Sir Charles Knight ley. 215 



Mr. Barnes's men. It was properly dressed by a 

 butcher and a venison feast was proposed to 

 celebrate the harvest home. 



On the following day Sir Charles's keeper 

 appeared on horseback with a venison basket 

 on each side of the saddle, and demanded the 

 buck. Mr. Barnes gave it up at once but asked 

 the keeper to wait while he wrote a note. On 

 the keeper's return he met his master and handed 

 him the note which ran as follows : — 



Mr. Barnes's compliments to Sir Charles Knightley, 

 and he begs to say that he had intended to put 

 the deer to a proper purpose by giving a feast to the 

 poor. 



Sir Charles sent the keeper back to Byfield 

 with his compliments to Mr. Barnes, and begged 

 his acceptance of the venison for the purpose he 

 had named. My informant told me that he 

 lived with Mr. Barnes at the time and that the 

 poor were treated with the present. 



Two other anecdotes of the worthy gentleman 

 of whom I am now writing may here be given : — 



Byfield is noted for Freeholders. Sir Charles 

 regularly attended the meetings of Guardians. 

 On one occasion an applicant for relief came 

 from that parish. '' Byfield again ! " Sir Charles 



