THE ESSEX HUNT COUNTRY. 9 



hounds his Lordship joined with his neighbour, Mr. John 

 Archer Houblon, in purchasing the pack, and his nephew, 

 the third and last Viscount, kennelled Mr. Conyers's hounds 

 at P^aston, when they hunted the north country, until the 

 Squire's unbridled language e.xhausted his Lordship's 

 patience. The third Viscount's eldest son, the Hon. 

 Charles Henry Maynard, of the Blues (afterwards Colonel 

 Maynard), was a first-rate athlete and horseman. In 1839, 

 at the age of five-and-twenty, he was champion knight in 

 the Eglinton Tournament, and his praises were sung by 

 Mr. Earle,' the Moreton parson, in his description of a great 

 day with the Essex stag-hounds : — 



Where's he of the Blues, 



Such a devil to bruise, 



His nerves must be doubtless uncommonly strong; 



The 3'oung lord of Easton, 



Whatever queer beast on, 



Ne'er stops at his fences, but scurries along. 



He's a quicksilver clown. 



Up as soon as he's down, 



With Ducrow in his antics he'd cope, Sir. 



He can change his smallclothes 



On his horse as he goes, 



And could shave if but " well off for soap. Sir." 



' This was prolwbly the same Mr. Earle who was one of the wits when the 

 Royal Buckhouncls and .Mr. dc Burgh's Staghounds used to pay their annual 

 visit to Aylesbury. 



