106 Ikings of tbe 1buntinG*J'iel& 



this athletic and irascible old gentleman was about to 

 repeat the assault, incontinently turned and fled. A 

 summons was served next day upon Assheton Smith, 

 who thereupon consulted a friend in the Temple as 

 to what he should do next. ' Offer him a five-pound 

 note and get him to withdraw the summons.' But this 

 the testy old sportsman would not condescend to do. 

 He went and faced the charge at Marylebone, and 

 conducted himself so violently, threatening, it is said, to 

 assault the magistrate on the bench, that it was lucky 

 he got off with a fine of £$ and costs. 



His irritable temper was apt to show itself at the 

 slightest affront to his dignity, a point on which he was 

 very touchy, as the following anecdotes will show. 



After Mr Smith gave up the Burton country, he 

 resided in the Vale for several seasons, being frequently 

 the guest of the Duke of Rutland, and joining the 

 various packs in the neighbourhood from Belvoir Castle. 

 ' I've known him,' says Dick Christian, ' come all the 

 way from Belvoir to Gumley of a morning, two-and- 

 thirty miles to cover, and back again at night' To 

 accomplish these long distances he was up early at the 

 Castle, and breakfasted alone. On one occasion, he was 

 not satisfied with the breakfast prepared for him, and 

 complained to the footman who waited, that he did 

 not think that he had the attention given to him to 

 which he was entitled. The duke's servant received 

 the rebuke in silence, but on the following morning when 

 the sportsman came down to breakfast, he was surprised 

 to see all the footmen in the Castle enter the room in 

 their state liveries, and take their stations around the 

 table. The duke, to whom his guest's complaint had 

 been reported, feeling satisfied that every attention had 



