/Iftasters ot tbe IRoyal BucF^boutibs 20s 



The Master of the Buckhounds must have had a busy 

 time in the reign of James I, for King Jamie had a craze 

 for hunting. Tame enough sport it must have been to 

 our notions. Here is an example. On the King's 

 progress from Edinburgh to London, after his accession 

 in 1603, I read in a contemporary account given in 

 Nichols' Royal Progresses — ' The 22nd day (April) 

 being Fryday His Majestie departed from New-warke 

 hunting all the way toward Bever Castle.' What the 

 hunting consisted of is explained further on, where it is 

 stated that Sir John Harrington of Exton Hall entertained 

 the King at dinner and ' provided train scents and live 

 haires in baskets, that being carried to the heath made 

 excellent sport for his Majestie, Sir John's best houndes 

 with good mouths following the game, the King taking 

 great leisure and pleasure in the same.' 



But I will do James the justice to say that he often 

 indulged in more exciting sport. Was it not while he was 

 hunting a buck in Greenwich Park that young Nigel 

 Olifaunt came upon him, just as the hounds had run into 

 their quarry and none but the King was in at the death ? 

 But His Majesty was hardly what you would call a 

 daring horseman. He was fastened into his padded 

 and quilted saddle like a two-year-old child on a donkey, 

 and could not have fallen off if he had tried. Still, he 

 loved ' the art of venerie,' and for that I am willing to 

 forgive him even his * Counterblast against Tobacco,' 

 though in his hatred of the ' soothing weed ' he would 

 have had the countenance of such good sportsmen as 

 Jack Musters, the Rev. Jack Russell, George Payne, and 

 Hugo Meynell. 



It is not till the reign of James H that I find a 

 Master of the Buckhounds who is at all a prominent 



