OLD COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. 47 



manner of hounds that run buck, fox, liare, otter, and 

 badger. Hawks, both long and short-winged. He had 

 all sorts of nets for fish, a walk in the New Forest, and 

 tlie Manor of Christ church. This last supplied him 

 with river fish, and, indeed, all his neighbours' grounds 

 and royalties were free to him, who bestowed all his 

 time in these sports, but what he bestowed to caress his 

 neighbours' wives and daughters ; there not being a 

 woman in all his walks, of the degree of a yeoman's 

 wife, under the age of forty, but it was her fault if he 

 was not intimately acquainted with her. This made him 

 popular, always speaking kindly to the husband, brother, 

 or father, and making them welcome at his mansion, 

 where they found beef, pudding, and small beer, and a 

 house not so neatly kept as to shame him or his dirty 

 shoes. The great hall strewed with marrow bones ; full 

 of hawks, perches, hounds, spaniels, and terriers: the 

 upper side of the hall hung with the fox-skins of this 

 and the last years' killing, here and there a marten 

 cat intermingled, and gamekeepers' and hunters' poles 

 in abundance. The parlour was a large room, as pro- 

 perly furnished. On a hearth paved with brick lay 

 some terriers and the choicest hounds and spaniels. 

 Seldom less than two of the great chairs had litters of 

 kittens on them, which were not to be disturbed, he 

 always having three or fo ir cats attending him at dinner ; 

 and to defend such meat as he had no mind to part with, 

 he kept order with a short white stick that lay by him. 

 The windows, which were very large, served for places 

 to lay his arrows, cross-bows, and other such accoutre- 

 ments. The corners of the room were full of the best 

 chase, hunting, and hawking poles. An oyster table at 

 the lower end, which was in constant use twice a day all 



£ 4 



