1807 THE EPWELL HUNT. 26 



By this time, as uij readers perhaps may suspect, 

 The attendants of reynard became quite select. 

 And the few that remain'd never witness'd, I ween, 

 In the course of their lives a more comical scene ; 

 Such confusion — such rolls — of red-coats such a string, 

 To describe them is quite an impossible thing. 

 Here a huch with his skirts cover'd over with mud. 

 There a groom sticking fast on a slim bit of blood, 

 Here a. farmer gives in — there a nobleman lags, 

 Alike anxioxis to make an excuse for their nags. 

 Not a field yoti pass'd thro' but appear'd some sad face, 

 Groaning over a fall, or lamenting his case ; 

 In short, a more strange or more comical sight 

 Never fell to the lot of a Bard to recite. 



Then aid me, ye Nine, to record all the fun 

 That took place in the course of this capital run ; 

 Which, had it at Belvoir or Raby occurr'd, 

 A volume, I'm sure, such a run would afford. 



Regardless alike of thumps, scratches, or knocks, 

 MoRANT Gale* breaks away in full chase of the fox ; 

 A Meltonian of old, and well vers'd in their creed, 

 O'er-riding all scent, for the sake of a lead ; 

 Many tumbles and rolls got this hero, of course. 

 And concluded by dreadfully laming his horse ; 

 Yet with skill unexampled he somehow contriv'd 

 To go hobbling alone, whilst old reynard surviv'd. 



Lord AlvanleyI next him, in close imitation, 



Came sailing along in no very bad station. 



His lordship rode Ploughhoy, and what's an odd case, 



Not a soul seem'd to envy the clodhopper's place ; 



And I've since been inform'd the poor fellow avers 



That he learnt, by this run, the right meaning of spurs ; 



But spurr'd as he was, it's my duty to say. 



He kept well with the hounds the whole of the day. 



On his five-year-old horse, tho" of course in the front, 

 Bob Canning;}: comes next, the crack man of the Hunt ; 



* Mr. Edward Morant Gale, then of Upton House, near Edge Hills, where he kept 

 clever pack of harriers. 



t This nobleman was a distinguished attendant of the Hunt at this time. 

 JMr. R. Canning then lived at Hounds Hill, within a few miles of Stratford-upon- 

 Avon ; he now (1836) resides at Hartpury, near to Gloucester. 



