JOHN LOCKLEY 88 



Boscobel he hunted with Lord Talbot's hounds in the 

 neighbourhood of Cannock Chase, Rugeley, Lichfield, 

 and parts adjacent, which were often within reach of 

 his own house ; Lord Vernon's, in the Sudbury, and 

 what is now called the Atherstone country ; Mr. 

 Corbet's, in Warwickshire, and, as before stated, with 

 Mr. MeynelFs. He has often told me of a great day's 

 sport he once enjoyed with two packs of hounds, some- 

 where about the year 1790 ; and little did I think at the 

 time I should ever attempt to narrate his anecdotes, 

 otherwise I should have treasured them more carefully 

 in the form of memorandums. My memory does not 

 serve me with minute particulars; but he always com- 

 menced the tale with, " We breakfasted at twelve 

 o'clock." Mr. Hawkes, of Snitterfield, his contem- 

 porary and ultimate friend, a gentleman equally cele- 

 brated as himself, was his companion. They met Lord 

 Talbot's hounds, to begin with, at a very early hour, 

 which implied the necessity for breaking their fast at 

 midnight. They saw a capital run with those hounds, 

 and then went on to meet Mr. Meynell's, who threw 

 off later in the day. They had also an excellent run 

 with them, and the tale was concluded with the declara- 

 tion that " it was twelve o'clock at night before they 

 retired to rest." It must have been a very severe day 

 for them and their horses ; of course they had fresh 

 hunters for the second pack ; but it was not the fashion 

 in those days to have second horses in the field. 



As a rider to hounds Mr. Lockley was very superior, 

 and his great experience rendered him a valuable 

 acquaintance to a young beginner. An admonition 

 which he once gave me I have never forgotten. We 

 were hunting with Lord Lichfield 's, then Lord Anson's 

 hounds in the Atherstone country, and in the run my 

 horse fell at a fence. When I got on him again, 

 thinking he had been somewhat careless, I drove the 

 spurs into him, which Lockley remarking said, "Never 

 punish your horse after he is over his fence ; it is the 

 most likely thing in the world to cause him to refuse ; 



