5obn /IDvtton 119 



in the field, about seven hundred of them clad in 

 scarlet. 



' Mytton, as usual, was resolved to make himself 

 conspicuous in more ways than one on this memorable 

 occasion ; and on the preceding evening he arrived at 

 Whitchurch, to be near the scene of action, where he 

 had ordered the best dinner that could be provided 

 for himself and two friends who accompanied him. But 

 the dinner at Whitchurch and its evils were not " suffi- 

 cient for the day ; " he ordered his carriage in the 

 evening, and drove to the village of Wrenbury, the 

 rendezvous of the different packs, where a main of 

 cocks was being fought. Having seen what was going 

 on there, he returned to his quarters at Whitchurch, 

 and after drawing a commercial traveller from his bed 

 and thoroughly dosing him with wine, retired at length 

 to his own. 



' The place of meeting to decide this important affair 

 was Shavington Hall, the seat of the late Viscount 

 Kilmorey, who, although but little of a fox-hunter 

 himself, was a great promoter of the sport by his strict 

 preservation of foxes. The time fixed was eleven o'clock, 

 and at that hour a scene highly interesting to sportsmen 

 presented itself, and indeed to all persons who witnessed 

 it ; for it is well known that nothing adds more to fine 

 scenery, which this park affords, than a numerously 

 attended pack of hounds in motion. 



' The modus operandi was this : — Six couples out of 

 each pack were selected for the trial, forming a properly 

 sized pack, and they appeared in the field attended by 

 their respective huntsmen, namely — Will Head for the 

 Cheshire ; John Wrigglesworth for the Shropshire ; and 

 Charles Wells for Mr Wicksted's ; Will Head acting as 



