LORD MIDDLETON— 1816. 1^3 



Charles sent for Mr. Welchman, of Kineton, and Mr. 

 Kent, of Stratford. Mr. Palfrey, veterinary surgeon, of 

 Worcester, was ultimately sent for, and on his arrival he 

 declared that nothing could be done for the horse ; although 

 he did not die until three or four days after. Mr. Alfred 

 Lloyd, of Goldicote House, vi^ent v^-ell to the end of the run, 

 and then rode his horse, in the evening, back to his abode 

 at Goldicote. 



In the week beginning Monday, February l'2th, 1816, 

 the hounds met every day. 



This Hunt was always attended by some good fellows, eharacters 

 in their way, who did not don the seailet. Amongst them was Mr. 

 Richard Bradley, a dealer, M'ho lived at Newbold, near Shipston, and 

 aftenvards removed to the Crofts Farm, a short distance from the town 

 of Stratford-on-Avon ; he was esteemed by judges to be the finest rider 

 to hounds in England. His man Harry, a high-shouldered, swarthy 

 little fellow, of light weight, in the opinion of some even excelled his 

 master ; he would ride at any thing, and stop at nothing. Bradley had 

 generally a great number of hunters, amounting sometimes to sixty 

 or seventy, and perhaps more, in his stables ; and their very superior 

 riding has sold many horses at good prices to the gentlemen who had 

 joined the hunt. Some years ago, when the Prince Regent, afterwards 

 George the Fourth, was returning to town from the seat of the Marquis 

 of Hertford, at Ragley, he called to see Bradley's stud. Dick Bradley 

 was one of the best hearted men in England — a facetious and jovial 

 companion — and his anecdotes, Avhen told in his humorous jocular way, 

 were irresistible. One day, in going at a fence, Bradley's horse made 

 a slip in taking up, and gave him the spill. The fall was a tremendous 

 one, and he lay insensible and motionless on the ground. ' Death and 

 nature did contend about him, whether he'd live or die.' Several of 

 the Sportsmen stopped to assist him ; on being bled he gradually 

 recovered, and was taken home. When Bradley got quite M^ell, and 

 the danger of the accident was partly forgotten, his friends used to tell 

 him that after he fell, no one in the compjiny had any instrument in 

 his pocket to bleed him, and that a journeyman carpenter, who came 

 up by chance, Avith a basket of tools on his back, opened the vein with 

 a gimblet ! Bradley laughed, as heartily ;is any of his acquaintances, 

 at this joke. 



