ^' — is  strictly  applicable  to  hunting, 
since  no  condition  of  soil  or  atmosphere  can  render 
scent  absolutely  non-existent.  For  lack  of  it  the  pace 
may  be  exasperatingly  slow ;  but  many  a  stout  fox  has 
been  "  walked ''  to  death,  and  many  a  mile  of  grass,  with 
fences  to  match,  been  crossed  during  the  operation.  As 
"  half  a  loaf  is  better  than  no  bread,"  so  is  a  pottering 
run  better  than  no  sport.  The  evening  before  a  frost  is 
looked  upon  by  many  as  a  sure  harbinger  of  good  things 
to  come;  but  it  too  often  fails  in  performance  to  render 
the  promise  much  to  be  depended  upon.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  falling  snow — a  time  of  much  hope  with  certain 
observers,  and  likewise  of  much  disappointment.  What 
is  sauce  on  one  day  for  the  hunter,  is  poison  on  another; 
and  the  explanation  thereof  baffles  the  experienced 
sportsman,  who  learns  to  attach  little  credit  to  all  out- 
ward and  visible  signs,  be  they  of  weatlier  or  aught  else. 
Does  the  mystery  lie  in  the  wind,  the  state  of  the  atmo- 
sphere, the  nature  of  the  soil,  the  hound,  or  in  the  fox 
himself?  We  know  that  scent  consists  of  particles  of 
extreme  fineness,  which  when  given  off  float  lightly  in 
the  air  for  a  time,  and  then  vanish ;  whilst  some  coming 
in  contact  with   the  ground  are  united  with  the  exhala- 

F 


2IO     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

tions  left  by  the  foot  of  the  hunted  animal^  and  exist  for 
a  longer  period.  These  odorous  particles  are  subject  to 
the  condition  of  the  air^  and  ascend  or  descend  according 
as  it  is  light  or  heavy^  dry  or  moist.  When  arrested 
a  few  inches  above  the  soil^  the  scent  is  neither  out  of 
the  reach  of  the  hound^  nor  has  he  to  stoop  for  it, 
whereby  he  ^^ feels"  it  at  the  point  most  favourable  to 
himself,  and  which  is  commonly  known  as  ^'  breast- 
high/^ 

Scent  also  varies  by  difference  of  motion.  The  faster 
the  animal  goes  the  less  of  it  he  leaves  behind ;  and  if 
pursued  by  a  dog  not  belonging  to  the  pack,  the  chances 
are  that  every  particle  of  it  will  have  disappeared.  Fogs 
are  sometimes  favourable  for  a  run^  whilst  at  others  they 
seem  to  annihilate  scent  altogether.  In  like  manner 
white  frosts,  influenced  by  some  mysterious  atmospheric 
law,  on  one  day  improve  sport,  on  the  next  render  it 
hopeless.  A  bright  sun  is  usually  fatal,  but  a  warm 
morning  without  it  is  often  productive  of  a  red-letter 
day.  It  is  said  that  scent  lies  best  on  the  richest  soils, 
and  that  good  pastures  are  more  retentive  of  effluvia 
than  cold  ones.  On  the  other  hand,  the  undrained  lands 
of  former  days  are  said  to  have  been  in  favour  of  sport ; 
the  lack  of  it,  at  the  present  time,  being  frequently 
attributed  to  the  improvements  in  the  science  of  farming. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  certain  that  in  some  particular 
spots  in  every  country,  hounds  cannot  push  a  fox,  even 
though  the  atmospheric  conditions  are  all  that  can  be 
desired. 

In  the  Pytchley  country,  Harleston  Heath  may  be 
said  to  be  one  of  these  ill-favoured  spots.  Be  it  the 
peaty  soil  or  the  withered  'Spins''  of  ^^Pinus'^  and  of 


Lord  Spencer  s  Mastership,  2  r  i 

"  Picea/'  it  is  certain  tliat  a  fox  is  '^  bad  "  to  catch  within 
the  circuit  of  this  well-known  cover.  As  if  aware  of  his 
comparative  safety,  Reynard  is  ever  loth  to  quit  this 
haven  of  security,  and  if  he  does  so,  is  only  too  ready  to 
return.  He  seems  to  think  that  a  journey  to  the 
pheasantry  or  to  Dallington  village  and  back  is  as  much 
as  can  be  reasonably  expectecl  of  him ;  and  he  moreover 
has  become  painfully  aware  that  "'  to  be  or  not  to  be  '' 
hinges  upon  his  regaining  the  heath  he  left  so  im- 
prudently. He  well  knows  that  there  are  others  of  the 
same  complexion  with  himself,  who  should  ta.ke  their 
share  of  the  danger  impending  over  him,  and  he  is  also 
well  aware  that  there  is  that  within  his  ancient  haunts 
which  baffles  his  pursuers  and  impedes  their  course.  But 
if  on  some  March  morning  a  stranger  from  a  distant  cover 
be  disturbed  in  his  love-making,  and  incontinently  makes 
tracks  for  his  far-off  home,  a  gallop  may  be  looked  for 
with  some  degree  of  confideuce.  With  one  circuit  round 
the  bowers  of  bliss,  he  bids  farewell  to  the  abode  of  his 
lady-love  and  is  off,  maybe  for  Cottesbrooke,  or  for  Sywell 
Wood.  Better  for  him  had  he  never  forsaken  the  spot, 
where  his  footfall  left  little  or  no  sig-n.  With  Brampton 
village  well  behind  him,  he  stops  for  a  moment  to  look 
and  listen,  and  to  catch  his  breath.  He  sees  nothing 
but  the  flock  of  sheep,  through  which  he  had  purposely 
passed,  clustering  under  a  hedge,  and  some  white-faced 
bullocks  excitedly  cantering  oif  in  the  same  direction. 
All  is  silent  for  a  brief  while,  and  he  begins  to  think  that 
the  danger  is  over.  Suddenly  the  well-known  sound  of 
the  horn  again  fills  the  air,  and  his  heart  seems  to  thump 
against  his  sides.  He  feels  that  at  no  great  distance  off 
his  pursuers  are  thirsting  for  his  blood,  and  that  he  must 

p  2 


2  1  2     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

hurry  on  or  leave  his  brusli  behind.  Sandars  Gorse — 
his  usual  "  house  of  call  ^' — is  safely  reached  ;  but  it  is  too 
hot  to  hold  him ;  so  skirting  a  familiar  corner,  he  sinks 
the  hill  and  pushes  on,  still  hopeful  of  eluding  his  enemies. 
But  the  chorus  of  voices  ceases  not,  and  knowing  that  the 
soft  grass,  so  pleasant  to  his  feet,  is  adding  to  his  peril, 
he  turns  upward  to  the  ploughs,  hoping  thus  to  bafi9.e  his 
pursuers.  Alas,  for  him  !  no  rain  has  fallen  to  make  the 
brown  earth  ^' carry,^^  and  plough  and  grass  seem  to  have 
conspired  together  to  take  away  his  life.  All  too  late 
he  changes  his  intention,  and  makes  for  Boughton 
Clumps,  but  the  earths  are  closed,  and  there  is  nothing 
for  it  but  on,  on,  on,  for  Sywell  Wood.  A  minute^s  rest 
in  Moulton  bushes  gives  him  strength  and  hope,  but  the 
fatal  clamour  reaches  his  ear  as  he  crouches  in  some 
dampish  sedge,  and  he  feels  that  the  end  is  near.  One 
more  effort,  but  in  vain.  Another  plough  is  crossed,  but 
there  is  no  escape.  A  single  hound,  ^^  Changeling,^'  child 
of  "  Changeful,"  coming  out  from  among  the  pack,  rolls 
him  on  the  ground,  and  in  another  moment,  the  muffled 
growl  is  heard  which  speaks  the  knell  of  poor  Reynard. 
Ill-luck  has  dogged  his  footsteps  all  the  way,  and  he  has 
fallen  a  victim  to  the  impalpable  essence  called  scent, 
which  for  once  and  away  has  remained  constant  over 
grass  and  plough  without  variableness  or  shadow  of 
changing.  On  the  morrow,  over  the  same  ground,  with 
the  wind  in  the  same  quarter,  and  the  atmospheric  con- 
ditions apparently  in  no  way  different,  he  might  have 
left  his  pursuers  far  behind,  and  so  deferred  the  fatal 
scrunch  to  a  future  day. 

Such  is  scent !     AVe  all  fancy  that  we  know  something 
about  it  and  can  give  a  pretty  good  guess  as  to  what  is. 


Lord  Spe7tcers  Mastership.  2 1 3 

and  what  is  not,  a  hunting  morning ;  and  so  deceive  our- 
selves. Captain  Bruiser  arrives  at  the  Meet  rejoicing 
in  the  southerly  wind  and  the  cloudy  sky,  or  maybe  in 
the  clear  but  sunless  surroundings  of  a  December  day. 
He  at  once  jumps  to  the  conclusion  that  a  clinking  scent 
is  sure  and  certain ;  and  he  hails  the  presiding  deity 
in  cap  and  boots  with  ^'  Morning,  Will,  sure  to  be  a 
rattling  scent  to-day  ;  "  but  the  too  sanguine  Captain  has 
missed  the  cobwebs  in  the  hedge,  and  has  looked  upon 
the  rolling  of  the  hounds  as  possibly  a  happy  thought  for 
passing  the  time.  Not  so  the  Huntsman ;  nothing  has 
escaped  his  vigilant  eye,  and  he  cautiously  replies,  "  I 
hope  so,  sir,  but  I  don't  like  saying  much  beforehand 
about  good  scents  or  bad  scents  :  the  more  I  see  of  hunt- 
ing the  less  I  know,  it  seems  to  me,  about  that  article.'^ 
Sensible  huntsman !  He  has  learnt  the  virtue  of  the 
Yankee  advice,  '^  Never  prophesy  unless  yer  know.''  A. 
glance  having  passed  between  the  Master  and  Huntsman, 
away  trot  the  hounds,  headed  by  the  first  Whip,  rejoicing 
in  the  knowledge  that  their  fun  is  soon  to  begin.  In  less 
than  eighteen  minutes  every  bush  in  the  neighbouring 
gorse  seems  suddenly  alive,  and  hound  leaps  over  hound, 
jealous  lest  his  brother  of  the  kennel  should  be  the  first 
to  fling  his  tongue.  A  ringing  "  view  "  proclaims  the 
departure  of  the  fox,  and  being  close  upon  his  back 
the  pack  have  no  difficulty  in  making  him  feel  that  he 
must  put  his  best  foot  first.  ^'  Just  as  I  though t,'' 
says  Captain  Bruiser  to  himself;  ^'there's  a  rattling 
scent,  and  no  mistake.""  But  the  words  have  scarcely 
escaped  his  lips  when  there  is  a  sudden  slackening  in 
the  pace,  the  leading  hounds  half-stopping  throw  them- 
selves to  right  and  left,  whilst  the  duffers  commence  to 


214     ^^^^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

stare  about  and  look  for  tlie  Huntsman's  help.  He  casts 
round  the  field  where  the  hounds  have  thrown  up ;  then 
tries  forward  with  a  bold  and  increasing  sweep^  and 
then  backward,  and  at  last  a  well-known  roadster 
**  feathers '^  on  the  line.  The  chorus^  but  in  greatly 
diminished  volume,  recommences,  and  hearts  once  more 
beat  high.  But  though  a  mile  or  two  are  traversed,  the 
pace  never  exceeds  the  conventional  "  donkey's-gallop  /' 
and  it  becomes  only  too  clear  that  the  virtue  has  gone 
out  of  the  whole  thing.  But  why  so  ?  and  for  what 
reason  was  there  this  unlooked-for  disappointment  ? 
Because  the  cobwebs  and  the  rollers  at  the  Meet  were 
right  after  all,  and  there  was  that  in  the  atmosphere — 
nescio  quid — which  prevented  the  scent  from  being  at 
any  time  really  a  good  one.  So  long  as  they  were  close 
at  him,  hounds  could  almost  fly,  but  no  sooner  was 
he  chivied  by  a  shepherd^s  dog,  than  having  shaken 
off  this  new  enemy,  he  felt  that  he  had  done  with  the  old 
ones  ;  at  least  for  the  time  being.  Discontentedly  riding 
home  after  a  bad  day,  our  friend  *^ Bruiser'^  mournfully 
meditates  over  the  uncertainty  of  things  in  general;  but 
more  especially  of  scent.  Eemembering  his  prophecy  of 
the  morning,  he  vows  that  never  again  will  he  venture 
to  give  an  opinion  on  so  ticklish  a  subject  as  a  scenting 
day  ;  and  for  a  time  keeps  his  word.  But  '^  guesses  at 
truth  "  do  not  always  tell  against  the  question. 

"Too  blustering  to  draw  the  Gorse  to-day,^'  once  said 
Mr.  Langham  to  Will  Goodall  on  one  Wednesday 
morning,  as  each  took  shelter  from  a  hurricane  of  wind 
under  the  lee  of  Crick  Church.  "  Take  the  hounds  home, 
and  we  will  come  to-morrow  instead." 

**  Begging  your   pardon,    sir,"    said  Will,  "  we    shall 


Lord  Spencer  s  Mastership,  2 1 5 

disappoint  a  great  many  if  we  don^t  do  something  ;  and 
we  slian^t  liurt  the  cover  by  running  the  hounds  through 
it/'  '^  If  we  do  find,  they  won't  be  able  to  run  a  yard/' 
said  the  Master^  ^'  but  I  don't  mind  having  a  try^  so 
move  on  at  once."  A  fox  was  soon  afoot  and  quickly 
^'  away,"  and  such  a  forty  minutes  followed  as  will  not 
soon  be  forgotten  by  those  who  saw  it.  The  more  it 
blew,  the  more  hounds  flew,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  scent 
could  be  almost  cut  with  a  knife.  Of  course  it  was  ^'  up 
wind,'^  which  points  to  the  fact  that  foxes,  like  men, 
must,  as  Carlyle  cynically  declared  of  his  own  country- 
men, be  mostly  fools  !  Tons  of  ink  may  be  shed,  reams 
of  foolscap  used  in  writing  disquisitions  upon  scent ;  but 
the  outcome  of  it  all  will  be  that  ^^  it  is  a  thing  that  no 
fellow  can  understand." 

With  the  single  exception  of  Sir  Francis  Head,  who 
will  be  spoken  of  at  length  elsewhere,  and  in  whom  the 
love  of  hunting  continued  in  his  eighty-fourth  as  strong 
as  it  was  in  his  eighteenth  year,  it  may  be  affirmed  that 
no  man  has  ever  looked  forward  to  the  next  day's  hunting 
with  greater  eagerness  than  the  noble  Lord,  who  possibly 
will  not  care  to  deny  that  the  most  halcyon  days  of  a 
somewhat  troublous  life  have  been  connected  with  the 
chase.  A  series  of  beautiful  pictures  by  Charlton  serves 
to  illustrate  the  period  when,  with  his  own  pack,  and 
Tom  Goddard  as  first  Whip,  he  thought  it  no  drudgery 
to  hunt  the  Woodland  country.  In  an  engraving  from 
one  of  these,  mounted  on  "  Misrule,"  with  Lady  Spencer 
by  his  side,  he  is  represented  as  surrounded  by  the  pack 
just  loosed  from  their  Althorp  kennels,  and  is  passing 
the  keeper's  house  on  his  way  to  rouse  some  too  inactive 
cubs,  and  give  his  young  hounds  a  lesson.     The  grey 


2 1 6     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

mare  lie  is  riding  is  not  without  her  interest,  though  only 
a  nominal  one,  at  the  particular  date  (July,  1886)  at 
which  these  lines  are  being  written.  On  seeing  a  friend 
upon  her_,  soon  after  his  first  Yiceroyalty,  he  inquired 
how  she  was  bred ;  and  on  hearing  that  she  was  by 
'^  Irish  Statesman/'  demanded  her  name.  "  Home  Rule/' 
was  the  owner's  reply.  '^  Not  at  all  a  good  one,  either,'' 
said  Ireland's  late  Lord- Lieutenant :  "  no  Irish  Statesman 
would  have  anything  to  do  with  Home  Rule."  "  I  have 
changed  the  mare's  name,  as  you  didn't  like  the  old  one," 
said  Mr.  N.  a  little  later  on.  ^^  And  what  do  you  call  her 
now  ?  "  "  Misrule  "  was  the  answer.  *^  That  is  a  much 
more  appropriate  title,"  was  the  remark  of  the  ex- 
Yiceroy.  And  soon  after  the  animal  passed  into  the 
Althorp  stables,  where  she  still  is  a  standing  memento 
how  teiYi'pwa  mutanUirj  nos  et  mutamur  in  illis. 

Most  interesting  some  day  will  it  be  to  read  the  letters 
of  one  of  L'eland's  most  efiicient  Lord-Lieutenants, 
written  in  one  of  her  most  stormy  periods.  In  an  epistle 
bearing  date  October,  1882,  the  writer,  referring  to  some 
gallops  he  has  heard  of  with  his  old  hounds,  says,  ^^  Alas  I 
those  pleasant  times  seem  past  and  gone,  when  a  deep 
ride  in  Loatland  Wood  did  not  repress  one's  keen 
anticipation  of  a  burst  over  those  grass-fields  alongside 
the  brook.  But  they  are  pleasant  to  think  and  talk 
about,  and  will  be  so  as  long  as  one  lives.  We  hope  for 
a  quiet  winter,  but  I  have  plenty  of  trouble  and  worry 
still.  The  question  among  gentlemen  now  is  *^Will 
hunting  be  possible  where  it  was  stopped  last  winter? 
It  hangs  in  the  balance,  but  I  fancy  that  with  judicious 
treatment  the  chase  will  win.  It  goes  on  capitally  in 
Meath,  and    with    the  Ward    Union,    but  I   dare    not 


Lord  Spencer'' s  Mastership.  2 1 7 

go  out,  as  they  miglit,  to  spite  me,  make  an  eflfort  to 
stop  it." 

In  tlie  year  1864,  Lord  Spencer  completed  his  first 
term  of  service  as  Master  of  the  P.H.,  to  be  succeeded 
by  Captain  Anstruther  Thomson,  whose  reputation  as  a 
scientist  in  hunting-matters  was  at  that  time  second  to 
none.  Compelled  by  warnings  which  brooked  no  delay, 
he  successfully  sought  in  Egypt  the  health  which  was 
denied  him  at  home ;  the  wear  and  tear  connected  with 
hounds  having  sapped  a  constitution  at  no  time  equal  to 
continuous  physical  exertion.  Always  full  of  hunting 
thoughts,  he  thus  writes  from  Suez  in  the  spring  of  1864  : 
"  Not  having  for  some  time  received  Charles  Payne's 
reports,  your  hunting-news  was  most  acceptable.  The 
details  you  give  of  hunting-incidents  and  county-life 
made  me  somewhat  sad  and  home-sick ;  but  the  sadness 
was  only  that  which  we  all  feel  on  hearing  of  things  one 
loves  so  well,  and  which  one  hopes  to  see  and  enjoy 
again. •'■'  A  striking  notice  of  the  Suez  Canal,  at  that 
time  in  its  earliest  stage  of  existence,  then  follows  :  "  I 
have  just  completed  one  of  the  most  instructive  journeys 
I  have  ever  made,  having  gone  from  Suez  to  Port  Said 
by  the  far-famed  French  canal.  I  am  immensely 
struck  by  the  gigantic  scale  of  the  work,  and  by  the 
marvellous  energy  and  power  shown  by  the  French 
engineers.  I  travelled  with  the  English  Consul  at  Cairo 
and  a  party  of  scientifics  and  visitors  for  six  days,  and 
we  ate  and  drank  Suez  Canal  mentally  and  physi- 
cally. 

"  The  enthusiasm  and  energy  of  these  men  would  alone 
convince  any  one  that  the  work  can  be  carried  out,  and 
money  seems  to  be  the  only  real   difficulty.     Where  is 


2  i8     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

this  to  come  from?  for  the  mere  canal,  as  a  commercial 
specuhition,  coax  never  pay  the  original  outlay.  The  whole 
place  is  a  French  colony.  There  are  four  or  five  villages, 
two  of  which  are  becoming  towns  rapidly,  with  fine  houses, 
hotels,  &c.  This  alone  is  marvellous,  considering  the 
whole  isthmus  is  in  mid- desert,  without  a  drop  of  fresh 
water  or  blade  of  green  grass  near  it.  The  administration 
is  perfect,  and  made  me  admire  the  French  immensely. 
It  has  become  a  question  of  the  greatest  international 
importance.  The  French  are  doing  a  world  of  good,  but 
are  they  to  remain  ?  No  politician  outside  France  can 
allow  that,  but  if  they  would  hold  and  irrigate  the  desert 
they  pass  through,  the  speculation  might  eventually  prove 
remunerative  one.  We  sailed  the  whole  way  from  Suez 
to  the  Mediterranean,  a  notable  achievement  in  the 
teeth  of  the  great  Stephenson,  who  declared  that  ib  was 
an  impossibility.  The  fresh-water  canal,  necessary  for 
supplying  the  staff  on  the  maritime  one  with  drinkable 
water,  and  for  the  transport  of  materials,  brings  the 
Nile  water  to  Ismaila  in  a  stream  six  feet  deep  by 
twenty  wide.'' 

That  the  climate  of  Egypt  did  all  that  was  expected  of 
it  for  the  ex-Master  of  the  "  P.H.'^ — was  proved  by  a 
P.S.  to  the  above  letter,  which  contains  the  statement  : 
*'  We  are  all  well ;  I  never  so  strong  since  I  remember 
anything,'^  Ten  years  after  this  the  writer  of  the  above 
letter  was  again  Master  of  the  Pytchley  Hounds ;  the 
interregnum  of  Mastership,  1864 — 1874,  having  been 
filled  up  by  Messrs.  K.  Thomson,  Craven,  and  Naylor,  re- 
spectively. During  this  time,  Lord  Spencer  had  passed 
through  the  ordeal  of  an  Irish  Viceroyalty — a  period 
during  which,  though  the  clouds  were  gathering  which 


Lord  Spencei's  Mastership,  219 

afterwards  discharged  themselves  with  such  terrific  force, 
the  political  atraosphere  was  comparatively  serene  and 
undisturbed. 

In  a  letter  from  Ziirich  in  the  June  of  1874,  the  writer 
says :  "  I  am  on  my  way  to  Ragatz^  which  I  hope  will 
strengthen  the  system,  and  enable  me  to  carry  out  effi- 
ciently next  winter  my  duties  in  county  affairs,  as  well 
as  those  of  M.F.H.  I  feel  desperately  eager  to  get  back  to 
superintend  kennel-matters.  The  fact  is  that  I  have  had  to 
go  into  so  many  more  details  of  management  than  I  had 
when  there  was  Charles  Payne  to  lean  upon,  that  I  have 
got  more  interest,  if  more  trouble,  in  my  M.F.H  duties. 
I  like  what  I  see  of  Goodall.  He  is  keen  as  mustard, 
very  active  and  sharp ;  and  I  breathe  much  more  freely 
than  when  in  the  atmosphere  of  Squires,  from  whom 
breezes  occasionally  emanated  other  than  those  of 
milk,  which  was  his  usual  outward  and  visible  beverage. 
My  regard  for  Tom  Goddard  made  me  very  extrava- 
gant in  my  bid  for  "  Newport;"  but  it  is  well  perhaps 
that  I  missed  him.  I  should  have  liked  ^*  Optimist " 
for  Goodall,  but  I  stopped  after  two  hundred  and  thirty 
guineas.  I  hope  that  my  purchase  of  the  Duhallow 
Hounds  will  be  useful.  The  dog-lot  is  rather  too  tall ; 
but  to  my  fancy  they  are  very  good-looking,  and  I  have 
a  wonderful  report  of  them  in  the  field.  These  and 
some  Fitzwilliam  reduced-establishment  drafts,  and  the 
Holderness  lot,  ought  to  make  our  pack  up  to  a  state 
of  efficiency." 

During  the  four  years  that  followed,  there  was  nothing 
omitted  by  the  noble  Master  to  ensure  that  amount  of 
sport  which  was  the  one  great  object  of  his  desire,  and 
which^  more  or  less,  occupied  his  thoughts  by  day  and 


2  20     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  P^^esent. 

by  niglit.  The  accident  to  his  Huntsman  having  forced 
upon  him  the  welcome  necessity  of  carrying  the  horn^  he 
increased  the  responsibihty  at  the  same  time  that  he 
enhanced  the  enjoyment  of  his  position  ;  the  only  draw- 
back to  which  was  his  too  great  anxiety  to  show  sport. 
Never  sparing  himself,  his  horses  or  his  hounds,  he  got 
into  the  habit  of  making  longer  days  than  was  good  for 
either^  and  the  ''  one  more  draw,"  when  it  was  really  time 
to  go  home,  eventually  told  its  tale  upon  all  three.  Nor 
did  long  frosts  and  heavy  snows  serve  to  keep  the  esta- 
blishment undisturbed.  "  Out  you  go  !  "  was  the  cry  on 
the  slightest  apparent  change  in  the  weather ;  and  many 
an  hour  had  been  spent  in  Sywell  Wood  and  Holcot 
Cover,  in  the  vain  hope  of  catching  a  fox  iu  the  snow, 
and  of  keeping  the  hounds  in  condition.  The  vision  of 
a  brave  old  Field-Marshal — one  of  England^s  most 
accomplished  soldiers — now  deceased,  rises  before  the 
writer,  as  with  the  collar  of  his  coat  well  up  to  his  ears, 
and  his  thin  grey  silky  hair  peeping'  from  under  his  hat, 
he  beat  his  hands  against  his  thighs  and  wished  himself 
well  out  of  the  wood,  and  sitting  over  the  fire,  safe  and 
snug,  at  Althorp. 

Even  under  these  depressing  conditions,  no  '^  Mark 
Tapley  ^'  could  look  happier  than  the  Master  who  carried 
the  horn ;  the  very  fact  of  the  difficulties  seeming  to 
inspire  him  with  fresh  energy.  Besides  the  old  warrior 
just  referred  to,  Lord  Granville — a  genuine  lover  of  sport 
in  any  shape — would  occasionally  appear  at  the  Meet 
during  Lord  Spencer's  Mastership ;  and  one  day  falling 
in  love  with  a  slashing  four-year-old  of  Mr.  John  Drage's 
— a  regular  Leicestershire  galloper — made  him  his  own 
at  three  hundred  guineas,  to  ride  with  his  harriers  about 


Lord  spencer^ s  Mastership.  221 

the  Dover  cliffs.  "  Love  at  first  sight/^  according  to  ttie 
Yankees,  is  '^  tlie  greatest  labour-saving  machine  in  the 
world,"  but  in  this  case  it  did  not  prove  a  mo7iei/-saving 
one  to  the  purchaser^  inasmuch  as  it  was  not  long  before 
the  animal  in  question  found  his  way  back  into  North- 
amptonshire— a  present  to  Lord  Spencer — his  only 
fault  being  that  he  was  ^^not  weak  enough  for  the 
place/^ 

But  a  greater  even  than  the  noble  Warden  of  the 
Cinque  Ports  gave  by  his  presence  quite  a  fillip  to  the 
Meet  at  Althorp,  one  fine  spring  morning.  It  was  known 
that  the  "  G.O.M."  was  staying  in  the  house,  and  it  was 
expected  that  he  would  appear — not  exactly  in  scarlet 
and  tops,  but  in  '^  highlows  "  and  jacket  to  match,  just 
to  say  that  he  had  been  present  at  a  Meet  with  the 
Pytchley.  This  did  not,  however,  appear  to  be  a  great 
object  of  desire  with  the  Premier  of  England. 

Anticipating  the  irreverent  sneers  of  Lord  Randolph 
Churchill,  he  even  then  enacted  the  part  of  ^^  an  old  man 
in  a  hurry,^'  and  after  a  brief  survey  of  the  scene,  and 
without  stopping  to  address  the  Field,  the  Huntsman,  or 
even  the  second  horseman,  he  hastily  retreated  to  the 
more  suitable  surroundings  of  the  famous  Library.  But 
his  eyes  were  not  closed  during  the  few  brief  minutes  of 
his  attendance  at  the  Meet.  When  invited  by  one  of  the 
guests  after  dinner  to  say  how  the  farmers  were  to  meet 
the  distressful  times  which  had  then  just  commenced,  the 
acute  observer  remarked,  "  They  cannot  be  so  badly  off, 
or  they  would  not  ride  such  beautiful  horses  as  I  saw 
this  morning;  "  adding — ^^  And  what  do  you  think  they 
really  want  ?  "  "A  slight  duty  on  corn/'  was  the  reply. 
"  They  will  never  get  it ;  and  if  they  did,  it  would  do 


2  22     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

them  more  harm  than  good/'  was  the  hopeful  answer  of 
the  great  Apostle  of  Free  Trade ;  whilst  a  smile  at  the 
audacity  of  the  suggestion  played  across  his  face. 

*'  But  can  nothing  be  done  by  which  landlord  and 
tenant  may  each  be  saved  ?  '"'  was  the  next  inquiry  of  the 
evidently  interested  interrogator.  "  Reduce  the  size  of 
your  holdings,  and  alter  your  system  of  farming/'  was 
the  response  of  one,  who  without  having  closely  studied 
the  subject,  saw  where  the  weak  points  lay.  Since  then 
this  advice  has  been  acted  npon  to  an  immense  extent, 
especially  in  the  increased  use  of  ^^  silos  '^  and  ^^  binders." 
But  the  black  cloud  still  hovers  over  farming  in  all  its 
branches ;  nor  does  even  a  glint  of  the  sun  peep  out  from 
the  darkness  to  impart  a  ray  of  hope  to  the  despairing 
agriculturist. 

"  Jam,"  for  a  time,  was  held  out  by  the  Prime  Minister 
as  a  panacea  for  all  rustic  evils,  but  the  remedy  scarcely 
seemed  suited  to  the  complaint ;  and  ^^  Thou  shalt  be 
saved  by  jam,"  was  never  adopted  as  an  article  of  belief 
into  the  creed  of  the  British  farmer. 

At  the  close  of  his  fourth  season.  Lord  Spencer  again 
becoming  aware  that  his  health  was  not  equal  to  the  wear 
and  tear  of  the  duties  required  of  him,  and  also  that  he 
was  neglectiug  the  higher  functions  of  political  life,  once 
more  placed  his  name  on  the  list  of  retired  M.F.H's, 
and  determined  to  pass  the  winter  in  the  genial  climate 
of  Algiers. 

Writing  from  "Mustapha  Superieur,"  in  the  autumn 
of  1879,  he  says,  '^  Thanks  for  your  account  of  the  run 
fi'om  "  Gib."  How  delighted  Will  Goodall  must  have 
been  with  it  !  It  reminds  me  of  one  I  had  on  the  last 
day  of  the  season  of  1878.     'Valentia'  was  out.     I  rode 


Lord  Spencer  s  Mastership.  22 


3 


'  Marvel  ^  for  tlie  last  time,  and  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  I 
lost  my  fox  near  Overstone.     I  love  to  hear  of  a  good 
run ;  but  as  I  ought  to  be  curbing  my  hunting  propensi- 
ties, a  slight  pang  will  come  across  me  when  I  feel  that  I 
ought  not  again  to  carry  the  horn  or  hunt  as  much  as  I 
have  hitherto  done.     On  reading  an  account  like  yours, 
I  become  conscious  of  the  difficulty  I  shall  have  in  break- 
ing myself  of  the  passion.     If  I  could  be    satisfied  with  a 
moderate  enjoyment  of  it,   I  might  allow  myself  some 
rein ;  but  I  so  easily  become  greedy  for  more,  when  once 
in  the  swing  of  it,  that  I  scarcely  know  when  to  pull  up.^^ 
Acting  upon  these  feelings,  and  conscious  that  there 
was  that  within  him  which  might  be  of  more  service  to 
his  country  than  the  management    of   a   pack    of   fox- 
hounds, ever  so   distinguished.  Lord   Spencer  now  laid 
down  the  horn  of  the  huntsman,  and  took  up   the  port- 
folio of  the  statesman  in  its  stead.     As   President   of  the 
Council,    the   new    Highway   Act   and   other   important 
matters  connected  with  county  business  came  under  his 
supervision.     The    same    ^'  thoroughness "    which   in  all 
that  he  undertook    seemed  to  be  his  moving  principle, 
was  brought  to  bear  upon  his  new  sphere  of  labour,  with 
the  result  that  the  efficiency  of  his  work  has  not  been 
exceeded  by  that  of  many  of  his  predecessors   in   office. 
Sore  trouble  awaited  him  in  Ireland ;  but  he  met  it  in  a 
spirit  so  gallant,  and  yet  so  gentle,  that  it  may  be  said  of 
him  that  in  every  Irish  heart  save  that  of  the  murderer 
and  the  dynamitard  "  exegit  monumeiitum  cere  perenniusJ' 
As  he  has  said  in  a  letter  quoted  elsewhere,  "  many  a 
time  he  was  saved  from  collapsing  by  a  gallop  with  the 
'  Meath '    or  the    '  Ward    Union  '    staghounds" — a   hint 
that  should  not  be  lost  upon  future  Irish  Viceroys. 


2  24     The  PytcJiley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present. 

MR.  HERBERT  LANGHAM. 

In  Mr.  Herbert Langham  of  Cottesbrooke^the  ^'^P.H."  were 
fortunate  enough  to  find  another  country  gentleman,  the 
fourth  in  succession,  ready  to  undertake  the  office  of 
M.F.H.  In  social  position,  locality  of  residence,  loTe  of 
hunting,  and  general  popularity,  a  more  fitting  successor 
could  not  have  been  found ;  and  a  liberal  subscription 
enabled  him  to  look  forward  to  a  happy  and  successful 
reign. 

It  was  now  arranged  that  the  Woodland  Country — a 
long-standing  difficulty  with  the  '^  P.H.'^ — should,  under 
the  title  of  the  "^  North  Pytchley,"  be  hunted  by  a 
separate  pack  of  hounds  and  Master,  thereby  greatly 
lessening  the  labours  of  the  establishment  at  Brixworth. 
Happily  for  the  new  experiment,  Mr.  Watson  of  Rock- 
ingham Castle — the  keenest  sportsman  and  the  most 
popular  man  in  the  whole  country-side — was  willing  to 
become  Master  of  the  "  N.P.H.",  and  for  two  years  con- 
trived to  instil  life  and  animation  into  the  proceedings  ; 
after  which  he  retired  into  private  life.  Mr.  Pennel 
Elmhirst  succeeded  Mr.  Watson,  himself  carrying  the 
horn  ;  but  being  an  entire  stranger  in  the  land,  and  un- 
used to  handling  hounds  in  a  strong  country,  the  measure 
of  his  success  was  not  very  remarkable. 

Lord  Lonsdale  next  took  up  the  running,  or  rather 
the  hunting,  and  fairly  astonished  the  land  of  Brigstock 
with  the  lavish  munificence  of  his  expenditure.  Mount- 
ing his  men  as  men  never  before  were  mounted;  himself 
riding  horses  more  fitted  for  the  Waterloo  than  a  Wood- 
laud  country,  and  sparing  no  expense  on  either  the 
kennel  or  stables,  it  seemed  as  though  "  Monte  Cristo  " 


Mr.  Herbe7't  Langham^s  Mastership.      225 

himself  was  holding  liigli  jinks  at  the  little  hunting-centre 
known  as  ^'  Brigstock." 

A  fine^  powerful^  fearless  rider,  his  costly  horses  fre- 
quently had  their  jumping  powers  put  to  the  test,  the 
fences  between  the  different  woods  being  thick  and 
hairy,  and  well  furnished  with  strong  posts  and 
rails. 

A  "  chestnutomania "  having  at  one  time  got  the 
better  of  the  noble  Lord,  it  was  said  that  for  a  short 
period  he  had  seventy  horses  of  that  colour  standing 
in  his  stable.  The  craze,  however,  proving  as  extrava- 
gant as  it  was  unwise,  did  not  continue  long,  and  the 
stud  of  one  colour  became,  as  of  yore,  one  of  infinite 
variety. 

At  the  close  of  his  third  season,  Lord  Lonsdale  trans- 
ferred his  establishment  into  Lincolnshire  ;  and  was 
succeeded  in  1885  by  Mr.  M'^Kenzie,  late  Master  of  the 
"  old  Berkeley  ^^  hounds,  who  by  his  unceasing  endeavours 
to  show  sport  in  a  district  where  few  care  to  appear  at 
the  Meets  and  support  him  by  their  presence,  has  won 
the  good  opinion  of  the  neighbourhood, 

Succeeding  to  a  somewhat  masterful  Mastership  (1878), 
and  having  himself  ofttimes  had  to  suffer  rebuke,  Mr. 
Langham  has  gone  on  opposite  lines  to  those  of  his  pre- 
decessor in  respect  to  the  management  of  his  Field; 
and,  except  in  cases  of  flagrant  misbehaviour,  refrains 
from  active  interference.  He  has  broken  the  custom 
that  change  of  Masters  is  to  take  place  every  three 
or  four  years;  and  every  one  hopes  that  the  Hounds 
will  long  remain  under  the  guidance  of  the  owner  of 
Cottesbrooke. 

Well  mounted  and  always  in  a  forward  place  when 

Q 


2  26     The  Pytchley  Htpit,  Past  and  Present. 

hounds  run,  tlie  Master  is  mostly  at  hand  to  restrain  any 
"  young  man  in  a  hurry  ;  ^^  and  when  necessary^  can  ad- 
minister a  suitable  amount  of  verbal  correction — always 
well  received,  from  not  being  over-frequent. 

In  one  of  his  letters.  Lord  Spencer  speaks  of  the 
great  comfort  he  experiences  in  having  such  a  Hunts- 
man as  Charles  Payne  to  "  lean  upon ;  '^  whereby  he 
is  saved  much  trouble  and  many  anxieties.  All  who 
remember  that  accomplished  harseman,  great  artist,  and 
trusty  servant,  will  be  able  to  appreciate  his  lordship's 
feelings  in  this  respect.  To  no-  one,  however,  will  they 
come  more  home  than  to  his  successor,  who  in  William 
Goodall  possesses  a  Huntsman  and  servaurt  who  leaves 
nothing  for  a  Master  to  require.  Springing  from  a 
family  to  whom  ^'  hunting  a  pack  of  hounds ''  comes  as 
naturally  as  finding  game  does  to  a  setter,  in  him  we 
have  an  instance  of  the  brilliant  Whip — losing  none  of 
his  brilliancy  when  called  on  to  carry  the  horn.  The 
son  of  one  who  for  nearly  twenty  years  hunted  the  Bel- 
voir  hounds,  and  who  met  his  death  by  falling  upon  his 
own  horn,  which  he  bad  thrust  into  the  side-pocket  of 
his  coat,  his  first  experience  in  stable-work  was  with 
Sir  Thomas  Whiehcote,  Bart.,  of  Aswarby  House,  near 
Sleaford.  He  then  "  entered  '^  to  hounds  as  second 
Whip  to  Carter,  who  had  succeeded  to  the  post 
held  by  his  (Goodall's)  father,  and  for  one  year 
(1866)  served  with  Roake  and  Firr,  under  Captain  A. 
Thomson. 

After  a  spell  of  four  years  with  Lord  Henry  Bentinck, 
he  returned  to  the  "  Belvoir,''  from  whence  he  was  selected 
by  Lord  Spencer,  in  1874^  to  be  Huntsman  to  the  ^'  P.H.^' 
Twelve   years  have  elapsed  since    he  first  occupied  the 


Mr,  Herbert  Langhams  Mastership,        227 

Huntsman's  cottage  at  Brixwortli,  and  eacli  succeeding 
year  has  afforded  a  fresli  proof  of  the  wisdom  of  Lord 
Spencer's  choice.  By  the  skill  he  has  displayed  in  the 
exercise  of  his  profession — by  a  trustworthiness  never  ex- 
ceeded— by  good  conduct  and  a  civility  which  have  won 
the  hearts  of  all,  William  Goodall  has  now  earned  for 
himself  a  place  on  the  short  list  of  those  whose  names 
have  become  household- words  in  the  little  world  comprised 
in  that  part  of  the  county  of  Northampton  known  as  the 
^^  Pytchley  country/^  With  him  on  the  list  of  Hunts- 
man-worthies may  be  included  those  giants  of  old  time, 
Dick  Knight  and  Charles  King;  whilst  in  modern  days 
we  feel  reluctant  to  add  any  other  save  that  of  Charles 
Payne  '^  the  inimitable.'^ 

In  social  life  few  things  are  more  striking  than  the 
position  occupied  by  a  popular  Huntsman.  Belonging  to 
a  class  from  whence  spring  jockeys,  professional  cricketers, 
pedestrians,  and  such  like,  it  is  to  their  integrity,  skill, 
good  manners  and  conduct,  that  they  are  indebted  for  the 
consideration  they  meet  with  from  their  equals,  and  the 
almost  familiarity  with  which  they  are  treated  by  their 
superiors. 

Look  at  the  long  roll  of  Jockeys  from  F.  Archer  down- 
wards, and  see  how  many  there  are,  who  for  rectitude 
and  honesty  stand  in  the  eyes  of  other  men  in  the 
same  light  as  do  the  well-known  Northamptonshire 
Huntsmen,  as  Charles  King,  Charles  Payne,  William 
Goodall,  Frank  Beers,  and  old  Tom  Sebright.  Honour 
to  each  and  all  respectively,  at  having  attained  by  their 
own  merits  a  position  among  their  fellows  of  which  they 
and  their  families  may  well  be  proud. 

Neither  time  nor  space  would  serve    to  narrate    the 

Q  2 


22  8     The  Pytchley  Hitnt^  Past  and  Present. 

particulars  of  the  many  good  runs  tliat  have  taken  place 
since  the  Whip  from  the  '^Belvoir  ^'  assumed  the  horn  of 
the  "  P.H. ;"  but  during  that  time  none  is  more  worthy 
of  notice  than  one  on  the  12th  of  March^  1878,  when  a 
fox  found  at  Yanderplanks,  after  crossing  the  cream  of 
the  country  by  Watford,  Crick,  Yelvertoft,  Clay  Coton, 
Swinford  Cover,  Stanford  Hall,  was  finally  run  into  at 
Clifton  Mill,  close  to  Rugby.  Unpromising  at  its  com- 
mencement, after  leaving  Crick  village,  the  hounds  began 
to  run  in  earnest,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  fox 
was  determined  to  make  things  pleasant  all  round  by 
selecting  the  finest  line  in  the  Midlands  to  traverse. 

Goodall,  Major  Curtis,  the  Hon.  F.  Henley,  and  Cap- 
tain Soames  went  about  the  best ;  and  the  former  still 
looks  upon  it  as  the  crack  run  of  his  time.  A  run  from 
Sywell  Wood  in  1877  to  Whishton  village  was  memo- 
rable from  Goodall  having  swum  the  Nene  just  before 
killing  his  fox.  Accoutred  as  he  was,  he  plunged  in,  and 
bade  bold  riders  follow  ;  but  these  declining  the  invitation 
galloped  right  and  left,  determined  to  praise  the  bridge 
that  carried  them  safely  and  quickly  over. 

Happily  fortune  in  this  case  favoured  the  brave,  and, 
instead  of  losing  the  fox,  as  usually  happens  after  the 
performance  of  some  notable  feat  by  which  an  entire  field 
is  shaken  off,  the  dripping  fugitive  from  the  depths  of 
Sywell  Wood  was  brought  handsomely  to  hand.  With  a 
little  whisky  poured  down  his  throat,  and  a  larger  supply 
into  his  boots  (a  hint  for  river-swimmers),  Goodall 
escaped  all  cold,  and  had  no  reason  to  repent  for  self  or 
horse  their  somewhat  hazardous  immersion. 

Aged  thirty-eight,  and  riding  under  twelve  stone, 
bringing  to  bear  upon  his  duties  a  zeal  and  conscientious- 


Mr.  Herbert  Langham's  Mastership,      229 

ness  that  must  needs  have  tlieir  reward^  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  many  a  year  may  elapse  before  the  "  P.H."  is 
divorced  from  its  present  Huntsman,  and  a  stranger  be 
seen  in  his  place. 

The  same  wish  may  well  include  Master  as  well  as 
servant.  The  official  life  of  the  former  has  already  ex- 
ceeded the  span  allotted  to  the  Masters  of  the  ^^  P.H.^' 
of  modern  days ;  and  few  will  be  found  to  deny  that  the 
path  he  has  chosen  to  follow  has  been  one  of  pleasantness 
to  those  who  have  hunted  with  him.  On  first  trying  his 
"prentis  hand"  at  the  duties  entailed  by  ruling  over  a 
hunting-establishment,  his  knowledge  of  the  kennel-part 
of  it  probably  touched  that  point  known  as  ^'  unqualified 
nescience.^^  Bringing  natural  aptitude  to  bear  upon  a 
determination  to  master  a  subject  full  of  interest  as  well 
as  of  importance,  he  has  now  acquired  the  reputation  of 
being  one  of  the  best  "  hound-men  "  of  the  present  day. 
That  this  should  be  of  great  advantage  to  a  Hunt  need 
not  be  expatiated  upon ;  the  make,  shape,  blood,  and 
quality  of  the  constituents  of  a  pack  being  nearly  all  that 
success  requires. 

For  instance  ;  to  breed  for  speed  alone  would  be  to 
reduce  the  number  of  good  days  in  a  season  to  a  very 
limited  quantity.  The  fineness  of  limb  and  general  for- 
mation necessary  to  produce  extra  swiftness  would  neces- 
sarily affect  the  parts  where  the  scent-organs  lie,  and 
contract  the  space  requisite  for  their  full  development. 
The  familiar  ^'  howl  ^^  about  each  succeeding  winter  being 
the  worst  hunting-season  on  record  may  in  a  measure  be 
laid  at  the  door  of  the  M.F.H.  and  Huntsman  going  in 
for  galloping  rather  than  scenting-power  ;  a  subject  ujDon 
which  Lord  Charles  Russell,  in  one  of  his  admirable  little 


230     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

brocliures  upon  hunting-matters  strongly  animadverts. 
His  lordship — prop  and  pillar  of  the  Oakley  Hunt  through 
many  a  season — and  now  in  his  eighty-first  year,  both 
able  and  willing  to  give  a  lead  at  a  "  yawner,^^  thus  speaks 
of  hound-breeding  at  the  present  day  :  "  The  modern 
system  of  farming,  less  rough  country,  fewer  grass-baulks 
and  headlands,  fences  neatly  trimmed,  early  ploughing^ 
steam- cultivation,  artificial  manures,  and  more  stock — 
all  tends  to  lessen  the  hold  of  scent.  Game-preserving 
produces  a  quantity  of  bad  fat  foxes,  and  a  fat  bad  fox  is 
less  easy  to  kill  than  a  lean  wild  one.  These  new  diffi- 
culties should  be  encountered  by  more  hunting-power ; 
more  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  faculty  of  scent.  At 
Hound- Shows  there  are  prizes  for  make  and  shape,  but 
none  for  merit.  No  notice  is  taken  of  the  all-important 
and  indispensable  nose.  Everything  is  sacrificed  to  fashion 
and  quality :  only  one  type  is  recognized,  and  that  the 
one  best  adapted  to  the  small  minority  of  hunting-coun- 
tries— the  flying  grass  ones.  Any  special  provision  for 
a  class  of  hounds  suitable  for  an  enclosed,  hilly,  wood- 
land, plough,  or  moorland  country  is  not  taken  into  con- 
sideration, everything  being  sacrificed  to  the  craves  for 
speed.  ^  Most  haste,  less  speed.^  The  pack  that  stops 
the  least  goes  the  quickest  ;  and  the  one  that  carries 
most  head  and  has  the  greatest  number  of  line-hunters 
will  be  gaining  on  their  fox;  while  the  one  that  might 
shine  for  a  short  time  in  a  catchy  scent  will  be  getting 
farther  and  farther  behind,  after  the  first  check. '^  Such 
are  the  words  of  one  of  the  most  acute,  observant,  and 
experienced  judges  of  hunting  now  existing;  the  moral 
of  them  being  that  the  one  thing  needful  in  a  hound  is 
Nose. 


Mr.  Herbert  Langham^ s  MastersJiip,       2 


J 


Were  it  not  for  the  "  glorious  uncertainty "  of  all 
things  connected  with  the  ^^  Chase  "  as  well  as  with  the 
''  Turf,"  the  "  P.H/'  might  confidently  look  forward  to 
a  long  continuance  under  its  present  Master,  whose 
record  already  beats  that  of  all  his  predecessors  since 
1818, 

A  few  years  ago,  when  the  dire  trouble  of  all  connected 
with  "  dirtj  acres  "  first  set  in,  it  was  prophesied  that 
hunting  was  tottering  to  its  fall,  and  had  but  a  short  time 
to  live.  It  was  said  that  one  pack  of  hounds  after 
another  would  die  out  for  the  lack  of  the  necessary 
aliment,  and  that  their  place  would  know  them  no  more. 
There  is  nothing,  however,  so  safe  to  back  as  the  un- 
expected. While  these  lines  are  being  written,  the 
number  of  packs  in  England  and  Scotland  is  much  the 
same  as  it  was  in  1880.  Captain  (^' Bobby'')  Soames, 
secretary  to  the  ^^  P,H.,''  and  lord  of  the  little  paradise  in 
the  unelysianic  village  of  Scaldwell,  bad  to  beat  when 
hounds  run  hard,  and  mounted  as  so  good  a  sportsman 
should  be,  can  testify  that  the  financial  position  of  the 
Pytchley  never  wore  a  more  promising  aspect  than  it 
does  at  the  present  moment  (July,  1886). 

How  this  is  so,  considering  the  portentous  falling  off 
in  the  amounts  contributed  by  the  old  local  Subscribers, 
it  is  hard  to  say  -,  but  the  fact  of  its  being  so  is  a  gleam 
of  sunshine  in  the  midst  of  the  gloom  surrounding  many 
an  old  sportsman  ;  a  gloom  through  which  he  is  unable 
to  see  his  way  to  farther  enjoyment  of  the  sport  which, 
through  many  a  year,  has  formed  the  chief  one  of  his  life. 
Happily  the  prices  given  for  yearlings,  books,  pictures, 
china,  and  bric-a-brac  of  all  sorts,  prove  that  thero  is 
plenty  of  money  somewhere.     The  coflfers  of  the  ^'  Beer- 


232     The  Pytchley  Hitnt^  Past  and  Present, 

Lord  '^  and  tLe  "  Share-Lord "  still  retain*  their  rich 
linings  of  L.S.D. ;  and  if  the  "  Ploughshare-Lord  ^^  be 
constrained  to  turn  a  narrower  f  urrow^  capital  will  always 
be  forthcoming  to  maintain  and  keep  alive  the  ''  Sport  of 
Kings/' 

The  poet  Campbell  has  sung  the  song  of  the  "  Last 
Man/'  If  the  "^  Last  Hunt  ^'  is  ever  to  be  commemorated 
in  verse,  may  it  be  the  one  whose  history  has  been  so 
imperfectly  sketched  in  these  pages. 


PAET  III. 
MEMOIES   OF   MEMBEES, 

MR.  A.  A.  YOUKG. 

Enthusiasm,  even  in  a  doubtful  cause,  lias  that  witMn  it 
whicli  commands  respect :  how  much  more  then  will  this 
be  the  case  when  the  object  is  something  more  than 
praiseworthy  ?  In  the  man  fashioned  in  the  ordinary 
mould  the  love  of  fox-huntings  however  strong  in  the  prime 
of  life_,  will  wax  faint  as  years  roll  on^  and  his  seventieth 
year  will  probably  find  him  indifferent  to  his  former 
love. 

Fourscore  years  have  passed  over  the  head  of  Orling- 
bury^s  venerated  "  Squire  ;  "  but  the  passion  for  the 
chase  that  burned  so  strongly  within  him  seems  to  have 
lost  little  of  its  intensity,  though  he  can  no  longer  gratify 
it  as  of  yore.  A  fall  from  his  horse,  rather  than  lapse  of 
time,  brought  about  the  result  which  compelled  Mr. 
Young  to  follow  hounds  on  wheels  instead  of  in  the  saddle 
— a  change  deeply  felt  by  the  fine  old  sportsman. 
Accompanied  by  a  lady  whose  love  for  everything  con- 
nected with  hunting  fully  equals  that  of  her  father,  the 
old  Squire  never  fails  to  appear  in  his  little  "  Dagmar  ^' 


2  34     ^^^^  Fytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

when  hounds  are  drawing  Wilmer  Park  or  any  of  the 
well-known  covers  round  about.  No  sooner  have  the 
hounds  given  notice  that  a  fox  is  a-foot^  than  the  excite- 
ment of  father^  daughter_,  and  cob  (an  animal  of  exceed- 
ing beauty)  rises  to  summer-heat,  and  the  latter  can 
scarcely  be  restrained  from  following  in  hot  pursuit 
where  there  is  no  "  pathway  of  safety/^ 

Should  a  fox  not  be  ^'^  at  home  ^^  in  the  Orlingbury 
plantations  it  will  be  no  fault  of  the  worthy  Squire^s,  who 
will  not  have  left  a  stone  unturned,  no  dodge  untried, 
to  obviate  such  a  result. 

If  a  run  worthy  of  the  name  takes  place  with  an  animal 
found  in  any  of  his  covers,  his  heart  is  gladdened  for 
many  a  day,  and  he  never  tires  of  going  over  the  line  and 
hearing  of  the  incidents  attending  it.  Then  it  is  that 
the  lady  previously  referred  to  recalls  with  a  sigh  the 
"  Chestnut  son  of  Thormanby,"  whom  she  rode  so 
gallantly,  in  spite  of  a  disinclination  on  his  part  to  face 
the  prickly  fences  that,  sooner  or  later,  he  was  forced  to 
jump.  With  a  lack  of  gallantry  unbecoming  a  steed  of 
such  noble  lineage,  this  child  of  a  Derby-winner  would 
think  it  no  scorn  to  deposit  his  fair  burden  in  a  ditch, 
and  to  gallop  off,  apparently  well  satisfied  with  the  per- 
formance— very  unworthy  of  his  illustrious  sire. 

Who  is  there  that  hunts  with  the  Pytchley  on  the 
Monday-side  of  the  country  who  is  unacquainted  with 
that  "  right  little,  tight  little  thicket, '''  known  as  "  Cock- 
a-roost  '^  ?  Formed  by  Mr.  Young  some  five-and-twenty 
years  ago,  by  enclosing  the  patches  of  gorse  growing 
naturally  on  the  hillside  opposite  the  Isham  road,  and 
scarcely  exceeding  an  acre  in  extent,  it  has  acquired  a 
reputation  that  might  be  envied  by  many  a  more  preten- 


Mr,  A.  A.  Young.  235 

tious  cover.  Growing  so  thickly  as  to  require  two  dis- 
mounted horsemen  as  well  as  the  hounds  to  complete  an 
effective  draw,  an  hour  is  often  cut  to  waste  before  a  fox 
is  induced  to  quit  his  snug'  surroundings.  When  well 
away,  nothing  but  an  absence  of  scent  can  prevent  a 
g'allop  of  more  or  less  enjoyment,  according  to  its  pace 
and  duration.  To  hear  of  a  "  forty  minutes  and  a  kill  ^' 
from  the  ^^  bantling  '^  of  his  heart  is  gladdest  of  glad 
tidings  in  the  ears  of  the  worthy  old  Squire,  of  whom  it  is 
said  in  relation  to  this  little  spot  of  ground,  that  '^  after 
his  death  the  word  '  Cock-a-roost '  will  be  found  imprinted 
on  his  heart/* 

With  him  time  seems  to  deepen  rather  than  to  weaken 
recollections  of  old  hunting'-days.  Speak  to  him  of 
^^  Clarion  ^^  or  '^  De  Grey,''"'  and  the  glistening  eye  and 
reflective  look  speedily  show  into  what  region  of  the 
irrevocable  past  his  thoughts  are  wandering.  The  last- 
named,  bought  as  a  four-year-old  at  Boughton  Fair, 
occupies  perhaps  in  the  heart  of  his  master  a  warmer 
place  than  any  horse  he  ever  possessed,  but  to  him  who 
was  not  *"'  in  the  secret/^  the  other  appeared  greatly  the 
superior  animal.  Troubled  with  a  bit  of  temper,  the 
first  was  not  always  to  be  depended  upon  at  his  fences, 
and  in  the  last  stride  would  whip  suddenly  round ; 
whereas  the  second  was,  if  anything,  in  too  great  a  hurry 
to  arrive  on  the  other  side  of  the  hedge  and  ditch.  No 
man  need  wish  to  have  two  better  hunters  in  his  stable 
at  the  same  time,  but  to  the  outsider,  "  Clarion  "  with 
his  pace,  quality,  and  jumping  power,  was  the  one  to  take 
for  choice.  Not  given  to  award  praise  or  blame  in  a 
niggardly  fashion,  it  may  be  asserted  without  fear  of 
contradiction  that  no  two  animals  were  ever  made  the 


236     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

subjects  of  so  mucli  laudation  by  an  appreciative  owner  as 
these  two. 

Fond  of  seeing  a  mare  and  foal  roaming  within  range 
of  his  study-window^  Mr.  Young  ventured  upon  the  ex- 
periment   of  breeding  a  few  thoroughbreds,  and  many  is 
the  cigar  that  has  been  smoked  whilst  contemplating  the 
beauties,  imaginary  or  otherwise,  of  a  placid-eyed  mother 
and  long-legged  child.     Commencing  with  selling  a  filly 
by  '^^  Fisherman  ^'  out  of  "  Durbar ''^  to  Lord  Stamford  at 
a  price  something  more  than  remunerative,  it  seemed  to 
the   fortunate   vendor    as   if   he   had   hit    the   secret   of 
successful    breeding    at  the    first    attempt.     But    fickle 
Fortune,  content  with  bestowing  a  single  favour  on  the 
hopeful  country  gentleman,  soon    shook  her  wings  and 
fled.     Each  youngster  after  this  that  was  born  into  the 
world  seemed  only  a  vehicle  for  fresh  worries  and  mishaps, 
and  it  became  evident  to  Mr.  Young  that  he  was  not  to 
escape  the  common  lot  of  breeders  of  horses.     Disappoint- 
ment    followed    disappointment ;    but    the    ^^  most    un- 
kindest  cut  of  all  "  came  one  day,  when  on  being  asked 
by  Mr.  Bevan,  what  might  be  the  price  of  a  good-looking 
four-year-old  then  being  ridden  by  Mr.  Young,  he  replied, 
^^  Four  hundred  guineas."     "  Ah,  I  see,^'  said  the  other, 
"  a  hundred  a  leg,  and  three  of  them  veiy  good  ones  !  " 
It  was  only  too  true.     The  quick  and  practised  eye  had 
fallen  upon  a  weak-looking  spot,  and  a  little  work  soon 
proved  the  truth  of  Mr.  Bevan's   discovery  that  all  four 
legs  were  not    equally  good.     Suffering    a  considerable 
shriukage  in  value,  the  promising  young  one  passed  into 
other  hands ;  and  his  late  owner  made  no  further  experi- 
ments in  the  diSicult  science  of  breediug  for  profit. 

In  his  sixtieth  year  a  singular  incident  revealed  to 


Mr.  A.  A,  Young.  237 

Mr,  Young  the  fact  that  his  eyesight  had  undergone  a 
sudden  deterioration.  In  the  full  belief  that  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  mistake  a  hare  for  a  fox  under  any 
circumstances,  he  one  day  ""tallied  '■'  a  hare  crossing  a  ride 
in  Sywell  Wood.  Chaffed  by  a  friend  upon  his  mistake, 
he  offered  to  bet  ten  pounds  that  he  had  not  been 
wrong.  The  bet  was  at  once  accepted,  and  the  hounds 
were  left  to  decide  the  issue.  On  being  brought  to  the 
spot,  not  a  hound  spoke  or  showed  any  sign  that  a  fox 
'''had  passed  that  way.""  The  next  morning's  post 
brought  to  the  winner  of  the  wager  a  cheque  for  ten 
pounds,  and  on  the  following  the  loser  received  back  his 
cheque  torn  into  ten  separate  pieces.  On  a  loose  piece 
of  paper  was  inscribed  the  legend,  ^'  Bets  on  certainties 
go  for  nothing.^' 

The  cause  of  the  mistake  in  one  hitherto  peculiarly 
long-sighted  now  became  apparent ;  a  limited  but  un- 
noticed failure  of  vision  had  taken  place,  which  from 
that  time  necessitated  the  use  of  glasses.  Singular  to 
relate,  from  that  date,  some  thirty  years  ago,  no  further 
alteration  of  the  eyesight  has  occurred ;  and  the  passage 
of  poor  puss  across  the  ride  still  marks  the  moment  when 
the  discovery  was  made  that  time  had  robbed  the  optic 
of  some  of  its  power. 

To  such  an  extent  did  this  true  sportsnian  carry  his 
love  of  hunting,  that  he  was  always  delighted  at  seeing 
the  remains  of  poultry  in  the  neighbourhood  of  any  of 
his  covers.  Turning  over  with  his  stick  '^  disjecta 
membra "  of  some  late  inmate  of  his  own  poultry- 
house,  he  would  say  with  a  grin  of  satisfaction,  "Well 
done,  Charlie,  my  boy ;  you  got  hold  of  a  fat  one  that 
time ! " 


238     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

In  speaking  of  his  old  Northamptonshire  days,  Charles 
Payne  still  delights  to  tell  how  one  afternoon,  when  hounds 
were  running  hard  under  Great  Harrowden,  he  fell  into 
a  ditch,  out  of  which  he  was  with  difficulty  rescued  by 
Mr.  Young,  who  chanced  to  be  near  at  hand,  whilst  his 
horse  remained  inextricably  fixed  between  either  bank. 
A  boot,  full  to  the  brim  of  mud  and  water,  came  off  in  the 
struggle,  "  and  there  was  I,"  says  Payne,  "  with  hounds 
running  like  mad,  on  the  ground  with  no  horse  and  only 
one  boot."  But  the  "  Squire,"  as  usual,  was  equal  to 
the  occasion.  Whipping  off  one  of  his  own  boots  he 
insisted  upon  its  taking  the  place  of  the  disabled  one, 
and  mounting  the  horseless  Huntsman  upon  his  own 
steed,  he  dismissed  him  in  search  of  his  hounds,  by  this 
time  well  out  both  of  sight  and  hearing.  ^'  No  man  in 
England  would  have  '  been  and  gone  and  done '  such  a 
thing  as  that  except  Mr.  Young,"  is  the  no  less  grateful 
than  truthful  comment  of  the  veteran  who  loves  to 
narrate  this  sporting  incident  of  the  Squire  of  Orliugbury. 

Another  incident  is  still  green  in  the  memory  of  the 
ex- Pytchley  huntsman  ;  when  in  running  a  fox  from 
"Long  Hold,"  Mr.  Young  plunged  into  a  canal,  and 
emerging  safely  on  the  other  side  was  followed  by  Sir  G. 
Wombwell — afterwards  so  nearly  drowned  on  the  fatal 
day  with  the  York  and  Ainsty,  Dick  Eoake  and 
"  Cherry  "  Angel — the  latter  of  whom  contrived  to  turn 
over  in  mid-stream,  and  was  with  some  difficulty  rescued 
from  a  "  false,"  if  not  dangerous  position.  The  same 
keenness  which  induced  a  (by  no  means  juvenile)  sports- 
man to  entrust  himself  to  the  cold  embrace  of  the  "  Union 
Canal,"  led  him  into  occasional  developments  of  eagerness 
which  were    not  without    their  amusius^  side.     Colonel 


i 


Mr,  A.  A.  Yotmg.  239 

Anstrutlier  Thomson  will  not  fail  to  remembei*  how^  when 
having  brought  a  beaten  fox  into  a  field  of  high  white 
turnips  near  Sywell  Wood,  the  hounds  threw  up  their 
heads  and  bea^an  to  look  about  for  assistance.  Nor  was 
it  long  in  coming.  With  a  full  confidence  in  his  olfactory 
organs,  Mr.  Young  at  once  constituted  himself  a  member 
of  the  pack,  dismounted  from  his  horse,  and  began 
sniffing  about  with  all  the  intensity  of  an  old  hound.  In 
a  few  moments  up  jumped  the  ^'  missing  one,"  and  away 
went  "  bipeds  "  and  '''  quadrupeds,''  to  the  great  amuse- 
ment of  the  Field,  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  doomed  and  leg- 
weary  animal.  Not  a  little  elated  at  the  success  of  his 
interpositions,  Mr.  Young's  only  reply  to  the  ''  chaff*" 
with  which  he  was  assailed  was,  *'  Weil,  never  mind ;  let 
those  laugh  thaty^nd"  The  ghost  of  poor  Pug  is  said  to 
be  seen  on  winter  nights,  prowling  round  the  precincts  of 
Orlingbury  village,  bent  upon  avenging  himself  upon 
the  cocks  and  hens  of  his  destroyer. 

For  a  friend  to  pass  his  door,  homeward-bound, 
without  looking  in  for  a  cub  at  the  cold  beef  and  ripe  old 
^'  stilton "  which  are  always  awaiting  the  sportsman  on 
hunting-days,  is  one  of  the  things  which  would  almost 
amount  to  an  insult  in  the  eyes  of  one,  quick  to  take,  if 
not  to  give  offence.  As  in  hunting,  so  in  politics  or 
aught  beside,  the  worthy  Squire  is  prone  to  express 
himself  strongly,  should  the  subject  run  counter  to  his 
own  opinions.  To  mention  the  name,  even,  of  a  certain 
eminent  statesman  in  his  presence  is  not  likely  to 
increase  the  prevailing  harmony ;  and  to  him  who  under 
his  roof  chanced  to  speak  favourably  of  the  ^'  Pope,'^ 
there  will  not  be  a  very  ''  gaudy  time."  Lord  Byron,  in 
his  poetical  creed,  says, — 


240     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

"  Thou  shalt  believe  in  Milton,  Dry  den,  Pope, 
Thou  shalt  not  set  up  Coleridge,  Wordsworth,  Southey." 

In  his  political  belief  our  grand  old  sportsman  will 
teach  us  that 

"  Thou  shalt  believe  in  Dizzy,  Cecil,  Eandy, 
Thou  shalt  not  set  up  Gladstone,  Parnell,  Morley ;" 

and  long  may  he  live  to  cling  to  his  fine  old-crusted 
opinions^  and  retain  his  love  for  the  chase,  and  preserve 
foxes  for  the  Hunt,  his  support  of  which  for  many  a  year 
past  has  been  fully  appreciated  by  every  member  of  it. 
To  him  the  words  of  Whyte  Melville  will  some  day  be  no 
less  applicable  than  they  are  to  the  imaginary  hero  of 
his  song: — 

"  The  labourer  at  work  and  the  lord  in  his  hall 

Would  smile  when  they  spoke  of  his  passion  for  sport ; 
In  ale  or  in  claret  he's  toasted  by  all. 

For  they  never  expect  to  see  more  of  the  sort. 
And  long  may  it  be  e'er  he's  forced  to  retire, 
For  we  breed  very  few  like  this  worthy  old  Squire." 


ME.  GEOEGE  ASHBY  ASHBY. 

Haek  !  a  holloa,  away !  Whose  are  the  ringing  tones 
proclaiming  to  all  whom  it  may  concern  that  the  fox  has 
quitted  ^^  the  Woollies/'  and  is  making  the  best  of  his 
way  for  ^'  Long  Hold  '^  or  Naseby  Cover  ?  The  voice  is 
that  of  George  Ashby  Ashby,  eke  a  captain  in  her 
Majesty's  Eleventh  Hussars,  and  now  part  proprietor  of 
the  well-known  Lordship  over  whose  surface  swarmed, 
more  than  240  years  ago,  the  serried  hosts  of  Eoyalist 
and  Eoundhead.  Where  Eupert  vainly  strove  against 
forces  still  more  determined  than  his  own,  and  CromwelFs 
military  geaius  made  itself  assured,  is  now  to  be  found 


Mr.  George  Ashby  Ashby,  241 

the  peaceful  "Naseby  Thorns/^  the  quiet  home  of  many 
a  gallant  fox,  the  starting-point  of  many  a  noble  run. 
Since  the  day  of  *^  Naseby  Fight,"  no  other  cavalry  save 
that  attached  to  the  Pytchley  Hunt^  or  interloping  Quorn, 
has  galloped  across  the  tenacious  clay  surrounding  the 
above-named  covert.  No  tones  more  warlike  than  a 
huntsman^s  horn  has  roused  the  cattle  in  the  adjacent 
fields. 

"  Anything  is  fun  in  the  country,"  said  some  one  who 
evidently  took  the  same  view  of  rural,  and  possibly  of 
matrimonial    life,   as    that  Duke  of  Buckingham,   who, 
being  bitten  by  a  spaniel  of  King  Charles's,  exclaimed,  in 
his  wrath :    "  Oh !    you  little    brute,  I   wish    you  were 
married  and  lived  in  the  country,"  and  who  had  assuredly 
never  found  himself  in  the  middle  of  Naseby  Field  at  the 
close  of  a  November  afternoon,  a  stranger,  on  a  tired  horse, 
and  with  the  hounds  fast  disappearing  from  his  view. 
Unconscious  perhaps  of  his  position,  with  little  help  to 
be  got  from  his  pocket -map,  he  would  then  realize  the 
want  of  truth  in  the  assertion  above  referred  to.     To  the 
native  sportsman  the  situation  would  not  be  nearly  so 
depressing.     With  him  would  rest  the  sure  and  certain 
knowledge    that    behind  that  group  of  fir-trees,  dimly 
looming  through  the  fog,  was  to  be  found   excellent  ac- 
commodation for  man  and  horse.     Fortunate   indeed  is 
the  belated  and  tired  hunter,  who  on  his  homeward  way 
has  to  pass  those  tall  fir-trees  !     A  turn  to  the  right  and 
a  hearty  welcome  and  good  refreshment  will  not  only  rob 
the  remainder  of  the  journey  of  all  its  weariness,  but  will 
leave  upon  the  mind  of  the  recipient  the  feeling  that  the 
house  he  has  just  quitted  is  the  very  temple  of  hospi- 
tality.    Than  in  its  high  priest  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a 


242     The  Pytchley  Hnnt,  Past  und  P^xsent, 

more  devoted  worsliipper  at  tlie  shrine  of  *^  all  sorts  and 
descriptions  of  sport ! ''  Bold  as  a  lion  across  a  country, 
the  fence  is  hard  to  find  at  which  the  lord  of  the  Woollies 
will  not  have  "  a  cnt  f  and  if  pace  is  not  his  horse's 
forte  he  makes  it  up  in  jumping  powers.  With  him, 
however,  as  with  many  a  brother  Squire,  things  are  not 
as  they  used  to  be.  Wheat  at  30s.  per  quarter  and 
New  Zealand  mutton  mean  "  empty  stalls  and  an  absence 
from  the  covert  side ;''  and  on  the  principle  of  "  eating 
a  hair  from  the  dog  that  bit  you,''  the  gallant  Captain 
has  substituted  shorthorns  with  a  pedigree,  for  hunters 
without  one.  Exchanging  the  Scylla  of  the  chase  for 
the  Charybdis  of  the  farm.  Agriculture  is  not  to  be  de- 
spaired of  by  this  sanguine  owner  of  many  an  acre  of 
ungrateful  clay ;  and  taking  for  his  motto  "  never  say 
die,"  he  vows  that  with  the  aid  of  the  "  midden  "  and  the 
draining-pipe,  he  will  force  Madam  Earth  to  repay  some 
of  the  money  that  has  been  lavished  upon  her.  Not 
being  one  of  those  who  would  try  to  '^  catch  the  wind  in 
a  net,"  or  "  empty  the  sea  with  a  pie-dish,"  it  may  be 
looked  upon  as  certain  that  he  is  not  without  good  reason 
for  the  faith  that  is  in  him ;  and  that  he  will  eventually 
win  for  himself  the  proud  distinction  of  being  pointed 
out  as  ^*  the  pilot  that  has  weathered  the  storm." 

A  keen  and  eager  shooter,  woe  betide  the  "  bunny  " 
that  crosses  the  ride  within  forty  yards  of  the  muzzle  of 
his  gun.  In  his  eyes  the  rabbit  has  not  the  same  fault 
that  it  possesses  in  those  of  Lord  Granville  and  many 
another,  namely,  of  being  ''^a  little  too  short."  Yide 
Speech  on  ''  Hares  and  Rabbits  Bill  "  at  an  agricultural 
dinner  in  the  Isle  of  Thanet,  on  which  occasion  his  lord- 
ship is -reported  to  have  saidj  '^For  my  own  part,  I  have 


Mr.  George  AsJiby  Ashby.  243 

nothing  to  complain  of  in  the  matter  of  rabbits,  except 
that  I  frequently  find  them  a  little  too  short ;"  a  remark 
that  was  followed  by  much  laughter. 

Accurate,  however,  as  may  be  the  aim  of  the  gallant 
Captain  of  whom  we  are  speaking,  it  can  hardly  exceed 
that  of  that  other  gallant  officer,  who  in  1645  led  the 
battue  against  the  hosts  of  Fairfax  and  Cromwell.  Stand- 
ing in  a  garden  at  Stafford  one  day  about  this  time,  Prince 
Rupert,  in  the  presence  of  Charles  I,  took  a  shot  with  his 
horse-pistol  at  the  weathercock  on  the  top  of  the  church. 
The  bullet  pierced  the  tail  of  the  gilded  fowl,  whereupon 
his  Majesty  pronounced  the  feat  to  be  "  casualty  only," 
otherwise  ^^  nothing  but  a  fluke/^  Aggrieved  at  this 
suggestion,  the  Prince,  taking  a  second  aim,  again  struck 
the  bird,  thereby  causing  Charles  to  recall  the  remark  he 
had  made  on  witnessing  the  success  of  the  first  attempt 
of  his  great  cavalry-general.  Proud  of  being  able  to 
affirm  that  a  good  round  dozen  of  young  people,  two  of 
whom  have  already  done  good  service  to  their  country, 
have  the  privilege  of  calling  him  *'  father,"  to  the  worthy 
parent  there  is  no  greater  pleasure  than  to  see  any  of 
these'in  the  hunting-field.  One  fair  member  of  the  group, 
strong  in  the  desire  to  be  "  well  with  hounds,"  never 
scruples  to  go  whithersoever  her  father  leads  before  ;  and 
it  is  a  moot  point  with  some  whether  she  will  come  to  an 
untimely  end  by  attempting  to  follow  her  sire  over  some 
impracticable  place,  or  if  his  hairs  will  be  brought  with 
sorrow  to  the  grave  by  his  daughter  jumping  upon  his 
prostrate  form.  To  Captain  Ashby  the  village  of  Naseby 
is  entirely  indebted  for  the  beautiful  spire  which  now, 
with  uplifted  finger,  marks  the  spot  where  was  fought 
one  of  England's  most  memorable  and    bloody  battles. 

R  2 


244     ^^^^  Pytchley  Himt,  Past  and  Present, 

Begging  with  the  pertinacity  of  a  professional  mendicant, 
and  with  an  energy  all  his  own,  the  Squire  of  the  parish, 
like  the  leeches  daughter,  ceased  not  to  cry  "  give,  give," 
until  he  had  carried  the  object  so  dear  to  his  heart,  and 
so  desirable  in  every  respect.     Times  may  fail  to  improve ; 
the  cloud  now  overhanging    the    landed    interest    may 
grow  darker  and  more  dark ;  the    old    country    Squire 
may  go  under  socially  and  pecuniously,  but  the  good  that 
he  has  done  will  live  after  him.     To  the  owner  of  "  The 
Woollies,"  come  what  may,  there    will    always    be    the 
comfort     to     take    to    heart,    namely,    that    in    all    the 
changes  of  the  mortal  life  of  the  little  village  of  Kaseby, 
the  name  of  ^^  Ashby "  will   ever  be  remembered    and 
identified  with  that  of  its  most  kindly  neighbour,  friend, 
and  benefactor. 


MR.  AMBROSE  ISTED. 

For  upwards  of  sixty  years  few  figures  were  better 
known  at  a  Meet  of  the  Pytchley  Hounds  than  that  of 
*^  Squire  Isted  "  of  Ecton.  Possessing  a  striking  presence 
and  peculiarly  pleasing  and  aristocratic  features,  few 
strangers  would  fail  to  inquire  who  the  well-mounted  man, 
^all  over  a  sportsman  "  and  "  every  inch  a  gentleman/' 
might  be. 

Born  deaf  and  dumb,  unable  as  he  was  wont  to  say  of 
himself  to  hear  the  report  of  a  cannon  if  let  off  close  to 
his  ear,  so  cheerful  was  he  in  manner  and  aspect,  that 
none  could  tell  how  much  or  how  little  he  was  affected  by 
loss  of  speech  and  hearing. 

Twice   happily  married ;  possessed  of  a  good   estate, 


Mr.  Ambrose  Is  ted.  245 

fond  of  society,  and  noted  for  his  beautiful  dancing, 
also  liis  clever  drawing;  few  country  squires  bad  esta- 
blished for  themselves  a  more  distiDguished  position 
than  this  gentleman  who  could  neither  speak  nor 
hear. 

Though  quite  unable  to  catch  a  note  of  the  music,  he 
had  few  greater  enjoyments  than  that  of  dancing  ;  and  so 
keen  were  his  eye  and  sense  of  touch  that  if  his  partner 
chanced  to  get  out  of  time  he  would  almost  make  a 
grievance  of  it,  and  speedily  show  that  he  was  aware  of  it 
That  partner,  be  she  who  she  might,  was  never  invited 
to  dance  with  him  a  second  time. 

Considerable  pains  having  been  taken  with  his  edu- 
cation, he  was  always  well-informed  on  the  current  topics 
of  the  day.  His  skill  in  drawing  was  very  remarkable. 
Rarely  did  he  return  from  hunting  without  making 
sketches  of  some  ludicrous  or  otherwise  striking  inci- 
dents that  may  have  occurred  during  the  day ;  and  many 
a  page  is  filled  with  valuable  memorials  of  events  which 
but  for  his  graphic  pencil  would  have  passed  into 
oblivion. 

Mr.  Isted's  efforts  at  articulation  were  apparently 
painful  to  himself  and  not  pleasant  to  hear,  but  to  a  great 
extent  were  intelligible  to  those  with  whom  he  was  in 
constant  intercourse. 

By  no  means  averse  to  exercising  his  speaking  powers 
upon  perfect  strangers,  it  was  amusing  to  observe  the 
nervous  effect  his  efforts  at  speech  had  upon  these  unfor- 
tunates. By  nineteen  out  of  twenty  of  those  he  addressed 
not  one  word  was  understood,  and  all  that  there  was  to 
fall  back  upon  was  a  vacant  smile  and  a  nod  of  apparent 
comprehension.     The  usual  resource  of  the  nervous  and 


246     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

uninitiated  was  to  cry  'Wes  "  in  a  very  loud  voice^  or  to 
say  sometliiug  in  broken  English,  but  on  one  occasion  a 
victim  was  heard  to  reply  ^'  o\x\,  o\n/'  as  if  that  amount 
of  a  language  other  than  English  would  meet  the 
difl&culty.  In  addition  to  the  ready  fingers,,  pencil  and 
paper  were  always  at  hand  to  assist  those  who  were  not 
well  instructed  in  finger- talking.  So  forgetful  did  ner- 
vousness make  many  people  of  the  deficiencies  of  their 
lively  neighbour,  that  they  would  write  upon  his  tablets 
questions  of  the  most  absurd  description.  A  lady  whom 
he  had  taken  in  to  dinner  on  one  occasion  at  Overstone 
Hall  confessed  to  having  written  "  Have  you  heard  Jenny 
Lind  ? ''  and  received  the  harrowing  reply,  ''  I  cannot 
hear  anything  at  all.''^  This  was  paralleled  by  a  friend 
of  Mr.  Folj ambers  of  Osberton,  who,  long  after  he 
had  lost  his  sight,  offered  him  a  candle  on  going  to 
bed. 

During  all  his  early  life  it  would  have  taken  a  very 
good  man  across  country  to  beat  the  Ecton  Squire. 
Between  him  and  the  parson  of  his  village,  the  Rev.  J. 
Whalley,  there  was  not  much  to  choose  in  this  respect ; 
and  it  was  a  moot  point  which  was  the  better  man  of  the 
two.  The  Squire,  however,  had  always  this  advantage 
over  the  parson,  that  knowing  he  should  not  be  wanted 
on  the  following  Sunday,  he  had  no  fear  of  a  congre- 
gation before  his  eyes.  Always  well  mounted — on  nothing 
did  he  go  better  than  on  a  one-eyed  grey  horse,  which  he 
purchased  from  the  well-known  "  Dick  Garratt,"*'  of  Great 
Harrowden. 

His  three  ^' RV'  ''Reindeer,''  "Rejoicer,'' and  ^^ Re- 
former,'^ all  children  of  his  favourite  *'  Rosebud,"  are 
fcftill  green  in  the  memory  of  some  who   love  to  think  of 


Mr.  Ambrose  Isted.  247 

hippie  heroes  of  the  past j  and  the  ''Maid  of  Orleans/' 
bought  from  Lord  William  Compton  on  his  quitting* 
Harleston,  still  occupies  a  warm  corner  in  the  heart  of 
the  present  Marquis  of  Northampton. 

A  great  breeder  of  hunters,  Mr.  Isted  was  never  so 
happy  as  when  mounted  on  the  produce  of  some  valued 
mare,  the  last  named  being  one  of  the  most  prolific  of  his 
much-cherished  mothers.  Inheriting  sporting  instincts 
from  a  long  line  of  ancestors,  no  one  more  thoroughly 
enjoyed  hunting  with  all  its  pleasant  adjuncts.  In  all 
manly  sports,  however,  he  took  great  delight,  and  rare 
bird,  beast,  or  plant  never  escaped  his  attention  and 
remark. 

The  sporting  magazines  and  the  daily  journals  found  in 
him  a  very  constant  reader ;  but  the  rare  volumes  with 
which  the  shelves  of  the  Ecton  Library  are  so  abundantly 
stored  had  no  especial  charms  in  his  eyes.  Tailing  off  in 
his  riding  as  he  advanced  in  years  (fences  seem  to  grow 
less  and  less  negotiable  as  the  hair  gets  thinner),  Mr.  Isted 
began  to  give  up  the  distant  Meets,  and  to  commence  upon 
the  "  currant  jelly  ^^  business,  into  which  he  entered  with 
much  spirit. 

Getting  together  a  tolerably  level  and  useful- looking 
lot  of  small  harriers,  he  assumed  the  horn  himself, 
utilizing  as  his  Whip  his  old  keeper  Daniel  Tassell.  The 
latter,  a  thorough  original,  did  not  at  all  appreciate  his 
elevation  to  the  pigskin,  and  for  many  a  day  would  com- 
plain greatly  of  cuticular  abrasion,  and  of  his  master's 
want  of  feeling  in  not  supplying  him  with  sticking- 
plaster,  bees-wax,  or  some  still  more  adhesive  compound, 
for  the  more  satisfactory  performance  of  the  fencing  part 
of  the  business.     Mr.  Isted  naturally  had  some  difficulty 


248     The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present. 

in  finding  servants  able  and  willing  to  adapt  themselves 
to  his  condition.  To  h.im  it  was  of  great  importance  to 
have  quick  and  intelligent  second  horsemen.  In  William 
Pridmore — now  dead — and  in  the  well-known  Tom  Jolly, 
still  to  be  seen  delicately  handling  an  impulsive  young- 
ster of  Mr.  Earl  of  Earl's  Barton,  he  found  all  that  he 
could  desire. 

Many  a  time  during  the  day's  hunting  would  it  devolve 
upon  one  of  these  to  reduce  into  the  vernacular  the 
words  issuing  from  his  mouth,  or  to  interpret  the  myste- 
rious language  of  the  fingers.  Each,  when  accompanying 
his  master  in  the  hunting-field,  formed  a  sort  of  "  Refuge 
for  strangers  in  distress/'  and  was  the  means  of  reliev- 
ing many  a  poor  applicant  for  help.  The  survivor  of 
these  two  much-valued  and  useful  followers  still  is  to  be 
found  at  the  Pytchley  Monday  Meets,  and  has  no  greater 
pleasure  than  in  recalling  the  events  of  forty  years  of 
faithful  service.  He  can  tell  of  many  a  noble  run  of 
which  he  has  himself  been  an  eye-witness,  and  of  others  of 
which  he  has  heard  from  his  master^s  mouth.  Of  the 
latter  none  come  up  to  a  run  with  the  Oakley  in  the  time 
of  Grantley  Berkeley,  when  a  fox,  found  in  Odell  Wood, 
was  killed  near  Braybrooke,  in  the  Market  Harborough 
country. 

Every  Hunt  rejoices  in  being  able  to  record  a  run  to 
which  may  fairly  be  attached  the  title  of  ^'historical," 
and  the  Oakley  may  well  lay  claim  to  that  dignity  for 
this  performance. 

The  distance  as  the  crow  flies  cannot  be  less  than 
sixteen  miles,  the  greater  part  of  it  being  through  a  strange 
country  and  every  hunting-man  knows  how  greatly  this 
adds  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  run. 

It    is  often   said   that   "  the  days  of  long-service  are 


Mr.  R.  Lee  Bevan,  249 

things  heard  of  l)nt  not  seen  in  this  our  time/^  The 
forty  years  passed  by  Pridmore  and  Jolly  in  the  stables 
of  the  Ecton  Squire  point  to  the  fact  that  the  race  of 
attached  followers  is  not  altogether  extinct.  As  confirma- 
tory of  this,  a  neighbouring  squire,  distant  only  a  few 
mileSj  can  boast  of  having  eight  servants  in  his  establish- 
ment^ who  have  lived  with  him  on  an  average  of  thirty- 
four  years  each.  This  case  is  probably  without  parallel, 
and  is  a  matter  of  unqualified  pride  alike  to  master  and 
servant. 

Dying  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-five  years,  Mr.  Isted 
left  no  direct  heir  ;  and  his  successor  not  having  assumed 
the  name  with  the  property,  it  has  become  extinct,  save 
in  the  memory  of  the  many  friends  who  will  ever  hold  it 
in  esteem. 

It  may  be  truly  said  of  this  remarkable  specimen  of  the 
"  English  country  squire  '"^  that,  "  take  him  for  all  in  all, 
we  ne'er  shall  look  upon  his  like  again." 


MR.  E.  LEE  BEVAN. 

If  jealous  of  the  powers  of  an  outsider,  some  resident 
member  of  the  Hunt  had  been  commissioned  to  "  smash,^' 
"  pulverize "  (to  use  the  phraseology  of  the  Prime 
Minister),  and  lower  the  crest  of  the  tenant  of  Kelmarsh, 
to  no  one  could  the  feat  have  been  confided  with  a  greater 
likelihood  of  success  than  to  Mr.  R.  L.  Bevan  of  Brix- 
worth  Hall. 

Born  with  a  love  for  animals,  and  especially  for  horses, 
he  took  to  hard  riding  as  naturally  as  a  duck  takes  to 
the  water ;  and  to  give  a  lead  to  a  semi-willing  friend  in 
cold  blood  over  a  stiff  bit  of  country  was  a  gratification 


250     The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present. 

lie  could  never  deny  himself.  However  much  importance 
he  may  have  attached  to  the  injunction  *'  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself/'  it  is  likel^^that  he  never  felt  so 
kindly  disposed  towards  him  as  when  he  saw  him  declin- 
ing to  follow  him  over  a  big  fence. 

To  pound  any  notable  "  customer  ^'  would  have  been  to 
him  a  matter  of  much  self-congratulation,  but  to  have  Mr. 
Angerstein  taking  *^  two  bites  at  a  cherry/^  which  he  him- 
self had  swallowed  without  difficulty,  would  have  been 
an  event  in  his  life  ever  to  be  cherished  with  pride  and 
satisfaction.  The  second  son  of  the  head  of  the  eminent 
banking  house,  Barclay,  Bevan  and  Co.,  the  subject 
of  this  memoir  never  cared  to  throw  in  his  lot  with  the 
money-changers.  Hunting  having  greater  charms  in  his 
eyes  than  banking,  he  quitted  Lombard  Street  for 
Leicestershire,  and  reversed  the  well-known  line  : — 
"  He  lived  delights,  and  scorned  laborious  days." 

To  no  class  of  those  who  come  under  the  title  of  busi- 
ness men  is  hunting  more  indebted  for  support  than  to  the 
lords  of  finance.  The  names  of  Glyn,  Gosling,  Lubbock, 
Hoare,  Bevan,  Robarts  and  Fuller,  will  ever  mark  the 
fact  that  the  science  of  money-making  and  that  of  fox- 
hunting may  be  successfully  combined;  and  the  name  of 
many  a  banker-prince  is  to  be  found  on  the  list  of  Masters 
of  Hounds.  The  present  chief  of  the  great  house  of 
Barclay,  Bevan  and  Co.,  would  probably  doubt  his 
own  identity  were  he  to  be  told  that  at  one  time  there 
was  no  one  except  himself  who  could  beat  his  brother 
''Dick"  across  Leicestershire  or  Northamptonshire. 
That  it  was  so,  however,  no  one  is  more  wilHng  to  allow 
than  the  younger  of  the  two  brothers. 

It  is  probable  that  few  men  now  living  have  hunted  a 


Mr.  R,  Lee  Bevan.  251 

greater  number  of  times  tlian  Mr.  R.  Lee  Bevan;  have 
had  horses  of  higher  quality,  or  ridden  them  in  a  more 
workmanlike  manner.  Having  studied  the  animal  with 
an  earnest  desire  of  becoming  acquainted  with  its  struc- 
ture and  peculiarities  of  disposition^  it  would  not  be  easy 
to  find  any  non-professional  with  a  better  knowledge  of 
what  to  look  for  in  a  hunter,  and  with  a  more  assured 
feeling  of  the  ease  with  which  the  most  knowing  are 
occasionally  taken  in.  Possessed  of  perfect  hands, 
abundant  nerve_,  and  a  strong  seat^  until  time  and 
tumbles  robbed  him  of  it,  he  ever  loved  to  school  a 
"young  one,''^  and  teach  him  such  manners  as  are  re- 
quired in  a  hunter. 

Combining  persuasiveness  with  a  modicum  of  coercion^, 
the  "  four-year-old  ""  in  his  hands  was  not  long  in  finding- 
out  that  refractory  ways  were  not  "  those  of  pleasant- 
ness/^ nor  led  to  the  ^'^  paths  of  peace.""  Not  greatly 
caring  for  an  animal  that  required  no  riding,  he  at  no 
time  laid  himself  out  for  the  purchase  of  a  made 
hunter,  and  the  hotter  the  mount,  the  more  he  seemed 
to  relish  his  position. 

For  many  a  year,  "  Tomblin,"  the  well-known  dealer 
of  Lye  Lodge,  near  Oakham — the  only  horse-dealer 
who  has  ever  filled  the  office  of  High  Sheriff  of  a 
county — furnished  Mr.  Bevan  with  his  entire  stud.  That 
a  man  occupying  the  position  of  Mr.  Tomblin  should 
have  been  required  to  undertake  a  duty  of  so  much 
dignity  and  importance,  points  to  the  fact  that  Eutland- 
shire  at  that  time  must  have  been  sadly  deficient  in 
gentlemen  properly  qualified  for  the  office. 

Although  there  are  not  many  dealers  of  repute  with 
whom  Mr.  Bevan  has  not  had  negotiations  since  those 


252     The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present. 

days ;  witli  few  exceptions,  tlie  horses  from  the  Rut- 
landshire stables  well  maintained  the  credit  of  their 
vendor's  reputation. 

For  many  a  year  there  might  have  been  seen  by  the 
side  of  the  Squire  of  Brixworth  a  lady,  no  less 
remarkable  for  her  beauty  than  she  was  for  her  skill 
in  the  management  of  the  animal  she  rode ;  one  whose 
love  for  the  chase  equalled,  if  it  did  not  exceed,  that 
of  her  husband,  -and  whose  opinion  of  a  horse  was 
deferred  to  by  him,  as  of  almost  unerring  correctness. 
Twice  a  week,  if  not  oftener  during  the  winter  months, 
two  ladies  in  w^ell- fitting  habits  and  dress  quite  en 
regie,  may  be  seen  mounting  their  hunters  at  the  steps 
of  Brixworth  Hall.  Half  way  down  the  flight,  watching 
the  operation  with  an  eye  ready  to  detect  anything  that 
may  not  be  quite  as  it  should  be,  there  stands  one  who 
betrays  by  every  word  and  look  that  there  is  a  warm 
corner  in  his  heart  for  each  fair  huntress.  There  is 
many  a  little  thing  "  to  be  set  right  '^ — a  side-saddle  is 
not  in  its  right  place,  a  curb  has  to  be  let  down,  and 
the  groom  is  not  unlikely  to  be  inquired  of  whether 
there  has  not  been  a  mistake,  and  if  he  is  not  the  gar- 
dener ?  But  at  length  all  becomes  ship-shape.  ^'  Pater 
Anchises  "  gets  upon  his  horse,  and  the  impatient  steeds 
feel  that  the  day's  fun  has  commenced  at  last.  Hands 
seat  and  nerve  must  all  be  brought  into  use  before  the 
highly-bred,  amply-fed  animals  *^  settle  down."  But 
each  of  these  requisites  is  ready  on  demand,  and  is  used 
to  reduce  the  too-excellent  spirit  into  subjection. 

In  the  eyes  of  either  sister,  "  the  young  one  that  needs 
a  little  managing  "  is  preferred  to  the  more  safe  and 
'''  hum-drum  ^^  style  of  mount,  and  the  horse  that  has  had 


Mr.  R.  Lee  JBevan,  253 

the  teaching  of  either  of  these  fair  horsewomen  is  likely 
to  be  a  quiet  and  pleasant  hunter  for  some  less  coura- 
geous daughter  of  Nimrod..  Though  tempted  at  times 
to  inquire  of  his  groom  whether  or  no  the  garden  rather 
than  the  stable  were  not  his  more  suitable  vocation^  Mr. 
Bevan  little  imagined  that  the  smart-looking,  oily-man- 
nered individual  he  had  just  accepted  as  his  stud-groom 
had  recently  been  an  officer  in  a  crack  infantry  regi- 
ment !  No  less  surprised  at  the  small  modicum  of  know- 
ledge displayed  by  his  new  chef  than  by  the  courtesy  of 
his  demeanour,  an  inquiry  into  antecedents  led  to  the 
disclosure  of  his  having  been  a  captain  in  H.M's  — th 
regiment,  reduced  by  circumstances  over  which  he  had 
no  control  to  the  position  he  then  held.  The  relation 
between  the  ex-officer  and  his  new  master  or  rather 
employer  having  speedily  saifered  collapse,  the  former 
was  invited  to  say  what  remuneration  he  would  consider 
sufficient  to  repay  him  for  his  brief  service  ?  "  Give  me 
what  you  please,^'  was  the  reply ;  '^  I  shall  return  it  you 
all  again.""  After  a  lengthy  and  incoherent  epistle  to  a 
member  of  the  family  other  than  its  head,  this  somewhat 
singular  incident  terminated. 

Though  well  on  his  way  to  the  confines  of  octogena- 
rianism,  Mr.  Bevan  finds  that  the  old  love  of  a  gallop 
after  hounds  is  by  no  means  extinct  within  him. 

The  flesh  may  denote  its  weakness  by  an  early  return 
to  the  comforts  at  home,  but  that  the  spirit  is  still  willing 
is  shown  by  an  occasional  display  of  the  recklessness 
which  marked  his  younger  days.  A  promising  four-year- 
old  continues  to  be  an  almost  irresistible  attraction,  and 
though  the  years  of  the  purchased  and  the  purchaser 
may  not  be  quite  in  accord,  the  former  is  speedily  made 


2  54     ^^^^  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present. 

to  learn  that  it  is  not  he   that    is  master    of  the  situa- 
tion. 

A  new  generation  springs  up,  and  the  heroes  of  old 
sooner  or  later  pass  out  of  remembrance.  Many  a 
summer  and  winter,  however,  must  pass  awaj  ere  it  will 
be  forcfotten  that  among:  the  huntinsf  notables  of  a  former 
day  there  were  few  more  conspicuous  names  than  that 
of  "  Richard  Lee/^  otherwise  "  Dick,  Bevan." 


MR.  WILLIAM  ANGERSTEIN. 

If  any  one  hunting  with  the  ^^  P.H.''^  some  five-and-thirty 
years  since  had  entertained  a  desire  to  dislocate  a  shoulder, 
fracture  an  arm,  or  suffer  some  still  more  serious  bodily 
injury,  he  could  scarcely  have  adopted  a  course  more  full 
of  promise  than  by  following  over  the  ^'  Waterloo  country  " 
a  member  of  the  Hunt  who  was  in  the  habit  of  wearing 
in  his  button-hole  a  posy  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary 
dinner-plate.  This  was  Mr.  Angerstein,  then  residiug  at 
Kelmarsh  Hall,  the  seat  of  the  old  county  family  of 
Hanbury,  the  head  of  which  is  now  known  under  the  title 
of  Lord  Bateman  of  Shobdon  Court  in  the  county  of 
Hereford,  an  ancient  possession  of  the  family  to  which 
he  belongs.  Possessed  of  nerves  in  sufficient  quantity 
for  his  own  use  as  well  as  for  that  of  any  friend  who 
had  left  his  at  home,  Mr.  Angerstein^s  chief  delight  was 
riding  at  formidable-looking  places.  The  stiffer  the  rail, 
the  thicker  the  bullfinch,  and  the  wider  the  bit  of  water, 
the  more  it  seemed  to  suit  the  taste  of  this  reckless  horse- 
man. Never  having  taken  to  heart  or  appraised  at  its 
rightful  value  the  old  sayiug  of  '^  discretion  being  the 
better  part  of  valour,"  danger  when  in  the  hunting-field 


M}\  William  Ange7^ stein.  255 

seemed  to  be  the  element  most  courted  by  tliis  somewhat 
eccentric  Norfolk  Squire.  Not  having  occasion  to  deny 
himself  the  possession  of  any  horse  he  fancied  by  the 
price  demanded  for  him_,  he  rode  nothing  but  weight- 
carrying  animals  of  high  quality.  Mostly  a  trifle  "  on  the 
leg  "  (and  none  the  worse  for  that),  with  a  bit  of  temper  of 
their  own,  they  invariably  were  or  became  magnificent 
fencers,  the  result  of  the  schooling  they  had  to  undergo. 
The  soothing  tones  and  endearing  language  in  which  Mr. 
Angerstein  was  wont  to  address  a  young  one  on  approach- 
ing a  fence,  with  a  deep  diapason  and  changed  vocabulary 
which  greeted  the  ears  of  the  animal  if  he  fell,  were 
highly  amusing,  if  not  edifying.  To  the  moralist  it 
afforded  food  for  reflection  upon  the  imperfection  of 
human  nature,  the  outcome  of  the  fall  of  man.  Here,  a 
Saint  on  one  side  of  a  "  post  and  rail  '^  became  a  Sinner 
on  the  other,  and  it  was  made  painfully  olear  that  the  line 
dividing  virtue  from  its  opposite  was  no  thicker  than  a 
slip  of  wood.  In  spite  of  constant  apparent  efforts  to  the 
contrary,  the  tenant  of  Kelmarsh  Hall  was  only  occa- 
sionally detained  at  home  by  accidents  in  the  field,  and 
'^  the  arm  in  a  sling  '^  and  the  "  bound-up  shoulder,^^ 
were  far  less  frequent  objects  for  sympathy  than  might 
have  been  expected. 

On  leaving  Northamptonshire,  the  late  member  of  the 
"  P.H.^'  established,  on  the  principle  probably  of  ^^  half  a 
loaf  being  better  than  no  bread,^'  a  pack  of  stag-hounds 
in  Norfolk ;  but  he  was  not  long  in  making  the  discovery 
that  the  pursuit  of  the  deer  in  an  essentially  non-hunting 
country,  and  that  of  the  fox  over  the  big  pastures  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Crick  or  Market  Harborough  are  enjoy- 
ments as  distinct  in  their  character  as  light  from  darkness. 


256     The  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Past  and  Present, 

Many  years  have  come  and  gone  since  lie  of  whom  we 
have  been  speaking  formed  a  no  less  conspicuous  than 
popular  member  of  a  Pytchley  Meet.  It  may,  however^ 
be  confidently  affirmed  that  neither  time  nor  the  cares 
and  troubles  of  political  struggles  have  erased  from  his 
memory  the  many  happy  hours  that  he  has  passed  amid 
the  broad  acres  of  Northamptonshire  and  in  the  company 
of  Charles  Payn  and  his  "  famous  little  bitches." 


CAPTAIN  "BAY'^  MIDDLETON. 

On  five  days  out  of  six^  weather  permitting,  there  may  be 
seen  issuing  from  his  enviable  quarters  at  Hazelbeach  on 
his  way  to  the  Meet,  one  of  the  most  widely  known  of  the 
hunting-heroes  of  the  day.  Whether  Captain  Middleton 
owes  his  sobriquet  of  "  Bay  ^^  to  the  colouring  assigned 
to  him  by  nature,  or  to  the  celebrated  Derby  winner  of 
1836,  is  immaterial,  but  from  either  of  these  sources  it 
may  well  derive  its  origin.  A  prominent  member  of  the 
noble  army  of  "  bruisers,^ ^  the  subject  of  this  memoir  is 
not  attached  to  the  battalion  which  can  see  no  good  in 
fighting  or  hunting  unless  it  be  always  carried  on  at 
^^  fever-heat.'^  Thankful  for  all  the  plums  that  may  fall 
in  his  path  in  the  way  of  '' brilliant "  gallops,  the  day  of 
small  things  is  gratefully  accepted  by  him  for  what  it 
may  be  worth.  Possessing  the  instincts  of  a  true  sports- 
man, to  him  the  big  fence  and  the  "  rattling  "  forty 
minutes  are  not  all  in  all.  Failing  the  quicker  '^  mercy,'' 
the  slow  hunting-run  is,  in  his  estimation,  by  no  means 
to  be  treated  with  contempt ;  nor  is  a  season  stigmatized 
as  "  the  worst  ever  known,"  because  every  day  has  not 
produced  its  clipping  forty  minutes.     He  may  truthfully 


Captain  "  Bay^^  Middle  ton,  257 

say  of  himself  as  regards  runs  with  hounds,  "  Video  meliora 
2)roboque/'  but  failing  these,  I  am  content  '^  Deteriora 
sequiJ'  Owning  a  stud  second  to  none — the  result  of 
much  care  in  selection — and  of  great  experience,  be  the 
country  ever  so  big,  or  the  pace  ever  so  fast,  bar  the 
usual  accidents  of  a  hunting-field,  he  is  sure  to  see  the 
cream  of  every  good  thing. 

Selected  to  'Head^'  the  Empress  of  Austria  during 
her  six  weeks'  residence  at  Cottesbrooke,  in  the  winter  of 
1878,  no  one  could  have  performed  a  delicate  and  diflBcult 
duty  more  efficiently.  To  ensure  her  Majesty ^s  seeing 
the  sport  without  incurring  unnecessary  risk  was  a  task 
requiring  decision,  nerve,  and  experience,  and  in  each  of 
these  the  '^ pilotage'^  of  Captain  Middleton  was  con- 
spicuous. The  history  of  England  points  to  a  day  when 
one  of  her  most  famous  kings,  noted  for  his  love  of  the 
chase,  might  have  come  to  an  untimely  end  by  following 
out  hunting  an  adherent  of  the  monarch  he  had  supplanted. 
One  "  Cherry,'^  a  famous  rider,  a  loyal  adherent  of  the 
exiled  James  II.,  one  day  when  out  with  the  stag-hounds, 
seeing  that  William  III.  followed  him  wherever  he  went, 
thought  that  by  jumping  down  a  steep  bank  into  the 
Thames,  he  might  perchance  break  the  usurper's  neck  or 
drown  him  in  the  stream.  The  king,  however,  possibly 
'^smelling  a  rat,"  turned  away,  and  so  escaped  the  trap 
into  which  the  loyal  but  malevolent  Cherry  hoped  to 
lead  him.  The  beautiful  lady  who  so  gallantly  followed 
the  English  officer  across  the  fences  of  Northamptonshire, 
incurred  no  other  dangers  than  those  incident  to  every 
hunting-field,  and  even  escaped  these,  thanks  to  the  skill 
of  her  pilot,  without  mishap  of  any  sort.  Nor  are  the 
Chase  aud  the  Turf  the  only  arenas  upon  which  Captain 

s 


258     The  PytcJiley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present. 

Middleton  has  distinguished  himself.  In  the  cricket-field 
his  services  with  bat  and  ball  alike  are  such  as  to  be 
highly  valued  by  the  side  on  which  he  plays ;  and  when 
"I  Zingari  "  require  a  change  of  bowling,  a  ^^  head'' 
ball  from  his  hand  is  more  likely  than  not  to  fall  into  the 
grasp  of  some  much  expecting  fieldsman,  and  so  prove 
fatal  to  the  batter.  As  a  judge  of  the  game,  he  has  few 
superiors,  and  the  management  of  a  match  could  not  well 
be  placed  in  better  hands. 

On  the  list  of  its  members  the  Pytchley  Hunt  may 
be  well  satisfied  to  see  the  name  of  so  fine  a  rider  and 
so  good  a  sportsman  as  that  of  "  Bay  '^  Middleton,  of 
whom  it  may  truthfully  be  said, — 

*'  That  the  pace  cannot  stop,  or  the  fences  defeat 
This  rum  'un  to  follow,  this  bad  'un  to  beat." 


CAPTAIN  MILDMAY  CLERK. 
We  read  in  history  of  many  a  "  man  in  a  mask  " — one 
worn  compulsorily,  and  much  to  the  moral  and  physical 
discomfort  of  the  wearer.  Rare,  however,  are  the 
instances  in  which  it  has  been  assumed  voluntarily,  and 
for  the  sake  of  humouring  a  whim.  Such,  however,  was 
the  case  when  Captain  Clerk  of  Spratton  Hall,  one  of 
the  kindest-hearted  and  most  amiable  of  men,  thought  fit 
to  hide  his  good  qualities  under  a  cloak  of  apparent 
moroseness  and  want  of  geniality.  For  twenty  j-ears  or 
more,  from  1847,  no  fig'ure  was  more  familiar,  no  name 
better  known  in  mid-Northamptonshire  than  that  of 
"  Clerk  of  Spratton."  The  associations  of  a  cavalry 
regiment  having  fostered  a  strong  natural  love  for 
horses  and  everything  connected  with  hunting,  he  no 
sooner  obtained  his  troop  than  he  severed  the  link  which 


Captain  Mildviay  Clerk,  259 

liad  united  Lini  to  military  life — drew  a  prize  in  the 
matrimonial  lottery — bought  a  house  and  small  property 
in  a  well-situated  village  near  the  Brixworth  kennels — 
and  mounted  the  white  collar  of  the  "  P.H."  The  eccen- 
tricity which  led  him  to  conceal  rather  than  expose  his 
good  qualities  earned  for  him  a  sobriquet  by  which  he 
became  universally  known,  and  by  which  he  will  ever  be 
remembered,  in  spite  of  its  being  a  libel  on  his  true 
character.  For  this  title  he  was  indebted  to  a  habit 
of  estimating  men  and  things  at  a  considerably  lower 
value  than  that  at  which  they  had  been  appraised  by 
the  parties  themselves.  In  one  respect,  however,  he 
greatly  differed  from  his  brother  '^  crabbists/'  namely, 
that  he  was  not  a  whit  more  merciful  to  things  belonging 
to  himself  than  he  was  to  those  of  others. 

His  wine,  for  example,  than  which  nobody  had  better, 
was  dubbed  by  him  ^^  paraffin  '^  or  ^^  petroleum  ;'' — his 
cook  was  bound  to  make  those  who  had  been  so  rash  as 
to  accept  an  invitation  to  dinner  "  ill  for  a  week  ;'^ — 
the  horse  upon  which  he,  probably,  had  cut  down  a 
whole  field,  was  only  ^^  an  old  screw/' — a  quick  tliirty 
minutes  would  be  "  about  as  fast  as  a  cripple  could  kick 
his  wide-awake  ;^^ — and  it  was  a  fortunate  hound  which, 
according  to  him,  possessed  any  of  the  qualifications 
requisite  for  an  efficient  member  of  a  pack. 

Possessed  of  too  much  amiability  to  give  outward 
expression  to  his  dislike  of  another,  he  would  not  lose 
an  opportunity  of  indulging  in  a  sly  poke  at  any  one  who 
was  not  altogether  to  his  fancy.  Not  being  quite  in 
accord  with  a  Huntsman,  who  was  nearly  perfection  in 
the  eyes  of  every  one  else,  he  got  his  cut  at  him  one  day 
in   the  following  manner.     Taking  a  non-hunting  friend 

s  2 


26o     The  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Past  a7id  Present, 

to  see  the  kennels  at  Brixworth^  the  bounds^  as  their 
manner  is,  began  to  fawn  upon  the  stranger  instead  of 
on  their  Huntsman.  Surprised  at  this,  the  unknowing 
friend  sought  an  explanation,  and  inquired  if  the  hounds 
did  not  like  their  Huntsman  ?  ^'  Like  him  ?  "  was  the 
reply,  "  Why  they  hate  him  !  "  Up  to  this  moment  the 
idea  of  hounds  hating  their  Huntsman  had  probably  never 
entered  the  mind  of  any  man_,  and  the  spirit  of  fun,  which 
was  always  strong  within  the  utterer  of  this  novel  accu- 
sation, must  have  had  a  "  high  old  time  "  as  the  words  fell 
from  his  lips. 

A  friend  having  congratulated  him  upon  the  coming 
into  his  neighbourhood  of  a  very  pretty  woman,  his  only 
comment  was,  "  She'll  be  as  ugly  as  the  rest  if  she  only 
lives  a  few  years  longer."  At  another  time  when 
authority  rested  with  a  Master  who  governed  with  a 
somewhat  over-tight  hand.  Clerk  was  seen  on  a  very  cold 
morning,  whilst  hounds  were  drawing,  to  take  up  his 
position  in  the  middle  of  a  shallow  pond. 

"  What  are  you  doing  that  for  ?  "  asked  an  amused 
but  puzzled  friend. 

^*  Trying  not  to  head  the  fox,"  was  the  grave  and  caustic 
reply. 

For  the  Christmas-holiday  boy  there  was  always  a  kind 
and  encouraging  word  from  the  Spratton  cynic.  One, 
long  since  "  married  and  done  for,"  still  recalls  the  pride 
he  felt,  when  one  day  after  a  smart  gallop,  as  he  was 
washing  his  pony's  mouth  out  with  some  water  from-  a 
ditch,  on  hearing  the  words,  "  Well  done,  youngster, 
you've  a  better  head  on  your  shoulders  than  many  an 
old  one."  Looking  up,  he  saw  that  he  was  being 
addressed   by   a   Member   of   the  Hunt   he  had  always 


Captain  Mildmay  Clerk.  261 

held    in    a    sort    of   awe,    and    liked    him   ever    after- 
wards. 

To  a;  friend  who,  on  his  way  home  from  hunting,  had 
praised  a  glass  of  fine  old  Madeira  brought  to  the  door  of 
his  hospitable  house,  he  sent  on  the  following  day  six 
bottles  of  the  same  bin,  with  a  card  on  which  was  the 
legend,  "  Petroleum  for  your  hunting-flask/' 

Though  it  never  lay  in  his  power  to  give  high  prices 
for  his  horses,  so  complete  a  master  was  he  of  the  art  of 
getting  across  a  country  and  of  riding  to  hounds,  that  he 
never  failed  to  hold  a  good  place  in  any  run ;  nor  did  he 
ever  lose  a  start  by  giving  way  to  the  snare  of  "  Coffee- 
housing."  His  motto  was  ^'  pauca  verba  ;"  and  the  man 
caught  up  by  him  on  the  way  to  cover,  or  on  the  return 
home  after  hunting,  stood  little  chance  of  being  *'  jawed 
to  death.^' 

Whatever  else  might  have  been  laid  to  his  charge,  he 
never  could  have  shared  the  fate  of  Miss  Jex  Blake,  who, 
at  the  close  of  one  of  her  somewhat  tedious  harangues, 
heard  a  wearied  listener  say,  that  he  had  long  known  that 
"  Le^o"  was  the  Latin  for  "  Xaw,"  but  never  knew  till 
that  moment  that  "  Jex  "  was  Latin  for  ^'  Jaw  J' 

Not  strong  constitutionally,  he  never  cared  to  spare 
himself,  and  be  the  distance  ever  so  far,  or  the  weather 
ever  so  bad,  the  '^  uncheery  one  "  never  failed  to  be  at 
the  Meet  on  every  hunting-day.  Ill-health  overtook  him 
when  little  past  his  prime,  and  when  he  finally  succumbed 
to  an  enemy,  against  whose  attacks  he  had  many  a  time 
unsuccessfully  grappled,  not  only  was  the  feeling  that  the 
Pytchley  Hunt  had  lost  a  notable  and  much  appreciated 
member  generally  recognized,  but  the  regret  was  uni- 
versal and  profound. 


262     The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  a7td  Present. 


COLONEL  AETHUR. 

As  surely  as  "  every  bean  lias  its  black,  and  every  path 
its  puddle/^  so  certainly  must  members  of  a  hunt,  as  of 
every  other  social  circle^  drop  out  of  their  places  one  by 
one,  victims  of  time  or  else  of  circumstances.  In  these 
days  of  agricultural  depression  the  latter  has  had  more 
to  do  than  the  former  in  thinning  out  from  the  hunting- 
ranks  the  old  County  Squires,  but  the  former  still 
remains  the  greater  and  more  inevitable  evil  of  the  two. 
From  the  clutches  of  time  there  is  no  real  escape,  though 
upon  some  favoured  few  he  lays  his  hand  so  lightly  that 
it  would  seem  as  though  he  had  winked  at  being  cheated 
of  his  rights.  Though  the  capillary  barometer  may  not 
indicate  "much  snow/'  and  may  have  shown  indeed  for 
years  past  neither  variableness  nor  shadow  of  turniug, 
there  is  no  escaping  the  ravages  of  Chronos.  There  is 
no  rule,  however,  without  its  exception.  Who  that  has 
hunted  with  the  "P.H.^'  anytime  during  the  last  quarter 
of  a  century  does  not  now  still  see  at  its  Meets,  on  wheels 
instead  of  on  horseback,  a  gallant  Officer,  the  senior  of 
most  there  present ;  in  aspect  the  junior  of  half  the  field. 
Genial,  courteous,  gentlemanlike,  his  raison  d'etre  in  the 
hunting-field  seemed  to  be  to  make  things  pleasant  all 
round.  To  run  the  risk  of  imperilling  his  neck  or  frac- 
turing a  limb  was  with  him  at  no  time  an  object  of 
ambition ;  but  there  was  no  one  so  ready  to  help  in  the 
capture  of  an  escaped  horse  or  to  assist  a  brother-sports- 
man in  distress.  The  very  opposite  of  the  other  member 
of  the  hunt,  whose  taciturnity  has  been  referred  to  else- 
where— the  gallant  Colonel  here  spoken  of  was  the  chief 
priest  of  that  item  of  hunting-ordinances  known  as  the 


Major  Whyte  Melville.  26 


J 


"  coffee-house  department."  By  him  nothing  going  on 
in  the  world,  social  or  political,  was  unknown  ;  nor  did 
he  think  it  a  friendly  or  necessary  act  to  keep  his 
knowledge  to  himself.  For  some  time  in  command  of  a 
distinguished  cavalry  regiment,  he  worked  unremittingly 
and  successfully  to  maintain  its  reputation  for  smartness, 
and  under  him  the  sloven  soon  learnt  that  it  had  become 
incumbent  upon  him  to  change  his  ways.  Upon  leaving 
the  service  the  gallant  Colonel  changed  his  sword  into 
a  hunting-crop  ;  and  settling  down  in  one  of  the  best 
hunting-districts  in  England  with  one  to  whom  "  the 
pleasures  of  the  chase  "  were  as  great  as  to  himself,  they 
together  shared  all  the  enjoyments  of  ^^  a  life  in  the 
Midlands.'' 

That  the  familiar  form  of  the  kindly  old  Officer  should 
no  longer  be  seen  at  the  cover-side,  mounted  as  of  yore, 
is  a  matter  of  no  little  regret  to  those  who  miss  each 
dropped  link  of  the  chain  uniting  the  present  with  the 
past ;  and  the  figure  of  the  gallant  occupant  of  Misterton 
and  Desborough  Halls  must  ever  be  connected  with 
recollections  of  the  pleasant  Tailby  and  Pytchley  Meets, 
when  a  neat-looking  horse  instead  of  a  well-appointed 
trap  was  his  mode  of  conveyance. 


MAJOR  WHYTE  MELVILLE. 
On  the  long  list  of  those  who  have  been  members  of  the 
Pytchley  Hunt,  no  name  stands  out  in  bolder  relief  than 
that  of  ^^  George  Whyte  Melville,^'  soldier,  novelist,  poet, 
and  sportsman  by  birth  and  natural  instincts.  Son  of  a 
M.F.H.,  himself  an  "  Admirable  Crichton  "  in  all  things 
pertaining   to  sport,  hunting  came  as  naturally   to  the 


264     The  Pytchley  Httnt,  Past  and  Present, 

future  author  of  "  Market  Harborough  ^'  as  his  daily  food. 
A  few  years  at  Eton  or  Harrow,  to  be  followed  by  a  terra 
of  service  in  some  ^^  crack  "  regiment  is  the  usual  lot  of 
the  elder  son,  and  the  young  Scotch  scion  of  an  ancient 
race  followed  the  routine  chalked  out  for  a  majority  of 
those  in  the  same  position  with,  himself.  Entering*  the 
Guards  as  soon  as  he  quitted  school,  the  ex-Etonian 
evinced  a  more  than  ordinary  aptitude  for  military  life» 
and  devoted  himself  with  ardour  to  hia  regimental 
duties,  as  also  to  the  attractions  of  a  London  life, 
where  he  rapidly  established  a  reputation  for  repartee 
and  conversational  power,  which  caused  the  brilliancy 
of  his  writings  a  little  later  on  to  be  received  by  those 
who  knew  him  without  any  feelings  of  surprise. 

Marrying  the  second  daughter  of  Lord  Bateman  of 
Kelmarsh  Hall  in  the  county  of  Northampton,  he  quitted 
the  army  and  settled  down  at  Boughton,  a  little  village 
three  miles  from  the  Pytchley  kennels,  and  about  as 
many  from  the  county  town.  In  the  pages  of  "  Holm- 
by  House,"  Boughton  is  often  referred  to  as  the 
seat  of  Lord  Strafford,  to  which  Charles  I.  would  fre- 
quently ride  of  an  afternoon  from  Holdenby  \aUas 
Holmby],  stopping  on  his  road  to  fish  in  the  Nene  at 
Brampton  ;  and  it  was  here  that  the  author  drew  his 
inspiration  for  the  various  scenes  and  characters  of  the 
most  popular  of  all  his  novels. 

The  two  great  objects  of  his  life  at  this  time  being  as 
he  said  of  himself,  *'the  pig-skin  and  the  pen,"  his  days 
were  devoted  to  hunting,  and  his  evenings  to  literary 
work.  The  evening's  employment  in  no  way  interfered 
with  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  sport  to  which  he  was  so 
ardently  attached ;  though  later  on,  after  the  "  Argosy  " 


Major  Whyte  Melville.  265 

had  come  in_,  lie  made  it  a  rule  never  to  lay  out  upon  liis 
own  personal  gratification  the  money  he  earned  by  his 
pen.  What  he  must  have  spent  in  his  desire  to  benefit 
others  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  a  three- 
volume  novel  from  him  came  to  be  worth  fifteen 
hundred  pounds.  His  gifts  were  ever  of  the  most 
munificent  description ;  the  motto  he  adopted  being, 
"  Do  the  thing  handsomely  or  let  it  alone." 

One  of  the  earliest  uses  to  which  he  put  a  lately-inhe- 
rited fortune  was  to  establish  a  ''  Working-man^s  Ckib 
and  Reading-Eoom  ^^  at  Northampton,  which  he  started 
with  a  present  of  five  hundred  pounds ;  a  sum  he  supple- 
mented with  further  gifts.  Known  as  the  "  Melville 
Institute/'  after  some  infantile  struggles  it  is  now  in  a 
highly  satisfactory  condition,  and  is  in  every  way  worthy 
of  its  generous  founder  and  benefactor.  Not  being  in  a 
position  for  some  years  after  settling  in  Northampton- 
shire to  ride  horses  of  any  great  value,  so  long  as  he  had 
quality  all  other  requisites  were  a  matter  of  secondary 
importance  to  a  sportsman  who  knew  that  the  impecu- 
nious had  no  right  to  be  too  particular.  To  him  it 
mattered  not  whether  his  mount  was  easy  or  difficult  to 
ride — whether  it  was  good-looking  or  a  bit  three-cornered 
in  appearance.  So  long  as  it  could  gallop  and  jump  he 
ever  went  upon  the  old  saw  that  "handsome  is  that 
handsome  does."  To  Mr.  John  Clarke,  the  well-known 
fishmonger  of  Northampton — still  to  be  seen  in  his 
seventy-fifth  year  at  every  near  Meet  on  the  back  of  a 
skybald  cob  —  he  was  indebted  for  two  or  three  excellent 
animals  of  an  inexpensive  sort,  one  of  them  a  small,  ex- 
citable, well-bred  bay,  being  a  hunter  of  unusual  merit. 
A  black  mare  of  less  pretensions  that  remained  in  the 


266     The  PytcJiley  Htmt,  Past  and  Pi^esent, 


neighbourliood  after  her  owner  had  quitted  it,  was  long 
looked  upon  as  an  object  of  interest  as  having  once 
belonged  to  the  author  of  ^^  General  Bounce  "  and  ^^  Digby 
Grand/^  Many  of  his  horseswere  notof  the  ^'"confidential^' 
sort  j  and  if  asked  how  many  animals  he  was  master  of 
this  season,  a  favourite  reply  with  him  was,  ^'  Not  one ; 
but  I  have  four  brutes  in  the  stable  that  are  masters  of 
me." 

With  a  fine  temper,  nice  hands,  and  a  sympathy 
between  himself  and  his  horse  that  rarely  has  been 
equalled,  he  never  irritated  the  animal  he  was  riding  by 
jagging  its  mouth  or  knocking  it  about  the  head  with 
his  ^^  crop,''  after  the  manner  of  some,  but  would  coax  it 
into  more  seemly  behaviour  by  addressing  it  in  terms  on 
the  lines  of,  "Are  you  not  a  horse  and  a  brother?" 
Jealous  with  the  jealousy  of  a  wholesome  ambition,  he 
cared  not  to  go  where  others  had  gone  before,  preferring  a 
line  of  his  own,  and  on  being  overtaken  one  day  by  afriend 
he  hoped  he  had  just  pounded,  he  said  with  a  beaming 
smile,  *^  I  thought  I  had  you  in  that  corner,  old  chap,  but 
I  see  that  I  have  no  right  to  my  risus  in  ancjuloP  Always 
quick  to  see  the  ludicrous  side  of  anything,  and  full  of 
anecdote,  happy  the  man  who  had  George  Melville  for 
his  companion  on  the  homeward  ride  after  a  day's  hunt- 
ing. It  was  easy  to  draw  him  out  on  the  events  of  his 
bachelor-days,  their  vicissitudes,  excitement,  and  extrava- 
gancies ;  and  the  usual  moral  he  drew  from  his  own 
experiences  was,  "What  d — d  fools  men  are."  Scenes 
at  Crockford's  and  other  haunts  of  the  gamblesome, 
card-loving  club-man,  coloured  by  his  rich  fancy,  and 
told  in  words  of  the  happiest  choice,  derived  an  interest 
which  very  few  besides  himself  could  have   imparted  to 


Major  Whyte  Melville.  267 


them.  From  oufc  the  great  palace  of  iniquity  in  St. 
Jameses  Street  he  had  himself  on  more  than  one  occasion 
retired  a  poorer  if  not  a  wiser  man,  a  fellow-countryman 
and  brother-sportsman  having  forwarded  him  sums  to 
extricate  him  from  difficulties  that  at  the  time  seemed 
absolutely  overwhelming.  With  him  by  your  side,  though 
it  might  be  that 

"  The  way  was  lon^,  the  wind,  too,  cold, 
Your  hunter  both  infirm  and  old," 

but  you  little  recked  of  the  gloom  of  a  November  after- 
noon, or  of  the  ^'  peck  ^^  of  your  wearied  horse.  ^'  Another 
of  those  and  down  you  come/^  was  the  usual  encouraging 
comment  on  a  step  that  had  brought  the  heart  into  your 
mouth ;  and  this  would  be  followed  by  some  amusing 
moralizing  on  the  ups  and  downs  of  life.  No  one, however, 
met  these  with  greater  philosophy  than  himself;  and  on 
two  of  the  most  trying  disasters  that  can  happen  to  a  hunt- 
ing-man— one  when  his  horse  died  in  the  field — and  on 
another  when  a  favourite  mare  was  seriously  injured  by 
wire — he  displayed  a  resignation  to  the  inevitable  which 
Socrates  himself  might  have  envied. 

In  his  eyes  the  greatest  evil  in  life,  next  to  a  failure 
of  health,  was  Wire  ;  and  the  greatest  miscreant,  the 
man  who  put  it  up.  The  spirited  Ode  he  called  "  Ware 
Wire;  a  Protest,"  was  breathed  out  from  the  very 
depths  of  his  heart;  and  when  he  wrote  the  lines  : — 

"  And  bitter  the  curses  you  launch  in  your  ire. 
At  the  villain  who  fenced  his  enclosure  with  wire," 

he  gave  utterance  to  emotions  that  nothing  else  could 
have  aroused  in  his  kindly  nature.  Whilst  penning 
these    lines,  his    feelings    probably  were    of   much    the 


268      The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present. 

same  sort  as  those  of  the  woman,  who,  having  brought 
a  neighbour  before  the  magistrates  on  a  charge  of 
assault,  on  failing  in  her  case,  addressed  her  enemy 
thus  :  "  Fm  a  Christian  woman  and  so  bear  no  malice  ; 
I  don^t  wish  you  no  harm  of  any  sort;  but  if  any  one 
was  to  tell  me  that  you  had  got  a  wasp's  nest  inside 
your  breeches,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  hear  it."  A 
more  suitable  punishment  for  the  merciless  user  of 
the  wire-fence  in  a  hunting  country  could  scarcely  be 
devised. 

By  no  means  given  to  the  evil  habit  of  punning,  the 
opportunity  of  saying  a  smart  thing  was  seldom  thrown 
away.  Hearing  an  artist-friend  complain  of  his  liver 
being  out  of  order,  he  remarked,  "Liver,  my  good 
fellow !  Why  I  thought  you  painters  never  thought  of 
anything  but  lights."  And  to  a  friend  who  on  a  hot 
dusty  day  had  replied  to  his  genial  greeting  of  "  How 
are  you,  old  boy  ?"  with  "  Oh,  pretty  tidy,  thank  you;" 
he  laughingly  said,  "  I'm  glad  you  feel  it,  you  don't  look 
it."  Unable  to  repress  a  little  mild  sarcasm,  the  writer 
will  not  easily  forget  the  amused  smile  that  lit  up  his 
face  when,  on  being  introduced  one  day  as  the  author  of 
"  Holmby  House "  to  Miss  Strickland,  the  historian, 
she  addressed  him  with  the  somewhat  startling  inquiry, 
*^  Did  your  publisher  find  that  the  work  paid  him  ?  " 
"  Alas,  madam,  he  dates  the  commencement  of  his  ruin 
from  the  hour  that  he  undertook  my  unfortunate  novel," 
was  the  prompt  response  to  the  unexpected  query.  The 
compiler  of  facts,  incompetent  to  interpret  the  twinkle  in 
the  eye  of  the  writer  of  fiction,  accepted  the  statement 
with  a  conventional  expression  of  regret,  little  thinking 
that  not   one  of  her  own  works  had  met  with  so  many 


Major  Wliyte  Melville.  269 

readers  as  the  novel,  the  very  title  of  which  slie  herself 
was  ignorant  of  up  to  that  moment.  To  have  heard 
from  the  learned  authoress  of  the  ^^  Queens  of  England  ^' 
that  she  knew  nothing-  of  a  book  bearing  the  title  of 
"  Tilbury  Nogo  "  would  not  have  surprised  any  one  ;  but 
that  the  fame  of  "  Holmby  House "  should  not  have 
reached  her  ears  argued  on  her  part  but  little  know- 
ledge of  what  was  going  on  in  the  world  of  light  litera- 
ture. The  first-mentioned  work — his  earliest  venture — at 
once  gained  for  Whyte  Melv^ille  a  foothold  on  the  plat- 
form of  sporting  novelists ;  but  the  reading  public  was 
scarcely  prepared  for  the  advance  to  be  met  with  in  the 
pages  of  ^^  Holmby  House  " — a  work  that  has  taken  its 
place  with  the  most  popular  historical  romances  in  the 
language.  "  Digby  Grand  ^'  and  "  General  Bounce " 
confirmed  the  impression  that  in  Whyte  Melville^  a 
writer  of  no  ordinary  ability  had  appeared  upon  the 
literary  horizon — a  rival,  in  his  power  of  description  and 
his  treatment  of  character,  to  the  author  of  the  great 
'^  Jorrocks '"'  himself.  While  some  of  his  novels  fell  short 
of  the  reputation  he  had  so  rapidly  gained,  **"  The  Gladi- 
ators,^' "  The  Interpreter,"  and  ^'  Katerfelto  '^  raised  him 
to  a  level  attained  by  very  few  of  the  writers  of  the 
day,  and  caused  his  publications  to  be  eagerly  sought 
for.  That  he  was  in  any  way  really  a  rival  of  the 
author  of  the  inimitable  '^  Jorrocks  '*  and  ^^  Soapey 
Sponge,'^  cannot  be  asserted  by  any  one  conversant  with 
the  styles  of  the  respective  authors.  The  one  indulges 
in  broad  farce — non-natural  situations — and  is  always 
treading  outside  the  line  of  things  as  they  are;  the 
other  deals  only  with  human  nature  in  its  more  refined 
phase — portrays  character  in  its  garment  of   every-day 


2  yo     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

wear — and    never    ventures    upon    caricature.     As    one 
could  not  have  written  ^^  Good-bye/'  ''The  Place  where 
the  old  Horse  died/'  or  the  "  Clipper  that  stands  in  the 
stall  at  the  top/'  so   the  other  could  not  have  created 
*^  Jorrocks/'    a    favourite    equally   with    Mr.    Pickwick 
himself  in  the  affections    of  the  hunting   world.      The 
''  Handley  Hunt "   series  will  still  be  in  demand  when 
the  "  New  Zealander  "  is  contemplating  the  ruins  of  St. 
Paul's    from    London  Bridge;    but    should    the   worthy 
Islander  ask  for  a  copy  of  ^'  Market  Harborough "  he 
will  probably  be  told  that  the  name  of  such  a  book  is 
quite  unknown.     Emanations  of  intellect,  however  telling 
at  the  time  of  their  birth,  should  they  be  deficient  in 
certain  attributes,  especially  those  of  dramatic  presenta- 
tion, will  needs  be  crowded  out  of  immortality.     It  was 
an  ill  wind  for  the  little  Northamptonshire  village  that 
blew  wealth  into  the  lap  of  its  most  distinguished  and 
popular    resident.     The  little    white  hunting-box,  upon 
the  face  of  which  is  now  engraved  in  deeply-cut  letters 
^^  Melville  House,"  became  all  too  small  for  an  increased 
power    of   expenditure ;    and    a    change    was    made   to 
Wootton  Hall. 

After  hunting  for  two  or  three  seasons  from  here.  Why te 
Melville,  to  the  sorrow  of  many  a  friend  and  neighbour, 
broke  the  link  that  had  so  long  and  so  happily  connected 
him  with  the  '^  P.H."  and  took  up  his  abode  in  London, 
from  whence  he  got  his  two  or  three  days  a  week  with 
Mr.  Selby  Lowndes  and  the  ^'^  Baron/'  his  chief  friend 
and  companion  in  his  journeys  to  the  Meet  being  the 
much  lamented  Hon.  Robert  Grimston.  Upon  the  mar- 
riage of  his  daughter — his  only  child — Major  AVhyte 
Melville  again  moved  into  the  country,  and  settled  in  the 


Major  WJiyte  Melville,  271 

neiglibourhood  of  Tetbury,  in  Gloucestershire.  Here  it 
was  that  while  riding'  slowly  along  between  cover  and 
cover,  a  rabbit-hole  caused  thousands  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Great  Britain,  gentle  and  simple,  to  learn  with  sorrow 
and  dismay  that  the  popular  and  accomplished  author  of 
so  many  bewitching  tales  and  poems  had  met  his  end  in 
the  hunting-field. 

Not  a  hunting-man  or  woman  in  the  United  Kingdom 
was  there,  who  was  not  more  or  less  affected  by  the  sad 
intelligence,  and  who  did  not  look  upon  the  death  of 
Whyte  Melville  as  a  personal  misfortune.  It  was  univer- 
sally felt  that  Society  had  suffered  a  loss  which  it  was 
impossible  to  replace;  such  qualities  as  those  which 
marked  the  individuality  of  the  author  of  the  "  Queen^s 
Maries,"  ''  The  True  Cross,"  and  ''  The  Galloping  Squire," 
being  rarely  found  in  combination. 

That  ^'  Good-bye"  should  have  been  written  only  shortly 
before  the  fatal  event,  almost  apparently  in  anticipation 
of  it,  is  an  incident  equally  affecting  and  remarkable,  and 
would  seem  to  point  to  the  fact  that  its  author  was  in 
unconscious  possession,  of  his  countrymen's  uncanny 
attribute  of  "  second  sight/' 

Few  authors  whose  names  are  attached  to  so  much  in 
Yerse  as  well  as  in  Prose  can  have  the  satisfaction  of 
feeling  that  every  book  they  have  written  has  had 
for  its  aim  some  high  moral  object — fewer  still,  that 
not  a  line  they  have  penned  could  offend  the  most 
fastidious. 

Such,  however,  can  be  said  of  him  of  whom  we  are  now 
speaking — one  in  whom  power  of  description — quick 
appreciation  of  character — tenderness  of  feeling — the 
instincts  of  a  true  gentleman — humour  and  high  moral 


272      The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

tone,  formed  an  amalgam  that  has  been  vouchsafed  to 
few. 

Of  striking  appearance,  sh'ght  of  frame  and  of  gentle 
mien ;  with  an  eye  that  you  felt  gauged  you  at  a  glance, 
and  a  smile  that  at  once  restored  your  amour-propre,  there 
was  that  in  the  countenance  of  Whyte  Melville  which 
denoted  that  his  life  was  not  without  its  "  aliquid  amari/' 
and  accounted  for  the  tone  of  sadness  that  pervaded 
many  of  his  writings. 

Anxious  to  see  something  of  the  pomp  and  circum- 
stances of  war,  Whyte  Melville  took  service  with  the 
Turkish  army  during  the  Crimean  expedition,  and  then  it 
was  that  he  laid  the  foundation  for  one  of  the  most  inte- 
resting of  all  his  novels,  ^'  The  Interpreter."  Far  more 
brilliant  as  a  conversationalist  than  George  Payne,  quicker 
in  reply,  and  of  a  more  cultivated  mind,  he  possessed 
many  of  his  attractive  qualities ;  and  it  would  be  hard  to 
say  which  of  the  two  was  the  most  popular  and  admired 
member  of  Society — which  the  most  lamented  when  death 
had  removed  him  from  it. 


THE  HON.  H.  LIDDELL  (Loed  Ravenswoeth). 

The  tiny  villa-like  cottage  at  Boughton  did  not  long 
remain  unoccupied.  A  sportsman,  embracing  in  his  love 
of  sport  an  area  exceeding  that  of  the  author  of  "  The 
Galloping  Squire  ''  himself — inasmuch  as  it  included  the 
pursuit  of  the  '^  rat "  in  the  old  barn  opposite,  and  the 
jack  snipe  on  the  banks  of  the  Nene— now  took  up  his 
residence  in  the  little  white-faced  house  of  literary 
notoriety. 


The  Hon.  H.  LiddelL  2 


-Wj 


In  the  Hon.  Henry  Liddell — now  Earl  of  Ravensworth 
■ — the  love  of  outdoor  life  and  of  all  things  pertaining 
thereto,  burned  with  a  flame  that  has  probably  never 
waxed  warmer  in  the  breast  of  any  man,  though  it  was 
very  clear  that  fox-hunting  held  the  first  place  in  his 
heart. 

Not  laying  himself  out  for  playing  the  part  of  Don 
Magnifico  in  anything,  no  man  who  hunted  with  the 
^^  Pytchley  "  or  the  '^  Grafton  "  Hunt  saw  more  sport 
with  a  limited  stud  of  no  great  pecuniary  value. 

Impatient  of  being  anywhere  except  in  the  front  rank, 
the  horse  that  did  not  look,  perhaps,  as  if  he  could  "  go 
and  gallop  and  jump  '^  with  some  that  were  to  be  seen  at 
the  cover-side,  was  usually  to  be  found  there  or  there- 
abouts when  hounds  were  skimminsr  over  the  bisf  Faxton 
pastures,  or  the  valley  between  Cottesbrooke  and  Lam- 
port. Some  may  still  remember  the  gallant  but  peppery 
little  black  mare,  who  carried  her  rider  so  well  to  the 
fore,  and  who  was  full  up  to  the  hilt  of  ^*  notices  to  quit  ^^ 
in  case  any  one  approached  Her  Highness  a  little  too 
nearly.  Even  on  her  road  home  after  a  hard  day,  she 
would  give  the  unwary  fully  to  understand  that  she 
brooked  no  familiarity,  and  that  she  always  had  a  heel 
wherewith  to  mark  her  feelings  on  this  subject.  Fully 
recognizing  the  fact  that  amusement  and  self-indulgence 
are  not  the  only  objects  for  which  we  have  been  sent  into 
*'  this  wale  of  tears,''  the  subject  of  this  notice  never 
allowed  his  love  for  the  chase  to  interfere  with  his 
parliamentary  duties.  Sitting  for  many  years  as  one  of 
the  representatives  of  his  native  county — Durham — the 
House  of  Commons  had  no  more  painstaking  member ; 
and  his  opinion    upon   any  matter  connected  with  the 

T 


2  74     T^^^c  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Prese7it. 

Navy  was  looked  upon  by  tliose  connected  with  the 
service^  as  of  especial  value.  Family  arrang'ements  having 
obliged  him  to  quit  his  Northamptonshire  home  for  one 
in  Hampshire,  Mr.  Liddell  got  his  hunting  for  a  few 
seasons  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lyndhurst. 

Although  missing  the  big  grass  field  and  the  flying 
fences  of  the  country  he  had  quitted,  there  is  a  charm 
about  the  New  Forest  which  no  other  district  can  boast 
— one  too,  which  few  were  so  well  able  to  appreciate  and 
enjoy  as  this  late  member  of  the  ^'V.TLJ"  On  being 
called  to  the  Upper  House,  Lord  Ravensworth  retired  to 
his  noble  seat  in  the  county  of  Durham,  and  now  obtains 
his  hunting  in  a  region  about  as  opposite  to  those  in 
which  he  was  wont  to  follow  hounds  in  his  earlier  days, 
as  the  parts  about  Sywell  Wood  differ  from  those  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Misterton  or  Crick. 


THE  REV.  HENRY  ROKEBY. 

At  the  door  of  the  picturesque  old  Manor  House  of 
Arthingworth,  dispensing  hospitality  to  a  bevy  of  horse- 
men on  their  way  from  Sunderland  Wood  to  Kelmarsh, 
stands  the  Lord  of  the  Manor — the  representative  of 
the  ancient  House  of  Rokeby.  Combining  in  his  own 
person  a  double  function,  Mr.  Rokeby  occupies  the 
hybrid  position  so  well  known  in  country  social  life  as 
"  Squarson,^'  a  compound  of  squire  and  of  parson,  smack- 
ing partly  of  the  world,  partly  of  the  Church,  and  entail- 
ing duties  secular  as  well  as  clerical.  To  blend  these  so 
discreetly  as  not  to  allow  one  in  any  way  to  interfere 
with   the  other,  has  been  the  constant   and  successful 


The  Rev.  Henry  Rokeby.  275 

endeavour  of  one  whose  parishioners  honour  him    alike 
for  his  admirable  performance  of  either  duty. 

Suffering  no  parochial  call  to  remain  unheeded,  this 
worthy  chief  of  a  country  village  is  not  blind  to  the  fact 
that  there  is  a  world  outside  the  limits  of  his  own 
microcosm,  wherein  are  to  be  found  occupations  and 
amusements  which  serve  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  the 
life  of  a  rural  rector.  Born  and  bred  in  the  creamy  part 
of  the  finest  hunting-country  in  England ;  nourished  by 
the  breezes  that  have  scudded  over  Loatland  and  Sunder- 
land Woods,  Langborough  and  Waterloo  Gorse,  it  is 
impossible  that  the  subject  of  this  memoir  should  not 
have  been  affected  by  their  influence.  To  breathe  such 
an  atmosphere  is  to  imbibe  a  love  for  the  chase  ;  and  the 
squirearchical  element  in  this  case  not  having  been  lost 
in  the  clerical  one,  Mr.  Rokeby  has  failed  to  perceive 
that  when  made  subservient  to  duty,  hunting  is  to  be 
elimiuated  from  the  pleasures  of  parsonic  life.  Not 
claiming  to  be  an  hereditary  sportsman,  Mr.  Rokeby  is  not 
indebted  to  any  of  his  immediate  predecessors  for  his  love 
of  horse  and  hound.  One  of  these  a  gallant  Colonel, 
the  most  popular  but  non-sport-loving  of  men,  used  to 
consider  it  his  duty  when  the  hounds  met  at  Arthingworth 
to  appear  "  outside  a  horse  '^  to  see  the  find.  Being  con- 
gratulated by  a  friend  on  one  of  these  rare  occasions  on 
the  hunter-like  appearance  of  his  steed,  he  remarked^ 
^^  Oh,  yes,  he's  a  good-looking  beast  enough,  but  he  has 
one  fault  about  him  that  does  not  suit  me  at  all." 
"  What  may  that  be,  if  I  may  venture  to  inquire  ?  '^ 
asked  the  admirer  of  the  unconscious  animal.  '^  Why 
he  wants  to  jump,  and  I  don't,''  was  the  honest  and 
amusing  answer  of  the  gallant  officer  of  Fencibles. 

T  2 


276     The  Pytchley  Httnt^  Past  and  Present. 

At  the  present  time  the  occupant  of  the  stall  where 
once  stood  the  unappreciated  ^^Lepper^^  of  Colonel 
Rokeby,  has  no  reason  to  complain  of  not  having  his  or 
her  jumping  proclivities  put  to  their  full  test.  If  the 
good-looking  black  mare,  whose  pleasant  duty  it  is  to 
carry  the  ^^  Squarson's  "  daughter  as  near  the  hounds  as 
may  be,  fails  in  doing  so^  the  fault  will  not  lie  with  his  fair 
burden;  and  the  rail  must  be  strong*  and  high,  and  the 
bullfinch  thick  and  thorny,  that  leaves  her  parent  hesi- 
tating on  the  "  take-off  side." 

A  clear  head  for  figures  and  an  assiduous  attention  to 
his  magisterial  work  have  imposed  upon  Mr.  Rokeby  the 
difficult  task  of  overlooking  the  county-accounts,  and 
vouching  for  the  accuracy  of  each  county-rate — a  duty 
that  can  only  be  satisfactorily  performed  by  a  thorough 
man  of  business. 

A  perfect  acquaintance  with  the  ways  and  feelings  of 
his  parishioners  leads  him  to  humour  instead  of  running 
counter  to  their  prejudices  ;  nor  by  any  unnecessary  dis- 
play of  zeal  will  he  subject  himself  to  the  reproach  in- 
curred by  a  brother-cleric,  who  had  good  reason  to  feel 
the  impossibility  of  pleasing  everybody.  Solicited  by  one 
of  the  tenant-farmers  of  his  parish  to  ''  pray  for  rain " 
during  a  period  of  drought,  such  a  superabundance  of  the 
desired  element  followed  that  the  occupant  of  the  light- 
land  farm  at  whose  instance  the  petition  was  offered  up, 
began  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  public  nuisance  by  the 
cultivators  of  the  cold  clays.  Upon  being  remonstrated 
■with  as  the  author  of  all  the  mischief  then  going  on,  he 
remarked,  "  Well,  I  didn^t  w^ant  so  much,  but  it's  just 
like  our  parson,  he  always  overdoes  everything  so." 
Kor  is   the  Hector   of  Arthingworth  himself,   not  unac- 


Mr,  W.  H.  Foster, 


277 


quainted  with  the  habits  of  stock,  likely  to  make  the 
mistake  of  a  less  well-iuformed  clergyman,  who,  preaching 
upon  the  parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son,  assured  his  hearers 
*'  that  in  the  fulness  of  his  joy  the  father  killed  the  fatted 
calf  that  had  been  a  favourite  in  the  family  for  many 
years  " ! 

Long  may  this  model  holder  of  a  bi-fold  office  get  his 
bi-weekly  gallop  with  Quorn  and  Pytchley  !  May  many 
a  year  pass  away  ere  fresh  experiences  lead  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Arthingworth  to  say,  "  Things  aren't  as  they  were 
in  the  good  old  Rector's  time,  when  he  or  some  of  the 
family  would  come  in  and  see  that  our  fires  weren't  out 
for  want  of  a  bit  o'  coal,  and  that  there  was  a  bit  o' 
summut  in  the  cupboard  for  our  supper." 


MR.  W.  H.  FOSTER. 

In  the  adjoining  parish  of  Spratton  there  lives,  at 
Spratton  Grange,  Mr.  W.  H.  Foster,  late  M.P.  for 
Bridgenorth — a  borough  now  sharing  the  fate  of  "  old 
Sarum,"  but  at  one  time  so  decided  in  its  political  bias  as 
to  have  given  rise  to  the  saying,  "  All  on  one  side,  like  the 
Bridgenorth  election."  The  village  is  fortunate  enough 
to  have  secured  a  ''  Squire,"  to  whom  the  duties  of  his 
position  are  the  paramount  consideration,  and  after  them 
the  indulgence  of  his  ruling  passion — "  fox-hunting." 

It  is  easy  to  say  that  any  one  could  ride  such  horses  as 
those  upon  which  Mr.  Foster  is  seen,  but  if  the  heart  be 
not  in  the  right  place  the  animal  availeth  little.  Nor  are 
his  horses  always  of  the  most "  confidential  "  sort.  Many 
a  "  youngster  "  has  to  find  out  that  there  is  '^  a  man  on 
his  back  "  before  he  will  attempt  the  still  post  and  rail 


2/8     The  Pytchley  Htmt,  Past  and  Present, 

in  front  of  him ;  but  finding  that  he  is  bound  to  go  he  is 
pretty  sure  to  land  his  rider  among  the  favoured  few  who 
have  seen  the  brilliant  thirty  minutes.  Those  who  really 
stick  to  hounds  when  they  run  hard  for  any  length  of 
time  may  usually  be  numbered  on  the  fingers  of  one  hand, 
leaving  out  the  little  one,  and  perhaps  the  thumb  also. 
By  the  man  who  "  means  going  "  a  back  seat  on  these 
occasions,  however  accidentally  obtained,  is  a  matter  of 
humiliation  and  probably  of  self-reproach  also.  A  great 
author  tells  us  that  '^  there  is  nothing  impossible  to  con- 
ceal except  love  and  a  cough;"  but  the  unfortunate  above 
referred  to,  in  his  desire  to  hide  himself  from  second 
horsemen  and  the  joggers  behind,  will  soon  realize  the 
impossibihty  of  concealment.  Little  dreamt  of  by  the 
utterer  of  the  above  apophthegm,  though  he  feels  disposed 
to  call  upon  the  trees  to  fall  upon  him,  and  the  mole-hills 
to  rise  up  and  cover  him,  he  will  know  for  a  surety  that 
until  the  moment  of  the  much-desired  check,  he  will  be 
exposed  to  the  sneers  of  the  grooms,  and  be  set  down  by 
the  stranger  as  one  of  the  "  muffs  "  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt. 
To  such  an  experience  the  owner  of  Spratton  Grange 
neither  has  been  or  is  likely  to  be  subject ;  and  as  there 
is  nothing  that  becomes  a  Master  of  hounds  more  than 
brilliancy  of  performances  across  a  country,  it  is  much  to 
be  hoped  that  in  the  event  of  the  Pytchley  country  again 
becoming  vacant,  its  management  will  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  subject  of  this  brief  and  imperfect  notice.     (1886.[ 


MR.   AND  MRS.   SIMSON. 

From  Broom    Hill,    nearly    adjoining    the    Grange,    on 
three    days  if  not  four   in    each  week  of  the    hunting- 


Mr,  mid  Mrs.  Shnson.  279 

season,  may  be  seen  starting  for  the  cover-side  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Simson — a  husband  and  wife  quite  of  one  mind  as 
to  the  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  the  chase,  and  fully 
bent  upon  seeing  the  end  as  well  as  the  beginning  of 
a  day  with  hounds.  Of  a  sportsman,  to  whom  the 
excitement  of  fox-hunting  must  be  as  nothing  compared 
with  his  experiences  among  the  "  big  game  '^  of  India, 
it  may  truthfully  be  affirmed  that  the  tiger  of  Bengal  has 
had  few  more  constant  and  determined  enemies  than  the 
proprietor  of  the  hunting-box  so  situate  on  Spratton 
Hill  as  to  be  under  the  influence  of  "a'  the  airts  the 
wind  can  blaw,"  and  more  to  boot. 

Deeply  versed  in  the  habits  and  peculiarities  of  the 
wild  animals  of  the  country  in  which  he  has  passed  so 
many  years  of  his  life,  Mr.  Simson  has  at  this  time  on  its 
way  through  the  press  a  work  which  is  likely  to  become 
the  standard  authority  on  the  natural  history  of  that 
part  of  India  in  which  he  has  pursued  his  studies.  ISTor 
does  he  take  less  delight  in  finding  out  the  ways  of 
the  winged  and  creeping  creatures  of  his  native  land. 
An  ornithologist  of  no  ordinary  acquirements,  by  him 
every  bird  he  sees  is  recognizable  by  its  flight,  note,  or 
plumage;  and  with  its  mode  of  nesting  and  general 
habits  he  is  little  less  familiar  than  the  accomplished 
Northamptonshire  Nobleman,  whose  beautiful  work  on 
British  Birds  is  now  in  course  of  publication. 

With  these  tastes,  and  with  a  keen  enjoyment  of  the 
ridiculous,  to  no  one  could  the  small  boy's  reply  as  to 
the  peculiarities  of  the  cuckoo  have  been  more  fittingly 
made.  When  asked  in  what  respect  this  bird  differed  in 
its  habits  from  others,  he  answered  that  ^'  it  was  the 
only  one  that  didn^t  lay  its   own  eggs  ^^ — a  display    of 


2  So     The  PytcJiley  Hitnt^  Past  aiici  Present, 

oruithological  knowledge  about  equal  to  that  of  the  old 
woman,  who,  to  confirm  her  assertion  of  having  been 
present  in  church,  declared  to  her  clergyman  that  he 
must  have  seen  her,  as  "  she  had  sot  right  again  the 
turkey'^ — meaning,  of  course,  the  eagle  forming  the 
lectern. 

An  ardent  and  devoted  floriculturist,  the  fair  lady — 
who  shares  her  husband's  passion  for  hound  and  fox, 
and  the  pursuit  of  the  latter  by  the  former — yields  to 
no  one  in  the  successful  management  of  tbe  garden. 
Choosing  the  rose  and  the  carnation  as  the  principal 
objects  for  culture,  she  is  no  less  alive  to  the  charms  of 
every  flower  that  can  impart  brightness  to  her  borders. 
The  frost  may  be  long,  the  winter  may  be  such  as  the 
never-to-be-forgotten  one  of  1886,  but  the  spirit  of 
ennui  will  fail  to  find  an  entrance  into  a  household, 
where,  like  that  of  Broom  Hill,  the  teachings  of  Mr. 
Jorrocks  do  not  constitute  the  only  philosophy  deemed 
worthy  of  consideration. 


CAPTAIN  GIST  ^— MR.  PENDER— MR.  JAMESON. 

In  the  stables  of  the  house  known  as  Spratton  Hall — 
so  long  occupied  by  Captain  Mildmay  Clerk,  spoken  of 
elsewhere — Captain  T.  Gist  can  show  three  or  four 
weight-carrying  horses  that  would  do  credit  to  any  stud 
where  power  is  the  one  thing  needful,  and  ^'  place  " — in  a 
run — an  object  of  some  consideration. 

Not    far  distant    on  the   crest    of  the   same    hill,   at 

^  Since  the  above  was  written,  this  gentleman,  like  the  author,  is 
nuiiibered  with  the  dead. — Ed. 


Mr.  HazelJmrst,  281 

Thornby  and  Cold  Asliby  respectively,  Messrs.  Pender 
and  Jameson  have  established  homes  for  "  P.H." 
purposes ;  and  though  comparisons  are  said  to  be  odious, 
few  will  be  found  to  deny  that  in  point  of  "  hardness/^ 
amongst  his  fellows  the  latter  gentleman  is  beyond 
compare. 

With  a  stud  in  no  way  fit  to  compete  with  many  of 
those  around  him,  the  animal  that  Mr,  Jameson  has  made 
his  own  is  bouud  to  go  where  even  ^'  good  men  ^^ 
hesitate  to  try,  and  the  ^^  funker  '^  feels  that  there  must 
be  an  easier  place  elsewhere. 


MR.  HAZELHURST. 

If  there  can  be  one  greater  certamty  upon  earth  than 
another,  it  is  that  one  if  not  more  foxes  will  be  "at 
home  '^  in  the  Misterton  osier-bed  any  day  between 
November  and  April  that  the  Pytchley  hounds  please  to 
enter  it.  For  this  great  blessing,  all  who  from  time  to 
time  meet  Mr.  Langham  and  his  hounds  at  Misterton  are 
indebted  to  Mr.  Hazelhurst  of  the  Hall.  It  is  to  his 
unceasing  care,  and  determination  to  have  foxes  about 
his  place,  that  the  osiers  have  never  been  known  to  be 
drawn  blank ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  fact  is 
recognized  with  proportionate  gratitude  both  by  the 
Master  and  the  Members  of  the  Hunt.  To  have  an 
indifferent  or  perhaps  hostile  resident  at  Misterton  Hall 
would  mean  a  loss  to  the  "  P.H."  of  its  most  important 
and  popular  district,  and  at  once  lower  it  to  the  level  of  a 
third-rate  power.  All  honour  then  to  him  who  saves  it 
from  such  a  fate. 


282     TJie  Pytchley  Httnt^  Past  and  Present. 

MR.  DANIEL. 
To  speak  of  Misterton  and  omit  the  name  of  ^'^  Daniel/' 
would  be  equivalent  to  leaving  out  from  a  play  one  of  its 
most  conspicuous  characters. 

"Misterton"  and  "Daniel"  run  so  much  in  couples  in 
the  thoughts  of  Pj'tchley-men,  that  to  separate  the  two 
seems  an  impossibility,  and  it  will  be  a  bad  day  for 
hunting  whenever  the  dissociation  takes  place.  A 
yeoman  of  the  good  old  school — from  his  youth  a 
hunting-man — to  few  of  the  tenant-farmers  of  the  district 
is  the  "  P.H.'^  more  indebted  for  a  constant  and  un- 
swerving support. 

'*  Daniel's  Spinney  "  is  a  name  little  less  familiar  in  the 
ear  of  the  Wednesday  follower  of  Will  Goodall  and  his 
pack,  than  that  of  Misterton  Gorse  or  Shawell  Wood  ; 
and  many  is  the  gallant  fox  that  has  been  found  within 
its  shelter. 

With  a  keen  eye  for  make  and  shape,  and  with  much 
experience,  there  are  not  many  better  judges  of  a  hunter 
than  Mr.  Daniel^  and  very  few  men  better  able  to  ride 
one. 


MR.  P.  A.  MUNTZ. 

In  the  same  neighbourhood  is  to  be  found  one  of  those 
stout-hearted  sportsmen,  to  whom  a  superabundant 
vitality  seems  to  be  no  detriment  in  the  matter  of  getting 
across  a  country,  and  upon  whom  "  pace  and  plough  " 
seem  to  lose  their  hindering  properties.  Mounted  upon 
cattle  of  great  value,  but  in  whom  power  is  often  more 
apparent  than  pedigree — horses  of  a  different  stamp 
from    those    ridden    by  those    famous    men  of  weight, 


Mi\  Muntz — Lord  Braye,  283 

Messrs.  Stirling  Crawfurd  and  Little  Gilmour — Mr. 
Muntz  seems  to  form  the  exception  to  tlie  rule  that  like 
pace  '^  weight  must  tell.''^  Be  it  in  a  point-to-point 
steeple-chase,  or  in  a  gallop  from  Lilbourne  Gorse  to 
Hemplow  Hills^  the  broad  shoulders  of  the  honourable 
M.P.  for  South  Warwickshire  are  sure  to  be  seen  well  in 
front,  thereby  confirming  the  belief  of  many,  that  it  is 
"  the  man  that  carries  the  horse,  and  not  the  horse  the 
man.^^ 

Tom  Assheton  Smith  was  firm  in  his  belief  that  where 
the  heart  was,  there  would  horse  and  his  rider  be 
gathered  together,  the  sympathy  between  the  two  being 
of  so  intimate  a  nature,  that  if  the  one  ^^  did  not  quite 
like  it,"  the  other  was  sure  to  be  afraid.  With  all  the 
disadvantages  attendant  upon  the  possession  of  a  "  too, 
too  solid  flesh,""  the  man  who  has  Mr.  Muntz  behind  him 
in  a  run  of  note  may  go  home  pluming  himself  upon 
his  own  performance  as  well  as  on  that  of  his  horse. 
'^  The  race  is  not  always  for  the  swift  nor  the  battle  for 
the  strong,"  but  the  chase  invariably  preserves  her  plums 
for  the  stout-hearted. 


LORD  BRAYE. 

Theee  are  more  disagreeable  ways  of  spending-  twelve 
or  fifteen  minutes  any  time  between  November  and 
April,  than  in  a  gallop  across  the  big  grass-fields  between 
Hemplow  and  Stanford  Hall.  Time  was  when  hares 
so  swarmed  over  this  particular  district  that  hounds  were 
rarely  able  to  cross  it  without  several  ^'hesitations,"  if 
not  something  worse.  Happily,  poor  puss  has  had  a  bad 
time  of  late ;  and  if  only  scent  permit,  so  uninterrupted  a 


284     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

'^  head "  may  now  be  carried  between  tlie  respective 
points,  that  it  takes  a  good  man,  and  a  good  horse  also, 
to  keep  well  with,  the  pack  when  once  settled  to  its 
work. 

On  the  long  list  of  its  fixtures  the  "  P.H."  has  none 
more  popular  than  that  of  Stanford  Hall,  the  home 
since  the  days  of  Henry  VIII.  of  the  ancient  family  of 
Otway-Cave,  now  Barons  Braye.  In  point  of  position, 
picturesqueness,  and  sporting-surroundings,  this  may 
well  have  earned  tbe  title  of  the  "  Pearl  of  the  Pytchley 
JMeets  ;'^  and  he  who  has  hunted  from  Stanford  without 
sport  feels  as  it  were  as  if  he  had  suffered  a  measure  of 
wrong  and  robbery.  From  time  immemorial  have  the 
owners  of  this  favoured  property  been  followers  of  the 
chase,  the  name  of  Otway-Oave  being  among  the  more 
prominent  of  the  early  members  of  the  ^'  P.H." 
The  gallant  officer — elder  brother  of  the  present  noble 
owner  of  the  Stanford  Hall  estate — who  lost  his  life 
at  the  battle  of  Ulundi,  fighting  against  the  hosts  of 
King  Cetewayo,  was  famous  for  his  bold  and  fearless 
riding ;  and  his  successor — though  by  no  means  a  feather- 
weight— has  no  idea  of  being  left  behind  if,  like  his 
neighbour,  "  pace  and  plough  "  do  not  put  their  veto 
upon  his  carrying  out  his  intentions. 


THE  REV.  J.  TYRWHITT  DRAKE.^ 

Wjthin  a  very  circumscribed   area  of  the  surface  of  fair 
Northamptonshire  there  reside,  for  hunting^s   sake,  eight 

^  This  respected  gentleman  has,  like  several  others  mentioned  in 
the  work,  departed  this  life  since  the  Memoir  was  written. — Ed. 


The  Rev.  J,  Tyrwhitt  Drake.  285 

worshippers  of  Nimrod,  so  devoted  to  their  "cult,"  that 
if  the  assertion  of  a  reverend  Fortnightly  Reviewer  be 
founded  on  fact,  any  one  of  them  would  be  prepared  to 
pull  down  any  cottage  of  his  own,  if  in  any  way  it  could, 
did,  or  had  interfered  with  the  run  of  a  fox.  How  it  is 
likely  that  hereditaments  of  this  uature — motionless, 
non-alarming — should  work  so  serious  a  mischief,  the 
essayist  does  not  trouble  himself  to  inquire  ;  but  with  his 
pen  in  his  hand  and  his  hobby  well  by  the  head,  a  reviewer 
and  censor  momm  is  apt  to  ride  at  places  where  there  is 
no  takmg  off. 

Amongst  the  devotees  above  referred  to,  not  the  least 
well-known  is  the  rev.  the  Rector  of  Cottesbrooke,  a 
village  unequalled  for  its  sporting  associations,  recollec- 
tions, and  situation ;  and  also  remarkable  for  the  fact  that 
the  thirsty  soul  will  hunt  in  vain  for  a  public-house,  be 
his  sufferings  ever  so  great. 

An  old  proverb  tells  us — a  proverb  as  defined  by  Earl 
Russell  is  the  wit  of  one  man  and  the  experience  of  many 
— that  ^^  what  is  born  in  the  bones  is  sure  to  come  out 
in  the  flesh;''  and  in  no  family  has  the  truth  of  this 
dictum  been  more  exemplified  than  in  that  of  the  Rev. 
John  Tyrwhitt  Drake,  Rector  of  Cottesbrooke  near 
Northampton.  Who  that  can  remember  "  old  Squire 
Drake,''  so  long  master  of  the  Bicester  hounds,  and  that 
great  huntress,  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Drake,  aunt  to  the  present 
Lord  Valentia,  is  surprised  to  know  that  no  family  in 
England  could  turn  out  four  such  sons  to  cross  a  country 
as  their  four  ?  The  same  kind  ofiices  performed  by  a 
wolf  for  Romulus  and  Remus  must  have  been  undertaken 
by  a  fox  for  those  rev.  brothers,  John  and  Edward  Drake. 
What  Graces,  Lytteltons,  and  Studds  have  been  between 


286     The  Pytchley  Huni,  Past  and  Present. 

the  wickets,  the  Drakes  once  were  across  the  Midland 
fences  and  grasses ;  and  if  the  Rector  of  Cottesbrooke 
may  at  no  time  have  touched  the  same  point  of  excellence 
as  his  rev.  brother,  the  Rector  of  Amersham,  few  have 
better  known  how  to  persuade  an  ill-tempered  one  to  try 
his  best ;  or  when  and  where  to  negotiate  an  uncomfort- 
able-looking place. 

Sent  to  Harrow  in  the  heyday  of  boyhood,  the  near 
neighbourhood  of  the  famous  Tilbury,  the  dealer,  and  of 
his  accomplished  henchman,  Jem  Mason,  the  celebrated 
steeple-chase  rider,  it  is  not  to  be  w^ondered  at  that  the 
lessons  taught  at  Pinner  were  more  attractive  than  those 
inculcated  in  the  Homer-haunted  little  village  on  the 
Hill.  The  question  with  the  horsey  spirits  of  the  school, 
during  the  somewhat  easy-going  epoch  of  Dr.  Longley, 
was  not  so  much  ''  to  read  or  not  to  read '''  as  '^  to  ride  or 
not  to  ride.^'  The  grand  difficulty  was  ^'^  where  to  find  a 
horse.^^  Happily  for  those  who  boarded  at  the  Rev.  W. 
Oxenham^s — afterwards  second  master,  and  most  boy- 
bullied  and  forgiving  of  men — in  one  of  the  two  stalls  in 
the  stable-yard  stood  a  good-looking  brown  mare,  who 
could  both  gallop  and  jump.  Her  Irish  groom,  Pat 
Barratt,  was  fond  of  his  charge,  and  did  well  by  her; 
but  he  was  fonder  still  of  a  half-crown  and  the  charms 
of  the  public-house.  No  palm  was  more  easily  greased 
than  that  unfaithful  Irishman's,  and  William  Oxenden 
Hammond,  ''Jemmy"  Ingram,  Tom  and  John  Drake,  and 
a  few  more — alas  !  that  the  name  of  *'  Bob  "  Grrimston 
cannot  now  be  here  included — still  survive  to  say  how 
often  they  "  passed  his  hand  with  a  silver  coin,"  and  in 
exchange  got  a  gallop  out  of  that  bonny  brown  mare. 
The  only  condition  imposed  by  that  most  crafty  of  grooms 


The  Rev.  J.  Tyrwhitt  Drake.  287 

was  that  tlie  ride  should  be  an  early  one,  so  that  no 
suspicion  might  enter  the  breast  of  his  unwary  master. 
*^  If  you^re  waking  call  me  early,  call  me  early,  Patrick, 
dear,"  were  the  overnight  instructions  on  one  side;  and 
about  four  on  many  a  fine  spring  and  summer  morning, 
the  pulling  of  a  string  attached  to  a  sleeper's  toe  announced 
the  fact  that  the  "  hour  and  the  man " — a  horse — had 
come.  Then  followed  the  rapture  of  the  ride,  probably 
to  Tilbury^s  farm,  possibly  elsewhere;  but  the  bit  of 
timber  by  the  road-side  or  the  fence  with  all  its  leaves 
was  not  omitted  from  the  programme,  and  all  was  happi- 
ness unalloyed  until  a  distant  bell  or  a  tell-tale  watch, 
pointed  to  the  homeward  road.  I  fancy  if  those  who 
have  just  been  referred  to  chance  to  see  these  lines,  will 
they  ask  themselves,  whether  among  their  many  happy 
Harrovian  days,  they  ever  had  such  hours  as  those  spent 
upon  the  back  of  "  Billy  "  Oxenham's  mare  ? 

The  parents  of  the  future  Rector  of  Cottesbrooke  did 
not  give  Harrow  the  credit  of  being  able  to  convert  their 
son  into  a  depositary  of  classical  lore,  nor  were  they 
disappointed.  Though  compelled  to  ^'  enter "  for  the 
quarterly  examinations,  ^^  J.  T.  Drake  junior"  never  went 
into  training  for  any  of  these  events,  with  the  common 
result  of  not  being  able  to  live  the  course.  Usually  one 
of  the  first  in  difficulties,  on  rising-  Euclid  Hill  he  mostly 
ceased  to  struggle,  and  rarely  passed  Judge  Longley's 
chair.  Not  finding  that  any  of  the  Harrow  '^  courses  " 
exactly  suited  his  style  of  action,  he  changed  his  quarters 
for  Oxford,  where  he  hoped  that  by  a  new  system  of 
training  he  might  win  his  way  into  the  family  Living  of 
Malpas,  in  Cheshire.  Having  successfully  matriculated 
at  Brazen  Xose,  it  seemed  now  as  if  the  ex-Harrovian 


2  8S     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

might  consider  his  path  safe  and  easy,  and  that  he  might 
contemplate  with  some  feeling  of  certainty  the  fruition  of 
the  good  things  looming  in  the  future.  But  B.N.C.  had 
its  Phoenix  Club;  and  in  addition  to  lecture-room.s, 
literary  societies,  and  debating  clubs,  Oxford  at  that  time 
had  its  tandem-drivings,  its  professors  of  billiards,  its 
hunting-stables.  Between  these  J.  T.  D.  seemed  to  get 
a  little  "  mixed/'  and  to  have  shared  the  view  of  the 
"  coster,"  who  when  before  the  ^^  beak  "  for  an  infraction 
of  the  liquor-law,  thus  philosophized  over  the  matter. 
^^  The  fact  is,  sir,"  said  he,  ^^  there's  such  a  lot  of  wisdom 
in  the  world  now,  that  there  don't  seem  no  room  for 
nothink  else." 

Newman,  Gaisford,  the  Master  of  Balliol,  Hawkins, 
were  names  to  conjure  with  at  Oxford,  at  that  epoch ; 
and  so  were  those  others — Quartermaine,  Seckham^ 
Symonds,  Wheeler. 

A  Pindaric  or  Anacreontic  ode  were  "  nuts  '^  to  many 
a  classic-minded  wearer  of  cap  and  gown  ;  but  there 
were  those  also  who  saw  more  beauties  in  that  old 
hippie  song,  in  which  the  Oxford  vendor  of  horses  hopes 
to  tempt  the  possible  purchaser  of  an  awful  screw  by 
afiGlrming  that — 

"  If  the  Pope  of  Rome  to  England  came 
To  get  an  boss  to  ride  on, 
This  bit  o'  blood's  the  werrj  quad 
I'd  set  liis  grace  astride  on." 

Jealous  of  the  progress  made  by  their  pupil  in  the 
unorthodox  teachings  of  Messrs.  Symonds  and  Co.,  the 
principal  and  tutors  of  Brazen  Nose  College  shut  their 
gates  upon  their  too-sporting  alumnus,  and  urged 
him    to    seek  from    the  sister-University  those  honours 


The  Rev,  J.  Tyrwkitt  Drake.  289 

denied  to  him  at  Oxford.  Following  this  good  advice, 
Mr.  Drake  proceeded  to  Cambridge  forthwith. ;  bat  the 
bacilli  of  learning  and  biblical  lore  could  not  have 
been  in  the  air  during  his  residence  on  the  banks  of 
the  Cam.  If  they  were^  they  did  not  care  to  enter 
either  his  rooms  or  his  system ;  and  again  the  vision  of  the 
Cheshire  rectory  seemed  to  grow  more  and  more 
indistinct. 

Happily,  a  road  hitherto  unthought  of — a  road  by 
following  which  many  a  traveller  in  like  condition  with 
himself  had  found  his  way  within  the  pale  of  the  Establish- 
ment, was  now  pointed  out.  Pursuing  this,  it  was  not  long 
before  the  village  of  Malpas  found  itself  under  the 
spiritual  care  of  the  Rev.  John  Tyrwhitt  Drake,  M.A. 
late  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge  Universities.  It  is  not 
expected  of  parishioners  to  be  able  to  teach  their 
ministers  much,  if  anything;  and  the  inhabitants  of  this 
Cheshire  village  soon  discovered  that  while  not  at  all  to 
be  despised  in  the  wood,  the  new  parson  had  nothing  to 
learn  from  any  one  in  those  parts  when  once  in  "  the 
open."  By  never  neglecting  the  duties  incident  to  a 
large  country-parish,  and  by  being  a  kind  and  generous 
friend  to  those  who  needed  help,  Malpas  soon  learned  to 
like  the  new  incumbent,  who  neither  puzzled  their  heads 
by  the  too  much  learning,  or  aggravated  their  tempers  by 
the  too  great  length,  of  his  discourses. 

Speaking  plainly,  he  never  laid  himself  open  to  the 
snub  received  by  one  of  London^s  most  famous  Bishops, 
who,  when  a  curate,  having  preached  upon  the  text, 
^'  The  foolish  body  hath  said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no 
God,^^  was  told  by  an  old  labourer  afterwards,  "  Well,  sir, 
you  may  say  what  you  please,  but  I  believe  that  there  is 

u 


I 


290     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

a  God  all  the  same."  Tn  point  of  lengtli  too,  lie  never 
forgot  tlie  merit  that  lies  in  a  good  fifteen  minutes,  nor 
the  rebuke  incurred  by  a  brother  parson,  who_,  having 
preached  for  forty  minutes,  said  to  a  friend  on  leaving 
church,  '^Having  slept  all  the  time,  you  can't  know  much 
of  what  my  sermon  was  about."  "  Oh,  yes,  I  do,"  was 
the  reply,  ''  it  was  about  half  an  hour  too  long."  It 
would  seem  as  if  the  clergy  were  peculiarly  liable  to 
rebuffs — moral  humiliations  of  the  nature  of  those  just 
described.  One  of  London's  most  popular  and  dis- 
tinguished preachers,  an  Hon.  and  Rev.  gentleman, 
brother  to  a  Cabinet  Minister,  on  entering  upon  duties 
to  which  he  had  recently  been  appointed,  made  it 
known  to  his  new  parishioners  that  "he  was  at  their 
service  at  any  hour  by  night  as  well  as  by  day,"  and  that 
his  only  desire  was  that  his  own  convenience  should 
not  be  a  matter  for  consideration.  Summoned  out 
of  his  bed  at  a  late  hour  one  winter  night  by  an 
old  member  of  his  flock,  well  known  to  him  as  a  very 
regular  attendant  at  church,  he  was  thus  addressed : 
"  IVe  sent  for  you,  sir,  as  you  desired,  as  for  many 
nights  I  have  been  unable  to  close  my  ej^es,  and  as  I 
have  often  had  some  nice  sleeps  during  your  sermons,  I 
thought  that  if  you  would  be  so  kind  as  to  read  to  me  a 
bit,  I  might  go  off  for  an  hour  or  so."*^  This  would  seem 
to  be  a  sufficient  lowering  of  any  little  pulpit  or  other 
pride,  but  it  scarcely  can  have  touched  the  same  point  of 
humiliation  as  when  after  a  peculiarly  affecting  sermon 
in  a  country  church,  the  wife  of  the  preacher,  on  seeing 
an  old  man  remaining  in  his  seat  long  after  the  congrega- 
tion had  gone,  thus  addressed  the  lingerer :  "  Well, 
John,  I'm  glad  to  see  that  instead  of  goiug  out  in  a  hurry 


Lord  Erskine — Mr,  C.  WrozigJiton,      291 

with  the  rest  of  the  congregation^  you  like  to  stop  and 
think  over  the  beautiful  words  you  have  heard  in  the 
sermon/^  ^'  Yes,  mum,  they  was  beautiful ;  but  it  isn^t 
exactly  that,  neither/'  was  the  reply  ;  ^^  the  real  matter  is 
that  I've  bust  my  braces,  and  I'se  sitting  here  to  prevent 
my  small-clothes  coming  down/' 

An  incumbency  in  Lord  Yarborough's  country  followed 
upon  that  which  had  bound  Mr.  Drake  to  Cheshire  for 
some  years,  and  then  came  the  offer  on  the  part  of  his 
brother-in-law,  Mr.  Herbert  Langham,  of  the  Living  of 
Cottesbrooke.  Here,  naturally  as  it  were,  he  fell  into 
the  office  of  Chaplain- General  of  the  Pytchley  forces,  and 
has  performed  for  many  years  the  duties  attached  to  that 
responsible  position  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 
For  two  or  three  seasons  the  worthy  rector  and  Mrs. 
Drake — keen  as  his  reverence  in  the  pursuit  of  bold 
rejnard — have  been  compelled  to  seek  elsewhere  that 
measure  of  health  not  to  be  found  in  Cottesbrooke' s 
foggy  vale ;  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  to  the  former,  at 
all  events,  the  pleasures  of  the  saddle  can  only  be  looked 
upon  amongst  the  enjoyments  of  life  that  have  passed 
away. 

LORD  ERSKINE— ME.   C.   WROUGHTON— MR.  F. 
AND  MISS  LANGHAM. 

Almost  within  whisper's  reach  of  the  Rector  of  1  Cottes- 
brooke's  boundary-fence  is  the  hunting-abode  of  Lord 
Erskine,  an  acquisition  to  the  *^  P.H."  which  it  may  well 
hope  not  to  lose  for  many  a  year  to  come. 

Hard  by,  in  the  little  village  of  Creaton,  may  be  found 
the  fine  and  costly  hunting-stud  of  Mr.  C.  Wroughtou ; 

u  2 


292     The  Pytchley  Htint,  Past  and  Present. 

"uhilst  Mr.  F.  Langham  and  Miss  Langliam,  brother  and 
sister  to  the  Master, — devotees  to  all  things  pertaining 
to  rural  life,  but  more  especially  to  hunting — have  their 
home  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  masters  of  every  tint  of  the 
setting  sun,  but  slaves  to  each  rough  breath  of  the  rude 
west  wind. 

It  is  not  yesterday  that  Mr.  F.  Langham  formed  a 
conspicuous  member  of  the  "  Eton  Eleven,"  and  helped 
to  fight  the  annual  battle  against  the  hereditary  enemy 
from  Harrow  on  the  Hill ;  but  as  he  still  takes  a  good 
deal  of  catching  when  hounds  run ;  so  with  the  cue  and 
the  tennis-bat  there  are  few  in  his  neighbourhood  with 
whom  he  cannot  successfully  compete,  without  giving  or 
receiving  weight  for  age. 


SIR  RAIXALD  KNIGHTLEY. 

To  Sir  Eainald  Knightley,  M.P.  for  the  Southern 
division  of  the  county,  is  to  be  assigned  by  virtueof  a 
three  months^  priority  of  birth  over  Sir  Charles  Isham, 
of  Lamport  Hall,  and  Mr.  Nethercote  of  Moulton  Grange, 
the  honour  of  being — in  1886 — the  senior  member  of  the 
Pytchley  Hunt. 

All  three  are  within  easy,  too  easy,  distance  of  the 
border-line  which  divides  the  sixties  from  the  seventies, 
that  doubtful  decade  of  strength  or  infirmity  preceding 
the  record  of  four-score  years,  after  which  life  is  apt  to 
become  a  via  dolorosa,  trodden  with  more  or  less 
painful  and  halting  steps.  Not  that  a  man  fourteen 
years  on  the  right  side  of  eighty  has  much  reason  to 
rejoice  if  that  be  true  which  was  said  in  the  hearing  of 
the   narrator  of  this  story  by  a  too  close  observer  of 


Sir  Ramald  Knightley.  293 

statistics,  to  a  fellow-sportsman  who  had  just  divulged 
that  on  that  day  he  had  reached  his  sixty-sixth  birthday. 
*^  Sir,"  said  the  Jobean  comforter,  "  I  congratulate  you, 
but  I  must  tell  you  that  sixty-six  is  a  very  ticklish  age/' 
He  then  pondered  as  if  reckoning  up  tables,  and 
continued  :  ^'  It  is  a  fact  that  there  are  more  people 
die  at  sixty-six  than  at  any  other  time  of  life."  The 
haste  with  which  the  recipient  of  this  encouraging  and 
cheerful  piece  of  intelligence  made  off  may  easily  be 
imagined.  His  emotions  on  the  occasion  must  have  been 
much  on  a  par  with  those  of  an  old  man  in  Northampton 
Street,  who  after  placing  his  ear-trumpet  so  that  he 
might  hear  a  friend^s  remark,  was  told,  "  You  are 
breaking  very  fast,  John."  Each  of  these  speeches  might 
serve  to  illustrate  one  of  Mr.  Punches  inimitable  pictures 
of  ^^  things  that  a  man  had  rather  not  have  said." 

A  fifty  years'  experience  in  the  hunting-field  cannot  fail 
to  tame  down  that  keenness  for  the  sport  which  to  many  a 
young  sportsman  makes  a  high-day  and  holiday  of  every 
hunting- day.  In  his  sixty-seventh  year,  Sir  Hainald 
cannot  be  expected  to  evince  the  same  enthusiasm  in 
hunting  as  he  did  when  it  took  a  very  good  man  to  catch 
him  or  Mr.  Frederick  Yilliers,  in  a  sharp  forty  minutes 
from  Braunston  Gorse  or  Dodford  Holt.  He  is  still, 
however,  to  be  seen  at  any  Meet  within  reasonable 
distance  of  home ;  and  from  the  class  of  horse  he 
continues  to  possess,  it  is  clear  that  he  adheres  to  his 
old  principle,  that  "  no  one  should  ride  a  brute  but  a 
beggar  or  a  fool." 

The  stranger,  whether  attracted  by  a  Meet  of  hounds 
or  in  search  of  the  picturesque,  who  sees  Fawsley  for  the 
first  time,  cannot  but  be  impressed  by  the  feeling  that  he 


294     The  Pytchley  Htint,  Past  and  Present. 

is  in  the  presence  of  one  of  the  old  historic  mansions  of . 
England.  Situated  on  a  lawn  of  gentle  elevation,  it 
commands  an  extensive  and  beautiful  prospect,  and  is 
surrounded  by  a  park,  which,  inclusive  of  the  well-known 
Badby  Wood,  extends  over  an  area  exceeding  six  hundred 
acres.  For  upwards  of  five  centuries,  Fawsley  has 
belonged  to  the  Knightleys  :  one  Richard  Knightley — 
the  descendant  of  an  old  Staffordshire  family  deriving 
its  name  from  the  Manor  of  Knightley  in  that  county — 
having  purchased  it  in  1416. 

During  the  great  Civil  War  the  owner  of  this  fine 
property  was  a  warm  adherent  of  the  Commonwealth ; 
and,  having  married  a  daughter  of  Hampden,  he  became 
doubly  bound  to  the  party  of  the  Protector.  It  was  here 
that  most  of  the  measures  were  devised  which  chiefly 
affected  the  Royal  prerogative,  such,  for  instance,  as 
depriving  the  Crown  of  the  right  of  making  peace  or 
war — of  the  control  of  the  militia — and  of  the  disposal 
of  places  of  trust  and  profit. 

The  old  saying  so  constantly  in  use,  of  ^^  sub  rosa  ^' — 
^'  under  the  rose  " — when  there  is  a  necessity  for  secrecy 
— is  said  to  have  derived  its  origin  from  the  councils 
which  were  held  here  in  the  embrasure  of  an  Oriel  window, 
in  one  of  the  panes  of  which  a  Tudor  rose  was  a 
conspicuous  ornament.  The  Sir  Richard  Knightley  who 
took  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  politics  of  this  disturbed 
period,  did  not  in  any  way  sanction  the  execution  of 
Charles  I.;  and  in  16G0  was  one  of  the  Council  of  State 
who  advocated  the  restoration  of  Charles  II. 

The  old  mansion  having  got  into  a  somewhat  dilapidated 
condition,  was  restored  by  the  present  Baronet  in  1865 
at  a  great  cost,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Salvin, 


Sir  Rainald  Knight  ley,  295 

one  of  the  most  esteemed  architects  of  the  day.  The 
magnificent  Gothic  Hall,  as  designed  by  him,  is  fifty-four 
feet  long,  forty-three  feet  high,  and  twenty-four  feet  in 
width.  At  the  south  end  of  it  may  be  seen  the  family 
achievement,  numbering  no  fewer  than  343  quarter- 
ings. 

No  name — always  excepting  that  of  Spencer,  which 
appears  at  least  five  times  as  Masters  of  the  ^^  P.H." — is 
more  closely  associated  with  the  past  days  of  the  Pytchley, 
than  that  borne  by  the  Lord  of  Fawsley.  Sir  Charles 
Knightley,  spoken  of  elsewhere  in  these  pages,  was  for 
many  years  the  oldest  member  of  the  hunt,  and  was 
greatly  distinguished  for  his  fine  riding  and  keen  love 
for  fox-hunting,  and  for  a  brief  time  was  himself  Master 
of  the  Hounds.  Under  his  care  Badby  Wood  became  a 
stronghold  for  foxes  ;  and  without  it  and  the  adjoining 
covers,  the  Pytchley  Saturdays  would  lose  the  better 
part  of  their  attractions.  Had  Sir  Rainald  attained  the 
same  excellence  in  the  saddle  that  he  has  done  at  the 
whist- table — for  it  would  be  an  easy  task  to  count 
those  who  would  be  considered  his  superiors  at  whist — 
there  would  have  been  very  few  able  to  beat  him  across  a 
country  in  his  younger  days.  Thirty  years  of  parliamentary 
life — a  period  upon  which,  when  he  looks  back,  he  may 
have  the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  he  has  been  through- 
out, like  his  father  before  him,  a  consistent  Tory  of  the  old 
school — have  well  entitled  him  to  the  respect  of  all.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  many  a  winter  may  come  and  go 
before  he  ceases  altogether  to  appear  at  the  cover-side, 
and  relinquish  a  sport  in  which  both  he  and  his  father 
have  taken  so  conspicuous  a  part. 


2q6     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 


MR.  DRURY  WAKE. 

The  eye  scanDing  the  constituents  of  a  Pytcliley  field 
at  the  time  of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  might  have 
observed^  mounted  on  a  small  brown  horse^  strong  as  a 
lion  and  active  as  a  cat,  a  gentleman,  who,  recognized  at 
that  period  by  his  college-intimates  as  "  Whack  '^  of 
Christ  Church,  is  now  more  generally  known  as  Mr. 
Drury  Wake,  of  Pitsford  House,  near  Northampton. 

The  third  son  of  Sir  Charles  Wake  of  Courteen  Hall, 
he  was  sent  at  the  usual  age  to  Rugby  School,  where, 
under  his  uncle,  Dr.  Tait — afterwards  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury — he  in  no  way  failed  to  make  the  most  of 
such  pleasures  as  are  to  be  met  with  in  public-school  life; 
and  suffered  nothing  in  point  of  health  by  a  too  unre- 
mitting attention  to  classical  and  mathematical  studies. 
Giving  him  credit  for  the  possession  of  abilities,  which 
under  the  forcing  influences  of  perseverance  and  hard 
work  might  produce  fruit  of  no  ordinary  character, 
Oxford  was  called  upon  by  his  relatives  to  bring  about 
those  results  which  Rugby  had  so  signally  failed  in 
effecting.  It  was  hoped  that  in  the  bosom  of  Alma 
Mater,  and  under  the  watchful  eye  of  a  college  tutor,  the 
spirit  of  application  and  a  thirst  for  the  acquisition  of 
classical  knowledge  might  take  the  place  of  an  apparent 
indifference  to  the  teachings  of  the  philosophers  of  old. 
But  parents  are  born  to  disappointment  so  surely  as  the 
sparks  fly  upwards,  and  to  the  old  Rugbyan  the  system 
of  '^  Figg-Tollitt  "  and  Charles  Symonds  had  more 
attraction  than  the  less  voluntary  instruction  to  be  had 
within  the  walls  of  a  college.  Under  the  new  influences 
the   hereditary   love   of   horse   and    hound     seemed    to 


Mr,  Drttry  Wake.  297 

intensify  rather  than  diminish )  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  whole  University  rang  with  the  echoes  of  an 
equestrian  feat  to  which  there  had  hitherto  been  no 
parallel  in  its  sporting  annals.  A  member  of  Exeter 
College,  having  earned  for  himself  a  great  deal  of  credit 
by  riding  to  London  and  back  in  eight  hours,  it  seemed 
to  Mr.  Wake  as  if  '^  the  cry  ''''  made  over  the  performance 
was  out  of  all  proportion  to  "  the  wool  "  of  which  it  was 
composed.  The  matter  having  come  under  discussion 
one  evening  at  a  wine-party,  he  offered  to  take  two 
hundred  pounds  to  fifty  that  he  would  ride  the  same 
distance  in  two  hours  less  time.  The  bet  being  im- 
mediately snapped  up,  Tollitt — provider  of  horses — was 
invited  to  supply  the  necessary  amount  of  hacks,  for 
which  he  was  to  receive  fifty  pounds  if  the  wager  was 
won,  nothing  if  it  was  lost.  Without  any  sort  of  training, 
on  a  fine  spring  morning,  the  '^  hardy  horseman  ^'  found 
himself  in  full  career  on  his  way  to  the  Marble  Arch, 
from  which  point  the  return  journey  was  to  commence. 
All  things  having  gone  favourably,  and  the  various  hacks, 
each  and  all,  having  done  their  work  satisfactorily,  Mr. 
Wake  found  himself  back  in  Oxford  with  an  hour  to 
spare,  the  distance  having  been  accomplished  in  a  little 
over  five  hours,  without  any  ill  effect  to  horses  or  rider. 
As  has  been  elsewhere  recorded,  Mr.  Osbaldeston,  in  his 
famous  ride  at  Newmarket,  completed  two  hundred  miles 
in  eight  hours  and  thirty  nine  minutes ;  but  inasmuch  as  this 
took  place  on  the  springy,  elastic  turf  of  the  Heath,  with 
nearly  thirty  horses  of  the  highest  class,  all  ready  to  the 
moment,  and  Mr.  Wake  had  eleven  Oxford  hacks — some 
not  at  hand  when  required,  a  hard  turnpike  road  to  gallop 
on,  with  a  hill  four  miles  in  length  to   descend  and  to 


298     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

mount — the  feat  of  the  Oxonian  shows  well  up  when 
compared  with  that  of  the  notable  "  Squire/^  To  ride 
for  five  hours  successively  at  the  rate  of  twenty-two  miles 
per  hour  on  a  hard  macadamized  road,  argues  the 
possession  of  remarkable  powers  of  endurance,  and  of  a 
cuticle  something  more  than  '*  pachydermatous."  Greatly 
appreciated  as  was  this  arduous  feat  by  the  junior 
members  of  his  college,  the  ^^Authorities  "  did  not  seem 
to  see  it  in  the  same  light ;  and  the  sporting  member 
of  Christ  Church  was  ordered  to  retire  into  the  country 
for  twelve  months,  and  so  purge  himself  of  the  offence  of 
having  successfully  accomplished  a  feat,  which  in  the 
eyes  of  most  Oxonians  was  a  thing  to  be  highly  proud  of. 

This  unlooked-for  interruption  to  his  studies,  being  not 
unlikely  to  excite  the  paternal  indignation,  the  ^'  hero  of 
a  hundred  miles "  was  forced  to  bring  the  matter 
somewhat  gingerly  before  the  domestic  Jove.  The 
paternal  ire,  if  aroused  at  all,  seems — probably  through 
the  intervention  of  an  ever-watchful  allayer  of  storms — 
quickly  to  have  subsided;  and  it  was  not  long  before 
the  much-expecting  son  received  the  following  com- 
munication : — 

''^Deak  Drue, — You're  a  fool.     Come  home.'' 

By  those  knowing  the  writer  the  above  might  have 
borne  the  following  interpretation  : — 

"Am  delighted:  wish  I  ever  could  have  done  the 
same! '' 

In  those,  the  palmy  days  of  the  Oxford  stable-keepers, 
twenty  hacks  might  have  been  seen  in  Oriel  Lane  on 
each  hunting-morning,  awaiting  the  completion  of  their 
hirers'  breakfasts.  So  completely  at  that  period  did 
hunting  seem  to  be  looked  on  by  the  undergraduates  as 


Mr.  Drttry  Wake.  299 

a  normal  part  of  the  collegiate  course,  that  the 
^'  intelligent  foreigner  "  might  have  taken  it  for  an  item 
of  the  regular  curriculum  of  University  education.  Few 
and  far  between,  however,  are  the  hacks  that  are  now  to 
be  seen  pacing  up  and  down  outside  ^^  Canterbury  Gate.'' 
Increased  demands  upon  the  time  of  undergraduates,  and 
ever-recurring  examinations,  have  proved  insuperable 
obstacles  to  enjoying  the  pleasures  of  the  chase  ;  and 
''Ichabod  "  is  written  in  full  type  on  the  stable  doors  of 
many  a  once  prosperous  dealer  in  horses  at  the  old 
University  town. 

After  a  year's  banishment,  Mr.  Wake  returned  to  Christ 
Church  to  pass  his  final  examination,  a  feat  he  per- 
formed with  as  much  in  hand — and  more  in  head — as 
he  had  on  crossing  ^'  Folly  Bridge,''  at  the  close  of  his 
famous  ride.  His  tutor  strongly  urged  him  to  read  for 
*^  honours;"  pleading  that  another  pupil  of  his,  with 
scarcely  so  good  abilities,  had  by  means  of  incessant 
study  and  much  self-denial  greatly  distinguished  him- 
self in  the  "  Schools."  "But  what  about  his  health 
afterwards  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Wake  ;  "  did  he  not  utterly 
break  down;  and  has  he  not  become  a  confirmed 
invalid  ?  "  "I  fear  it  was  so  "  was  the  reply,  *^  but  his 
case  was  an  exceptional  one."  '^  Thank  you,  sir,  but  so 
might  mine  be,"  was  the  rejoinder.  ^^  I  have  heard  of 
a  Lady's  maid  who  stated  that  in  her  opinion,  '  Health 
after  personal  appearance  is  the  greatest  blessing  as  is.' 
I,  sir,  am  disposed  to  put  health  before,  not  personal 
appearance  only,  but  also  before  classical  distinction. 
The  last  is  a  good  dog,  but  the  first  is  abetter;  and 
therefore  I  mean  to  stick  to  the  first."  Thus  the 
interview  ended;  and  the  unambitious  pupil  was  satis- 


300     TJie  Pytc/iley  Hunt^  Past  and  Pj^esent. 

fied  bj  tlie  acquisition  of  a  simple  ''pass/' and  the  re- 
tention of  nnimpaired  health. 

With  an  eye,  possibly,  to  the  Judicial  Bench,  if  not 
to  the  ''Great  Seal,"  Mr,  Wake  resolved  to  follow  the 
Law  as  a  profession ;  but  before  getting  fairly  into  his 
wig  and  gown,  a  ride,  far  longer  and  more  arduous  than 
that  which  had  made  his  name  famous  in  Oxford  annals, 
was  looming  in  the  future. 

Happening  to  be  at  Constantinople  on  the  eve  of  the 
Crimean  War,  Sir  Hugh  Rose — afterwards  Lord  Strath- 
nairn — begged  him  to  undertake  the  responsibility  of 
conveying  a  despatch  of  the  highest  importance  to 
London,  and  deliver  it  himself  into  the  hands  of  the 
English  Foreign  Minister.  Though  very  desirous  to 
remain  where  he  was  at  such  an  exciting  moment,  and 
watch  the  outcome  of  events — a  time  when  men's  hearts 
were  failing  them  for  fear  of  a  great  w^ar,  with  all  its 
attendant  horrors  and  uncertain  issues — Mr.  Wake  did 
not  hesitate  to  undertake  the  momentous  duty.  It  was 
enough  for  him  to  be  told  by  Sir  Hugh  that  there  was 
no  one  else  so  w^ell  fitted  as  himself  to  be  entrusted  with 
the  important  document,  and  that  upon  his  refusal  or 
acceptance  of  the  charge,  hinged  issues  of  the  gravest 
importance.  "No  more  important  despatch,^'  added  the 
English  Charge  d' Affaires,  "  ever  quitted  one  country  for 
another.'"'  Without  any  delay,  with  a  tatar  to  act  as 
guide,  and  a  led  horse  to  carry  provisions,  on  an  April 
day  of  the  memorable  year  1854,  the  old  Christ- Church 
man  commenced  his  ride  across  the  bleak  and  dreary 
Balkans  for  Belgrade.  For  seven  days  and  nights — the 
road  often  a  mere  trackway,  and  the  darkness  so  impene- 
t.able  as  to  render  it  highly  dangerous  to  go  beyond  a 


Mr.  Drury  Wake.  301 

foot's  pace — with  no  rest  obtainable,  except  such  as  might 
be  risked  in  the  saddle,  or  snatched  during  a  change  of 
horses — with  no  companion  save  a  man  of  whose  lan- 
guage he  was  almost  entirely  ignorant,  and  of  whose 
probity  he  knew  nothing — the  rider  pursued  his  lonely 
way.  Happily  without  accident  or  misadventure,  Mr. 
Wake  arrived  at  Belgrade,  and  on  proceeding  to  report 
himself  to  the  "  head  swell  "  was  informed  that  his  High- 
ness was  in  the  arms  of  Morpheus^  and  that  anybody 
who  ventured  to  disturb  him  was  not  unlikely  to  have  a 
'^bad  old  time.'^  The  bearer  of  the  despatch,  taking  a 
different  view  of  the  position,  somewhat  irreverently 
declared  the  sleepiness  of  his  Excellency  to  be  ^'all  my 
eye;"  and  dwelling  upon  the  importance  of  his  mission, 
vowed  that  if  the  Mountain  would  not  come  to  the  Mouse, 
the  Mouse  must  go  to  the  Mountain,  there  and  then.  On 
receipt  of  this  "  protocol,"  the  '^  Mountain "  speedily 
'*  put  in  an  appearance/'  in  dressing-gown  and  slippers  ; 
and  on  learning  the  urgent  state  of  affairs — Latin  being 
the  only  medium  of  communication — immediately  took 
the  necessary  steps  for  forwarding  Sir  Hugh  Rose's 
messenger  on  his  way  to  London.  At  the  end  of  the 
eleventh  day  after  leaving  Stamboul,  Mr.  Wake  entered 
the  Foreign  Office  and  delivered  the  important  papers 
which  had  been  confided  to  his  care  into  the  hands  of 
Lord  Clarendon^  who  w^as  smoking  his  evening  cigar _,  in 
his  dressing-gown,  over  the  fire.  The  Minister  for 
Foreign  Affairs  read  Sir  Hugh  Rose's  despatch — 
urging  him  to  call  up  the  Fleet  without  any  delay — 
apparently  with  much  astonishment ;  and  then  turning  to 
its  bearer  said,  *^  What  was  the  feeling  as  to  Peace  or 
War  at  Constantinople,  when  you  left;  and  what  is  your 


302    The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

own  impression  on  the  matter  ?  ^'  "  That  there  will  be 
immediate  war^  unless  urgent  measures  are  taken  to 
prevent  it/'  "  Nonsense,  young  man,  nonsense  ;  there 
will  be  no  war ;  we  have  Jjord,  Stratford  de  Redcliffe's  most 
certain  assurance  of  peace  ;  and  he  has  but  just  left  us/' 
So  Sir  Hughes  despatch  was  quietly  ignored,  drowned  in 
rivers  of  blood,  not  a  drop  of  which  probably  would 
have  been  shed,  had  not  its  advice  been  totally  disre- 
garded. But  are  not  all  these  things  written  in  the  Blue 
Books  of  that  date  ? 

In  return  for  all  the  fatigue  he  had  endured — the 
sleepless  nights  and  intolerable  weariness  of  the  days — 
Mr.  Wake  received  the  same  recompense  as  is  awarded 
by  my  Lord  Judge  to  a  body  of  Jurymen  on  the  com- 
pletion of  their  duties :  "  Gentlemen,  there  is  nothing 
further  for  you  to  do  ;  you  are  discharged,  and  the 
country  is  obliged  to  you  for  your  services.^'  Too  proud 
to  solicit  any  more  substantial  reward  for  a  service — 
worthy  at  least  of  the  offer  of  governmental  employment — 
Mr.  Wake  entered  the  Militia  of  his  county,  hoping  there- 
by to  obtain  a  commission  in  the  Army.  After  serving 
with  his  regiment  at  Gibraltar  and  in  Ireland^  the 
^'  would  if  he  could  be  "  soldier  was  suddenly  called  upon 
by  his  father  to  lay  aside  his  sword,  and  to  exercise  his 
brains  and  his  legal  knowledge  in  tripping  up  a  recent 
Act  of  Parliament  which  was  threatening  a  portion  of 
the  family-property  which  lay  in  and  about  Epping 
Forest.  Having  performed  this  duty  satisfactorily,  there 
was  now  nothing  for  it  but  to  hoist  the  sign  of  the  ''  Wig 
and  Gown,'^  and  to  seek  for  litigants  on  the  look  out  for 
the  best  legal  advice.  Before,  however,  he  had  had  time 
to  get  fairly  fixed  in  his  legal  saddle,  or  to   get  a  share 


Mr.  Drttry  Wake,  303 

of  the  briefs  that  were  so  surely  awaiting  him,  it  became 
evident  that  the  long  and  weary  ride  with  Sir  Hugh 
Rosens  despatch  had  found  out  a  weak  place  in  the 
spinal  cord,  and  the  hardy,  healthy,  untirable  horseman, 
slowly  settled  down  into  a  confirmed  invalid.  For  five 
long  years  it  seemed  as  though  the  most  agile  member 
of  an  active  family  was  doomed  to  pass  the  rest  of  his 
days  in  a  recumbent  position.  Happily  the  disease 
began  to  respond  to  the  skilful  and  judicious  treatment 
of  Dr.  Barr  of  Northampton,  and  at  the  end  of  the  fifth 
year  the  invalid  was  occasionally  seen  at  the  Meets  in  a 
carriage  constructed  for  the  purpose.  Driving  with  a 
courage  apparently  unaffected  by  years  of  confinement, 
the  convalescent  was  determined,  as  of  yore,  not  to  be 
left  out  in  the  cold ;  and  driving  with  some  disregard  for 
horse,  carriage  or  self,  contrived  to  see  as  much  of  the 
sport  as  many  a  mounted  man. 

After  this,  health  soon  came  as  a  reward  for  patient 
endurance  of  a  great  calamity ;  and  in  the  sixth  year  after 
his  first  absence,  he,  who  had  been  so  long  and  so 
sincerely  missed  by  his  hunting-friends,  was  once  more 
to  be  seen  at  the  cover-side. 

An  accident  in  the  hunting-field  some  four  years  since, 
looked  for  a  time  as  if  it  would  entail  a  recurrence  of  the 
spinal  evil.  In  riding  at  the  Whilton  Brook,  Mr.  Wake's 
horse  swerved,  and  crossed  that  of  Mr.  Nethercote  on  the 
very  brink  of  the  stream.  A  collision  followed,  horses 
and  riders  fell  into  the  water,  and  for  a  few  moments  the 
horsemen  were  having  a  bad  time  among  the  legs  of  the 
struggling  and  alarmed  quadrupeds.  Happily,  neither 
of  the  former  was  struck  j  but  on  emerging  from  their 
perilous  position,  Mr.  Wake,  in  addition  to  being  con- 


304    TJie  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

tused  about  tlie  head,  had  one  of  his  ankles  badly  sprained. 
A  ten-mile  ride  home  in  clothes  thoroughly  soaked  did 
not  serve  to  mend  matters  ;  and  the  fear  arose,  whether 
or  not  the  so  lately-recovered  back  might  not  have  sus- 
tained fresh  injury.  Fortunately  this  did  not  prove  to 
be  the  case ;  but  it  was  six  weeks  before  he  was  again 
seen  in  the  hunting-field. 

A  curious  fact  attending  this  incident  was  that  the 
collision  was  so  sudden  and  unlocked  for,  that  it  was  not 
until  Mr.  Nethercote  had  lifted  his  co-sufi'erer  from 
beneath  the  water,  that  he  was  aware  that  it  was  his 
own  son-in-law  who  was  the  cause  of  the  misadventure. 

Within  a  few  yards  to  the  left,  the  Viceroy  of  Ireland 
— Lord  Spencer — was  going  through  a  single-handed 
aquatic  performance,  his  horse  having  stopped  to  look, 
and  then  '^  plumped  '^  ignominiously  into  the  water  ! 

Amongst  the  Christmas  school- boys  that  go  to  swell  a 
Pj'^tchley  field  at  that  ^^ halcyon^'  time  for  English  lads, 
another  Drury  Wake  may  now  be  seen — keen  as  his 
father— full  of  ride  for  a  youngster  ;  and  in  every  respect 
a  "  true  chip  of  the  old  block." 


MR.  NETHERCOTE. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  picture  of  the  '^  Crick '^ 
Meet,  next  to  Mr.  Arkwright's,  may  be  seen  the  figure  of 
!Mr.  Nethercote  of  Moulton  Grange,  father  of  the  writer 
of  this  volume,  and  the  last  surviving  member  of  the  old 
Pytchley  Club.  Of  all  those  represented  by  tbe  skilful 
brush  of  the  painter,  with  him  alone  rested  the  recollec- 
tions of  the  palmy  days   of  the   '^  P.H./'' when  the  old 


Mr.  Net  her  cote — Major  New  land.         305 

Club  had  on  its  list  of  Members  some  of  the  greatest 
names  in  the  country,  and  to  be  one  of  the  Associates  of 
which  was  in  itself  a  mark  of  distinction.  The  pages  of 
the  old  8po7'ting  Magazine  have  recorded  that  among 
the  Members  of  the  ''  P.H.^^  Mr.  Nethercote  took  high 
rank  as  a  sportsman  and  as  a  rider  to  hounds  ;  and  such 
was  his  love  of  hunting  that  long  after  he  had  passed  his 
eightieth  year  he  would  drive  to  every  near  Meet.  Up 
to  the  day  before  his  death,  he  begged  to  know  the 
details  of  the  day's  sport,  and  faintly  expressed  his  regret 
that  it  had  not  been  a  better  one.  So  remarkable  was 
this  good  old  Country  Squire  for  the  geniality  of  his 
nature  and  his  kindness  of  disposition,  that  one  who  lived 
with  him  for  fifty  years  can  conscientiously  affirm  that  he 
never  heard  him  speak  ill-naturedly,  scarcely  even  de- 
preciatingly, of  any  one.  Any  decently  clad  pedestrian 
on  his  way  to  the  county-town  on  market-day  was  sure 
to  have  the  offer  of  a  lift ;  and  an  almost  imperturbable 
temper  seemed  proof  against  any  annoyance  save  that  of 
the  "  boozy  "  carrier  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  road,  on 
his  homeward  way  from  market. 

A  son  may  perhaps  be  pardoned  for  the  assertion  that 
there  never  lived  a  more  complete  embodiment  of  kind- 
heartedness  and  hospitality  than  the  fine  old  English 
gentleman  here  spoken  of ;  one  upon  whose  death  in  bis 
eighty-fourth  year,  the  last  link  connecting  the  ancient 
and  modern  history  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt  was  severed 
for  ever. 

MAJOR  NEWLAND. 

Facing  the  spectator  in  the  "  Crick "  picture  is  the 
then  well-known    form   of  Major  Newland,  formerly  of 


3o6    The  Pytchley  Hunt^  Past  and  Present, 

H.M.'s  5th  Dragoon  Guards,  but  at  tliat  time  residing 
at  KiDgsthorpe,  in  the  house  now  holding  out  the  sign  of 
the  "  Prince  of  Wales."  Few  men  were  better  known, 
both  in  the  Oakley  and  the  Pytchley  Hunts,  than  this 
cavalry-officer  of  the  olden  time.  A  thorough  sportsman 
and  true  lover  of  hunting  in  early  life,  the  Major — a  heavy 
man — forged  his  way  well  across  country  ;  but  latterly 
he  had  quite  given  up  riding,  and  was  satisfied  to  be 
beholden  to  the  various  means  and  appliances  of  seeing  a 
run  without  incurring  any  obvious  risk.  He  died  still  a 
young  man,  but  those  who  love  to  recall  the  days  and 
men  of  the  Charles  Payne  era  do  not  fail  to  connect  with 
it  the  name  of  Bingham,  commonly  known  as  '^  Joe  " 
Newland. 


MR.  STIRLING  CRAWFURD. 

In  the  extreme  left  corner  of  the  '^  Crick ''  picture,  ad- 
dressing Mr.  Gough  of  North  Kilworth  House — an  old 
sportsman,  and  one  of  the  "P. H.'s  "  staunchest  friends 
and  best  preservers  of  foxes — sits  Mr.  Stirling  Crawfurd 
of  Langton  Hall.  From  the  days  when  he  first  dated  his 
letters  "  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,"  to  the  hour  that 
he  passed  away,  the  possessor  of  the  finest  stud  of  race- 
horses in  the  world,  no  name  was  more  familiar  in 
sporting  circles  than  that  of  this  Scotch  gentleman. 

Carrying  in  his  mouth  at  the  moment  of  his  nativity 
that  silver  article  by  means  of  which  the  battle  of  life  is 
fought  most  pleasantly  and  with  the  greatest  success,  Mr. 
Crawfurd  had  little  opportunity  of  viswing  existence  on 
any  other  side  save  its  sunny  one.  Indebted  to  things 
under  the  earth  for  the  means   of  er.joying  those  above 


Mr,  Stwling  Crawfurd,  307 

it,  the  gifts  of  ^^  Mater  Terra  "  were  poured  bounteously 
into  tlie  lap  of  her  favoured  son.  As  the  blade  of  grass 
by  evolutionary  action  becomes  alternately  developed  into 
the  priceless  ^'  shorthorn/'  so  the  insignificant-looking 
mineral  by  the  process  of  exchange  becomes  converted 
into  a  "  Thebais  "  or  a  "  Sefton." 

It  may  be  safe  to  affirm  that  during  a  life  extending  to 
the  confines  of  the  conventional  "  threescore  years  and 
ten/'  no  man  ever  owned  so  many  good  hunters  and  high- 
class  race-horses.  Though  a  heavy  weight,  members  both 
of  Quorn  and  Pytchley  Hunts  can  testify  that  it  took  a 
good  man  and  a  good  horse  to  cut  down  Mr.  Crawfurd. 
During  his  tenancy  of  Langton  Hall,  near  Market  Har- 
borough,  he,  with  his  brother-in-law^  Mr.  Harry  Everard, 
seldom  failed  to  meet  the  "  P.H."  at  least  twice  a  week. 
The  very  best  of  everything  being  ^^just  good  enough," 
it  was  a  treat  for  a  lover  of  horses  merely  to  look  over 
the  two  powerful,  well-bred  animals  appointed  to  carry 
for  that  day  the  keen  and  joyous-looking  sportsman  from 
the  other  side  of  the  banks  of  the  Welland.  Among  a 
multitude  of  "  first-raters,'^  it  is  hard  to  select  any  one 
for  special  notice,  but  the  beautiful  form  and  grand  per- 
formance of  the  kicking  "  Safety- Valve  "  must  still  fill 
the  eye  of  the  member  of  the  ^'  P.H."  whose  recollection 
carries  him  back  to  that  day. 

'^  Noli  me  tangere  '^  would  have  been  a  more  suitable 
name  than  "  Safety-Yalve "  for  this  magnificent  but 
dangerous  animal^  who  would  not  brook  the  approach 
from  behind  of  any  other  horse  without  fiercely  lashing 
out.  Inappropriate  as  this  title  may  have  been,  Mr. 
Crawfurd  succeeded  in  fairly  puzzling  all  his  friends  by 
calling  one  of  his  racehorses   "  Semper  Durus.''     Asked 

X  2 


3oS     The  Pytchley  Htmi,  Past  and  Present. 

for  an  explanation  of  the  name,  one  day  at  Newmarket 
by  the  writer  of  these  pages,  Mr.  Crawfurd  laughingly 
replied,  ^^Why,  don't  you  see,  old  fellow,  I  name  him 
after  my  brother-in-law,  Harry  Everard."  He  was  a  bad 
horse,  worthy  of  a  name  embodjdng  so  bad  a  joke.  For 
the  name  of  his  famous  mare  '^Thebais,'^  Mr.  Crawfard 
was  indebted  to  the  well- stored  intellect  of  his  sister, 
wife  of  the  gentleman  whose  name,  rendered  into  Latin, 
became  "  Semper  Durus.'^  Requested  by  her  brother  to 
find  a  name  for  a  filly  by  "  Hermit  "  out  of  "Devotion," 
for  many  an  hour,  as  she  herself  describes  it,  did  she 
ponder  over  the  task  imposed  upon  her.  Ideas  in  plenty 
sprang  up  suitable  to  the  suggestive  names  of  either 
parent,  but  to  unite  the  two  in  a  happy  combination 
—  there  lay  the  difficulty.  At  length,  early  one  morniug — 
the  time  when  the  brain  is  clearest  and  at  its  best — the 
happy  thought  came  across  her  of  the  desolate  reg'ion  on 
the  banks  of  the  Nile,  where  the  Hermits  of  old  used  to 
eke  out  their  miserable  existence  in  holes  in  the  rocks. 
This  district,  from  beiug  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
ancient  city  of  Thebes,  was  known  as  "  Thebais,"  or  "  the 
Thebaid."  There  it  was  !  Hermit  and  Devotion — the 
aptest  and  most  appropriate  hit  that  could  possibly  be 
found.  The  elated  inventor  might  well  be  pardoned  for 
waking  her  partner  with  cries  of  ^'  Eureka  !  Eureka  !  " 
and  right  good  reason  had  she  to  be  proud  of  her  name 
and  of  the  beautiful  filly  that  bore  it.  The  nomenclature 
of  racehorses  so  as  to  bring  the  two  parents  into  combi- 
nation is  no  easy  matter;  but  it  is  pitiable  to  see  well- 
worn  names  used  over  and  over  again^  denoting  a  poverty 
of  invention  on  the  part  of  the  owners  that  is  positively 
distressing.     The  thanks  of  all  who  appreciate  a  "  happy 


]\Ii\  Stirling  C7^awfurd. 


109 


thought  "    are  due  to    the  inventors  of  such    combina- 
tions as  : — 


Name. 

Sire. 

Dam. 

Canvas. 

Eubens. 

Vote. 

Chameleon. 

Camel. 

Versatility. 

Stray  Shot. 

Toxophilite. 

Vaga. 

Fast  and  Loose. 

Cremorne. 

Celerrima. 

Eoysteier. 

jj 

Caller  on. 

Scot  Free. 

Macgre^or. 

Celibacy. 

Blubber. 

Whalebone, 

Tears. 

But  brightest  of  all  thoughts  was  that  which  led  the 
owner  of  a  colt,  the  fatherhood  of  which  lay  between  three 
sires,  to  call  him  "  Trinidad."  As  a  single  side-name 
'"■' Latchkey  "  by  '^  Lothario"  is  worthy  of  all  commenda- 
tion ;  but  the  difficulty  of  making  out  a  single  and  double 
acrostic,  respectively,  is  not  to  be  compared  with  that  of 
discovering  a  name  happily  blending  those  of  sire  and 
dam.  On  the  long  list  of  horses  owned  by  Mr.  Crawfurd, 
no  name  can  be  found  to  equal  that  bestowed  by  his 
sister  on  that  sweetest  of  fillies,  "  Thebais ;  "  and  probably 
none  surpassed  her  in  excellence  as  a  racer. 

During  his  long  career  on  the  turf,  her  owner  picked  all 
the  principal  plums  out  of  the  "racing-pudding;  ^' — Sefton, 
Thebais,  Craig  Millar,  Gang  Forward  having  respectively 
inscribed  his  name  among  the  winners  of  the  Derby, 
Oaks,  St.  Leger,  and  Two  Thousand  Guineas.  Though 
devoted  to  racing,  and  accustomed  to  stand  a  heavy  stake 
when  he  fancied  any  particular  horse — regardless  also  of 
the  sum  he  gave  for  a  fashionably-bred  yearling,  Mr, 
Crawfurd  found  no  pleasure  in  the  gaming-table.  Living 
among  "  Punters,"  for  him,  happily,  the  '^  ivories  "  had  no 
attraction  ;  and  to  this  may  be  attributed  his  escape  from 
the  sad  fate  of  so  many  of  his  friends.     For  all  things 


3IO      The  Pytchley  Htint,  Past  and  Present, 

fBsthetic,  wlietlier  in  art  or  literatare,  this  Prince  of  the 
Turf  had  a  true  and  deep  admiration  ;  and  his  rooms  in 
^'the  Albany,'^  as  well  as  his  honse  at  Langton,  were 
crammed  with  choice  engravings,  pictures,  and  valuable 
ohjets-d'ai't 

His  death  in  1882 — long  foreshadowed  by  a  softening 
of  the  brain — deprived  the  Turf  of  one  it  ill  could  spare, 
and  left  a  gap  in  the  Jockey  Club  which  will  not  easily  be 
filled. 


LOED  HENLEY. 

In  point  of  resemblance,  scarcely  one  of  the  forty 
figures  in  the  *^  Crick '"'  picture  is  more  reminding  of  the 
original  than  that  of  Lord  Henley,  who,  seated  on  his 
white-faced  bay,  seems  to  be  considering  the  probability 
of  a  find  in  Watford  cover,  should  the  "  Crick "  draw 
fail.  If  the  fox  be  at  home  and  a  good  gallop  follow,  no 
one  is  more  likely  to  see  it  than  the  noble  owner  of  the 
picturesque  mansion  known  as  Watford  Court,  his 
riding-weight  being  no  impediment  to  his  getting  over 
the  big  fences  and  many>acred  grasses  of  the  region 
round  about.  The  educational  advantages  of  Eton  and 
Oxford  not  having  been  thrown  away  upon  one  who  was 
intellectually  capable  of  appreciating  them,  his  County 
Town  found  in  him  a  representative,  able,  moderate, 
industrious ;  with  whom,  for  a  time,  it  was  well  satisfied. 
Declining,  however,  to  adopt  the  seven-leagued  boots  in 
which  his  constituency  were  striding  towards  the 
extremities  of  Radicalism,  the  city  of  '^  cordwainers " 
found  in  Mr.  Bradlaugh  a  representative  more  to  their 
mind;    and  so  removed  from  the   House   of  Commons 


Lord  Henley.  311 

one  who  was  far  from  being  the  least  useful  of  its  Mem- 
bers. Occupying  at  the  present  time  a  seat  in  the  House 
of  Lords,  as  Baron  Northington,  he  is  again  devoting  his 
time  and  abilities  to  the  service  of  his  country  ;  and  it  is 
to  be  hoped  that  his  absence  from  the  hunting- field,  from 
a  failure  of  health  during  the  season  of  1885-6,  may  be 
followed  by  the  speedy  resumption  of  a  sport  the  charms 
of  which  he  so  thoroughly  appreciates.  Happily  for  the 
future  prospects  of  the  *^P,H./'  he,  who  in  the  course  of 
nature  should  become  Lord  of  Watford  Gorse  and  the 
region  round  about,  is  a  true  son  of  his  father,  and 
considers  that  among  the  ^'  gifts  the  gods  provide  us  '^ 
not  the  least  is  the  pleasure  attendant  upon  the  pursuit  of 
the  fox.  Without  the  presence  of  the  Hon.  Frederick, 
alias  "  Freddy ''  Henley,  on  his  customary  days  at  a 
"  P.H."  Meet,  it  is  felt  by  many  there  that  something  is 
lacking  in  the  field.  The  '^  why  and  the  wherefore  '^  of 
his  absence  is  made  a  subject  of  inquiry  by  many  a 
friend,  conscious,  by  the  loss  of  his  presence,  that  he  is 
minus  one  item  in  the  day's  enjoyment. 

Well-mounted,  and  bound  to  be  pretty  handy  when 
genuine  business  is  going  on,  should  the  great  calamity 
of  finding  himself  in  the  second  or  even  the  third  flight 
overtake  him,  he  will  not  yield  to  the  temptation  of 
immediate  suicide.  Even  a  heavier  misfortune,  if  such 
is  to  be  found  among  hunting-men,  will  not  try  the 
equanimity  of  an  unusually  even  and  charming  tempera- 
ment. If  chafi'ed  upon  the  "prominent  position '^  he 
occupied  in  a  rattling  twenty  minutes,  he  will  own  the 
soft  impeachment,  and  laughingly  allow  "  it  was  not 
jumping  that  post  and  rail  at  starting  that  did  it.'' 

Many  may  envy,  but  few  can  boast  a  popularity  equal 


II 


312     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  a7id  Present, 

to  that  of  this  young  Member  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt — one 
who  can  "  hold  his  own  ^'  in  a  gallop  from  Crick  Gorse — 
between  the  wickets — on  the  lawn-tennis  ground — behind 
the  lights,  and  also  at  the  whist- table. 


MR.  LOVELL. 

At  the  extreme  end  of  the  well-known  picture,  *^  The 
Crick  Meet/^  behind  Mr.  Stirling  Crawfurd,  sits  one  of 
the  few  remaining  members  of  the  ancient  family  of 
Lovell  of  Winwick,  one  of  a  race  remarkable  for  their 
comely  looks,  and  at  one  time  exalted  position  in  the 
county.  Mr.  Lo veil's  appearance  at  the  cover-side  was 
attributable  to  the  pleasure  he  felt  in  witnessing  a  "  spec- 
tacle/' rather  than  from  any  wish  he  had  to  distinguish 
himself  as  a  Hunter.  Such  honour  and  glory  as  are  to  be 
derived  from  going  well  to  hounds  he  left  to  a  younger 
member  of  the  house — one  whose  manly  form  and  hand- 
some countenance  formed  a  pretty  frequent  item  of  a 
Pytchley  field  some  five  and  twenty  years  ago.  A 
thoroughly  good  judge  of  the  sort  of  horse  required  to 
gallop  over  the  splendid  pastures  he  looked  down  upon 
from  the  elevation  of  his  house,  Lovell  of  Winwick 
Warren  was  a  good  man  to  follow,  and  could  at  all  times 
hold  his  own  in  a  run. 

To  him  it  befell,  as  has  been  elsewhere  narrated,  to 
experience  the  bitters  as  well  as  the  sweets  of  foxhunt- 
ing, as  it  was  in  his  house  that  Mr.  Sawbridge  and 
Lord  Inverury  breathed  their  last  (temp.  Mr.  George 
Payne),  after  falling  over,  in  two  consecutive  years,  a 
post  and  rail  in  one  of  the  big  grass-fields  in  the  valley 
below. 


Sir  Francis  Bond  Head.  3 1 3 

Mr.  Lovell  himself  fell  a  victim  to  decline  in  the  very 
hey-day  of  life,  and  the  Winwick  property  fell  into  the 
hands  of  Richard  Ainsworth,  Esq.,  who  resides  near 
Bolton.  In  the  purchasing  of  this  estate,  the  "Pytchley  " 
have  been  very  fortunate  in  finding  a  gentleman,  who, 
though  somewhat  an  absentee,  does  his  best. 


SIR  FRANCIS  BOND  HEAD,  BART. 

In  the  popula;r  biographical  work  entitled  "  Men  of  the 
Time/'  a  considerable  space  is  allotted  to  that  one  of  the 
''  P.H."  representatives  at  the  Crick  Meet,  who  is 
wearing,  as  was  his  invariable  custom,  what  were  then 
known  as  "  Napoleon  "  boots.  Of  the  forty  sportsmen 
assembled  in  front  of  the  old  village  church,  not  one 
there  was  so  much  a  "  man  of  mark  "  as  the  keen-eyed, 
weather-beaten  old  soldier,  whose  experiences  had  led^him 
to  the  conclusion  that,  in  point  of  excitement,  a  good 
gallop  with  hounds  was  only  second  to  that  of  a  brush 
with  the  enemy.  He  of  whom  we  are  speaking  was— 
for  alas !  he  has  long  gone  where  the  good  soldiers  go — 
the  Rt.  Hon.  Sir  Francis  Head,  Bart.,  the  tenant  for  ten 
years  of  the  house  at  Great  Oxenden,  now  occupied  by 
John  Oliver,  Esq. 

After  serving  with  the  Royal  Engineers  at  Waterloo, 
he  fought  under  the  Prussian  General,  Ziethen,  at  Fleams, 
where  he  had  two  horses  killed  under  him,  but  himself 
escaped  unwounded.  After  quitting  thearmy,  in  1825  he 
undertook  the  superintendence  of  some  gold  and  silver 
mines  in  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  in  the  course  of  his  duties 
made  a  ride  of  GOOO  miles,  an  account  of  which  he  pub- 
lished under  the  title  of  "  Rough  Notes  taken  during  some 


314     T^J^^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

rapid  Journeys  across  the  Pampas  and  among  tlie  Andes." 
Upon  bis  return  to  England  he  held  the  post  of  Assistant 
Poor-Law  Commissioner  in  Kent,  and  in  1835  was  sent 
at  a  moment's  notice  to  Upper  Canada  to  quell  the  for- 
midable rebellion  of  the  Frenchman,  Papineau — the  pre- 
cursor of  Louis  Riel,  so  lately  hanged  for  high  treason 
against  the  government  of  the  Dominion.  This,  with 
the  aid  of  the  Militia,  and  under  the  greatest  difficulties, 
he  not  only  accomplished,  but  he  repelled  the  invasion  of 
large  bodies  of  sympathizers  from  the  United  States. 
For  these  services  he  received  the  thanks  of  the  Legisla- 
tures of  Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  and  Upper  Canada 
— was  created  a  Baronet  in  1838,  and  afterwards  made  a 
Privy  Councillor.  On  retiring  from  public  life,  Sir 
Francis  determined  to  devote  some  of  the  best  of  his  re- 
maining years  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  sport  which  was  the 
one  great  passion  of  his  life.  To  him  the  horse  and  hound 
were  the  noblest  of  animals — and  after  them  the  fox  ! 
'^  To  the  latter,"  he  would  often  say  laughingly,  ^^  he 
owed  a  debt  of  gratitude  that  nothing  could  repay  !  "  He 
would  then  comment  on  the  anomaly  of  taking  a  pleasure 
in  trying  to  kill  your  best  friend,  and  feeling  a  disap- 
pointment in  failing  to  do  so.  Not  one  of  the  forty 
Pytchley  men  depicted  in  the  '^  Meet  at  Crick "  was 
so  genuine  a  devotee  to  hunting  as  the  old  Officer  of 
Engineers.  Not,  as  was  the  case  with  Lord  Althorp, 
for  the  sake  of  seeing  hounds  hunt,  but  from  an  innate 
passion  for  riding.  There  was  no  day  in  his  life — until 
in  his  82nd  year  he  was  compelled  to  lay  by — Sundays 
included,  upon  which  he  did  not  take  a  ride  if  the 
ground  permitted.  Though  not  able  to  ride  horses  of 
any  great  value,  nothing  stopped  him  ;  and  being  light  of 


Sir  Francis  Bond  Head.  3 1 5 

weight,  lie  could  always  hold  his  own  with  "the  swells." 
Neither  distance  nor  weather,  bar  frost  and  snow,  kept 
him  at  home ;  and  the  more  it  rained  the  higher  his 
spirits  rose,  as  he  always  looked  for  a  scent  on  the  wet 
days.  The  first  at  the  Meet,  he  was  always  the  last  to 
go  home ;  giving  as  an  excuse  for  staying  out  on 
utterly  hopeless  days  that  ^'  it  might  end  in  something, 
after  all."  Never  so  happy  as  when  on  horseback,  to 
him  hunting  was  an  enjoyment  almost  without  alloy. 
Like  Lord  Eldon,  who  used  to  affirm  that  there  was  no 
such  thing  as  "  bad  "  port-wine  ;  there  was  "  good  "  he 
used  to  say,  and  "  better,^''  but  no  '^  bad."  So  to  Sir 
Francis  no  day  with  hounds  could  be  a  bad  one  :  it  was 
only  "not  so  enjoyable  as  if  it  had  been  a  better  one.'' 
The  air — the  exercise — the  excitement — the  fence  with 
the  big  ditch  on  the  other  side,  were  each  and  all  distinct 
matters  of  enjoyment,  but  the  working  of  hounds  did  not 
markedly  catch  his  notice.  Quick  in  making  up  his  mind 
under  all  circumstances,  the  house  at  Oxenden  in  which  he 
passed  ten  of  the  happiest  years  of  his  life — as  he  always 
maintained — was  taken  in  the  same  time  that  most  peo- 
ple would  have  occupied  in  looking  over  a  four-stall 
stable.  Meeting  the  hounds  at  Farndon,  before  Waterloo 
could  be  reached  for  the  first  draw,  he  trotted  rapidly 
ahead  to  view  "  the  house  to  let,"  which  fortunately  lay 
half-way  between  the  two  points.  Thinking  far  more  of  the 
possibility  of  losing  the  find  than  of  finding  a  house  to  suit 
his  requirements,  three  minutes  sufficed  for  the  survey,  and 
the  friend  who  accompanied  him  was  requested  to  take  it 
for  seven  years ;  to  which  three  more  were  added  subse- 
quently. "  Happy's  the  wooing  that's  not  long  a'doing/' 
was  well  exemplified  in  this  instance,,  as   the  hasty  pro- 


3 1 6     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

ceeding  never  for  a  moment  became  anything  but  a  sub- 
ject for  congratulation.  Peculiar  in  many  of  his  ways, 
and  regardless  of  appearances,  Sir  Francis  used  to  cause 
some  amusement  by  the  habit  of  taking  his  horse  to 
cover  tied  to  the  back  of  the  gig.  This  was  done  to  save 
the  weight  of  the  groom,  who,  being  a  heavy  man,  was 
better  in  his  master's  trap  than  on  the  back  of  his 
master^s  hunter.  The  most  marked  characteristics  of 
this  fine  old  Officer  of  Eugineers  were  hastiness  of  tem- 
per, combined  with  great  amiability,  and  an  extraordinary 
appreciation  of  the  humorous.  A  Quarterly  Reviewer 
and  a  somewhat  voluminous  writer,  many  of  his  works 
sparkle  with  fun,  as  will  be  attested  by  all  who  have  read 
them  ;  one,  ^^  Bubbles  from  the  Brunnens  of  Nassau,'^  a 
laughable  description  of  ^^Life  at  the  German  Baths," 
especially  so :  also  ^^  Stokers  and  Pokers/'  an  account 
of  the  working  of  a  great  Railway — the  London  and 
North- Western.  Amongst  others  of  his  various  writings 
may  be  mentioned  "  The  Emigrant ;  "  ^'^  A  Narrative  " 
(during  his  Governorship  of  Canada)  ;  ^^  A  Fortnight  in 
Ireland,^'  &c. 

Devoted  to  children,  nothing  gave  him  greater  pleasure 
than  asking  them  questions,  and  listening  to  their 
replies  ;  and  any  answer  or  remark  denoting  originality 
or  a  sense  of  fun  gave  him  unfeigned  satisfaction.  Had 
he  been  the  school-inspector,  who,  on  asking  a  boy  what 
tlie  meaning  of  ^^  responsibility  "  was,  was  told,  ^'^  If  I 
had  only  two  buttons  on  my  trousers,  and  one  was  to 
come  off,  the  whole  responsibility  would  rest  with  the 
other,''  he  would  not  have  ceased  smiling  for  a  week. 

When   engaged   to  be  married,   he  was    told  that  his 
fiancee  might  be  obliged  to   have  recourse  to  a  medicine 


Sir  Francis  Bond  Head, 


o^l 


— for  she  was  mucli  out  of  health — -that  would  "  ebonize  " 
her  complexion,  ^^  No  matter,"  was  the  reply,  ^'  my 
affection  is  more  than  skin-deep  ;  '^  and  so  it  proved. 

In  a  work  he  called  '^  The  Horse  and  his  Rider/^  Sir 
Francis  aired  many  of  his  crotchets  on  things  equine,  and 
on  those  pertaining  to  the  saddle-room  ;  and  in  it  gives 
so  lively  and  interesting  a  picture  of  a  Meet  at 
Arthingworth,  as  could  scarcely  have  been  excelled  by 
Wliyte  Melville  himself. 

With  the  expiration  of  the  lease  of  his  house,  this  fine 
old  sportsman,  though  full  of  vigour,  determined  that 
his  "  hunting  lease  "  should  simultaneously  come  to  an 
end.  To  the  great  regret  of  every  member  of  the 
Pytchley  Hunt,  Sir  Francis  Plead  quitted  Northampton- 
shire and  went  to  his  old  home  in  Surrey,  taking  with 
him  the  horses,  without  which  life  itself  would  be 
scarcely  worth  retaining.  The  fox  now  ceased  to  be  an 
object  of  pursuit,  but  the  animals  that  had  so  often 
conveyed  their  master  across  the  green  fields  of 
Northamptonshire  had  now  to  carry  him  over  the  heaths 
and  downs  of  Surrey,  a  duty  in  which  there  was  no 
excitement.  This  was  their  daily  duty  until  age, 
infirmities,  and  the  doctor's  mandate  bade  all  ridinof 
cease.  Forbidden  to  take  horse-exercise,  the  wrecked 
old  hunter  caused  a  hammock  to  be  rigged  up  in  the 
boughs  of  a  tree  ;  and  in  this,  for  the  sake  of  air,  and  of 
such  exercise  as  it  might  give  him,  he  was  swung  for 
three  or  four  hours  daily.  Describing  this  contrivance 
in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  he  says,  with  a  spark  of  his  old 
accustomed  humour,  *^  Though  I  am  quite  *  up  a  tree ' 
for  my  daily  ride,  I  do  manage  to  get  one ;  and  my 
horse's  name    is  Hammock.     It  isn't  much  like  the  real 


o 


1 8     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 


thing,  but  it  is  better  tban  notbing/^  This  condition  of 
affairs  did  not  continue  long.  The  old  coachman,  whose 
duty  it  was  to  drive  the  Hammock,  had  scarcely  got  well 
into  the  swing  of  it  ere  he' suddenly  found  his  occupation 
gone.  Calling  to  inquire  one  summer  morning  in  1875, 
a  friend  learnt  to  his  sorrow  that  during  the  night  the 
spirit  of  the  gallant  old  soldier  was  gone. 

His  own  pen  will  best  portray  the  kindly  nature,  the 
keen  sense  of  humour,  and  the  unquenchable  love  of 
hunting  of  this  onetime  highly  honoured  ^'Member  of 
the  Pytchley  Hunt.""  Still  writing  from  Surrey,  in  the 
January  of  1870,  he  says,  ^^  I  have,  as  you  know, 
completely  disconnected  myself  with  the  ^P.H.,'  to- 
wards which,  as  long  as  I  belonged  to  it,  I  endeavoured 
to  ^  do  all  that  does  become  a  man  !'  I  greatly  regret, 
however,  the  loss  you  have  all  sustained  in  the  death  of 
poor  Jack  Woodcock,  as  neat  a  rider,  and  as  good  a  man 
in  every  way  as  ever  whipped  to  a  pack  of  fox-hounds. 
Your  good  father  [the  late  Mr.  John  Nether  cote]  is  a 
gallant  old  English  Gentleman  ^  all  of  the  olden  time  / 
and  I  trust  that  he  and  his  two  nags  will  enjoy  their  full 
allowance  of  hunting  this  season.  How  I  should  like  to 
be  with  you  all  at  Waterloo  to-morrow,  if  it  were  only  to 
see  you  start  away — a  glorious  sight.^' 


CAPTAIN   EIDDELL. 

At  Bragborough  Hall,  Captain  Riddell  maintains  a 
stud,  out  of  \shich  any  one  in  want  of  a  thoroughly 
dependable  Hunter  is  likely  to  be  suited.  Many  years 
may  have  quenched,  to  a  certain  extent,  in  the   gallant 


Miss  Alder  son,  319 

ex-Officer  of  Lancers,  the  old  ardent  desire  to  be  first 
among  the  foremost  ;  but  they  have  not  robbed  him  of 
either  the  hand  or  seat  that  proclaims  the  accomplished 
horseman. 


MISS  ALDERSON. 

Few  more  ardent  followers  of  hounds  and  fox  are  to  be 
found  than  the  fair  lady  who  has  discovered  that  the  best 
mode  of  recovering  from  the  fatigues  of  a  London  season 
is  a  tri-weekly  gallop  with  the  "  Pytchley  ''  later  on  in 
the  year.     Winter,  in  short,  is   called  on  to  restore  the 
balance    of   health    affected   by    the    wear   and    tear    of 
summer;    and  Brington  Cottage  is  the  chosen  spot  in 
which   the    recuperative    process    takes    place.     If  the 
stranger  imagines  that  the   fair  rider  of  the  hunter-like 
brown  horse  is  one  whom  he  will  not  see  again  as  soon 
as  the  fox  has  left  the  cover,  it  will  be  that  he  himself  is 
in  the  background,  whilst    the   lady  herself  is  well    in 
front.     Quietly  taking    her    fences  as    they  come.  Miss 
Alderson  will  be   sure   to  hold  her  own  in  a  run,  and  a 
note  of  her  voice  has  more  effect  on  the  energies  of  her 
steed  than  the  "  flick  "  of  her  whip,  or  the  ^'  prick  ^'  of 
her  spur.     To  mount  a  relation — a  young  lady  to  whom 
danger    appears    to    be    an    '^  unknown    quantity " — is 
another  pleasure  derived   from  hunting  by  the  amiable 
tenant  of  Brington  Cottage ;  one  in  no  way  lessened  by 
her  occasionally  becoming  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  lady 
going  so  gallantly  ahead  is  her  own  niece  mounted  on  a 
horse  out  of  her  own  stable. 

That   a    daughter   and    a    granddaughter    should    be 
capable  of  taking  rank  among  the  more  intrepid  of  the 


320     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

horsewomen  of  his  country^  would  have  been  a  matter  of 
congratulation  to  Baron  Alderson — a  learned  judge — 
who  was  not  blind  to  the  fact  that  the  sports  of  the  field 
have  charms  for  either  sex. 

No  one  more  than  he — grave  and  learned  lawyer  that 
he  was — would  have  appreciated  the  skill,  daring,  and 
grace  of  his  fair  descendants. 


SIR   CHARLES   ISHAM,  BART, 

If  position  in  the  county  and  the  ownership  of  such 
covers  as  ^^  Blueberry/'  "  Clint  Hill/'  and  "Berrydale'' 
may  entitle  a  country  gentleman  to  consideration  as  one 
of  the  mainstays  of  his  Hunt,  to  few  is  this  title  more 
applicable  than  to  Sir  Charles  Isham  of  Lamport  Hall. 

Without  evincing  that  enthusiasm  for  hunting  which 
has  characterized  other  members  of  his  family,  Sir 
Charles  has  ever  been  amongst  its  most  constant 
supporters,  and  in  his  younger  days  was  often  to  be 
seen  suflBciently  close  to  hounds  to  keep  up  the  credit  of 
a  name  distinguished  for  its  powers  across  a  country. 

That  the  ^'  animus  venandi ''  at  no  time  raged 
furiously  within  his  breast,  is  to  be  gathered  from  the 
fact,  that  the  worthy  Baronet  was  usually  one  of  the 
first  to  turn  his  horse's  head  homeward,  and  leave 
others  to  participate  in  the  good  or  evil  that  might  be 
awaiting  them  after  the  first  gallop.  Pleased  to  hear  of 
a  good  run,  especially  if  from  one  of  his  own  covers,  the 
fact  of  having  missed  it  by  a  too  hasty  retreat  was  never 
alluded  to  as  a  matter  for  regret  or  self-reproach;  nor  did 
ihe  feeling  of  "  better  luck  next  time  '^  seem  at  all  to 


sir  Charles  Is kam»  '^21 


o- 


influence  his  future  action.  That  he  should  of  late 
entirely  have  withdrawn  from  the  Hunting-field  is  a 
misfortune  which  may,  however,  be  attributed  to  other 
causes  than  indifference  to  the  charms  of  the  chase. 

That  evil  spirit  "  Agricultural  Depression  ^'  has  cleared 
out  from  many  a  stable  the  too  costly  luxury  of  a  hunter, 
and  in  her  flight  across  the  broad  acres  of  Northampton- 
shire it  would  seem  as  though  she  had  laid  her  hand  on 
the  once  well-filled  boxes  of  the  Lamport  Hall  stables.  To 
share  the  blame  with  this  "  evil  spirit  '^  are  the  cold  and 
damp  of  a  Midland  county  winter, — evils  which  have 
necessitated  for  Lady  Isham  the  formation  of  a  home 
where  a  more  kindly  atmosphere  gives  hopes  of  an 
immunity  from  aches  and  pains. 

To  many,  the  loss  of  hunting  and  a  forced  absence 
from  home  would  mean  a  serious  diminution  of  life's 
enjoyments;  to  the  owner  of  Lamport,  however, 
occupation  indoors  and  out  is  so  continuous,  that  there  is 
no  time  to  find  fault  with  '^  orders  from  above ;  "  and 
whether  in  Wales  or  Northamptonshire,  his  only  quarrel 
is  with  the  rapid  flight  of  time.  To  him  every  plant  that 
grows,  and  every  bird  that  flies,  is  an  object  of  interest  ; 
and  in  his  "  Rockery,"  a  home  for  Alpine  Plants,  unique 
in  structure  and  appearance,  he  finds  a  never-failing 
source  of  amusement. 

This  remarkable  adjunct  to  a  lovely  garden,  placed 
stone  by  stone  by  his  own  hand,  and  tended  by  no  other 
— lest  some  rare  tenant  suS'er  the  fate  of  a  common 
weed — forms  an  object  of  pilgrimage  to  many  a  lover  of 
Horticulture,  Rare  and  costly  Plants  from  Alps,  Apen- 
nines and  Pyrenees  meet  the  eye  in  every  corner,  in 
addition  to  which,  "  forest-trees  "  of  Chinese  minuteness 

T 


32  2     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

-—vegetable  dwarfs — grow  between  big  boulders,  which 
afford  shelter  to  pigmy  figures  of  weird  and  strange 
appearance.  These  are  supposed  to  represent  the 
'^  Gnomes  '^  or  "  Little  Men  ^'  that  haunt  the  dark  regions 
of  the  Black  and  other  German  forests,  and  give  a  quaint- 
ness  and  originality  to  the  design  which  baffle  description. 
But  by  the  Amateur  of  Books,  as  well  as  by  the  Lover 
of  FloicerSy.  a  feast  of  good  things  may  be  had  at  Lamport 
Hall — a  feast  such  as  is  only  to  be  met  with  in  a  few 
others  of  the  stately  homes  of  England. 

These  literary  treasures  began  to  be  accumulated,  about 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  Century,  by  John — fourth 
son  of  Eu&EBY  IsHAM  of  Pytchley — who  founded  the 
Lamport  branch  of  the  family.  Having  married  a 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Barker — one  of  the  members  of 
the  great  and  opulent  family  of  that  name,^  Printers  to 
Queen  Elizabeth — his  descendants  were  thrown  much 
into  the  literary  society  of  the  capital;  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  to  his  son  Thomas,  and  his  grandson  John, 
knighted  by  James  the  First,  Lamport  is  indebted  for  the 
many  rare  and  valuable  volumes  to  be  found  upon  the 
shelves  of  its  library. 

These  may  have  been  removed  from  town  to  the  country 
for  greater  security  from  fire  and  from  ill-usage 
during  the  Civil  Wars — a  period  during  which  many  a 
literary  treasure  was  irretrievably  lost.  In  the  time  of 
George  I.  Sir  Justinian  Isham,  fifth  Baronet,  made 
great  additions  to  the  collection  of  books  and  altered  the 
house  to  its  present  form.  When  the  books  became  too 
numerous  for  the  Library,  the  less  valuable  ones  were 
removed  to  a  garret,  which  for  many  years  was  kept 
carefully  locked  up,  no  one  begin   allowed  to  enter  it 


Sir  Charles  I  sham.  323 

except  Sir  Justinian  himself.  After  his  death,  in  1818, 
this  room  was  constantly  in  use,  though  the  books 
remained  untouched.  Here  it  was,  that  Mr.  Charles 
Edmonds — representative  at  that  time  of  the  eminent 
firm  of  Sotheran&  Co.,  of  the  Strand  and  Piccadilly — made 
the  discovery  of  which  for  a  while  every  book-lover  in 
England,  on  the  Continent,  and  in  America,  was  talking. 
Commissioned  by  Sir  Charles  Isham  in  1867  to  arrange 
and  report  upon  his  library,  Mr.  Edmonds,  having 
completed  his  work  downstairs,  was  despatched  to  the 
realms  above  to  look  over  the  books  that  had  been 
stowed  away  in  the  garret.  Groping  amongst  the 
contents  of  the  shelves — filled  as  was  supposed  with  the 
poor  relations  of  the  great  folk  below-stairs — there  came 
to  light  a  small  volume,  wearing  an  outward  covering  of 
clean  white  vellum,  the  lettering  of  which  had  faded 
out  throug'h  time.  Little  wotting  of  the  value  of  the  fish 
he  had  just  hooked,  he  opened  its  title-page,  and  to  his 
astonishment  and  delight  became  aware,  at  a  glance, 
that  he  was  the  fortunate  bringer  to  light  of  such  a 
volume  of  gems  as  has  seldom  blessed  the  eyes  of  a 
Bibliomaniac.  In  front  appeared  a  hitherto-unknown 
edition  of  Shakespeare's  earliest  work,  Venus  and  Adonis, 
printed  in  1599 ;  secondly,  the  famous  surreptitious 
collection  of  Sonnets  entitled  the  Passionate  Filgrime,  hij 
T^. /S'/iafces^^ear^',  also  printed  in  1599,  and  of  which  the 
only  other  existing  copy  is  preserved  in  Trinity  College 
Library,  Cambridge  ;  and  lastly,  the  notorious  tract 
containing  Epigrammes  and  Elegies  by  Sir  John 
Davies  and  Kit  Marlowe,  all  the  copies  of  which  were 
ordered  by  public  authority  to  be  burnt  at  Stationers' 
Hall  in   the  aforesaid  year    of  1599.     Very  large  sums 

Y  2 


-?  o 


2  4     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

were  offered  for  this  small  volume — Mr.  Edmonds  being, 
before  liis  public  announcement  of  the  astounding  dis- 
covery, the  bearer  of  a  blank  cheque  from  his  prin- 
cipals. But  Sir  Charles  was  able  to  resist  temptation, 
and  the  volume  still  holds  its  supremacy  at  Lamport, 
the  chief  attraction  of  a  library  replete  with  similar 
treasures,  many  of  which  were  brought  to  light  on  the 
same  auspicious  day. 

So  great  is  the  estimation  in  which  this  copy  of  the 
Passionate  Pilgrime  is  held  by  members  of  the  learned 
army  of  book- worms — on  account  of  the  remarkable 
history  of  its  production,  its  excessive  rarity,  and  fine 
condition,  that  though  himself  no  very  absorbed  student  of 
our  great  poet,  its  mere  possession  has  caused  Sir  Charles 
to  be  known  in  literary  circles  as  ''  Shakespeare  Isham." 
What  this  diminutive  gem  might  fetch  under  the 
hammer  of  tbe  auctioneer,  it  would  be  difficult  to  say, 
but  at  a  time  when  three  early  Bibles — one  the  famous 
Mazarine  Bible — realize  nearly  ten  thousand  pounds, 
and  a  bookseller  can  see  his  way  to  giving  four  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  for  a  book — Psalmorum 
Codex — printed  in  1459,  scarcely  any  sum  would  seem 
too  extravagant  for  the  acquisition  of  this  great  rarity. 
Nor  was  this  the  only  "  curio ''  that  was  dug  out  of  these 
literary  quarries.  Upwards  of  a  dozen  other  poetical 
tracts  of  the  Elizabethan  era,  hitherto  unrecorded  and 
consequently  unknown,  were  now  brought  to  light,  all  in 
most  beautiful  and  perfect  condition,  some  bound  in  the 
fine  vellum  of  the  period,  while  others  were  uncut,  just  as 
they  came  from  the  printers. 

In  addition  to  rare  plants  and  books,  Lamport   Hall  is 
full  of  costly  old  Italian  cabinets,  Palissy  ware,  and  other 


Sir  Charles  I  sham.  325 

valuable  china,  fine  pictures,  and  other  "  objetfc-d^art," 
worthy  of  a  family  whose  progenitors  were  persons  of 
distinction  in  Northamptonshire  before  the  time  of 
William  the  Conqueror. 

That  the  ancestral  love  of  the  chase  should  be  allowed 
to  wax  cold  in  such  a  family  as  this  one — in  whom  to 
hunt  is  almost  a  case  of  "noblesse  oblige  " — is  a  misfortune 
which  the  ''^  P. H.'^  does  not  fail  to  recognize.  It  seems 
impossible  to  imagine  that  the  brilliant  Meets  of  old  have 
passed  away,  under  the  influences  respectively  of  bad 
times  and  an  unkindly  climate.  Is  not  the  space  beneath 
the  porch,  with  the  formidable-looking  '^  man-traps,' '  on 
either  side — innocent  in  their  rustiness  at  this  present, 
but  wearing  every  appearance  of  having  once  been  '^  ugly 
customers  '^ — to  be  once  more  peopled  with  scarlet  coats 
and  well-fitting  habits  ?  Are  smart  carriages  and 
"  nobby  ^^-looking  dogcarts,  no  longer  to  stand  waiting  at 
the  door,  whilst  their  occupants  are  paying  their  respects 
to  '^my  lady,"*^  or  taking  a  nip  of  the  ^^  jumping  powder  ^^ 
which  presents  itself  in  a  variety  of  alluring  forms  to  the 
chilled  system  ?  Are  horses  costly  in  price,  with  coats 
like  satin,  no  more  to  be  seen  pacing  up  and  down  under 
the  care  of  natty  grooms,  awaiting  their  rider's  exit  from 
the  house;  whilst  Goodall,  surrounded  by  his  pack,  is 
adding  unconsciously  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the  scene  ? 
It  cannot  be  that  such  mornings  as  these  are  to  be 
consigned  to  the  dark  limbo  of  lost  joys — bright  moments 
never  to  return.  No  !  they're  over  for  a  while,  maybe— 
these  hospitable  ways— but  "  hope  still  lurks  behind  the 
cloud,"  and  points  to  happier  days. 

At  no  time  has  the  old  adage  of  its  being  ''  a  long  lane 
that  has  no  turning  '^  been  more  necessary  to  be  borne 


326     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

in  mind  than  at  this  present  hour ;  and  well  may  be 
coupled  with  it  the  admonishment,  ^^  Hope  on,  hope  ever." 
The  motto  "  Ostendo,  non  ostento  " — I  show,  I  sham  not 
— deeply  imprinted  on  the  walls  of  Lamport  Hall,  forms 
what  is  termed  in  heraldry  "  a  punning  motto,"  remarkably 
adapted  to  a  family  long  notable  for  straightforwardness 
and  sincerity. 

MR.  GILBERT. 

If  whole-heartedness  in  fox-preserving  can  confer  im- 
mortality upon  any  one,  Mr.  Thomas  Gilbert  of  Swinford 
can  show  an  unequalled  claim  to  that  distinction.  Loving 
sport  for  its  own  sake,  and  bent  upon  using  every  en- 
deavour to  ensure  the  success  of  the  pack  to  which  he  is 
chiefly  attached,  there  is  no  one  in  the  large  Lutterworth 
area  to  whom  the  thanks  of  Pytchley  as  well  as  other 
sportsmen  are  more  justly  due  than  to  Mr.  Gilbert.  To 
him,  indeed,  ought  to  have  been  dedicated  the  well- 
known  lines  composed  by  a  Nottinghamshire  sportsman, 
and  entitled  ''  The  Whole  Duty  of  Man." 

The  lesson  that  I  give, 

If  any  one  holds  cheap,  he'll 
Find  he  cannot  live, 

Or  die  with  decent  people. 
Your  business  all,  if  old, 

Young,  or  children  in  3'our  frocks  is, 
In  one  short  precept  told. 

Namely — preserve  the  foxes. 

If  you  this  solemn  claim 

Shall  wickedly  neglect,  you 
Will  hear  the  dogs  bark,  shame, 

And  the  puppies  won't  respect  3'ou. 
You  may  in  woe  find  mirth, 

In  pillory  or  stocks  ease. 
But  you  won't  find  peace  on  earth. 

If  you  OiOiit  p)i"eserve  the  foxes. 


Mr,  John  Bennett.  327 


You  small  boys  in  whose  books 

Learning  finds  no  lovers, 
You  may  burn  your  books, 

If  you  preserve  the  covers. 
And  now,  long  live  the  Queen, 

And  may  no  foe  unnerve  her ; 
That  is,  of  course  we  mean. 

If  she's  a  good  preserver. 

But  Army,  Church,  and  Crown, 

The  Commons,  Peers  and  Pi'oxies, 
Must  certainly  go  down. 

If  they  dion't  jpreserve  the  foxes. 
The  way  to  cure  all  woe, 

And  battle  fortune's  shocks  is. 
By  singing"  Tally  ho  / '' 

And  peeseeving  of  the  foxes. 


MR.  JOHN  BENNETT. 

No  more  familiar  name  with  Pytcliley,  Qaorn,  or  Ather- 
stone  Hunts  is  there  than  that  of  John  Bennett  of 
Marston.  Now  well  past  his  seventieth  year,  the  slim 
form,  quick  eye,  and  a  gait  smacking  more  of  the  rider 
than  of  the  pedestrian,  still  proclaim  the  one-time  elegant 
and  determined  horseman ;  and  whether  in  a  run  or  in  a 
steeple  chase,  the  man  who  was  near  John  Bennett  was 
pretty  sure  to  be  in  a  situation,  where  if  he  could  not  be 
first  past  the  post,  he  would  be  likely  to  "  run  into  a 
place.''  Beginning  to  hunt  early  in  life,  and  a  close 
observer  of  the  ways  of  men  as  well  as  of  hounds  and 
horses,  there  is  many  a  less  pleasant  way  of  passing  a 
winter  evening,  than  to  recall,  with  a  good  bottle  of  old 
port,  past  times  and  old  hunting  heroes,  with  Mr.  Bennett 
as  your  reminder-in-chief.  Talk  to  him  of  ''  the  Squire," 
Lord  Chesterfield,  George  Payne,  '^  Gentleman  Smith," 
or  Tailby,  throwing  in  a  few  ^'^  asides  '^  on  racing  matters; 


328     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 

and  sucli  a  store  of  recollections  will  be  aroused  as  will 
last  until   the  failing  lights  warn  you  that  bed-time  has 
arrived.     Like  many  another  affected  by  Father  Time — 
and  a  time  ruinous  to  agriculturists — his  hunting-days 
have  well-nigh  passed  even  the  waning  hour;  but  the 
love  for  the   sport  burns   no  less   brightly  than  of  yore. 
A  brother,  some  years  his  senior^  has  long  disappeared 
from  the  cover  side_,  but  the  genial  hospitality  that  ever 
awaited  the  hungry  hunter  at  Marstou  Trussell  Hall,  will 
be  gratefully  remembered  by  the  older  members  of  the 
*'  P.H."     As  hounds  hung  about  the  Marston  plantations 
— puzzled  by  the  ^^  fur  ^^  that  so  plentifully  prevailed — on 
the  welcome  fact  becoming  known   that  a   slice   of  ripe 
Stilton,  a  glass  of  fine  old  brown  sherry,  and  a  beaker  of 
home-brewed,  were  awaiting  any  of  Mr.  Bennett's  friends 
and  his  friends'  friend,  the  dining-room  of  the  old  Hall 
soon    became   thronged    with  famished    sportsmen,  and 
more  than  one  good  gallop  has  been  missed  by  a  too  pro- 
longed attention  to  the  wants   of  the  inner  man  under 
that  hospitable  roof. 


MR.  MILLS.— ME.  ENTWISLE.— THE  LATE 
MR.  GOUGH. 

For  many  a  year  both  Quorn  and  Pytchley  have  looked 
to  the  owner  of  Welford  House  to  see  that  the  interests 
of  hunting  suffer  nothing  for  want  of  attention  in  those 
parts  which  form  his  more  immediate  neighbourhood. 
Nor  has  either  been  disappointed.  The  mere  fact  of  the 
properties  at  North  Kilworth  and  Welford  being  owned 
by    such    keen    and    excellent    sportsmen    as     Messrs. 


Mr.  Mills — Mr.  Entwisle — Mr.  Goiigh.  329 

Entwisle  and  Mills,  is  a  guarantee  that  hunting  will 
abundantly  flourish  in  the  district  which  comes  within 
the  span  of  their  influence.  No  member  of  a  hunt  ever 
had  the  preservation  of  foxes  more  at  heart  than  Mr. 
Gougli^  the  late  owner  of  North.  Kilworth  House  ;  and  it 
is  pleasant  to  see  the  new  proprietor  following  in  the 
footsteps  of  his  predecessor.  May  he  have  the  satisfaction 
of  witnessing  from  a  cover  of  his  own  such  a  run  as  that 
which  has  been  elsewhere  described,  commencing'  close  to 
his  own  door  and  terminating  at  Boughton^  three  miles 
from  Northampton. 

A  finer  class  of  hunter  than  that  which  for  many  a  year 
past  has  filled  the  stalls  of  Mr.  Mills^  it  would  take  good 
judgment  as  well  as  a  good  balance  at  your  bankers,  to 
become  possessed  of;  and  rarely  have  horses  been 
handled  in  a  more  workmanlike  manner.  If  time  may 
have  run  off  with  a  portion  of  the  old  riding  virtue, 
Mr.  Mills  has  the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  it  has  only 
entered  into  the  hearts  of  two  gallant  sonSj  either  of 
whom  will  decline  to  be  "pounded'^  by  the  hardest  man 
out  on  the  same  day  with  himself 


2jO     TJie  Pytchley  Htmt,  Past  and  Presc7it. 


NORTHAMPTON   BRIGADE . 


MR.   WHITWORTH,    SEN.,   AND   DR.   DODD. 

l^EOM  time  immemorial,  the  County-Town  has  supplied 
its  quota  of  followers  of  the  Pytchley,  Grafton,  and  Oakley 
Hounds,  with  the  first  for  choice.  Without  going  back 
to  the  days  of  old  when  the  first  Mr.  Whitworth  used  to 
appear  at  the  near  home-meets,  and  trot  about  on  his 
short-tailed  horse,  with  three  or  four  fellow-townsmen  of 
the  same  age  and  habits  as  himself,  we  may  mention,  as 
amongst  the  most  remarkable  of  Northampton  sports- 
men, that  Dr.  Dodd,  whose  ungainly  form  may  still 
be  remembered  by  some  of  the  citizens  of  the  ancient 
borough  of  St.  Crispin.  Long  in  face,  long  in  back, 
and  with  lower  extremities  to  match,  this  worthy 
son  of  ^sculapius  was  one  of  those  who  had  few 
pleasures  in  life  except  hunting ;  and  who,  bidding 
defiance  to  the  drawbacks  of  weight,  and  nags  of 
inferior  quality,  always  contrived  to  forge  ahead  during 
a  run,  and  earned  for  himself  the  reputation  of  being  a 
**  wonderful  man  to  hounds." 

On  a  plain,  light-ribbed,  three-cornered  chestnut  mare, 
he  was  pretty  sure  to  be  in  front  of  many  a  better 
mounted  man  ;  affording  another  proof  that  it  is  the 
'^  heart "  and  not  the  *'  horse  '^  that  is  the  '^  one  thing 
needful  "  in  making  your  way  across  country. 

The  Hon.  C.  Gust,  thinking  more  of  performance  than 


' '  L awyer  Flesher, "  331 

appearance,  added  the  unattractive-looking  chestnut  to 
his  stud ;  but  the  two  did  not  look  a  match,  nor  ever 
seemed  to  be  on  thoroughly  good  terms  with  each 
other. 


*^ LAWYER   FLESHER/' 

The  burly  form  of  ^^  Lawyer  Flesher^^  might  at  this 
time  be  seen  on  every  Monday  and  Friday,  slowly 
wending  his  way  to  the  cover-side  ;  a  true  love  of  hunting 
and  of  breeding  hunters,  being  a  marked  characteristic 
of  one,  who,  by  nature,  seemed  most  unfitted  for  the 
chase. 


MR.   HENRY  HIGGINS. 

"  Coal  and  Corn-merchant  Northampton  "  could  boast 
a  sportsman  of  the  true  and  genuine  type — one, 
who  for  many  years  devoted  his  leisure  hours  to  fox- 
hunting ;  and,  who,  always  riding  horses  of  a  superior 
stamp,  could  hold  his  own  with  the  best-mounted  man  in 
the  field. 


THE   THREE   MESSRS.   PHILLIPS. 

The  representatives  of  '^Malt  and  Hops^^  have  ever 
shown  a  leaning  for  all  things  connected  with  Fox  and 
Hound.  Of  the  three  brothers  Phillips — connected  for  some 
time  with  three  important  Breweries — it  would  be  hard  to 
say  which  were  the  "  better  man,^^  no  one  of  the  trio 
having  an  advantage  over  the  other  in  weight,  keenness, 
or  resolution. 


332     The  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

MR.   JOHN   PHIPPS. 

Mr.  John  Phipps,  another  malt-lord — now  a  ''lost 
chord/'  with  many  a  Northampton  Institution — was 
rarely  to  be  seen  on  a  horse  of  inferior  stamp  ;  and  gave 
many  a  proof  of  his  right  to  be  attached  to  the  ''  not- 
afraid  "  division. 


MESSRS.    RATCLIFFE,   EADY,   AND   HARRIS. 

One  of  the  partners — Mr.  Ratcliffe — of  the  '^  Lion 
Brewery/'  by  a  pretty  frequent  attendance  at  the  Py tchley 
Meets,  still  maintains  the  continuity  of  the  sporting 
instincts  of  the  "  Guild  ; ''  and,  by  the  excellence  of  the 
commodity  in  which  he  deals,  does  his  best  to  uphold  its 
reputation.  To  him  the  witticism  will  never  be  applic- 
able, which  a  London  brewer,  famous  for  the  weakness  of 
his  beer,  was  once  made  the  victim  of.  Having  unfortu- 
nately lost  his  life  by  tumbling  into  one  of  his  own  huge 
vats,  Jekyll — one  of  the  great  wits  of  his  time — upon 
hearing  of  the  accident,  remarked,  ^'  Oh,  poor  fellow ! 
then  hemust  be  lying  in  his  own  watery  bier !  '' 

Neat  as  this  may  be,  its  utterer  may  well  have  envied 
the  cooper's  boy,  who,  when  asked  at  a  Board  School 
examination  to  give  a  definition  of  "  nothing/'  replied,  '^  a 
bung-hole  without  a  barrel  round  it  !  " 

The  Ram  Hotel  had  for  several  years  for  its  host 
a  Sportsman — Mr.  Eady — and  the  same  spirit  is 
still  to  be  found  in  his  representative  of  the  present 
time — Mr.  Harris — one  to  whom  a  day's  hunting  appears 
to  be  a  class  of  enjoyment  to  which  nothing  else  on 
earth  is  comparable. 


y^/r.  James  Top  ham,  ^2>. 


FAEMEE  MEMBEES. 


MR.  JAMES  TOPHAM. 

Looking  down  from  the  wind-blown  heights  of  the  fitly- 
named  "  Cold  Ashby/'  the  famous  Hemplow  Hills  come 
into  the  full  view  of  the  spectator,  a  stronghold  for 
foxes  for  many  a  mile  around  ;  and  in  spite  of  its  some- 
what formidable  ascent,  dear  to  every  Pytchley  heart. 
Inseparably  connected  with  it  is  the  name  of  one,  who, 
though  he  has  now  for  some  years  quitted  it  for  his 
native  county,  had  so  impressed  his  individuality  upon 
it,  that  ''  Jem  Topham  ''  and  "  Hemplow  Hills  ^^  seemed 
almost  part  and  parcel  of  the  same  word. 

A  Lincolnshire  yeoman,  hailing  from  Lord  Yar- 
borough's  country,  where  farming  and  hunting  run  in 
couples — a  keen  sportsman,  and  as  good  a  judge  of 
horse  and  hound  as  of  sheep  or  shorthorn — it  was  a 
grand  day  for  the  "P.H.'^  when  the  Hemplow  property 
passed  into  hands  determined  to  maintain  its  reputation 
as  a  great  sporting  centre. 

In  the  whole  area  of  the  Pytchley  Hunt,  there  is 
probably  no  more  vital  spot  than  that  known  as  ^'  the 
Hemplow." 

Popular  as  a  breeding-place,  a  year  without  four  or 
five  litters  would  be  a  phenomenon  of  more  than 
ordinary  evil  omen,  and  would  entail  an  inquiry  of  a 
most  deep  and  searching  character.  As  was  said  of  the 
"  Eternal  City,^^  ^'  When  falls  the  Colosseum,  Rome  shall 


334     ^^^^  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

fall,"  so  it  might  be  said  of  this  important  cover_,  "  When 
fails  the  Hemplow,  the  '  P.H/  will  fail." 

From  its  lofty  position  it  serves  as  a  magnet  to  foxes 
from  all  parts  of  the  adjacent  country  upon  which  it  looks 
down ;  and  ^'  Lilbourne,"  "  Crick  '^  and  ^'  Hilmorton  " 
GorseSj  can  tell  of  many  a  gallant  fox,  who,  on  being 
roused  by  the  voice  of  his  natural  enemy  from  his  cosy 
bed  of  sedge  and  bramble,  has  made  the  best  of  his  way 
to  the  shelter  of  the  hills.  To  stand  upon  the  crest  of 
these  lofty  heights,  and  look  over  the  intervening- 
grasses  far  away  into  the  adjoining  county,  is  a  treat 
almost  sufficient  in  itself,  but  to  encompass  any  part  of 
the  same  distance  on  a  bold  and  accomplished  hunter, 
after  hounds  running  breast-high,  is  to  the  true  sports- 
man, the  skimming  the  cream  of  the  highest  enjoyment. 
The  importance  to  a  Hunt  of  a  property  so  situated 
being  in  the  hands  of  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Topham — and 
happily  this  is  no  less  applicable  to  its  present  owner, 
Mr.  Simpson — one  to  whom  the  preservation  of  foxes  was 
an  object  only  second  to  a  successful  conversion  of  his 
clammy  acres  into  loaves  and  fishes — is  too  manifest  to 
need  dwelling  upon. 

Some  who  read  these  pages  will  call  to  mind  the 
interest  with  which  the  new  Lord  of  the  Hemplow  was 
looked  over  on  his  first  appearance  with  the  ^^  P.H."  A 
glance  was  sufficient  to  show  that  the  man  must  have 
been  made  for  the  place.  Mounted  on  an  animal — long, 
low,  not  particularly  well-bred,  but  looking  all  over  a 
hunter — there  was  no  room  for  any  mistake  as  to  the 
new  importation  from  the  Brocklesby  country  being 
''every  inch  a  sportsman,'^  and  an  acquisition  to  any 
Hunt. 


Mr.  James  Top  ham  335 

That  he  proved  himself  such  for  some  eight  or  teu 
years,  is  in  the  grateful  recollection  of  every  Member 
of  the  Pytchley,  as  well  as  of  many  a  stranger  to  the 
Hunt. 

The  odour  of  the  Topham  hospitality  still  hovers 
around  the  precincts  of  the  famous  cover ;  and  many  a 
hunting  man  remembers  with  gratitude  the  good  cheer 
that  at  the  end  of  a  long  day  sent  him  on  his  homeward 
way  rejoicing. 

A  sportsman  of  the  old  school,  Mr.  Topham  never 
thought  of  joining  the  noble  army  of  '^  thrusters/'  but 
was  content  to  hold  his  own  with  the  second  flight,  ever 
keeping  his  eye  upon  the  leading  hounds,  and  quick  to 
make  his  point  as  they  turned  to  right  or  left. 

After  eight  or  ten  years  of  good  service  to  the  country 
of  his  adoption,  the  property  again  came  into  the  market, 
and  happily  once  more  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  Sports- 
man, who,  though  somewhat  of  an  absentee,  in  no  way 
permits  the  reputation  of  the  well-known  cover  to  suffer 
an  eclipse.  During  the  last  season,  foxes  ran  about  the 
hills  like  rabbits ;  and  after  three  or  four  had  been 
seen  to  follow  in  each  other^s  tracks,  the  cry  was  "  still 
they  come.'^ 

Before  quitting  the  neighbourhood,  Mr.  Topham 
received  a  compliment  of  which  he  may  well  have  been 
proud — one  accorded  to  such  only,  who,  by  some  peculiar 
merit  of  their  own,  have  won  the  esteem  of  those  by 
whom  worth  is  appreciated  on  its  own  account. 

At  a  public  dinner  attended  by  a  large  number  of 
hunting  men,  the  late  owner  of  the  Hemplow  was 
presented  with  a  handsome  mark  of  the  esteem  in  which 
he  was  held  by  his   friends  and  neiglibours.     From   the 


33^     TJie  Pytchley  Htint^  Past  and  Present. 

kindly  expressions  made  use  of  on  that  occasion,  Mr. 
'i  opham  had  the  gratification  of  feeling  that  his  efforts 
to  promote  sport,  and  his  wish  to  show  hospitality  to  all 
during  his  sojourn  in  Northamptonshire  had  not  been 
unappreciated.  That  he  may  long  live  to  think  of  his 
pleasant  days  with  the  Pytchley,  and  of  the  friends  he 
left  behind  him,  is  the  sincere  wish  of  many  who  still 
miss  the  stalwart  form  and  hearty  greeting  of  James 
Topham,  one  time  owner  of  Hemplow  Hills,  and  as  good 
an  example  of  the  genuine  English  Fox-Hunter  as 
ever  followed  hounds. 


MR.  ELWORTHY. 

Amongst  the  more  familiar  faces  of  those  upon  whom 
Time  has  served  a  notice  to  quit  the  farm  and  lands  over 
which  for  many  a  year,  without  payment  of  rent  or 
acknowledgment,  without  even  a  '^  by  your  leave  or  with 
your  leave  ''  to  landlord  or  tenant,  they've  galloped  as  if 
they  were  their  own,  is  William  El  worthy,  eke  landlord 
of  the  "Ram  Hotel '^  at  Northampton,  and  for  some 
years  occupant  of  the  farm  at  Brixworth,  upon  which 
stands  the  once  well-known  "  Weston's  Spinney. •'' 

There  are  those  who  appear  at  the  Meets  for  many 
another  reason  than  the  love  of  hunting  'pur  et  simple, 
but  from  his  earliest  youth,  to  the  fine  old  Sportsman  of 
whom  we  are  speaking,  "  the  hound,  the  whole  hound, 
and  nothing  but  the  hound,"  has  been  the  motive 
principle  of  his  constant  attendance  at  the  cover- 
side. 

Without  pretence  of  doing  more  than  what  within  him 


Mr.  Elworthy — Mr.  Widdowson.         ^yl^"] 

lay,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  country  and  a  ^good  eye  to 
hounds,  enabled  the  owner  of  the  small  but  well-shaped 
hunter  to  see  the  choice  bits  of  most  of  the  good  gallops 
of  his  time ;  and  his  name  is  to  be  seen  amongst  the  few 
who  were  up  at  the  end  of  the  famous  run  from 
Kilworth  to  Boug'hton  during  the  Mastership  of  Lord 
Hopetoun. 

With  a  memory  teeming  with  the  recollection  of  events 
of  former  days,  the  stndent  of  the  history  of  the  Pytchley 
Hunt,  of  the  great  duels  of  the  Prize-Ring,  and  of  sundry 
incidents  connected  with  the  Turf,  will  find  no  better 
source  to  which  he  may  apply  for  information.  Speak 
to  him  of  "  Goody  Levi,"  '^  Pickle  Higgins,'^  and  the 
'^  top-booted  old  Yeoman  of  Sywell,^'  and  the  whole 
drama  of  the  ^^  Running  Rein  Robbery  "  will  be  placed 
before  you ;  whilst  a  still- smouldering  admiration  for  the 
heroes  of  the  *^  Lemon  and  the  Sponge  ^'  will  lead  him 
on  very  slight  provocation  to  dilate  on  the  occurrences 
of  certain — so-called — "  Glorious  Battles/'  of  which  he 
himself  was  an  eye-witness. 

Though  no  longer  to  be  seen  jogging  alongside  of  the 
Huntsman  to  the  Meet  at  Sywell  Wood  or  Lamport  Hall, 
his  interest  in  the  proceedings  of  the  "  P.H."  in  no  way 
waxes  faint ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  many  a  year  will 
elapse  ere  the  respected  subject  of  this  brief  memoir 
will  cease  to  "  babble  o'  green  fields,^'  grand  runs,  and 
Mr.  George  Payne. 


MR.  WILLIAM  WIDDOWSON. 

Though   the   name   of  William    Widdowson    of    Great 

z 


22,^     The  Pytchley  Html,  Past  and  Present. 

Harrowden  may  be  unknown  to  the  present  generation, 
and  ia  associated  with  no  great  deeds  of  doughty  horse- 
manship— though  by  him  the  "hog-backed  stile ^'  and 
the  brook  with  rotten  banks  and  muddy  bottom  were 
objects  to  be  avoided  rather  than  encountered — his 
memory  as  an  old  and  honoured  lover  of  the  chase  lingers 
kindly  in  the  hearts  of  many  an  East-side  follower  of  the 
''  P.H."  of  a  former  day. 

A  tenant  of  the  Hon.  George  Fitzwilliam,  and  occupant 
of  a  stretch  of  grass  over  which  hounds  are  bound  to  run 
"  hard,  all,"  in  spite  of  flocks  and  herds  ;  to  the  worthy 
old  Sportsman  there  was  no  pleasure  in  which  he  so 
much  delighted  as  to  watch  hounds  cross  the  valley  be- 
tween Harrowden  Ness  and  Vivian's  Cover. 

By  the  non-adventurous  the  enlivening  scene  may  be 
witnessed  in  safety  from  the  heights  above,  an  almost 
irresistible  line  of  gates  leading  from  and  to  the  respective 
points,  with  a  probable  drawing  of  the  rein  for  a  few 
seconds  at  the  interposing  "  Blackberry."  For  those 
who  ride  to,  rather  than  from,  hounds,  the  line  is  not 
without  its  perils — the  intervening  fences  and  a  nasty 
bottom  being  objects  requiring  some  negotiation,  and  not 
a  little  hardness  of  heart.  At  the  time  here  referred  to, 
it  was  as  a  "  caretaker  '^  rather  than  a  ^'  pursuer,"  that 
'^old  Bill  Widdowson"  took  his  place  as  a  marked  and 
well-known  character  in  a  Pytchley  Field  on  the  Monday 
side. 

Of  venerable  aspect,  with  snow-white  hair,  and  a  long 
great-coat  coming  well  over  his  knees,  he  bestrode  a 
placid  and  sensible-looking  old  steed,  which  well  matched 
the  rider. 

The  two  well-known  covers,  Blow  Hill  and  Harrowden 


Mr.  Widdowson — Mr.  Oldacre,  339 

Ness — the  latter,  alas  !  not  even  a  shadow  of  its  former 
self — were  placed  under  his  especial  protection ;  and 
right  well  did  he  discharge  a  duty  that  he  so  much  loved. 
The  Ness  was,  from  its  position  and  sporting  look,  the 
peculiar  object  of  his  regard,  and  the  trespasser  in  search 
of  ^^  fur  ^'  or  ^'  feather,^'  was  pretty  sure  to  be  made 
acquainted  with  the  law  affecting  him  who  ^'  shoots  or 
suares  what  isn't  his'n."  When  hounds  were  first  put 
into  cover,  it  was  interesting  to  watch  the  alternations  of 
hope  and  disappointment  that  played  across  the  old  man's 
face.  As  soon,  however,  as  some  deep  and  trusty  tongue 
had  proclaimed  that  a  foxey  smell  had  come  betwixt 
the  wind  and  his  ^'  caninity,"  a  smile  lit  up  the  lately 
anxious  face,  and  he  would  say  to  some  one  near,  ^^  1 
thought  that  they  would  find  him  in  that  bit  of  gorse  by 
the  brookside."  On  the  disappearance  of  hounds  and 
horsemen,  the  old  horse  received  a  reminder  from  the  one 
spur  of  his  well-satisfied  rider,  who  no  sooner  reached 
his  home  than  he  proceeded  to  uncork  a  bottle  of  the 
old  Port  which  was  reserved  for  those  red-letter  days. 

But  there  is  no  longer  either  Harrowden  Ness  to  be 
looked  after  or  old  Bill  Widdowson  to  look  after  it. 
Farewell,  fine  old  Sportsman  !  Many  a  man  of  more  im- 
portance has  lost  his  billet  without  leaving  so  many 
pleasant  memories  behind  him. 


MR,   MATTHEW   OLDACRE. 

In  the  noble  army  of  Northamptonshire  yeomen  who  go 
well  with  hounds,  the  foremost  place  may  fairly  be 
assigned  to  a  heavy-weight  who  has  no  superior  across  a 

z  2 


340     TJie  PytcJiley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

country.  In  Matthew  Oldacre  of  C]ipston_,  we  have  one 
of  those  exceptional  organizations  in  whose  hearts  there 
seems  to  be  no  room  for  fear,  and  to  whom  the  class  of 
animal  they  ride  seems  to  be  a  matter  of  no  material  con- 
sequence. Riding  nearly  seventeen  stone_,  a  ^'^  weight- 
carrier  ^'  was  a  necessity  to  Mr.  Oldacre ;  and  though  he 
could  not  always  command  class  as  well  as  power,  the 
runs  were  few  and  far  between,  the  best  part  of  which  he 
could  not  dilate  upon  as  ^*  one  who  was  there."  The 
bigger  the  country,  the  more  sure  he  was  to  be  near 
hounds ;  the  combination  of  weight  and  pluck  serving 
him  in  good  stead,  when  no  one  else  saw  a  likelihood  of 
arriving  at  the  other  side  of  an  unyielding  bullfinch. 

Ill-health  has  for  some  time  stood  between  him  and  a 
pursuit  that  in  his  eyes  has  iio  equal ;  but  with  only 
three  score  years  and  ten  to  grapple  with,  it  is  to  be 
hoped  the  day  is  far  distant  when  he  will  cease  to  appear, 
careering  across  the  big  grasses  of  Oxenden  and 
Kel  marsh. 


MR.    CHARLES   HEWETT. 

Weee  the  name  of  Charles  Hewett  of  Draughton  to  be 
omitted  from  the  list  of  the  hunting  farmer-worthies  of 
the  ^^P.H./'  the  very  hounds  in  their  kennel  would  cry 
out.  In  early  life  a  rider  of  no  ordinary  acquirements, 
his  services  in  a  steeplechase  were  in  frequent  demand 
by  the  owners  of  horses ;  but  it  was  in  pursuit  of  the  fox 
that  he  was  most  at  home. 

Living  in  a  position  from  which  most  of  the  Meets 
were   easily  accessible,  in  days  gone  by,  the  father  and 


Mr.  Matthew  Warren,  341 

two  sons  were  constant  members  of  a  Pytcliley  field. 
When  death — striking  from  the  suddenness  of  the  blow — 
removed  the  last  of  the  well-known  trio,  it  was  generally 
acknowledged  that  in  the  loss  of  Charles  Hewett  a  gap 
had  been  made  in  the  farmer-clientele  of  the  "  P.H.'^ 
which  was  not  likely  ever  to  be  filled  up. 


MR.   MATTHEW  WARREN. 

As  every  village  boasts  its  ^'  oldest  inhabitant/'  so 
every  Hunt  has  its  "  oldest  follower,"  and  so  far  as  the 
"  P.H."  is  concerned,  that  not-altogether-enviable  dis- 
tinction can  be  claimed  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Matthew 
Warren  of  Boughton  Mills,  near  Northampton. 

Any  one  told  off  to  find  a  finer  specimen  of  the  *^  genus 
homo  ''  at  the  age  of  ninety  than  this  stalwart  farmer 
and  miller — an  honoured  tenant  of  Mr.  Howard  Vyse — 
might  complain  that  he  had  had  a  task  assigned  to  him 
that  it  was  impossible  to  perform. 

In  spite  of  all  the  long  laborious  days  that  go  to  make 
up  the  sum  of  fourscore  years  and  ten  of  a  busy  life^ 
early  hours  and  regular  habits  seem  so  to  have  squared 
matters  with  ^^  Time,  the  Avenger/'  that  the  upright 
form  of  the  old  Sportsman  appears  to  have  lost  nothing 
of  its  six-feet-two ;  and  the  stoop  that  is  so  often  seen  in 
the  bearer  of  sixty  winters  may  be  looked  for  in  vain  in 
one  who  numbers  half  as  many  years  again.  ^'  In  every 
life  some  rain  must  fall ;  "  and  doubtless  this  fine  old 
man  has  had  his  share  of  trouble  and  of  sorrow,  but  of 
gout  and  rheumatism  he  has  known  nothing,  not  even 
for  a  day;  and    though  he    is  constantly  seen    on   and 


34^     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

about  his  farm,  lie  smilingly  sajs_,  ^^  Ah,  but  I  should 
be  there  oftener  than  I  am,  if  I  were  not  a  little  troubled 
with  fever  in  the  feet/^  With  a  memory  for  business 
and  other  matters  quite  unimpaired,  he  loves  to  talk  of 
the  many  runs  he  has  seen  across  the  grass-fields  around 
him,  and  will  talk  of  the  ^'^P.H/''  days,  from  Lord 
Althorp  up  to  the  current  year,  as  if  they  were  events  of 
yesterday.  The  general  love  and  admiration  for  Mr. 
George  Payne  burn  no  less  strongly  within  him  than  it 
did  when  he  followed  his  hounds  ;  and  to  any  friend  of 
that  idol  of  the  Northamptonshire  farmer,  it  would  not 
have  been  alittle  gratifying  to  have  heard  his  aged  admirer, 
when  referring  to  him  on  a  late  occasion,  emphatically 
exclaim,  ""  Ah  !  that  was  a  splendid  man,  indeed  !  ^' 

For  many  a  year,  a  near  and  kindly  neighbour,  Mr. 
Henry  Philip  Markham  of  Sedgebrook — himself  a  keen 
hunter  in  days  gone  by,  and  now  represented  by  a  son, 
who,  lawyer  as  he  be,  takes  ^^  deeds,  not  words  '^  for  his 
motto  when  crossing  a  country — has  sent  his  aged  friend 
on  each  recurring  birthday  two  bottles  of  the  best  wine 
his  cellar  holds,  to  drink  the  toast  "  Success  to  all  my 
friends,  and  may  they  live  as  long  as  I,  and  know  as 
little  of  sickness  and  ill-health.''^  That  this  toast  may 
often  be  repeated  by  the  recipient  of  the  friendly  gift  is 
the  hearty  wish  of  all  who  have  the  pleasure  of  knowing 
Mat  Warren,  the  oldest  follower  of  the  "P.H.'' 


MR.   JOSEPH   HUMPHREY. 

Some  may  still  remember  the  dark  but  not  uncomely  face 
of  Joseph  Humphrey,  another  Clipstonian,  whose  keenness 


Mr.  Humphrey — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharman.  34 


o 


for  liunting  has  certainly  never  been  exceeded.  Riding- 
cattle  without  quality  or  form,  or  anything  for  which  they 
might  be  desired,  he  never  failed  to  get  fairly  along;  aud 
at  the  end  of  the  day  could  always  give  a  pretty  good  ac- 
count of  what  had  occurred.  Towards  the  end  of  his 
career,  crippled  by  rheumatism,  and  unable  to  get  into  the 
saddle,  he  would  not  give  up  his  favourite  amusement,  but 
turned  his  gig  into  a  hunter,  and  followed  over  plough 
and  ridge  and  furrow  in  a  manner  that  must  have  been 
injurious  alike  to  horse  and  vehicle. 

With  a  farm-lad  by  his  side  to  open  the  gates  and 
"  pick  up  the  pieces  ^^  when  he  came  to  grief,  Humphrey 
with  his  '^  flail  " — a  whip — and  cobby  chestnut  dun,  saw 
as  much  of  the  fun  as  many  of  the  road-riding  sportsmen  ; 
and  proved  that  in  the  alternative  of  staying  at  home  or 
hunting  on  wheels,  he  showed  his  good  sense  in  choosing 
the  latter ;  but  why  he  would  keep  chained,  in  season  and 
out  of  season,  a  gate  leading  out  of  the  Clipston  and 
Sibbertoft  Lane  direct  to  the  '^  Windmill  Meet,''  is  ^'  a 
thing  that  no  fellow  could  understand  '^  at  the  time,  or 
does  now. 

With  him  has  passed  away  another  genuine  lover  of 
fox-hunting. 


ME.   AND   MRS.    SHARMAN. 

In  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  Sharman,  constant  attendants  at  the 
Pytchley  Monday  Meets,  a  family  is  represented  from 
Wellingborough,  certain  members  of  which  were  famous 
through  many  a  year  for  the  boldness  of  their  riding  ;  and 
all  who  remember  Mark  Sharman,  the  father,  and  Edward, 


3  44     ^^^  Pytchley  Hicnt,  Past  and  Present. 

his  son,  will  agree  that  few  Hunts  could  boast  two  more 
determined  horsemen,  or  more  keen  appreciators  of  the 
"  Noble  Science." 


MR.   WILLIAM  DRAGE. 

The  Sywell  Wood,  or  as  some  deem  it  the  "  seamy  side  ■" 
of  the  Pytchley  country,  for  seventy  years  numbered 
among  its  more  sport-loving  farmers,  one  who^  though 
now  in  his  eighty-seventh  year,  has  still  little  need  for  the 
help  of  spectacles,  and  upon  whose  organs  of  hearing  the 
assaults  of  Time  seem  to  have  had  scarcely  any  effect. 

The  spare  form  and  familiar  features  of  William  Drage 
of  Holcot  have  not  for  many  a  year  been  seen  at  the  old 
accustomed  Meets ;  but  his  heart  is  still  with  '^  horse 
and  hound,"  and  he  glories  in  the  feeling  that  his  two 
sons,  John  and  Binj'on,  have  long  been  amongst  the 
more  constant  of  the  farmer  devotees  to  the  noble  sport ; 
and  that  he  has  a  grandson  who  is  able  to  "hold  his 
own  "  across  a  country  with  any  of  the  followers  of  the 
"P.H." 


MR.   JOHN   BARBER. 

With  the  disappearance  from  the  cover- side  of  John 
Barber  of  Hannington,  another  old  friend  to  hunting  seems 
to  have  left  a  gap  in  the  yeoman-following  of  the  '^  P.H.;" 
a  vacuum  created  by  the  demon-touch  of  shrinkage  in  the 
value  of  agricultural  produce,  rather  than  by  that  of  the 
arch-enemy,  Time. 


Messrs.  Ttirncll,  Forster,  Whitehead.     345 

To  the  last  hour  of  his  life,  will  the  occupant  of  the 
little  red-brick  house,  standing  apart  in  the  big  grass- 
field  outside  the  village,  have  cause  to  remember,  amongst 
other  guests,  the  Empress  of  Austria,  H.R.H  the 
Princess  of  Wales,  and  H.R.H.  Princess  Mary  of  Teck, 
&c.  &c. 

The  effacing  fingers  of  ^'  Free  Trade  ''  and  *^  Science  ^' 
sweep  away  one  after  another  of  those  who  looked  to  the 
land  for  a  livelihood ;  and  it  would  almost  seem  as  if 
what  used  to  be  considered  the  backbone  of  hunting, 
must  sooner  or  later  cease  to  exist. 


MESSRS.  TOM  TURNELL,  LUCAS   FORSTER, 
AND  W.  WHITEHEAD. 

A  SELECT  and  fortunate  few  may  still  be  found  to  make 
up  the  thinned  proportions  of  a  Pytchley  Monday  Meet  ; 
and  amongst  these  three  wearers  of  the  once  highly- 
favoured  cap  are  worthy  representatives  of  a  class,  which 
from  the  earliest  times  occupied  a  peculiarly-honoured 
place  in  the  social  system. 

To  Oakley  as  well  as  to  Pytchley  men  on  the  "  seamy  " 
side,  the  welter  forms  of  Tom  Turnell  and  of  William 
Whitehead  are  scarcely  less  familiar  than  that  of  Sywell 
Wood  itself:  whilst  the  spare  figure  and  sporting-look  of 
Lucas  Forster  complete  a  trio  remarkable  in  any  Field. 
Upon  each,  Time  has  laid  his  finger  with  a  more  or  less 
gentle  pressure  ;  and  if  the  first  somewhat  markedly  holds 
out  the  sign  of  the  "  frosty  pow,-*'  the  other  two  have 
no  great  pull  in  the  matter  of  years  gone  by. 


34^     ^'^^  PytcJiiey  Hunt,  Past  and  Prtscnt. 

With  voice  scarcely  attuned  to  the  softer  measures  of  a 
tenor-song,  the  vocal  notes  of  Mr.  Tom  Turnell  cannot  be 
accused  of  being  deficient  in  far-reaching  properties  ;  nor 
is  it  the  custom  of  its  owner  to  deal  in  honied  words- 
For  his  use,  plain  old  English  terms  and  expressions  are 
quite  good  enough  ;  and  in  taking  the  occasion,  he  thug 
retorted  upon  a  noble  M.F.H.,  who  had  just  shown  him 
the  rough  side  of  his  tongue.  "  My  Lord !  I  have 
hunted  with  many  Masters  of  Hounds,  but  as  they  have 
all  been  Gentlemen  and  not  Lords,  I  am  not  used  to  your 
sort  of  language."  With  this  flashing  of  his  two-edged 
sword  the  dispute  happily  terminated  ;  and  "  Lord  "  and 
"  Yeoman  "  drowned  their  difference  in  words  of  a  more 
kindly  nature. 

The  prosperous  Farmer  has  already  become  a  ''  vara 
avis  in  terris  :'^  the  whole  race  of  Agriculturists — plus 
Mr.  Arch's  "  aristocratic  goats,"  the  Landlords — may 
become  as  extinct  as  the  ''  Dodo ;"  but  so  long  as  we  see 
amongst  us  such  excellent  specimens  of  their  cloth  as  the 
triad  of  Sportsmen  just  referred  to,  we  shall  have  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  Hunting  has  not  quite 
reached  its  bitter  end. 


MESSRS.  J.  AND  G.  GEE,  AND  MR.  J.  WOOD. 

Two  better  "  Gees  '^  to  hounds — John  and  George  by 
name — than  those  installed  at  Welford,  it  would  not  be 
easy  to  find  ;  and  in  Mr.  John  Wood  the  same  locality 
can  boast  "a  customer"  whom  only  to  keep  in  sight 
during  a  run  is  to  ensure  being  in  a  sufficiently  good 
place. 


Messrs,  Atte7'btLry  and  John  Cooper,       347 


MESSRS.  ATTEEBURY  AND  JOHN  COOPER. 

The  names  of  the  two  Meissrs.  Atterburj — good  men  and 
true  when  hunting,  as  well  as  when  all  other  things  are 
concerned — must  not  be  omitted  from  this  list  of  local 
farming-attaches  of  the  ^'  P.H. ; "  and  as  it  would  be 
hard  to  say  where  the  name  of  John  Cooper  of  East 
Haddon  is  unknown,  it  will  suffice  here  to  suQr9:est  that 
the  anxious  inquirer  in  search  of  a  really  good  hunter 
will  be  out  of  luck  if  he  fails  to  find  it  in  the  stables  of 
this  old  "^  Pytchley-mentary  hand." 


48      The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 


MEMOIKS 


OF 


WOODLAND    MEMBERS, 


THE   DUKE  OF   BUCCLEUCH. 

In  speaking  of  the  different  owners  of  tliat  large  tract  of 
Avoodland  country  which  reaches  with  intervals  from 
Stamford  to  Kettering,  the  first  and  foremost  place  must 
be  assigned  to  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch_,  of  Boughton  House, 
— lord  of  thousands  of  broad  acres,  and  sixty  miles  of 
avenue  to  boot.  For  this  ornament  to  his  property  his 
Grace  is  indebted  to  an  ancestor  whose  love  of  arbori- 
culture earned  for  him  the  appropriate  title  of  '^  John  the 
Planter/'  The  most  noble  of  all  butterflies,  rarely  to  be 
seen,  and  frequenting  only  the  tops  of  the  loftiest  oaks, 
is  one  known  to  lepidopterists  as  "^the  Emperor  of  the 
Woods.'  No  more  suitable  appellation  could  be  found 
for  the  ducal  proprietor  of  this  vast  estate,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  which  consists  of  noble  woodlands,  than  that 
of  the  stately  ^^ 'pafilio  machaon"  just  referred  to. 
Eare  visitants  even  of  this  lovely  region,  and  frequenting 
only  the  topmost  summits  of  the  life  allotted  to  them, 
'^  Emperor  "  Duke  and  "  Emperor  "  Butterfly  have  much 
in  common — much  at  which  their  less  highly  favoured 
neighbours  have  to  sraze  with  envy  and  admiration. 
Sportsmen    by    birth   and  inclination,    the    Dukes    of 


The  Ditke  of  Buccleuch.  349 

Buccleuch  have  ever  been  ardent  followers  of  the  chase, 
and  though  they  seldom  have  listened  to  the  sweet  music 
of  hound  and  horn  in  the  Boughton  Woods,  it  is  that 
Scotland  and  the  Eoxburghe  country  have  a  prior  claim 
upon  their  consideration. 

Master  of  hounds  for  many  a  year  in  his  own  native 
land^  the  late  Duke  never  failed  to  give  ample  support  to 
the  '^  P.H.,"  who,  until  within  the  last  few  years,  only 
hunted  this  vast  district  for  the  purpose  of  breaking  in  its 
young  hounds,  and  occupying  a  few  weeks  pleasantly  in 
early  spring,  and  again  in  early  autumn.  Thinking  it 
hard  that  they  should  be  expected  to  preserve  foxes  for 
the  benefit  of  those  who  lived  in  other  and  remote  parts 
of  the  "  P.H."  country^  the  cry  for  regular  hunting  and  a 
separate  establishment  became  too  loud  to  be  disregarded 
any  longer,  and  arrangements  were  made  which  secured 
a  pack  with  horses  and  men  sufficient  to  afford  two  days 
a  week  exclusively  in  the  Brigstock  district.  To  this 
new  disposition  of  things,  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch 
heartily  lent  himself ;  going  so  far  as  to  make  it  the  sine 
qua  non  of  his  continued  support. 

A  Meet  at  Boughton  House  forms  a  rendezvous  for 
the  entire  neighbourhood ;  but  despite  its  associations 
and  the  picturesqueuess  of  the  surroundings,  there  is  an 
air  of  absenteeism  about  the  old  ducal  mansion  and 
grounds,  which  does  not  fail  to  strike  the  heart  of  every 
visitor,  be  he  sportsman  or  otherwise.  After  having 
obtained  the  "  Measure  of  Home-Rule  "  which  gave  them 
a  separate  establishment  under  the  old  imperial  regime, 
things  for  a  while  went  swimmingly  with  the  "  North 
Pytchley,"  and  Castle  (Rockingham)  rule  was  voted  the 
perfection  of  government ;  but  after  two  years  of  office^ 


2,  so     The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present. 

the  Prime  Minister  resigned — a  stranger  filled  his  place 

— times  grew  worse — and  even  the  lavish  expenditure 

of   a    Sardanapalus — an    hereditary   legislator  from    the 

north — failed  to  provoke  attendances  at  the  Meets. 

Fine  by  degrees,  and  hideously  less,  on  the  fingers  of 

one  hand  may  easily  be  counted  the  regular  frequenters  of 

a  Woodland  Meet ;  and  amongst  these  there  will  not  be  a 

single  red  coat,  except  those  of  the  Master  and  his  men. 

Notwithstanding  the  wet  blanket  of  a  sparse  attendance 

at  the  cover  side,  the  country  continues  to  be  well  and 

regularly  hunted  ;  and  though  kills  are  not   of   frequent 

occurrence,   it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  no  fox   is   so 

difficult  to  bring  to  hand,  as  one  born  and  bred  in  the 

forest.     As  is  said  of  the  Gipsy  race  :  — 

"  Try  what  you  will ;  do  what  you  can  ; 
Nothing  will  whiten  the  black  Zincan." 

The  assertion  that  there  is  ''no  rule  without  an  excep- 
tion^^ in  reference  to  the  warning  ''  Put  not  your  trust  in 
keepers/'  has  a  brilliant  example  in  the  case  of  the 
well-known  family  of  ''  Fletcher/'  head-gamekeepers  to 
his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch  at  Boughton  Park. 
Familiar  to  all  North  Northamptonshire  sportsmen  is  the 
picturesque  cottage  standing  at  the  junction  of  a  group 
of  noble  glades  in  the  woods — the  peaceful  home  for  some 
generations  of  the  family  here  referred  to.  Keepers  bred 
and  born — but  with  an  instinctive  love  for  the  chase  in 
any  form — in  them  ''the  fox''  finds  no  relentless  enemy 
save  when  hounds  are  on  his  track  ;  and  the  burden  of 
their  sporting  creed  is  a  belief  in  fox  as  well  as  pheasant. 
In  their  ears  the  familiar  bark  of  the  evening  prowler  is 
well-nigh  as  welcome  as  the  crow  of  perching  cock,  and 
the   sound  of  hound   and  horn    little  less  tuneful   than 


The  Duke  oj  Buccceuch.  3  5 1 

iliiit  of  tlno  deadly  choke-bore.  The  lustrous  skiu  of  the 
old  dog-fox — the  duller  coat  of  '^  my  lady  in  the  straw  ' 
— and  the  soft  round  form  of  the  rolling  cub — have 
beauties  in  their  eyes^  ^^1.  exceeded  by  that  of  the  broods 
of  healthy  chicks,  picking  and  pecking  in  the  adjacent 
pasture — '^  food  for  powder  "  in  its  early  stage. 

So  much  did  the  famous  "  Squire  "  value  the  services 
rendered  to  hunting  by  the  Fletcher  of  his  day,  that  he 
presented  him  with  a  favourite  horn,  as  the  best  mark  of 
his  appreciation  and  esteem.  Highly  valuing  the  compli- 
ment, the  worthy  veteran  was  wont  to  carry  it  in  the  top 
of  his  right  boot  when  hounds  were  in  his  beat,  and  post- 
ing himself  at  the  corner  of  a  ride,  would  sound  upon 
it  a  sad  imperfect  note  to  proclaim  that  the  fox  had 
crossed.  The  '^^  Squire  "  and  his  pack  were  quickly  on 
the  spot;  and  away  rode  the  proud  bearer  of  the  horn, 
keen  to  render  assistance  in  some  other  quarter  of  the 
wood. 

That  he  set  a  due  value  upon  the  things  coming  more 
immediately  within  his  own  province,  and  that  he  was 
given  to  gauge  the  worth  of  his  neighbour  according  to 
his  skill  with  the  gun,  is  amusingly  exemplified  by  his 
comment  upon  hearing  that  Mr.  Vernon  Smith — pro- 
pi'ietor  of  the  adjoining  woods — was  about  to  be  made  a 
Peer.  "  Mr.  Smith  a  Peer  !  What's  the  good  of  making 
him  a  Peer  ?  He  can^t  shoot ;"  was  the  somewhat  super- 
cilious remark  of  the  old  and  unerring  gunner.  To  a 
member  of  this  worthy  family  was  it  given  to  solve  the 
problem — one  which  seems  to  have  baffled  many  a  *^  pre- 
server's "  brain — of  '^  fox  plus  pheasant  " — a  discovery  of 
far  more  importance  to  the  "noble  science  "  than  "  squar- 
ing the  circle,"  or  the  discovery  of  ''^  perpetual  motion." 


OD' 


2    The  Pytchley  Hunt,  Past  and  Present, 


Valued  by  their  ducal  masters  as  old  and  faithful  ser- 
vants, esteemed  by  all  who  knew  them,  and  held  in 
especial  honour  by  all  North  Pytchley  men  as  model 
keepers  ;  it  may  be  said  of  them  that  their  lot,  unlike 
that  of  the  policeman  in  the  play,  has  been  not  only  a 
happy  one,  but  one  offering  an  example  to  all  similarly 
circumstanced  with  themselves.  Happy,  too,  the  Hunt, 
which,  at  a  crucial  point  of  its  country,  possesses  such 
loyal  friends  and  true. 


THE   EARL  OF  CARDIGAN. 

Next  in  rank  as  a  Woodland  potentate  and  hunting- 
man, — whose  name  must  for  all  time  be  associated  with 
that  memorable  mistake  the  Balaclava  Charge — comes 
James  Thomas,  seventh  Earl  of  Cardigan. 

Living  at  Deane  Park,  one  of  the  most  charming  places 
in  East  Northamptonshire,  Lord  Brudenell  entered  early 
into  the  pursuits  of  country-life,  especially  those  of  hunt- 
ing and  shooting.  A  born  soldier  and  oflScer  of  Cavalry, 
he  entered  the  8th  Hussars,  from  which  he,  as  years 
went  on,  was  transferred  as  Lieutenant-Colonel  to  the  11th 
Hussars ;  which  regiment  he  brought  into  a  high  state  of 
efficiency  and  notoriety.  The  unfortunate  ^*  Black-bottled 
Reynolds  '^  incident,  the  duel  with  Captain  Tucker  and 
the  consequent  trial,  kept  the  noble  lord's  name  full 
before  the  public;  a  phase  of  life  which  at  no  time 
was  especially  distasteful  to  him. 

Having  previously  represented  Marlborough  and 
Fowey  in  Parliament,  in  1831  he  became  one  of  the 
representatives  for  the  north  division  of  his  native  county 


The  Earl  of  Cardigan.  353 


in  tlie  Conservative  interest,  and  retained  tlie  seat  until 
1837 ;  when,  succeeding  to  the  title  and  estates,  he  became 
a  peer  of  the  realm.  Passionately  fond  of  hunting, 
there  were  few  harder  men  across  a  country ;  and  at  a 
time  when  Quorn  and  Pytchley  were  well  furnished  with 
^^  bruisers/^  it  was  no  easy  matter  for  the  best  of  them  to 
get  in  front  of  the  gallant  Earl. 

Taking  a  somewhat  elevated  view  of  his  own  social 
position,  and  of  the  deference  that  was  due  to  an  Earl  of 
Cardigan,  the  Lord  of  Deane  was  wont  to  evince  im- 
patience when  some  low  fellow  chanced  to  come  betwixt 
the  wind  and  his  nobility. 

It  was  said  of  him  that  on  one  occasion,  when  in  some 
danger  of  being  drowned  in  a  brook  whilst  hunting  in 
Leicestershire,  he  was  heard  to  exclaim,  '^  Is  there  no  one 
who  will  help  to  save  the  seventh  and  last  Earl  of 
Cardigan  ?  " — a  story  which  if  not  '^  vero  "  was  certainly 
^^ben  trovato.'^ 

That  he  took  an  optimist  view  of  his  relations  with  his 
tenants  is  instanced  by  a  characteristic  incident  which 
occurred  in  the  presence  of  the  writer.  A  fox  having 
gone  to  ground  in  one  of  the  Deane  Woods,  Charles 
Payn,  contrary  to  Lord  Cardigan's  wish,  commenced  to 
dig  for  him. 

"He  has  been  killing  some  lambs,  my  Lord,  and  the 
tenants  are  complaining,"  urged  the  Huntsman  to  his 
lordship's  remonstrance.  "  Tenants  complaining  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  noble  and  somewhat  scandalized  proprietor. 
''  The  land  is  mine;  the  woods  are  mine,  and  the  tenants 
are  mine  ;  and  my  tenants  are  not  in  the  habit  of  com- 
plaining about  anything."  Though  somewhat  over- 
proud  of  his  birth,  his  position,  his  appearance,  and  his 

A  a 


354     ^-^^^  Pytchley  Hiint^  Past  and  P7^esent, 

military  feats^  wlien  it  became  known  one  morning,  in  the 
March  of  1878_,  that  Lord  Cardigan  had  been  killed  by  a 
fall  from  his  horse,  the  feeling  was  universal  that  in  the 
long-descended  peer  the  county  had  lost  one  of  its  most 
notable  and  distinguished  characters.  It  is  singular  that 
Mr.  Tryon,  of  Bulwick  Park,  Lord  Cardigan's  old  friend 
and  nearest  neighbour,  should  not  long  after  have  met  his 
death  by  a  similar  accident. 


MR.  TRYON. 


There  was  no  more  marked  individuality  in  the  Wood- 
lands than  the  Squire  of  Bulwick  Park.  Tall,  and  of 
Herculean  frame,  it  was  a  sight  to  watch  the  stout-hearted 
uld  squire — reckless  of  eyes  and  face — crashing  through 
the  ash-plants  and  the  binders  of  one  of  his  own  well- 
nigh  impenetrable  woods. 

A  sportsman  of  the  thorough-going  type — equally  good 
behind  a  gun  as  in  the  saddle — attentive  to  his  duties 
as  a  county-magistrate — and  a  keen  election eerer  on  the 
Tory  side — a  finer  example  of  the  ideal  of  the  old  English 
Gentleman  might  have  been  looked  for  in  vain.  He  lived 
to  be  proud  of  a  son  who  has  won  for  himself  an  honoured 
name  amongst  British  sailors  ;  and  that  son  will  never 
cease  to  cherish  the  memory  of  a  father  who  was  re- 
spected and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 


LORDS   LILFORD   AND   LYVEDEN— MR.  C. 
THORNIilLL. 

To   Lord  Lilford — most  enthusiastic    of  Ornithologists, 


Lo7'ds  Li  If  or d  and  Lyveden. 


JD3 


and  keenest  of  gunners — and  to  Lord  Lyveden_,  of  Farm- 
ing Woods — shooter  first  and  hunter  afterwards — the 
^^  P.H/'  are  indebted  for  an  unfaihng  support ;  as  it  is 
also  to  Mr.  Clarke  Thornhill^  of  Rushton  Hall — a  gunner 
^'  pur  et  simple  '' — but  one  who  would  take  to  heart  the 
knowledge  that  any  keeper  of  his  had  done  a  fox  un- 
handsomely to  death. 


A  a   li 


APPENDIX. 


1.  hunting-song. 

2.  Letter  from  a  Young  Lady-Naturalist. 

S.  Letters  from  Sir  Francis  B.  Head,  Bart. 

No  Date. 

L  February,  1862. 

2.  February,  1863, 

3.  Undated  [1867]. 

4.  November,  1869. 
o.  March,  1872. 

6.  Summer  of  1873. 

7.  November,  1873. 

8.  January,  1874. 

9.  January  23,  1875.* 

4.  Finishing  Remarks  on  the  close  of    Sir  Francis 
Head's  Letters, 

*  The  last  letter  ever  written  by  Sir  Francis  Head. 


358  Appendix, 


I 


''THE  PYTCHLEY;" 

A   HUNTING-SONG, 

Yes,  Loatland  !  since  first  I  stood  under  thy  cover, 

When  all  nature  looked  young  and  old  age  seemed  a  crime, 

Such  an  age  has  passed  by,  that  I  fail  to  discover 
The  landmarks  of  life  on  the  roadside  of  time. 

So  it  must  be  ;  but  oh  !  for  one  touch  of  the  bridle, 

And  oh !  for  the  feel  of  a  resolute  horse, 
When  the  darlings  are  racing  away  on  the  side-hill, 

And  their  heads  set  in  earnest  for  Tally-ho  Gorse. 

How  well  I  remember,  we  stood  at  the  corner. 

The  road  choked  and  crammed  in  the  orthodox  way ; 

When  whisking  his  brush  at  the  sound  of  the  horn,  a 
Grreat  grey-looking  dog-fox  broke  boldly  away. 

Hold  hard  there  !  hold  hard  !  (don't  you  pity  the  Master  ?) 
Pray !  pray  !  give  the  time,  you  would  anger  a  Saint  ! 

He  may  well  spare  his  broath_,  for  the  Field  all  the  faster 
Breaks  away  out  of  hand  and  defies  all  restraint. 

Along  the  brookside  by  the  rush-covered  meadows, 
Where  bullfinch  alternates  with  blackthorn  and  rail, 

The  rush  passes  on,  till  in  sunlight  and  shadows 
Fair  Arthingworth  Church  rises  out  of  the  Vale. 

Ah  !  there  are  the  willows  ;  like  ghosts  you  might  fancy 
They  wave  their  lean  arms  as  they  bid  you  beware ; 

And  deep  is  the  gulf,  looking  dark  and  unchancy. 
Where  the  rat  finds  his  home,  and  the  otter  his  lair. 

Little  Mayfly  and  Mermaid  have  taken  the  water, 
And  the  snipe  rises  wild  as  they  enter  the  tide  ! 

There's  a  turmoil  of  wave  as  the  pack  follows  after, 
And  a  dripping  of  flanks  as  they  gain  the  far  side. 


Appendix.  359 

What  a  study  the  Field  is  !  just  see  how  the  bold  ones 
Sit  down  in  their  saddle  and  draw  to  the  fore ; 

"While  the  faint  and  false-hearted,  the  cowardly  and  cold  ones, 
Vote  discretion  a  virtue  and  valour  a  bore. 

Look  at  Shirker  !  I  own  his  get-up  is  perfection^ 

And  the  tint  of  his  leathers  a  triumph  of  art, 
His  boots,  irreproachable,  challenge  correction  ; 

Superb,  too,  his  pink,  but  how  craven  his  heart ! 

Just  watch  him  !     He  falters,  inviting  disaster, 

With  the  weakest  of  make-believes  plain  to  the  eye  ; 

The  chestnut  has  measured  the  length  of  his  master. 
And  with  animal  instinct,  disdains  to  comply  ! 

Forward,  forward,  they  go  ;  seven  horses  are  over  ; 

There  are  two  without  riders,  and  four  in  the  brook  ; 
While  the  rest,  taking  warning,  disperse  to  discover 

A  ford,  or  a  place  with  an  easier  look. 

See  Languish  and  Lucy — two  comelier  ladies 

The  heart  of  an  M.F.H.  cannot  desire  ; 
And  the  Vanquisher  puppy,  well  up  at  the  head,  is 

A  model  of  form  in  the  mould  of  his  sire. 

Who  is  that  on  a  brute  with  an  "  oxer  "  before  him  ? 

He  means  it,  and  sends  him  along  like  a  man ; 
But  the  high-mettled  hei^etic's  temper  comes  o'er  him, 

And  he's  bent  upon  shirking,  if  shirk  it  he  can. 

It's  no  use,  he  must  have  it ;  the  man  has  the  best  of  it. 
There's  no  bend  in  the  blackthorn,  no  break  in  the  ash  ; 

He  hesitates — ^jumps — you  may  guess  at  the  rest  of  it, 
They  are  down  in  the  ditch  with  a  terrible  crash  ! 

There's  a  flash  through  the  brain — there's  a  whirl  of  confusion — 
A  struggling  of  hoofs — and  a  tangling  of  rein  ; 

Gallant  Jack's  on  his  legs,  with  a  trifling  contusion  : 
He  is  up  on  his  horse,  and  they're  at  it  again. 

Under  Sunderland  Wood,  and  just  threading  the  Spinney, 

And  touching  at  Langboro'  forward  they  go ; 
So  sharp  is  the  pace,  you  might  venture  a  guinea. 

He  will  scarce  save  his  brush  on  this  side  '^  Tally-ho 


360  Appendix. 

Tally-ho  !     "What  a  title  to  welcome  a  stranger, 
Way-weary,  distressed,  in  sore  travail  and  pain ; 

Tally-ho  !     Every  syllable  echoing  danger. 

Says,  '^Here  is  no  rest:"  so  hark  forward  again  ! 

Oh  !  could  I  apostrophize  good  Meliboeus, 

Like  the  Mantiian  Bard,  I  would  say  as  we  pass, 

Surely  man  for  his  sins  made  the  ploughshare,  but  "  Deus 
Hsec  otia  fecit ;"  subaudi — the  grass. 

But  look  at  those  Herefords  !  all  their  white  faces 
Amazed,  in  a  stampede  through  mud  to  their  hocks  : 

Can  yon  be  a  colly,  to  cause  such  grimaces, 

As  he  steals  through  the  bottom  ] — By  Jove  !  it's  the  fox  ! 

There  are  signs  of  distress  ;  there  is  sobbing  and  sighing ; 

There  is  crashing  of  timber,  and  plying  of  steel ; 
But  still  o'er  the  pastures  the  sirens  keep  flying ; 

Crescendo  the  pace,  for  they're  running  to  kill. 

Holthorp  Hills  are  in  front  :  can  he  reach  them  ?     Ah,  never  ! 

He  hesitates — crawls  through  the  "  ^meuse  " — doubles  back  : 
He  has  played  his  last  card ;  and  now  gallant  as  ever, 

He  turns  on  his  foes,  and  he  faces  the  pack  ! 

Look  !     Firefly  has  got  him  !     Whoohoop  !     It  is  over  ! 

There's  a  crash  and  a  worrying,  and  muttering  of  sounds  : 
AVill  is  up,  and  jumps  oft',  just  in  time  to  recover 

A  dark  stiff'ened  form  from  a  tumult  of  hounds  ! 


LETTER   FROM  A   YOUXG  LADY-NATURALIST. 

The  following  is  a  letter  lately  received  by  the  author  [1886] 
from  a  fair  young  Naturalist,  whose  chief  enjoyment  consists 
in  watching  all  that  goes  on  out  of  doors — one  to  whom  a  few 
hours  only  with  hounds  are  placed  on  the  list  of  joys 
unspeakable. 

After  informing  her  correspondent  that  she  has  had  a  present 
of  a  new  pony — a  real  beauty — six  years  old — very  fast  and 
quiet — with     a    closely-hogged    mane — and     that    with    more 


Letter  from  a  yotcng  Lady-Naturalist .     361 

respect  to  nationality  than  sex,  it  is  called  "  Taffy  " — lady 
though  she  be  ;  she  proceeds  thus  :  "  You  would  have  laughed 
to  have  seen  my  sister  Agnes  and  me  the  other  day.  We 
were  out  in  the  cart  when  we  came  across  the  hounds.  We 
instantly  joined  the  glad  throng,  and  followed  in  spite  of  all 
obstacles — short  of  fences — much  to  the  amusement  of  the 
lucky  ones  on  horseback. 

^'  We  jerked  bumpily  across  a  very  mole-hilly  meadow — up 
a  grass-hill  about  as  straight  as  a  wall — shaved  through  broken 
hurdles — laboured  through  a  plough-field.  I  got  out,  and  while  I 
walked  behind  the  cart^  holding  the  reins,  Agnes  hung  on  to 
one  of  the  shafts,  and  lent  a  hand  to  Taffy,  who  was  pulling 
like  a  brick.  We  were  rewarded  for  our  toil  by  being  well  up 
with  hounds  for  a  long  time,  and  saw  all  that  there  was 
to  see — which  was  little  enough.  We  were  accompanied  by  a 
smart  fox-terrier,  who  got  immensely  excited,  and  lifted  up  his 
harmonious  voice  in  season  and  out  of  the  same  ;  so  we  worked 
to  music — a  great  incentive,  as  you  know. 

"My  birds  are  prospering  fairh^  but  we  have  just  been 
bereaved  of  a  'Shore-lark/  a  'Snow-bunting^'  and  a  'Bull- 
finch,' To  all  appearance  they  died  content  and  happy ;  so  I 
suppose  that  they  had  lived  virtuous  lives,  and  just  closed  their 
eyes  for  ever  on  this  most  delightful  of  all  possible  worlds. 
In  their  place  I  have  got  a  pair  of  'Cirl-buntings  '  and  a  '  Eeed- 
sparrow  '  for  my  aviary. 

"We  are  out  every  morning  soon  after  six.  I  first  let  out  Sir 
William  and  Lady  Gull — two  large  seagulls — who  skim  over 
the  wet  grass,  and  go  off  in  search  of  '  wums.'  Then  I  let 
out  the  dogs — two  Retrievers — mother  and  son — and  two  Fox- 
terriers — no  relations.  Then  we  go  off  for  a  walk,  and  tell 
each  other  we  have  the  best  of  it  over  the  people  in  bed.  We 
watch  the  sun  light  up  the  sea,  till  it  looks  like  a  sheet  of 
silver  ;  then  turn  into  a  wood,  and  step  quietly  along,  keej^ing 
eyes  and  ears  well  open  as  we  go.  A  fat  Wood-pigeon  claps 
out  of  a  big  tree,  and  disappears  somewhere  in  the  shade  ;  a 
brace  of  Partridges,  in  all  the  glory  of  their  spring  plumage,  run 
along  in  front  a  little  way,  and  then  turn  off  into  the  wood — 
probably  intent  on  the  cares  of  setting-up  house. 

*'  A  shrill  yelping  apprises  us  that  the  Terriers  are  hunting  a 
too-inquisitive  Rabbit :  and  they  have  to  be  called  to  order  ; 
while  the  young  Retriever  trembles  with  excitement — longing, 


362  Appendix. 

but  not  daring^to  join.  He  would,  too,  if  I  did  not  look 
very  sharp  after  him.  His  fat  old  mother  waddles  along,  and 
probably  goes  back  to  the  time  when  she  and  other  old  dogs 
like  her  were  having  their  day.  And  so  we  go  on  our  way 
rejoicing  ;  and  return  with  an  enormous  appetite  for  break- 
fast." 

In  the  above  letter  every  word  is  alive  with  the  spirit  of  "  all 
out-of-doors,"  marking  the  true  appreciator  of  the  handiworks 
of  the  Almighty  ;  and  evincing  an  unaffected  enjoyment  of 
nature  in"  all  her  moods. 


LETTERS  FROM  SIR  F.  B.  HEAD,  BART. 

1. 

"  February,  1862. 

"I  was  glad  to  get  your  note,  which  made  my  fingers  itch  to 
shake  the  hand  that  wrote  it.  I  always  like  to  hear  from  you 
— but  especially  when  you  can  feed  me  with  a  few  dainty  details 
of  l!^orthamptonshire  Hunting.  Indeed  I  can  truly  say  that 
the  hours  I  spent  within  the  dominions  of  the  '  Pytchley,'  in 
riding  and  writing,  formed  the  happiest  ten  years  in  my 
chequered  life.  On  Saturdays  I  always  read  in  the  Times  your 
Meets  for  the  ensuing  week ;  and  think  of  them  as  I  ride  by 
myself  over  the  Surrey  Hills. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  learn  that  '  Waterloo  '  continues  to  do 
its  duty.  Ever  since  I  j^ut  the  sticks  in  it,  it  has  ^  honoured  all 
the  bills '  Charles  Payn  has  drawn  upon  it.  The  fences  around 
it  would  now  be  a  trifle  too  big  for  me  ;  but  anywhere  else,  I 
should  greatly  enjoy  a  gallop  over  the  grass-fields.  I  am  sorry 
that  Bevan  and  Charles  Cust  are  in  hospital."     &c.,  &c. 


2. 

"February,  1863. 

"Do  write  me  half  a  line,  and  tell  me  how  the  Prince 
of  Wales  went  with,  the  'Pytchley.'  How  I  should  have 
enjoyed  seeing  you  all  assembled  to  meet  him.     Now  that  he 


Letters  from  Sir  F.  B,  Head.  363 

has  tasted  the  green  fields  of  Northamptonshire,  he  will  see 
what  a  mistake  he  has  made  in  giving  240,000?.  for  an  estate 
in  the  wrong  county.  The  best  thing  he  could  do  would  he 
to  sell  it  at  once,  and  buy  my  little  house  at  Oxenden  ;  and  if 
it  gave  him  the  health  and  happiness  it  gave  me,  it  would  be  to 
him  a  capital  purchase.  There  is  nothing  I  am  convinced  so 
dangerous  as  not  hunting.  As  a  proof  of  this,  on  the  day  after 
Christmas,  I  had  a  worse  fall  than  any  I  had  during  my  ten 
years'  hunting  with  the  ^  Pytchley.'  I  w^as  galloping  along 
over  turf  by  myself,  when  my  mare  fell  head  over  heels,  and 
I  lay  on  the  ground  insensible  for  fifteen  minutes.  I  am 
getting  over  it,  but  being  half-way  between  seventy  and  eighty, 
it  is  more  easy  to  kill  than  to  cure  me."     &c.,  &c. 


3. 

[18G7] 

In  his  seventy-eighth  year,  he  thus  writes  to  his  friend  : — 

*'  Your  welcome  letter  has  set  my  whole  mind  and  memory 
running  riot.  Its  two  pages  are  composed  of  a  series  of  texts, 
upon  every  one  of  which  I  feel  that  I  could  write  you  a  long 
sermon,  except  the  one  which  says,  '  And  two  good  days  in  the 
woods.'  I  should  have  to  scratch  my  head  a  long  time  before 
it  would  tell  my  pen  how  to  connect  together  your  adjective 
'  good '  with  your  substantive  '  wood,'  which,  although  they 
rhyme  very  well  together,  I  firmly  believe  them  to  be  as  dis- 
similar as  the  tAvo  words  'paradise'  and  'purgatory.' 

"  The  different  runs  you  have  detailed,  I  have  gone  over  as 
carefully  as  a  beagle  picks  out  the  trail  of  a  jack-hare.  I  am 
very  sorry  that  the  one  thing  needful  has  so  often  been  *  not  at 
home,' 

"  The  fable  that  tells  us  of  '  the  hare  with  many  friends, 
per  contra,  we  now  read  all  over  England  of  the  fox  with  many 
enemies.  Though  my  hunting  career  has  now  ceased  for  some 
time,  up  to  my  seventy-sixth  year  I  continued  to  amuse  ni}"- 
self  almost  every  day  by  riding  over  timber.  I  may  add  the 
same  as  before.  In  my  seventy-seventh  year,  I  found  that  I 
was  always  at  every  leap  almost  rocking  off ;  and  I  then  dis- 
covered that  I  had  lost  what  Assheton  Smith  called  the  'grip:' 
60,  instead  of  giving  up  hunting  in  my  scventy-eigliih  year^ 
hunting  gave  me  up. 


I 


364  Appendix, 

"  I  continue,  however,  to  ride  sixteen  or  eighteen  miles  every- 
day, clothing  myself  according  to  the  weather.  I  can  still  go 
pretty  fast,  up  or  down-hill,  and  across  rough  ground;  but 
over  a  fence  as  high  as  my  knee,     'l^o.' 

"My  black  boots,  like  a  hatchment  over  a  window  in 
Grosvenor  Square,  stand  in  a  row  on  the  top  of  a  mahogany 
wardrobe  in  my  dressing-room.  I  sometimes  give  a  very  little 
short  sigh  when  I  look  at  them  ;  but  I  had  in  them  a  good 
allowance  of  green  fields,  hedges,  brooks,  ditches,  and  dainty 
bits  of  timber,  of  all  of  which  I  occasionally  enjoy  a  delightful 
dream. 

"I  very  often  think  of  the  many  happy  days  and  jumps 
I  had  when  at  Oxeuden ;  and  heartily  wish  you  all  a  long  con- 
tinuance of  the  sport  I  so  much  enjoyed."     &c.j  &c. 


4. 

«  November,  1869. 

"  In  old  times  you  used  to  cheer  me  up  with  one  or  two 
vivid  descriptions  of  a  good  run ;  but  when  I  tell  you  that  in 
my  last  visit  to  Lord  Hopetoun  and  the  '  P.H.,'  I  rolled 
off,  I  thought  you'd  give  me  up,  and  I  certainly  am  only 
deserving  of  the  stereotyped  motto  of  old  age :  '  Noii  sum 
qitalis  eram.^ 

''  I  still  continue,  however,  to  read  in  the  Times  the  Hunting 
Appointments  ;  and  see  that  the  '  Pytchley  Meet '  to-morrow  is 
Sywell  Wood,  which  for  years  has  been  identified  in  my  mind 
with  the  name,  and  what  is  more,  with  the  appearance  on  his 
cob,  of  your  worthy  and  excellent  father ;  to  say  nothing  of 
his  cub  !"     &c.,  &c. 

"March  5th,  1872. 

"  I  was  delighted  to  learn  from  your  note  just  received,  that 
a  horse,  sent  on  trial  to  you,  ran  away  with  you  from  your  very 
door — jumped  a  seven-barred  gate — fell  on  his  head,  and  '  only  ' 
sprained  your  ankle  !  I  never  think  again  of  turtle-soup  after 
it  is  swallowed ;  but  I  do  ruminate  with  great  pleasure,  and 
I  hope  with  becoming  gratitude,   on  the   escapes  I  have  had ; 


I 


Letters  from  Sir  F.  B.  Head,  365 

and  I  always,  as  yoii  know,  enjoy  a  thing  that  '  ends  ' —  as 
your  scampavia  did — in  iometldng  that  you  will  never  for- 
get ! 

"  I  greatly  enjoy  the  '  bulletins '  you  send  me  of  the  sport. 
Yesterday,  by  chance,  I  happened  to  be  in  at  the  death  of  a 
Lawyer's  'Run,' which  had  lasted,  with  only  two  checks,  for  102 
days.  I  never  go  to  London,  but  happening  to  be  there  yester- 
day, I  strolled  down  to  the  Queen's  Bench.  Two  fierce  police- 
men, as  I  approached,  said  pompously,  '  No  room.  Sir,  of  any 
sort  or  kind.'  I  insisted  on  sending  in  my  card  ;  and  in  less 
than  two  minutes  I  found  myself  sitting  cheek  by  jowl  with  the 
Lord  Chief  Justice. 

"  Soon  after,  all  hands  were  taken  a-back  by  the  Jury  de- 
claring that  'they  did  not  want  any  more  evidence.'  I  didn't 
holler  \sicJ\  out '  whoo-hoop,'  but  I  said  it  to  myself."   &c.,  &c. 


6. 

[Summer  of  1873.] 

The  next  letter  to  be  quoted — written  in  the  summer  of  1873 
— is,  in  its  latter  part,  painfully  touching  in  its  description 
of  the  writer's  physical  condition.  The  passion  strong  in  death 
as  in  life,  being  the  burden  of  its  song  throughout. 

"  It  was  very  kind  of  you  to  write  to  me  so  soon  upon  your 
return  to  Moulton  Grange,  after  the  brilliant  run  you  had  had 
across  the  most  interesting  part  of  Europe.  The  details,  i.e. 
the  jumps  you  took  from  capital  to  capital,  will  be  '  oats, 
beans,  and  hay,'  that  will_,  I  believe,  cheer  your  mind  as  long  as 
you  have  one.  As  regards  myself,  '  the  least  said,  the  soonest 
mended.'  On  the  23rd  of  September  last,  I  mounted  my 
horse  for  my  daily  canter  across  our  open  country — a  hale, 
hearty,  hardy,  tough  old  fellow  of  eighty — impervious  to  rain, 
sleet,  snow,  fog,  or  cold  of  any  sort.  After  my  ordinary  ride  of 
over  sixteen  miles,  I  dismounted  an  invalid  for  life,  as  the  old 
nurses  say.  I  was  immediately  put  to  bed,  where  I  remained 
for  six  weeks,  to  migrate  for  the  same  time  to  my  sofa  :  I  have 
lately  been  promoted  from  crutches  to  two  sticks.  While  I  was 
better,  I  tried  to  ride  at  a  walk  ;  but  as  I  found  it  injurious,  I 
am  now  finally  divorced  from  the  'pig-skin.'  Pray,  however, 
do  not  think  I  contemplate  the  prospect  before  me  in  a  gloomy 


2,66  Appendix. 

spirit.  The  sunshine  of  the  past  years  of  my  life  brightens  all 
that  may  be  awaiting  me.  I  very  gratefully  remember  that  for 
eighty  years  it  has  pleased  God  to  grant  me  almost  uninter- 
rupted health.  Instead,  therefore,  of  allowing  myself  to  reflect 
on  the  present,  I  derive  constant  enjoyment  from  the  retrospect 
of  the  many  happy  days  of  'auld  langs3^ne.' 

"  I  was  deeply  affected  when  I  read  in  the  Times  the 
announcement  of  Lord  Hopetoun's  death.  Few  people  know 
what  a  noble-minded,  kind-hearted  man  he  v/as.  I  never  can 
forget  the  affectionate  regard  he  always  bestowed  upon  me. 

*'  As  it  is  always  more  delightful  to  buy  than  to  sell  horses, 
I  am  glad  to  hear  that  your  stalls  are  empty.  You  will,  I 
know,  soon  get  some  rusliing,  impetuous  animals  to  fill 
them. 

"As  regards  Women,  it  is  said  that  *  if  they  deliberate, 
they  are  lost ; '  but  your  horses  never  allow  you  to  deliberate  ; 
so,  accordingly,  you  find  yourself  well  over  the  rails  before  you 
had  made  up  your  mind  to  ride  at  them  ! " 


"  mvember  5th,  1873. 

"  My  spirit  hovered  over  you  all  at  your  first  Meet  on 
Monday. 

"  I  had  always  fancied  that  when  the  moment  came 
to  say  Farewell  to  the  pig-skin,  I  should  be  a  most  miserable 
creature  ;  but  as  it  pleases  God  to  temper  the  wind  to  the 
shorn  lamb,  so  I  found,  that  ^Wthout  the  slightest  effort,  I  was 
able,  when  I  sent  my  last  horse  out  of  my  stable  to  put  him 
simultaneously  out  of  my  mind  ;  and  I  never  think  of  future 
rides,  though  I  do  of  past  ones. 

"  On  a  German  spring  cushion,  with  an  air  one  on  the  top  of 
it,  and  with  another  at  my  back  to  recline  on,  I  daily  drive  in 
an  open  carriage  with  my  faithful  old  nurse — Lady  Head — now 
in  her  eighty-second  year — by  my  side.  Besides  this,  I  go 
through  the  fresh  air  at  about  twelve  or  fourteen  miles  an 
hour,  in  a  swing  on  my  lawn,  that — by  means  of  a  transverse 
beam,  a  yard  long,  and  two  ropes — I  can  work  myself,  pulling 
alternately  with  each  hand,  about  as  hard  as  a  good-mouthed 
snaffle-bridled  horse. 


Letters  fro77t  Sir  F,  B.  Head.  367 

"I  was  surprised  to  read  an  advertisement  lately  for  a 
Huntsman  for  the  Pytcllle3^  I  should  have  thought  it  impos- 
sible for  any  stranger  to  your  brooks,  rails,  canals,  &c.,  &c.j  to 
lead  the  Field  to  anything  but  grief  !  "     &c.  &c.  &c. 


8. 

"  January  28th,  1874. 

"  As  my  doctor  has  pulled  me  off  my  horse,  and  will  not  let 
me  walk  ;  having  been  accustomed  all  my  life  to  rush  through 
the  air,  I  have  set  up  a  Swing  on  my  lawn,  which  I  work  my- 
self by  hand-ropes.  I  send  you  a  photo  showing  its  con- 
struction ;  which  I  found  admirably  adapted  for  Gout,  or  any 
accident  that  confines  the  sufferer  to  a  hot,  fusty  bed.  In  my 
Swing  I  enjoy  both  air  and  exercise  ;  and  really  I  look  for  it, 
as  I  used  to  look  for  my  daily  ride. 

"  I  often  think  of  you  and  the  '  Firm  of  Sy well  "Wood  & 
Co.'  In  the  Saturday's  advertisements  in  the  Times,  I  have 
lately  read  the  appointments  of,  apparently,  two  packs  of  Pytchlej^ 
Hounds.  What  does  it  mean  1  Do  you  hunt  on  the  same  day 
with  both  % "     &c.,  &c. 


9. 

[Last  Letter,  1875.] 

Here  follows  the  last  letter — written  about  five  months  before 
his  death — which  the  author  of  this  volume  was  privileged  to 
receive  from  his  kind  and  gallant  old  friend. 

"January  23rd,  1875. 

"  Your  kind  note  fed  me  with  savoury  dishes  such  as  I  like. 
As  Kob  Roy  said  to  his  old  wife,  Helen,  '  The  Heather  we  trod 
on  wdien  we  were  young,  shall  bloom  over  us  when  we  are  dead  ' 
— so  although  that  whipper-in  Time  has  driven  me  out  of  the 
hunting-field,  it  cheers  the  declining  hours  of  my  life  to  learn 
that '  the  Pytchley  were  never  in  a  more  flourishing  condition 
than  in  the  Year  of  Grace  1875.' 

"  Your  description  of  tlie  efficient  management  of  its  ^Master 
(Lord  Spencer),  an  English  Nobleman  and  a  noble  Englishman, 


368  Appendix, 

does  not  exceed  what  I  expected ;  and  I  have  often  lately 
thought  how  greatly  he  must  prefer  tumbling  over  a  bit  of  stiff 
timber,  or  going  souse  into  a  cold  brook,  to  the  warm  adulation 
he  justly  received  during  his  administration  of  Ireland. 

*'  So  far  as  my  humble  experience  goes,  there  is  no  position  in 
the  pyi'amid  of  Society  so  barren  and  so  cheerless  as  its  apex. 
And  if  you  would  like  to  prove  this;  after  a  fast  kill,  just  as 
Will  Goodall,  with  uplifted  arms,  throws  poor  Foxy  to  the 
hounds,  observe  how  suddenly  you  will  blight  the  joy  and 
happiness  in  your  Master's  countenance,  if  you  suddenly  call 
him — Mhernice — '  your  Ixcellency.' 

"  The  only  twitch  of  pain  that  your  picture  of  the^P.H.* 
gave  me  was,  that  '  W.  Goodall  goes  as  straight  as  Charles 
Payne  in  his  best  day  ;'  for  as  the  latter  is  photographed  in 
my  mind  as  the  heau-ideal  of  a  bold,  quick,  beautiful  horse- 
man :  like  a  good  Catholic,  I  don't  like  to  be  told  that  another 
fellow's  Saint  goes  as  straight  as  the  one  he  has  always  been 
worshipping. 

"  I  was  interested  to  read  that  at  Harboro' — full  of  hunting- 
men — were  four  brothers  Gosling ;  probably  sons  of  a  Gosling 
Banker — no  goose — with  whom  I  hunted,  more  than  forty 
years  ago,  in  Surrey. 

"  It  seems,  as  the  natural  order  of  succession,  that  my  old 
friends,  Bevan,  Hungerford,  Clerk,  Langham  &  Co.,  are 
now  succeeded  by  their  sons — and  my  dear  kind  friend, 
Charley  Cust,  by  a  joint-stock  daughter  and  son. 

"  Of  myself,  I  must  tell  you,  instead  of  vainly  saying,  '  Ille 
ego  qui  quondam,^  it  becomes  me  better  to  tell  you  as  '  sed  nunc  ' 
that  tho'  I  am  knocked  out  of  the  saddle,  I  am  now  myself 
a  quadruped_,  crawling  along  on  two  living  legs  and  two  wooden 
ones,  i.e.  sticks. 

"  I  have  every  now  and  then  a  little  pain  to  endure  ;  but  as 
soon  as  it  passes  away,  thanks  to  my  good,  kind,  faithful  old 
Wife  and  Nurse — herself  eighty-two — I  am  as  happy  as  you 
could  wish  me  to  be.  She,  I  am  thankful  to  say,  enjoys  good 
health  ;  reads  to  me,  by  dim  candle-light,  without  spectacles  ; 
and  with  bair  unchanged  in  colour,  like  my  old  friend  Colonel 
Arthur's."     &c. 


,1 


Letters  from  Sir  F.  B.  Head.  369 


FINISHING    REMAEKS    ON     THE    CLOSE    OF    SIR 
FRANCIS   HEAD'S   LETTERS. 

No  apology  is  necessary  to  the  readers  of  this  volume  for  the 
insertion  of  these  Letters,  which  are  probably  unir[ue  in  style, 
geniality,  pathos,  and  humour ;  and  "which  evince  a  love  of 
Hunting  such  as  never  can  have  existed  to  a  greater  degree  in 
any  man. 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  these  Letters — ^as  in  many  others 
in  the  possession  of  him  to  whom  they  were  addressed — there  are 
no  allusions  to  the  past  which  would  lead  the  reader  to  suppose 
that  the  writer  of  them  had  been  at  Waterloo — had  quelled  a 
serious  rising  in  an  important  Colony — had  been  the  Superin- 
tendent of  a  Gold-Mine — had  ridden  over  six  thousand  miles- 
of  a  Pampas,  undermined  with  the  holes  of  the  "  Prairie  Dog  " 
— was  a  '^  Quarterly  Reviewer  " — a  popular  author — a  ^'  Poor.> 
Law  Commissioner  " — and  a  "  Privy  Councillor." — The  con- 
templation of  things  as  they  existed  about  him,  current  events 
and  the  welfare  of  his  friends,  seem  to  have  furnished 
sufficient  occupation  for  his  thoughts,  and  to  have  kept  busy  a 
pen  rarely  idle.  As  will  be  seen  by  his  patient,  and  more,  his 
cheerful  endurance  of  the  pains  and  penalties  of  old  age,  the 
old  soldier  was  too  much  of  a  philosopher  to  *'  kick  against  the 
pricks,"  or  complain  of  unavoidable  misfortunes  :  he  accepted, 
as  they  came,  the  good  with  gratitude,  the  evil  of  life  with 
resignation.  We  know  from  himself  that  his  Horce  Pytclileijante 
were  the  happiest  hours  of  a  life  extending  through  eighty-five 
years ;  and  long  will  his  memory  be  dear  to  those  Members  of 
the  Hunt,  who  can  call  to  mind  the  decade,  during  which  the 
thick,  white,  curly  hair — the  keen  eye — and  the  comely  counte- 
nance of  the  brave  old  Officer  of  Engineers,  were  to  be  seen  at 
every  Pytchley  Meet.  The  only  fault  he  ever  found  with  the 
decade  was  that  it  was  all  too  short. ^But  we  know — 

"  That  Pleasure  which  the  most  enchants  us, 
Seems  the  soonest  done  ; 
AVhat  is  Life — with  all  it  grants  us — 
But  a  Hunting  Run  ?  " 

So  determined  was  Sir  Francis  that,  so  far  as  in  him  lay, 
nothing  should  diminish  his  enjoyment  of    hunting,  he  laid 

B    b 


0/ 


o  Appendix, 


down  Rules   of  Diet  for   liimself,   and    recommended    others^ 
who  wished  to  preserve  their  health,  to  follow  his  example. 

*'  A  young  Horseman,"  he  says  in  one  of  his  works,  "  who 
wishes  to  enjoy  the  greatest  possible  amount  of  Hunting, 
should  ensure  it  by  taking  the  greatest  possible  care — not  of 
his  neck,  not  even  of  his  life — for,  as  has  been  shown,  the  less 
he  interferes  with  his  horse  in  jumping  the  better  he  will  go — 
but  of  his  Stomach,  i.e.  his  Health.  To  attain  this  object  he 
has  no  penance  to  undergo  whatever  ;  for  as  he  is  undergoing 
strong  exercise,  his  system  requires — is  entitled  to  and 
ought  to  be  allowed — ample  suj^jDort :  say  a  capital  Breakfast ;  a 
Crust  of  Bread  in  the  middle  of  the  day ;  and  after  Hunting  is 
over,  a  glass  of  pure  Water  !  to  bring  him  home  to  a  good 
wholesome  Dinner,  with  three  or  four  glasses  of  super-excellent 
Wine.  Instead,  however,  of  subsisting  on  the  healthy  diet 
just  described,  the  ordinary  practice  of  many  Hunting-Men  is 
to  add  the  following  ingredients  : — 

"  (1)  After  breakfast,  before  mounting  the  spicey  Cover- Hack 
— a  Cigar. 

"  (2)  On  arriving  at  a  hand-gallop  at  the  Meet — a  Cigar. 

"  (3)  At  two  o'clock,  some  cold  grouse — a  long  drain  at  a  flat 
flask  full  of  Sherry  or  Brandy  and  Water,  and— a  Cigar. 

"  (4)  Refreshment  at  some  road-side  Inn  for  man  and  horse — 
a  Cigar. 
■    "  (5)  While  riding  home  ;  per  hour — a  Cigar. 

"(6)  On  reaching  home;  a  heavy  Dinner,  Wine,  &c.,  and 
— a  Cigar. 

"  For  a  short  time  a  stout  system  is  exhilarated,  and  a  strong 
stomach  invigorated,  by  a  series  of  gifts  so  munificently 
bestowed  upon  them  by  the  right  hand  of  their  Lord  and 
Master ;  but  this  slight  constant  Intoxication  produced  by 
Tobacco,  Vinous  and  Spirituous  Liquors,  with  a  superabun- 
dance of  ostrich-food,  sooner  or  later,  first  weakens  the  Stomach, 
and  then  gradually  debilitates  the  system  of  the  strong  man, 
as  well  as  of  the  puny  one.  The  first  symptom  of  prominent 
decay  is  announced  by  "  the  nerves ;"  which,  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  the  young  Rider,  sometimes  fail  so  rapidly,  that  while 
the  whole  of  the  rest  of  his  system  appears  to  himself,  and  to 
others,  as  vigorous  as  ever,  he  is  compelled  to  admit  that 
"  funking "  has  set  in,  and  increases,  do  what  he  will.  By 
giving  the  poor  willing  Stomach  more  food  and  liquor  than  it 


Letters  from  Sir  F.  B.  Head.  371 

can  conveniently  take  or  digest,  all  sorts  of  iintliought-of  evils 
intervene.  '  India,  my  boy,'  said  an  Irishman  to  a  friend  on 
his  arrival  at  Calcutta^  '  is  just  the  finest  climate  under  the 
sun  ;  but  a  pack  of  young  fellows  come  out  here,  and  they  ate 
and  they  ate,  and  they  drink  and  they  drink,  and  they  die  ; 
and  then  they  write  home  to  their  friends,  and  they  say,  *■'  it's  the 
climate  that  has  killed  them."  ' 

"  The  only  sure  and  certain  means  by  which  a  man  can 
maintain  his  health  is  to  adopt  the  system  of  the  Scotchman, 
who,  when  asked  by  a  friend  why  he  invariably  wore  a  X)laid 
26*a«sfcc»«f,  replied,  '"Why?  That  I  may  always  keep  a  clieck 
on  my  Stomach  ! '" 


THE    END. 


INDEX. 


Ainsworth  (Mr.  Ed.),  of  Winwick  "Warren, 
313. 

Allix  (Col.  Grenadier  Guards),  one  of  "the 
three  handsomest  men  in  London,"  15,  22. 

Allix  (Peter,  M.P.),  a  daring  rider;  nick- 
named "  Scratchface,"  22. 

Alvanley  (Lord),  his  Bon-mot  on  Lord  De 
Ros,  124 

AlTvin,  a  Pytchley  huntsman  previous  to 
William  I.,  3,  5. 

Ambrose  (Rector  of  Ellsworth),  a  Sporting 
Parson,  3,  5. 

Anderson  (Mr.,  horse-dealer),  his  "Jerry" 
beats  Lord  Waterford's  "Yellow  Dwarf" 
at  Little  Houghton  Steeplechase,  1838, 
25. 

Andrew  (Mr.),  of  Harleston,  27. 

Arundel  (Lord)  kept  Fox-hounds  in  Wilt- 
shire and  Hampshire,  1670—1700,  5.     . 

Austria  (Empress  of)  hunts  with  the  Pytch- 
ley in  1878,  202.— The  Steeplechase  got  up 
at  ber  expense  at  Hopping  Hill,  203. 

Austria  (Prince  Imperial  of)  hunts  with  the 
Pytchley,  203. 


B. 

Barratt  (Pat),  an  Irish  Groom  at  Harrow, 

286. 
Barrymore  (Lord) ;  his  ingenious  cheating 

of  C.  J.  Fox  at  cards,  124!. 
Beaconsfield  (Lord) ;    his  description  of  his 

run  ol  thirty  miles  on  an  Arabian  mare, 

and  stopping  at  nothing,  2. 
Beecher    (Capt.)     rides    "Spicey"    in    a 

Steeplechase  at  Little  Houghton,  1838,  25. 
Beers  (Frank),  "an  excellent  and  honest 

Northamptonshire  Huntsman,"  227. 
Blunt  (Capt.),  of  Crabbit  Park,  Sussex,  55. 
Boughton ;  removal  thither  of  the  Pytchley 

Hounds,  10. 
Bouverie  (Col.  of  the  Blues),  an  unrivalled 

gentleman-jockey,  23. 
Bouverie  (Squire),  of  Delapre  Abbey,  23, 

118. 
Boxing ;    its    support    by  people   in    high 

places,  34. 


Bright   (Right    Hon.    John),    Pitchley    or 

Pytchley.?  1. 
Brixworth ;  the  Pytchley  Kennels  situated 

there,  47. 
Brixworth  Sporting-Pauper  (the),  114. 
Byron  (Lord)  ;  his  admiration  of  Jackson 

the  Pugilist,  35. 


C. 

Caldecourt    (Will),    a  famous  under-hand 

Bowler,  140. 
Chantrey  (Sir  F.)  and  Lord  Melbourne's 

bust,  199. 
Charlton  (Mr.) ;  Pictures  of  Lord  Spencer's 

Woodland  Pack,  215. 
Childe    (Capt.)    wins  the    Steeplechase  at 

Little  Houghton  on  "  Conrad,"  25. 
Christian  (Dick),  a  famous  horse-breaker, 

106. 
Clerk    (Wm.),    of    Nottingham;    a    great 

under-hand  Bowler,  95. 
Cock-a-roost,  a  famous  cover  near  Isham, 

234. 
Cook  (Mr.  John),  of  Hothorp,  buys  "Lan- 
cet" of  Mr.  Nethercote  for  620^.,  15,  22. 
Cooper    (John);    Mr.   G.   Payne's    "most 

respectable  of  grooms,"  134. 
Cotton  (Sir  St.  Vincent),  a  good  whip,  136. 

— Member  of  the  Sulby  Cricket  Club,  141. 
Couch  (Henry),  Military  deserter  and  felon  ; 

his  singular  career  and  remarkable  Let- 
ters, 64. 
Covers  (Favourite),  30,  128,  129. 
Cribb  (Tom),  the  Pugilist,  36. 
Cricket  Match  at  Leicester  between  North 

and  South  of  England,  1838,  44. 
Cricket  Match,  Northampton  v.  Sulby  Hall, 

140. 


Daniel  (Sam,  Coachman)  ;  his  match  with 
Lieut.  Wellesley  :  Coach  v.  Horse,  137. 

Davis,  Driver  of  the  Manchester  "  Tele- 
graph," 138. 

Deaths  of  Sir  Charles  Slingsby  and  others, 
in  the  River  Ure,  183. 


Index, 


zn 


Derry :  First  Whip  under  Lord  Chesterfield, 

103. 
Dickens  (Rev.   Wm.,  of  Woollaston) ;    his 

smart  sayings,  59. 
Downe  (Viscount)  purchases  Dingley  Hall, 

144. 
Drake   (Squire),    Master  of   the    Bicester 

Houndg,  285. 
Drake  (Rev.  Edward),  of  Amersham,  285. 
Drake  (Hon.  Mrs.),  a  great  huntress,  285 


E. 


Edmonds  (Mr.  Charles)  ;  his  remarkable 
discovery  of  precious  Old  Books  at  Lam- 
port Hall,  323. 

Elmore  (Mr.)  ;  his  famous  horse  "Lottery," 
26. 

Emery  (John),  the  Actor,  and  Tom  Cribb, 
the  Pugilist,  36. 

Everard  (Mr.  Harry) ,  307. 


F. 


Fawsley  House,  the  seat  of  Sir  Rainald 
Knightley,  M.P.  ;  its  secret  chamber;  a 
Martin  Marprelate  tract  printed  there  in 
1588,  49,  294. 

Flatman  (Nat),  Mr.  Bouverie's  incorrup- 
tible Jockey,  119. 

Fletcher  Family,  Head  Gamekeepers  to  the 
Duke  of  Buccleuch  ar,  Boughton,  350. 

Fox  (The)  ;  First  notice  of,  temp.  Richard 
II.,  5 

Fox-Hounds,  First  Pack  of,  5 ;  diiferences 
in  their  characters,  12;  a  "conceited"' 
hound,  12 ;  attachment  of  Mr.  Musters's 
hounds  to  him,  82  ;  the  Breeding  of  Fox- 
hounds, 229. 

Fox-Hunter ;  the  Abbot  of  Peterborough, 
temp.  Richard  II.,  the  first  Fox-Hunter, 
5. 

G. 

Gladstone  (Rt.  Hon.  W.  E.)  ;  his  advice  at 
an  Althorp  Meet  to  distressed  Farmers 
riding  beautiful  horses,  221. 

Goddard  (Jack)  ;  First  Whip  under  Mr. 
Wilkins's  Mastership,  97. 

Goodall  (Will) ;  his  excellence  as  a  Hunts- 
man, 219,  226 ;  his  rectitude,  227  ;  his  bold 
swimming  of  the  River  None,  and  efficacy 
of  whisky  in  the  boots  afterwards, 
228. 

Granville  (Earl)  hunts  with  the  Pytchley 
Eounds,  220. 

Greville  (Mr.  0.  C.  F.,  Clerk  of  the  Council), 
a  partner  with  G.  Payne  in  racehorses, 
119. 

Grimston  ("Bob");  his  furtive  rides  at 
Harrow  School,  286. 

Gully  (John),  Pugilist  and  M.P. ;  his  great 
31ill  with  "the  Chicken,"  and  Lord  Al- 
thorx^'s  delight  thereat,  35. 


H. 


Hammond  (Wm.  Oxenden),  his  secret  rides 

at  Harrow  School,  28d. 
Harris  (John),  Driver  of  the  Northami)ton 

Coach,  137. 
Harrow  Hunt  (the),  132. 
Head  (Sir  F,  B.) :  his  Letters  on  Hunting 

Subjects,  362—371. 
Humphrey  (Rev.  John  Cave,  of  Laughton) 

and  his  hunting  Niece,  60. 
Hungerford   (Mr.,  of   Dingley   Hall)   runs 

"Brilliant"    against    "  Billy  "  Russell's 

"Valentine,"  21,  144. 
Hunt  (Rt.  Hon.  G.  Warde,  M.P.) ;  his  Speech 

at  farewell    dinner    to   Col    Anstruther 

Thomson,  180 
Hunting-Bankers,  2-50. 
Hunting-Dandie-,  20,  105. 
Hunting-Song,  "The  Pytchley,"  357. 


I. 

Ingram    (Jemmy) ;    his    furtive    rides    at 

Harrow  School,  286. 
Inverurie  (Lord) ;  his  melancholy  death  in 

the  hunting-field,  131. 
Ireland,  Hunting  in,  216. 
Isham  (Sir  Justinian)  ;  his  great  run  from 

Sywell  Wood  to  Ashby  by  Welland,  30. 
Isham  (Sir  Thomas)  ;  his  Latin  Diary,  9. 
Isham  (Rev.  Vere,  Rector  of  Lamport),  58. 


J. 

JacKson,  the  Pugilist,  and  Lord  Byron,  35. 
Jersey  (Earl  of) ,  a  fii  st-rate  rider  to  hounds, 

23. 
Jolly  (Tom),  Mr.  Isted's  excellent  second 

horseman,  248. 
Jumping  and  Jumpers,  154. 


King    (Charles),    Lord    Althorp's    famous 

Huntsman,  27 ;   his  Hunting   Diary,   28 ; 

his  rectitude,  227. 
Kingsbury  (Ned,  nick-named  Dirty  Dick), 

Second  Whip  to  Mr.  G.  Payne,  125. 
Kintrsthorpe,  sinking  for  Coal  at,  54 
Kirwan    ("Whacky"),  the    famous   Eton 

Bowler,  95. 
Knight    (Dick),  Earl  Spencer's  celebrated 

Huntsman,  1782,  7. 


L. 

Lambert  (Daniel)  and  Dick  Christian,  109. 
Lamport     Hall,    near    Northampton;     it«i 

famous  Rockery  and  rare  Books.  321,  322. 
"  Lancet,"  sold  by  Mr.   John  Nethercote 

for  620/.,  15. 


374 


Index, 


Lane  Family,  Managers  of  the  Pytchley 
Club  for  three  generations,  10;  Mr.  Lane, 
•the  oldest  Wantage  tenant,  11. 

Letter  from  a  young  Lady-Naturalist,  360. 

Lonsdale  (Earl  of).  Master  of  the  North 
Pytchley  Hounds,  225. 

M. 

Macdonald  (Lord),  Leap  of  thirty  feet  at 

Great  Harrowden,  99. 
Maidsume  (Lord),  a  brilliant  rider,  99. 
Ma-  Chester  (Ducuess  of)  at  the  Empress  of 

Auscria's  Steeplechase  at  Hopping  Hill, 

20:J. 
Mason  (Jem),  a  famous  Steeplechase  rider, 

89. 
MASTERS  OF  THE   PYTCHLEY  HUNT; 
its  History  under  their  msmagement : — 

ALFORD  (LORD),  149. 

ALTHORP      (LORD:      THIRD      EARL 
SPENCER),  13. 

BULLER  (MR.),  7. 

CHESTERFIELD  (EARL  OF),  101. 

CRAVEN  (MR.  J.  A.),  187. 

CUST  (HON.  C),  166. 

GOODRICKE  (SIR  F.  H.),  113. 

GRAHAM  (SIR  BELLINGHAM),  47. 

HOPETOUN  (EARL  OF),  157. 

KNIGHTLEY  (SIR  CHARLES),  45. 

LANGHAM    (MR.    HERBERT),    present 
Master,  224. 

MUSTERS  (MR.    JOHN   CHAWORTH), 

OSBALDESTON  (MR.  G.),  83. 

PAYNE  (MR.  GEORGE),  4,  99. 

PAY'NE    (MR.  G.),Ais  second  Mastership, 
117. 

SMITH  (MR.  T.),112. 

SONDES  (LORD),  15,  47. 

SPENCER  (FIRST  EARL),  6. 

(SECOND  EARL),  6. 

(PRESENT  EARL),  188. 

THOMSON  (COL.  ANSTRUTHER),  160. 

VILLIERS  (HON.  FREDERICK),  157. 

WARDS  (MR.  JOHN),  10. 

WILKINS  (MR.),  M.P.,  97. 
Meecher  (J.),  Driver  of  the  "Nottingham 

Times,"  138. 
"  Meet  at  Crick;  "  Portraits  in  that  pictuie 

by  Barraud,  153. 
Melton;  best  Performers  at,  between  1820 

and  1830,  85. 
MEMOIRS     OF      MEMBERS     OF     THE 
PYTCHLEY  HUNT  :— 

ALDERSON  (MISS),  319. 

ANGERSTEIN  (MR.  WILLIAM),  254. 

ARTHUR  (COLONEL),  262. 

ASHBY  ASHBY  (CAPT.  G.),  240. 

BENNETT  (MR.  JOHN),  327. 

BEVAN  (MR.  RICHARD  LEE),  249. 

BRAYE  (LORD),  283. 

CLERK  (CAPT.  MILDMAY),  258. 

CRAWFURD  (MR.  STIRLING),  306. 

DANIEL  (MR.),2y:i. 


DRAKE  (REV.  J.  TYRWHITT) ,  284. 

ENTWISLE  (MR.  J.)  328. 

ERSKINE  (LORD),  291. 

FOSTER  (MR.  W.  H.),  277. 

GILBERT  (MR.  J.),  326. 

GIST  (CAPTAIN),  280. 

GOUGH  (MR.  J.),  329. 

HAZELHURST  (MR.  H.),  281. 

HEAD  (SIR  FRANCIS  BOND),  313. 

HENLEY  (LORD),  310. 

ISHAM  (SIR  CHARLES),  320. 

ISTED  (MR.  AMBROSE),  244. 

JAMESON  (MR.),  280. 

KNIGHTLEY  (SIR  CHARLES),  45. 

KNIGHTLEY  (SIR  RAINALD),  292. 

LANGHAM  (MR.  F.),  291, 

LANGHAM  (MISS),  291. 

LIDDELL    (HON.   H.,  LORD  RAVENS- 
WORTH),  272. 

LOVELL  (MR.  J.),  312. 

MELVILLE  (MAJOR  WHYTE),  263. 

MIDDLETON  (CAPT.  "BAY")  256. 

MILLS  (MR.  J.),  328. 

MUNTZ  (MR.  P.  A.),  282. 

NETHERCOTE  (MR.  JOBN),  304. 

NEWLAND  (MAJOR),  305. 

PENDER  (MR.),  280. 

RIDDELL  (CAPT.),  318. 

ROKEBY  (REV.  H.),  274. 

SIMSON  (MR.  &  MBS.),  278. 

WAKE  (MR.  DRURY),  296. 

WROUGHTON  (MR.  C),  291. 

YOUNG  (MR.  A.  A.),  233. 
MEMOIRS     OP    THE    NORTHAMPTON 
BRIGADE  :— 

DR.  DODD,  330— MR.  EADY,  332— 
"LAWYER"  FLESHER,  331— MR. 
HARRIS,  3.32— MR.  HENRY  HIG- 
GINS,  331— MESSRS.  PHILLIPS,  331 
—MR.  JOHN  PHIPPS,  332— MR.  RAT- 
CLIFFE,  332— MR.  WHITWORTH, 
SEN.,  330. 
MEMOIRS  OF  FARMER  MEMBERS  :— 

MESSRS  ATTERBURY,  347— MR.  JOHN 
BARBER,  344— MR.  JOHN  COOPER, 
347— MR.  W.  DRAGE,  344r-MR.  EL- 
WORTHY,  336— MR.  LUCAS  FORS- 
TER,  345— MESSRS.  J.  &  G.  GEE,  346 
—MR.  CHARLES  HEWETT,  340— MR. 
JOSEPH  HUMPHREY,  342— MR. 
MATTHEW  OLDACRE,  339— MR.  & 
MRS.  SHARMAN,  343— MR.  JOHN 
TOPHAM,  333— MU.  TOM  TURNELL, 
345— MR.  SAMUEL  WARREN,  341— 
MR.  W.  WHITEHEAD,  345-MR.  W. 
WIDDOWSON,  337— MR.  J.  WOOD,  346. 
MEMOIRS  OF  WOODLAND  MEMBERS  :— 

THE    DUKE    OF    BUCCLEUCH,    348— 

THE    EARL    OF    CARDIGAN,    352— 

LORD   LILFORD,   354— LORD  LYVE- 

DEN,  354— MR.  C.  THORNHILL,    354. 

Meynell    (Hugo)  ;    his  Pack  at  Quorndon, 

1782,  6. 
Murchison  (Sir  Roderick)  as  a  Fox-Hunter, 

53. 


Index, 


zr:^ 


N. 

Newspaper  Accounts  of  Runs,  165. 
Northampton  Race-Course  ;  the  old  and  new 

Stands,  26,  27. 
Northampton  Cricket  Club,  141. 

O. 

Oliver  (T.),    the  celebrated  Steeplechase 
rider,  131. 

"Order  of  theAYhit?  Collar  :" 

The  Costume  of  the  Hunting  Club 
formed  at  Old  Pytchley  Hall  by  John 
George,  Earl  Spencer,  about  1752,  was  a 
scarlet  coat,  with  white  collar,  and  dis- 
tinguishing buttons  :  the  binding  of  the 
present  work  has  reference  to  this  cos- 
tume, 6. 

Oxenham     (Rev.  "W.),    Second  Master  at 
Harrow  School,  286. 

Oxford,  Hunting  at,  in  its  palmy  days,  298. 


Payn  (Charles),  First  Whip  tinder  Mr.  G. 
Pavne.  125  :  his  rectitude,  227. 

Payne  ("  Billy  "),  Brother  of  Mr,  G.  Payne, 
135. 

Pearson  ("Jem"),  Driver  of  the  "Not- 
tingham Times,"  13S. 

Pell  (Admiral  Sir  Watkin) ,  a  bold  hunter 
with  a  cork  leg,  57, 

Pell  (Sam),  a  hard-riding  farmer,  155. 

Peyton  (Sir  Henry),  a  good  Whip,  136. 

PhiUipson  (Capt,),  nicknamed  "Handsome 
Jack,"  25. 

"Pillag'er,"  a  Paragon  of  fox-hounds,  151. 

Plymouth  (Earl  of) ,  a  first-rate  rider  to 
hounds,  22. 

Pridmore  (Wm.),  Mr.  Isted's  second  Horse- 
man. 248, 

Prize-fights  :  Gully  and  "the  Chicken,"  35  ; 
Owen  Swift  and  Atkinson  of  Notting- 
ham, 14^ ;  Great  battle  near  Towcester, 
143 ;  Smith  and  Greenfield  at  Acheref , 
France,  38, 

Prize-fighting,  Downfall  of,  37, 

Pytchley  Club  Members  in  1782,  1808,  and 
1838  ;  7,  15,  106. 

Pytchley  Hall  (Old),  bttilt  by  Sir  Euseby 
Isham,  temp.  Queen  Elizabeth,  3 :  its  suc- 
cessive owners,  and  demolition,  4. 

Pytchley  Hunt  Races,  1838,  24, 

R. 

Racehorses,  Nomenclature  of  ;  its  difficul- 
ties, 308  ;  its  "happy  hits,"  309, 

"Rainbow;"  Col,  Anstruther  Thomson's 
best  horse,  175. 

Ranee  (Tom),  First  Whip  under  Lord 
Spencer's  Mastership,  207, 

"  Rapping"  at  the  Pytchley  Club,  15. 

Raveuaworth  (Earl  of) ;  see  Liddell,  272. 


Ros  (Lord  de)  accused  of  foul  play  at  cards, 
122, 

Rose  (Tom),  the  Duke  of  Grafton's  cele- 
brated Huntsman,  11. 

Royston  (H.),  Huntsman  to  the  Harrow 
Hounds,  and  cricketer,  132. 

Runs  (Great)  with  Fox-hounds,  2,  13,  14, 
19,  21,  30,  79,  90,  102,  127, 129,  160,  171,  228, 
248. 

Russell  ("Billy")    at  Pitsford  Hall.  99. 

Russell  (Lord  Charles),  on  the  Breeding  of 
Hounds,  230. 

S. 

"  Safety-Talve ;  "  one  of  Mr.  Stirling  Craw- 

furd's  hunters,  307. 
Sandars  Gorse  ;  a  famous  cover,  41. 
Sawbridge    (Mr.)    killed  in    the  hunting- 
field,  130. 
Scent— What  is  it  ?  208, 
Sebright  (Tom).,  an  able  and  upright  Hunts- 
man, 227, 
"Semper    Durus;"    one    of    Mr,   Stirling 

Crawfurd's  htmters,  307, 
Shirley  (Jem),  Whip  to   Mr.  Osbaldeston, 

85, 
Shooting     Match :      interesting      walking 

match  between  Capt,  Ro?s  and  the  Hon. 

G.  Anson,  93. 
Simpson  (Mr.)   of   Hemplow,  an  excellent 

fox  preserver,  334. 
Smith   (Mr,  Assheton,  Senr,)  tries  to  cut 

down  Dick  Knight,  10, 
Smith  (T,  Assheton) ;  his  big  jump,  109. 
Snow,  Hunting  in  the,  21. 
Soames  (Capt.),  a  fine  rider;  his  favourable 

report  of    the   financial  position  of  the 

P.H„  231. 
Sound,  instances  of  the  power  of,  9. 
Spencer  (Frederick,  Earl),  40. 
Spencer    (Countess)    at    the    Empress    of 
Austria's  Steeplechase  at  Hopping  Hill, 203. 
Steeplechases  and  Steeplechasers,  25,  87,88, 

89,  203. 
Stevens    (Jack),    an  unrivalled  Whip,    97, 

98 ;  but  a  bad  Huntsman,  207. 
Stevenson  (Mr.   John)   wins  the  Farmers' 

Cup  with  "  True  Blue,"  at  the  P.H.  Races. 

1838,  24, 
Stubbs  ("  Ginger"),  a  htmting-dancly,  105. 
Sulby  Hall  Cricketers,  141. 

T. 

Tassell  (Dan),  First  Whip  to  Mr.  Jsted,  247. 
Teck  (Duchess  of)  attends  the  Empress  of 

Austria's  Steeplechase  at  Hopping  Hill, 

203. 
Thursby  ( Harvey)  of  Abington  Abbey,  near 

Northampton,  103. 
ToUemache    (Hon,     Wilbraham),     a    good 

rider,  105. 
Tomblin    (Mr.),    Horse-dealer    and    High 

Sheriff,  251. 
"  True  Blue,"  a  famous  Steeplechaier,  24. 


6/ 


Index. 


u. 

•'Under  tlie  Rose;"  origin  of  the  phrase, 
50. 


Vernon  (Mr.),  nicknamed  "  Hat-peg    Ver- 
non," 159. 


W. 

Wake  (Mr.  Drury) :  his  unrivalled  ride  from 
Oxford  to  London  and  back  in  five  hours, 
29 ;  his  perilous  ride  from  Constantinople 
to  Belgrade,  in  1854,  with  Government 
Despatches,  300;  his  immersion  in  Whilton 
Brook,  303. 

Wales  (H.R.H.  the  Prince  of)  hunts  with 
the  Pvtchley;  falls  into  Spratton  Brook, 
4     200. 


Wales  (H.R.H.  the  Princess  of)  attends  the 
Empress  of  Austria's  Steeplechase  at 
Hopping  Hill,  203. 

Waterford  (Marquis  of)  rides  "Yellow 
Dwarf"  at  the  Little  Houghton  Steeple- 
chase, 1838,  25. 

Watkins  (Rev.  0.  F.) ;  his  speech  at  dinner 
to  Col.  Anstruther  Thomsun.  178. 

Watson  (Mr.,  of  Rockingham  Castle), 
Master  of  the  North  Pytchley  Hounds,  224. 

West  (Mr.,  of  Dallington),  a  Northampton- 
shire Hunting  Yeoman,  153. 

Whalley  (Rev.  John)  at  the  P.H.  Races, 
1838,  25  ;  his  graceful  riding,  59. 

"Whole  Duty  of  Man;"  verses  on  Fox- 
preserv  ng,  326. 

William  IV.  (King^ ;  his  horse  "  Hindoo- 
stan  "  beats  Mr.  Whitworth's"  Peon  "  at 
Northampton  Races,  26. 

Wood  (Jem),  First  Whip  under  Lord 
Althorp ;  a  brilliant  rider,  21. 

Wood  (Squire)  of  Brixworth  Hall,  53. 


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5.  The  Threshold  of  the  Unknown  Reg-ion.     By  C.  R.  Mark- 

HAM.     (4th  Edition,  with  Additional  Chapters,  loj-.  6d.) 

6.  Cruise  of  the  Challenger.     By  W.  J,  J.  Spry,  R.N. 

7.  Burnahy's  On  Horseback  throug-h  Asia  Minor,      los.  6d, 

8.  Schweinfurth's  Heart  of  Africa.     2  vols.,  1 5 J. 

9.  Marshall's  Througrh  America. 


1 8  Sampson  Low,  Mars  ton,  6^  CoJs 

Low's  Standard  Library  of  Travel  and  Adventiire — continued. 

10.  liansdell's  Throug-h.  Siberia.     Illust.  and  unabridged,  \os.  6d, 

11.  Hill's  From.  Home  to  Home. 

12.  Knigrht's  Cruise  of  the  Falcon. 

13.  Thomson's  Through  Masai  Land. 

Low's  Standard  Novels.    Small  post  8vo,  cloth  extra,  ds.  each, 
unless  otherwise  stated. 
A  Daug-hter  of  Heth.     By  W.  Black. 
In  Silk  Attire.     By  W.  Black. 
Kilmeny,     A  Novel.     By  W.  Black. 
Lady  Silverdale's  Sweetheart.     By  W.  BlacK. 
Sunrise.     By  W.  Black. 
Three  Feathers.     By  William  Black. 
Alice  Lorraine.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Christowell,  a  Dartmoor  Tale.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Clara  Vaug-han.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Cradock  Nowell,     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Cripps  the  Carrier.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Erema ;  or,  My  Father's  Sin.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Lorna  Doone.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore.     25th  Edition. 
Mary  Anerley.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Tommy  TJpmore.     By  R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Bonaventure.     By  G.  W.  Cable. 
An  Engrlish  Squire.     By  Miss  Coleridge. 
Some  One  Else.     By  Mrs.  B.  M.  Croker. 
A  Story  of  the  Drag-onnades.    By  Rev.  E.  GiLLiAT,  M.A, 
A  Laodicean.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
Far  from  the  Madding-  Crowd.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
Mayor  of  Casterbridg-e.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
Pair  of  Blue  Eyes.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
Eeturn  of  the  Native.    By  Thomas  Hardy. 
The  Hand  of  Ethelberta.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
The  Trumpet  Major.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
Two  on  a  Tower.     By  Thomas  Hardy. 
Old  House  at  Sandwich.     By  Joseph  Hatton. 
Three  Recruits.     By  Joseph  Hatton. 

A  Golden  Sorrow.     By  Mrs.  Cashel  Hoey.     New  Edition. 
A  Stern  Chase.     By  Mrs.  Cashel  Hoey. 
Out  of  Court.     By  Mrs.  Cashel  Hoey. 
Don  John.     By  Jean  Ingelow. 
John  Jerome.     By  Jean  Ingelow.     5j. 
Sarah  de  Berenger.     By  Jean  Ingelow. 
Adela  Cathcart.     By  George  Mac  Donald. 
Gruild  Court.    By  George  Mac  Donald. 
Mary  Marston.     By  George  Mac  Donald. 

Stephen  Archer.   New  Ed.  of  "  Gifts. "   By  George  Mac  Donald. 
The  Vicar's  Daug-hter.     By  George  Mac  Donald. 


List  of  Puhhcations,  19 


Low's  Standard  Novels — continued. 

"Weig-hed  and  "Wanting-.     By  George  Mac  Donald. 

Diane.     By  Mrs.  Macquoid. 

Elinor  Dryden.     By  Mrs.  Macquoid. 

My  Lady  Greensleeves.     By  Helen  Mathers. 

Alaric  Spenceley.     By  Mrs.  J.  H.  Riddell. 

Daisies  and  Buttercups.    By  Mrs.  J.  H.  Riddell. 

The  Senior  Partner.    By  Mrs.  J.  H.  Riddell. 

A  Strug-g-le  for  Fame.      By  Mrs.  J.  H.  Riddell. 

Jack's  Courtship.    By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

John  Holds-worth.     By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

A  Sailor's  Sweetheart.     By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

Sea  Qrueen.    By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

Watch  Below.    By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

Strange  "Voyage.     By  \V.  Clark  Russell. 

"Wreck  of  the  Grosvenor.     By  \V.  Clark  Ru.ssell. 

The  Lady  Maud.     By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

Little  Loo.     By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

The  Late  Mrs.  Ntdl.     By  Frank  R.  Stockton. 

Hundredth  Man.     By  Frank  R.  Stockton. 

Old  Town  Folk. 

We  and  our  Neighbours. 

Poganuc  People,  their  Loves  and  Lives.     By  Mrs.  B.  Stowe. 

Ben  Hur :  a  Tale  of  the  Christ.     By  Lew.  Wallace. 

Anne.    By  Constance  Fenimore  Woolson. 

East  Angels.    By  Constance  Fenimore  Woolson. 

For  the  Major.    By  Constance  Fenimore  Woolson.     5^. 

French  Heiress  in  her  own  Chateau. 

Loiiis  Series  of  Standard  Books  for  Boys.     With  numerous 

Illustrations,  2.s.  6d. ;  r  ilt  edges,  3^.  6d.  each. 
Dick  Cheveley.     By  W.  H.  G.  Kingston. 
Heir  of  Kilfinnan.     By  W.  H.  G.  Kingston. 
Off  to  the  Wilds.     By  G.  Manville  Fenn. 
The  Two  Supercargoes.    By  W.  H.  G.  Kingston. 
The  Silver  Canon.    By  G.  Manville  Fenn. 
"Under  the  Meteor  Flag.     By  HarkY  Collingwood. 
Jack  Archer:  a  Tale  of  the  Crimea.     By  G.  A.  Henty. 
The  Mutiny  on  Board  the  Ship  Leander.     By  B.  Heldmann. 
With  Axe  and  Kifle  on  the  Western  Prairies.     By  W.  H.  G. 

Kingston. 
Bed  Cloud,  the  Solitary  Sioux  :  a  Tale  of  the  Great  Prairie. 

By  Col.  Sir  Wm.  Butler,  K.CB. 
The  "Voyage  of  the  Aurora.     By  Harry  Collingwood. 
Charmouth   Grange :    a   Tale   of  the    17th    Century.     By  J. 

Percy  Groves. 
Snowshoes  and  Canoes.     By  W.  H,  G.  Kingston. 
The  Son  of  the  Constable  of  France.     By  Louis  Rousselet. 


1*1 


20  Sampson  Low,  Marston,  &  Co.^s 

Low's  Series  of  Standard  Books  for  Boys — continued. 

Captain  Lang^ford ;   or,  Our    Salt    and   Fresh.  Water  Tutors. 

Edited  by  W.  H.  G.  Kingston. 
The  Cornet  of  Horse,  a   Tale   of  Marlborough's  Wars.     By 

G.  A.  Henty. 
The  Adventures  of  Captain  Mag-o.     By  Leon  Cahun. 
Noble  Words  and  Noble  Needs. 
The  King-  of  the  Tig-ers.     By  Rousselet. 
Hans  Brinker ;  or,  The  Silver  Skates.     By  Mrs.  Dodge. 
The  Drummer-Boy,  a  Story  of  the  time  of  Washing-ton.     By 

Rousselet. 
Adventures  in  New  Guinea :  The  Narrative  of  Louis  Treg-ance. 
The  Crusoes  of  Guiana.     By  Boussenard. 

The  Gold  Seekers.     A  Sequel  to  the  Above.     By  Boussenard. 
Winning-  His  Spurs,  a  Tale  of  the  Crusades.     By  G.  A.  Henty. 
The  Blue  Banner.     By  Leon  Cahun. 

Loii^s  Pocket  Encyclopcedia  :  a  Compendium  of  Ge7ieral  Know- 
ledge  for  Ready  Reference.  Upwards  of  25,000  References,  with 
Plates.    Imp.  32mo,  ornamental  cloth,  marble  edges,  3^-.  6^.;  roan,  4$-.  (id. 

Low's  Handbook  to  the  Chai'ities  of  London.  Edited  and  revised 
to  date.     Yearly,  cloth,  is.  6d.;  paper,  is. 

"X/rCCORMICK  (P.).    Voyages  of  Discot^ery  in  the  Arctic  and 
'^^-*-      Antarctic    Seas  in  the  "Erebus"  and  "Terror,"   in    Search   of 

Sir  John  Franklin,  «&:c.     With  Maps  and  Lithos.     2  vols.,  royal  8vo, 

5  2 J.  (>d. 
MacDonald  (G.)  Orts.     Small  post  8vo,  6s. 

See  also  "  Low's  Standard  Novels." 

McGoun  (G.  L>.   A.   and  L.)  Handbook  of  Coi7imercial  Cor- 

respondence.     Crown  8vo,  5^-. 
Macgregor  {John)   ^'' Rob  Roy'*   Oft   the  Baltic.     3rd   Edition, 

small  post  8vo,  2s.  6d. ;  cloth,  gilt  edges,  3^-.  6d. 
A   Thousand  Miles  in  the  ''''Rob  Roy"    Canoe,     nth 

Edition,  small  post  Svo,  2J-.  dd. ;  cloth,  gilt  edges,  3^-.  da. 

Voyage  Alone  in  the  Yawl  "  Rob  Roy."     New  Edition, 


with  additions,  small  post  Svo,  5^. ;  y.  6d.  and  2s.  6d. 
Mackay  {Charles)  New  Glossary  of  Obscure  Words  in  Shake- 

speare.     2is. 
Mackenzie   (Johii)   Austral  Africa  :    Losing  it  or  Ruling  it  ? 

niustrations  and  Maps.     2  vols.,  Svo,  32J. 
McLellan's  Own  Story  :  The  War  for  the  Unio7i.    Illust.  \Zs. 
McMurdo  {Edward)  History  of  Portugal.     8vo^  2i.f. 
Macquoid{Mrs.).     See  Low's  Standard  Novels. 


List  of  Publications.  21 


Magazine.     See  English  Etchings,  Harper. 

Maginn  (IV.)  Miscellanies.     Prose  and  Verse.      With  Memoir. 
2  vols.,  crown  8vo,  2.\s. 

Main  {Mrs.;  Mrs.  Fred  Buffiahy)  High  Life  and  Towers  of 
Silence.     Illustrated,  square  8vo,  \os.  6d. 

Manitoba.     See  Bryce. 

Mantling  {E,  F.)  Delightful  Tha??ies.     Illustrated.     4to,  fancy- 
boards,  5J. 

Markhani  ( Clements  P.)  The  Fighti?ig  Veres^  Sir  F.  and  Sir  LL, 
8vo,  iSj. 

■ War  between  Peru  and  Chili,  1879-1881.    Third  Ed. 

Crown  8vo,  with  Maps,  loj.  6d. 

See  also  '' Foreign  Countries,"  Maury,  and  Veres. 


Marshall  (W.  G.)  Through  America.     Ne\v  Ed.,  cr.  Svo,  7^.  6d. 
Martin  {^.  W.)  Float  Fishing  and  Spinning  i?i  the  Nottingham 

Style.     New  Edition.     Crown  Svo,  2s.  6d. 
Matthews  {/.  W.,  M.D.)  Lticzuadi  Yami :  20  years  in  S.  Africa. 

With  many  Engravings,  royal  Svo,  14J. 
Maury  {Co?ni?iander)  Physical  Geography  of  the  Sea,  aiid  its 

Meteorology.     New  Edition,  with  Charts  and  Diagrams,  cr.  Svo,  6j. 
Life.     By  his  Daughter.    Edited  by  Mr.  Clements  R. 

Markham.     With  Frontispiece,  Svo,  \2s.  6d. 
Men  of  Mark:  Portraits  of  the  most  Fminent  Men  of  the  Day, 

specially  taken.     Complete  in  Seven  Vols.,  4to,  handsomely  bound, 

gilt  edges,  25^.  each, 
Mendelssohn  Family  (The),    1729  — 1847.     From   Letters  and 

Journals.     Translated.     New  Edition,  2  vols.,  Svo,  30J. 
Mendelssohn.     See  also  "  Great  Musicians." 
Merrif  eld's  Nautical  Astro?io7ny.     Crown  8vo,  7.^.  dd. 
Merrylees  {/.)  Carlsbad  and  its  Environs,     'js.  td. ;  roan,  <^s. 
Mitchell  {D.    G. ;   Ik.  Marvel)    Works.      Uniform    Edition, 

small  Svo,  5^.  each. 


Bound  together. 
Doctor  Johns. 
Dream  Life. 
Out-of-Town  Places. 


Reveries  of  a  Bachelor. 

Seven  Stories,  Basement  and  Attic. 

Wet  Days  at  Edgewood. 


Mitford  (Mary  Russell)  Our  Village.  With  12  full-page  and  157 
smaller  Cuts.     Cr.  4to,  cloth,  gilt  edges,  2\s.;  cheaper  binding,  \os.  dd. 

Milford  (P.)  Ned  Stafford's  Experiences  in  the  United  States,   ^s. 

Moffatt  (W.)  Land  a?id  Work;  Depression,  Agricultural  and 
Commercial.     Crown  Svo,  5^-. 

Mohammed  Benani :    A  Story  of  To-day.     8vo,  \os.  6d. 


22  Sampson  Loiv,  Marston,  &^  Co*s 

Mollett  {J.  IV.)  Illustrated  Dictionary  of  Words  used  in  Art  and 
Archaeology.  Terms  in  Architecture,  Arms,  Bronzes,  Christian  Art, 
Colour,  Costume,  Decoration,  Devices,  Emblems,  Heraldry,  Lace, 
Personal  Ornaments,  Pottery,  Painting,  Sculpture,  &c.    Small  4to,  15^. 

Moloney  (^Governor)  Forestry  of  West  Africa.     los.  6d. 

Money  {E.)  The  Truth  about  America.    New  Edition,     is.  6d. 

Moiiey  (ff.)  English  Literature  in  the  Reign  of  Victoria. 
2000th  volume  of  the  Tauchnitz  Collection  of  Authors.     i8mo,  is.  dd. 

Morse  {E.  S. )  Japanese  Homes  and  their  Surroundings.  With 
more  than  300  Illustrations.     Re-issue,  icw.  6^. 

Morwoad.     Our  Gipsies  in  City,  Tent,  and  Van.     8vo,  i8i. 

Moxon  ( Walter)  Pilocereus  Senilis.     Fcap.  8vo,  gilt  top,  35.  dd. 

Muller  (E.)  Noble  Words  and  Noble  Deeds.  Illustrated,  gilt 
edges,  3J.  6d. ;  plainer  binding,  2s.  dd. 

Murray  {E.  C.  Grenville)  Memoirs.     By  his  widow.     2  vols. 

Music.     See  "  Great  Musicians." 


ISJAPOLEON  and  Marie  Louise :  Memoirs,    By  Madame 

-^  ^       DURAND.      *JS.  6d. 

Nether  cote  {C.  B.)  Pytchley  Hunt.  With  Anecdotes  and 
Authorised  Portraits.     New  Edition,  crown  8vo,  8j.  dd. 

New  Zealand.     See  Bradshaw. 

New  Zealand  Rulers  and  Statesmen.     See  Gisborne. 

Nicholls  {J.  H.  Kerry)  The  King  Country  :  Explorations  in 
New  Zealand.     Many  Illustrations  and  Map.     New  Edition,  Svo,  215-. 

Nisbet  {Hume)  Life  and  Nature  Studies.  With  Etching  by 
C.  O.  Murray.     Crown  Svo,  ds. 

Nordhoff  {C.)  Calif ornia,  for  Health,  Pleasure,  and  Residence. 
New  Edition,  Svo,  with  Maps  and  Illustrations,  12s.  dd. 

Norman  (C  B.)  The  Corsairs  of  France.  With  Portraits  and 
Map.     Svo,  iSj. 

Northbrook  Gallery.  Edited  by  Lord  Ronald  Gower.  36  Per- 
manent Photographs.     Imperial  4to,  63^". ;  large  paper,  105J. 

Nott  {Major)  Wild  Aftimals  Photographed  and  Described.    35^. 

Nursery  Play^nates  {Prince  of ).  217  Coloured  Pictures  for 
Children  bv  eminent  Artists.     Folio,  in  coloured  boards,  ds. 


O'BRIEN  {R.  B.)   Fifty    Years  of  Concessions  to  Ireland. 
With  a  Portrait  of  T.  Drummond.     Vol.  I.,  i6j-.,  II.,  \dx. 
Orient  Line  Guide  Book.     By  W.  J.  Loftie.     5^. 


;:j 


List  of  Publications.  23 


Orvis  (C.  P.)  Fishing  with  the  Fly,    Illustrated.    8vo,  125-.  dd. 
Our  Little  Ones  in  LLeaven.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  H.  Robbins. 

With  Frontispiece  after  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds.     New  Edition,  5^. 
Owen  {Douglas)  Marine  Lnsicrance  Notes  and  Clauses.     New 

Edition,  14J. 

pALLISER  (Afrs.)  A  LListory  of  Lace.     New  Edition,  with 
■*-         additional  cuts  and  text.     8vo,  i\s. 


The  China    Collector's  Pocket   Companion.     With  up- 
wards of  1000  Illustrations  of  Marks  and  Monograms.     Small  8vo,  5^. 
Parkin  {/.)  Antidotal  Treatment  of  Epidemic  Cholera.     33'.  dd. 

Epidemiology  in  the  Anifnal  and   Vegetable  Kingdom. 

Part  I.,  crown  8vo,  3^-.  6flf. ;  Part  II.,  35'.  (yd. 

Volcanic   Origin    of  Epidemics.       Popular    Edition, 


crown  Svo,  2s. 
Pascoe{C.  E.)  Loiidon  of  To- Day.     New  Edition  for  the  1888 

season,  with  many  Illustrations,  crown  Svo,  3^.  (yd. 
Payne  {T.  O.)  Solomon'' s  Temple  a?id  Capitol,  Ark  of  the  Flood 

and  Tabernacle  (four  sections  at  24^-.),  extra  binding,  105^. 
Pennell  {LL.    Cholmo?ideley)  Sporti7ig  Fish  of  Great  Britain. 

1 5 J.  ;  large  paper,  303-. 

Modern  Lmproveinents  in  Fishing-tackle.    Crown  8vo,  2s. 

Perelaer  (M.  T.  Lf.)  Ran  Aivay  from  the  Dutch  ;  Borneo,  d^c. 

Illustrated,  square  Svo,  'js,  6d. 
Pharffiacoposia  of  the  United  States  of  America.     8vo,  21^. 
Phelps  {Elizabeth  Stuart)  MadoTina  of  the  Tubs.     3^-.  dd. 
Philpot  {LL.  J.)  Diabetes  Mellitus.     Crown  8vo,  5^-. 
Diet  System.      Tables.      I.    Dyspepsia;    II.    Gout; 

III.  Diabetes  ;  IV.  Corpulence.     In  cases,  is.  each. 
Plunkett  {Major  G.  T.)  Primer,  of  Orthographic  Projection. 

Elementary  vSolid  Geometry.     With  Problems  and  Exercises,     is.  6d. 
Poe  {E.  A.)  The  Raven.    Illustr.  by  Dore.    Imperial  folio,  d^^s. 
Poems  of  the  Lnner  Life.      Chiefly  Modern.     Small  8vo,  ^s. 
Polar  Expeditions.     See  McCormick. 
Porcher  {A.)   Juvenile   French   Plays.       With    Notes    and   a 

Vocabulary.     iSmo,  is. 
Porter  {Admiral  David  D.)  Naval  LListory  of  Civil   War. 

Portraits,  Plans,  &c.     4to,  25^-. 
Porter  {Noah)  Elements  of  Moral  Science,      i  os.  (yd. 
Portraits  of  Celebrated  Race-horses   of  the   Past  and  Prese?it 

Centuries,  with  Pedigrees  and  Performances.    4  vols.,  4to,  42.^.  per  vol. 


24  Sampson  Low.,  Marston,  &'  CoJs 

Fowles  (Z.  D.^  Land  of  the  Pink  Pearl :  Life  in  the  Bahamas, 

8vo,  \os.  6d. 
Poynter  {Edward  f.,  P. A.),     See  "  Illustrated  Text-books." 
Pritt  (T.  E.)  North    Country    Flies.      Illustrated   from   the 

Author's  Drawings.     \os.  6d. 
Publishers^  Circular  {The).,  and  Genei'al  Record  of  British  and 

Foreign  Literature.     Published  on  the  1st  and  15th  of  every  Month,  3^. 

TDAMBA  UD.     History  of  Russia.    New  Edition,  Illustrated. 

•^  *■      3  vols.,  8vo,  2IJ-. 

Reber.      History  of  Mediceval  Art.      Translated  by  Clarke. 

422  Illustrations  and  Glossary.     8vo, 
Re df or d  {G.')  Ancient  Sculpture.    New  Ed.     Crown  8 vo,  icy.  6^. 
Richards    { W.)    Aluminium :    its    History,     Occurrence,    g^c. 

Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  J2s.  6d. 
Richter  {Dr.  Jean  Paul)  Italian  Art  in  the  National  Gallery. 

4to.    Illustrated.    Cloth  gilt,  £2  2s.;  half-morocco,  uncut,  £2  12s.  6d. 

See  also  Leonardo  da  Vinci. 

Riddell  {Mrs.  J.  H.)    See  Low's  Standard  Novels. 
Robertson  {Anne  J.)  Myself  and  7ny  Relatives.     New  Edition, 

crown  8vo,  5^. 
Robin  Hood;  Me?'ry  Adventwes  of.     Written  and  illustrated 

by  Howard  Pyle.     Imperial  8vo,  15J. 
Robinson  {Phil.)  In  my  Indian  Garden.     New  Edition,  i6mo, 

limp  cloth,  2s. 

Noah's  Ark.    Unnatural  History.  Sm.  post  8vo,  1 25.  6^/. 

Sintiers  and  Sai?its  :  a  Tour  across  the  United  States  of 

America,  and  Round  them.     Crown  8vo,  los.  6d. 

Under  the  Pimkah.     New  Ed.^  cr.  8vo,  limp  cloth,  2s. 


Rockstro  {IV.  S.)  History  of  Music.     New  Edition.    8vo,  14s. 

Roland,  The  Story  of     Crown  8vo,  illustrated,  6s. 

Rolfe  {Eustace  Neville)  Pompeii,  Popular  and  Practical,     Cr. 

8vo,  ^5.  dd. 
Rome  a7id  the  Environs.     3^. 
Rose  {y^.)  Complete  Practical  Machinist.  New  Ed.,  1 2  mo,  1 2s.  6d. 

Key  to  Engines  and  Engine-running.   Crown  Svo,  ^s.  6d. 

Mechanical  Drawing.     Illustrated,  small  4to,  i6j". 

^—  Modern  Steam  Engines.     Illustrated.     31.?.  dd. 
Rose  Library.     Each  volume,  is.     Many  are  illustrated — 

Little  "Women.     By  Louisa  M.  Alcott. 

Little  Womeii  "Wedded.    Forming  a  Sequel  to  "  Little  Women. 


List  of  Publications.  25 


Rose  Library  [The) — contifiued. 

Little  "Women  and  Little  Women  "Wedded,  i  vol. ,  cloth  gAt,y.  6ii. 
Little  Men.  By  L.  M.  Alcott.  Double  vol.,  2s.;  cloth  gilt,  3J-.  6d. 
An  Old-Fashioned  Girl.      By  Louisa   M.   Alcott.     2s.',  cloth, 

3^.  6d. 
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My  Wife  and  I.     2s. 

Hans  Brinker ;  or,  the  Silver  Skates.    By  Mrs.  Dodge.    Also  5^. 

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32     Sampson  Low,  Mars  ton,  &^  Co*s  List  of  Publications. 


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Wihnot  (A.)  Poetry  of  South  Africa.  Collected  and  arranged. 
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Wilson  {Dr.  Andrew)  Health  for  the  People.     Cr.  Svo,  ^s.  6d, 

Winsor  (Justin)  Narrative  a?id  Critical  History  of  America. 
8  vols.,  30^.  each;  large  paper,  per  vol.,  63^.  (Vols.  I.  to  VI.  are 
ready). 

Woolsey.     Introduction  to  Lntej-national  Law.      5th  Ed.,  iSi". 

Woolson  {Co?tsta?ice  P.)     See  "Low's  Standard  Novels." 

Wright  (H.)  Friendship  of  God.    Portrait,  &c.    Crown  Svo,  ds. 

Wright  (Z!)  Town  of  Cowper^  Olney,  6^^,     6s. 

Written  to  Order  ;  the  Journey  ings  of  an  In^esponsible  Egotist. 
By  the  Author  of  "  A  Day  of  my  Life  at  Eton. "     Crown  Svo,  6j. 

'W'RIAPTE  {Charles)  Florence:  its  History.     Translated  by 
■^     C.  B.   Pitman.     Illustrated  with  500  Engi-avings.     Large  imperial 

4to,  extra  binding,  gilt  edges,  63J. ;  or  12  Parts,  5^.  each. 

History  ;  the  Medici ;  the  Humanists ;  letters ;  arts  ;  the  Renaissance ; 

illustrious  Florentines;  Etruscan  art;  monuments;  sculpture;  painting. 


SAMPSON  LOW,  MARSTON,  SEARLE,  &  RIVINGTON,  Ld., 

3t.  5o"stan'a  ^otise^ 

FETTER  LANE,  FLEET  STREET,  E.G. 

Gilbert  and  Rivington,  Ld.,  St.  John's  Houst,  Clerke&weU  Road,  B.C. 


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