GENTLEMAN OF THE OLDEN T[ME. 83 



brushes, here and there a polecat inter- 

 mixed. 



" The parlour was a very large room, and 

 properly furnished. On a great hearth, paved 

 with brick, lay some terriers, and the choicest 

 hounds and spaniels. Seldom but two of the 

 great chairs had litters of young cats in them, 

 which were not to be disturbed, he having 

 always three or four attending him at dinner, 

 and a little white round stick of fourteen inches 

 lying by his trencher, that he might defend sucli 

 meat as he had no mind to part with to 

 them. 



" The windows (which were very large) served 

 for places to lay his arrows, crossbows, stone- 

 bows, and other such-like accoutrements. The 

 corners of the room full of the best chase 

 hunting and hawking poles, an oyster-table at 

 the lower end, which was of constant use twice 

 a day all the year round, for he never failed to 

 eat oysters before dinner and supper through 

 all seasons ; the neighbouring town of Poole 

 supplied him with them. The upper part of 

 the room had two small tables and a desk, on 

 the one side of which was a Church Bible, and 

 on the other the ' Book of Martyrs.' 



*' On the tables were hawks' hoods, bells, 



G 2 



