ySoo. Wohurn Shcep-Shearlng, 315 



to the perfon in Bedfordfhire who fhould, between June 1799 and 

 Chriftmas, expend the lar^eft fum of money (not lefs than fixty 

 gruineas) in the purchafe of breeding ewes or theaves of the new 

 Leicefter or Soath Down breed, Thefe were taken into conii- 

 deration ; but the fuccefsful candidate was not announced. 



About three o'clock the company adjourned to dinner j and his 

 Grace entertained near 200 noblemen, gentlemen, and yeomen, in 

 the large hall, in the ancient part of the Abbey, where tables were 

 laid, which branched out in three direftions ; but fo contrived, as 

 to have but one head, at which his Grace prefided. Prjnce Wli- 

 liam of Gloucefter fat as Croupier. 



About fix o'clock they left the Abbey, and proceeded to the 

 farmyard again, when a very fine hog, the property of Mr Pick- 

 ford, waggon-mafter in Market ftreet, was (hewn, which was fup- 

 pofed to weigh about an hundred ftone. During the whole of this 

 time the men^ continued fljearing iheep, in a place conveniently 

 adapted for the whole of the meeting to fee them. His Grace then 

 condufted the company to a paddock, near the Evergreens, to fee 

 fome feleft Devonfhire oxen j and from thence they proceeded to 

 the water meadow, near Birchmore HouL", in Crawley-lan«, where 

 there were fome very fine Devonlhire cows. 



The meeting did not break up till near dark, when the Prince 

 returned to Sir George Ofburne's. 



. $ECOND DAY. 



On Tuefday, the Duke of Bedford, attended by his company, 

 proceeded froni the Abbey on horfeback to the New Farm-Yard 

 in the Park, where they were rr^et by great numbers who had ar« 

 jrived from different parts. 



The tups that were ftiewn yefterday were fhewn fingly agiiq 

 to-day, and they were defcribed as follows : 



Shearhogs, No. i. to 8. by the Difhley L. Mr Stone's fheep. 



No. 9. to 12. Two Shears, by a fon of the Difhley L. 



No. 14. and 15, Three Shears, by Mr Breedon's L. a fon of 

 ditto. 



The Sweepflakes of five guineas each, made by the Duke of 

 Bedford, Lord Winchelfea, Lord Sommerville, and Mr Bouverie, 

 to produce at this flieep-fliearing the beft two years old heifers of 

 the Devonlhire breed : The Duke of Bedford's being dead, and 

 Mr Bouverie not producing one, it refted with Lord Winchelfea 

 and Lord Sommerville : and a Committee was appointed, confift- 

 ing of Mr Smith of Tirmarfh, in Northamptonfhire, Mr Stone of 

 Loughborough in Leiceflerfhire, and a Mr Warren ; when, after 

 a confiderable examination, they declared in favour of Lord 

 Winchelfea, 



Me 



