312 THE WARWICKSHIEE HUNT. [189G 



Lower and Upper Pillerton, over the Oxhill Brook, through 

 Oxhill Gorse, and killed at Pillerton ; and the second fox 

 from Idlicote, over the Brailes Valley and Brailes Hill, by 

 Traitor's Ford, straight to Hooknorton Village. We were 

 very short of foxes in the centre of the country, but in the 

 Thursday country the sj^oii was first rate, and those who 

 were out will never forget the two remarkable days 

 Lord Willoughby showed the Meltonians on Thursday, 

 January 30th, and Thursday, February 19th. The meet 

 each time was at Shuckburgh, and in the first run, on 

 January 30th, Lord Willoughby unfortunately killed his 

 good black horse. They found at the Hill, and ran by 

 Helidon and CharwTlton, nearly to Badby Wood, to 

 ground. Jem Cooper tells us that as he came on 

 with some hounds there w^ere people down, and loose 

 horses in nearly every field. In the second run they 

 found at the Welsh Road, which served us well this 

 season, as before, and ran by Eadbourne nearly to 

 Watergall, round Hodnell into Ladbroke, where they 

 scarcely dwelt, and out by the Welsh Eoad, across that 

 beautiful fiat country to Hardwick Hill, where the hunts- 

 man got a false holloa, and the fox escaped. It was in 

 this run that Mrs. Arthur Byass had her very bad fall, 

 through being crossed at some rails, which laid her up for 

 the rest of the season. February 19th was an extra- 

 ordinary day's sport. We ran the first fox from 

 Shuckburgh Hill, thirty-five minutes, to ground at 

 Arbury Hill ; the second fox over a stiff line, with a lot 

 of fencing, from Calcote nearly to Southam ; and the third 

 fi'om the Welsh Road, through Shuckburgh, nearly to 

 Flecknoe, and back by Newbold Grounds and Helidon, 

 nearly to Byfield Reservoir, over Hardwick Hill, and back 

 towards Priors Marston, when hounds were stopped, all the 

 horses being beat. Lady Warwick rode well nearly, if not 

 quite, to the end, and Miss Naylor held a prominent 

 position throughout. Mr. Arthur Thursby's hospitality 

 was never more welcome or required. 



The Friday cf)untry also maintained its ancient jn'esfu/e, 



