1875-7^^] Frank Beers' Diaries, 147 



and in carriages. Kingthorn Wood blank, also Bradden 

 Spinneys. Found in Plumpton Wood, away at once, 

 Oakley Bank just to the left, as hard as hounds could 

 travel to Weedon Bushes ; turned short through Weston 

 Village to Plumpton Village, leaving it on the left, to the 

 Wood, into Lower Coppice ; back across Adstone Field, 

 and away to within a field of Plumpton Church. He got 

 into a big hole, but two of the hounds went in and pulled 

 him out. A capital run, and never did I see hounds go 

 faster than in the ring back to Plumpton. 



"The Empress, Colonel Pennant (her Majesty's pilot), 

 and myself were the only three with them up to Weston, 

 when Her Majesty's horse stood still in the middle of a 

 grass field, completely pumped out ! I got a fall out of 

 it, and was hung up in my stirrup. Luckily my horse 

 was pumped a bit, so only walked away with me and 

 behaved capitally — did not kick me or kick at me. I 

 had not been dragged far before the leather came out of 

 the bar and set me at liberty. Found again in Seawell 

 Wood, away through Lichborough Coppice to Grimscote 

 Village, on to Church Stowe, lost him. I rode New- 

 gentstown and Clansman. lyj couple mixed. 



" March 31st. — Radstone. Her Imperial Majesty the 

 Empress of Austria, Prince Teck, and a great many other 

 Princes, Counts, and noblemen were out. A very swell 

 Field and a large one. The Empress and the nobility 

 drove to Brackley and had breakfast with Captain the 

 Hon. Grosvenor. We trotted on to Brackley, and waited 

 with the hounds in front of Captain Grosvenor's house. 

 It was a lovely morning — like summer. 



" Put the hounds into Brackley Gorse ; a fox was soon 

 on foot, but not above one hound could speak to it. At 

 last he went away, past Steane Park at a rattling pace, 

 within a field of Cockley Brake, over the railroad 



L 2 



