90 WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. 



themselves comfortably in the chaise, and they set off home- 

 ward, confiding entirely in the care of their leader, to take 

 them safe to Stratford. He had not proceeded more than 

 500 yards, when he upset the chaise, and tumbled the 

 gentlemen into a deep wide ditch full of black mud, which, 

 from the stagnant state of the water at the time, was by no 

 means pleasant to the olfactory organs of those sportsmen. 

 After some delay, the gentlemen resumed their seats, and 

 were driven to Stratford without any further accident. On 

 the following morning, Barke, the landlord, was informed 

 of the circumstance, and he immediately went to Mr. 

 Corbet, who was walking out his hounds, and apologised 

 for the conduct of his i)ostboy, at the same time threatening 

 that he should no longer remain in his service. Mr. 

 Corbet instantly replied, ' Oh no, dem'me, Barke, he 

 shan't be turned away 5 but mind ye, he never drives me 

 again .' — venator. 



It was the custom of Mr. Corbet not to fix one of his 

 prime places on a Saturday, as it was market day at 

 Warwick, and he had a consideration for the yeomen and 

 farmers, whose business obliged them to attend there. 

 — Warwickshire never knew better days than under Mr. 

 Corbet. The farmers had all })lenty of money, and the 

 landlords too. 



Exclusive of his civility to the farmers, Mr. Corbet 

 took care to satisfy the complaints of their wives, for the 

 damage done to their poultry by the foxes. The celebrated 

 Wolford Wood had hmg been infested with fox catchers, 

 who took them alive. By way of putting a stop to this 

 destruction by the trap, Mr. Corbet agreed with those men 

 to give them £40 a year to discontinue it, which they 

 received every Christmas day. Lord Middleton, while he 



