1881] LORD WILLOUGTHBY IS HUNTSMAN. 71 



Now scan the field ; a chosen few 



Are those, who can aspire 

 To hold their own among the best 



In this or any shire. 

 And well-bred useful horses 



Are here of every style, 

 The hunter old, and the young one bold. 



Brought from the Emerald Isle, 



This day is not recorded 



As good in annals past, 

 Yet the first meet at Thelsford 



Will in remembrance last ; 

 Because it was the herald, 



Of years of brave delight, 

 And oft we ride those runs once more 



On a long winter's night. 



C. M. 



Lord Willoughby de Broke's diary {continued) : 



Novemher 1st, The Golden Cross. — Foiiud at Aston Hales after drawing 

 Golden Cross Gorse blank ; fox went to gronnd directly. Found at Dixusden, 

 ran, leaving Aston Hales to the left, over the railway nearly to Batsford, biit 

 swung round to the right, and took a turn round part of the North Cotswold 

 country, and got up to the fox in a small covert, and raced him to Aston Hales, 

 and killed him after a good forty minutes. Found again at Wolford Wood, 

 and, after one turn round it, ran up to Adlestrop Hill, and stopped then, as it 

 was late. Asenath did well. 



Novemher 3rd, Lower Shuchhurgh. — Fotmd at Calcote, ran very fast up 

 to the hill, and killed. Got away on good terms with the second fox from the 

 laurels, but he ran the Southam and Daventry road for more than a mile, 

 which threw us behind. When he left the road he crossed the brook, and 

 went nearly to Staverton, but turned to the left, and went clean round 

 Braunston Gorse without going into it, and recrossed the brook, and went to 

 ground in a drain aboiit a mile from the covert, after a good hunting run of 

 one hour. Clasher and Artifice did well. Ringleader made a good hit. 

 Rode Banshee and Beaconsfield. 



As this was the first occasion on which Lord Willonghby 

 de Broke hunted the hounds himself at Shuckburgh, the 

 following note will be of interest : 



On Saturday, December 2nd, 1842, Mr. Drake's hounds 

 were advertised to meet at Lower Shuckburgh. 



On March 28rd and November 18th, 1844, the year the 

 present Lord Willoughby was born, the Warwickshire 

 hounds, under the mastership of Mr. E, Barnard, were 

 advertised to meet at Lower Shuckburgh. This fixes the 



