The Fourth Duke of Grafton. 5 



his Grace's habit to be very punctual at the 

 meet, 10.30, and to ride round and say "Good 

 morning " to all. 1 am afraid that there are not 

 many living now who hunted in those days ; but 

 there are some ; two may be mentioned— Mr. 

 Joe Bailey and Mr. Richard Shepherd, both 

 staunch fox-hunters. 



The Grafton country, at that time, extended 

 from Weedon on the north to Creslow on the 

 south, Brackley on the west, and Easton Horn 

 Wood on the east. A rather large slice on the 

 north was, and is now, neutral with the Pytchley, 

 •and I can bear testimony to the liberal manner 

 in which that hunt has acted towards the Grafton 

 during my life. On the eastern side, from the 

 end of Easton Horn Wood to the Northampton 

 and Newport Turnpike, the country is neutral 

 with the Oakley. 



In the time of the Duke of whom I am now 

 writmg, the hounds hunted three days a week 

 only. Foxes were not very plentiful, but ran 

 straighter than they do now. With so much 

 neutral country, it gives me the greatest pleasure 

 to state that from those early days until the 

 present I never knew of the slightest friction 

 between the Grafton and their neighbours. On 

 the contrary, the greatest friendship existed. 



