EAEL OF CARDIGAN, THIRTY-FIFTH MASTER. 241 



The Earl of Cardigan Sworn'j These are to certify that I have 

 Master of His Majesty's Buck- 1 Sworn and Admitted the Right 

 hounds in Ordinary. I Hon''''^ the Earl of Cardigan into the 



J Place and Quality of Master of his 

 Majestys Buckhounds in Ord"^ To have hold Exercise and Enjoy 

 the said place together with all the Rights Profits Privileges and 

 Advantages thereunto belonging ; in as full and Ample manner as 

 any person that formerly held, or of Right ought to have held and 

 Enjoyed the same. Given under my hand and seal this 6th day of 

 November 1714, in the first year of His Majesty's Reign. 



Shrewsbury.* 



In the troubles that ensued, Lord Cardigan, like most of his 

 old and honourable friends, fell under suspicion of favouring 

 the Jacobian cause. These political and partizan proceedings 

 we need not discuss, as they should not intrude in the hunting 

 field, where they are not wanted, as they are antagonistic to 

 our theme. Nevertheless, this baneful element deprived the 

 Koyal Hunt of Lord Cardigan's services, and was the indirect 

 cause of the pack being " all masterless " for twelve years. No 

 specific reason can be assigned for Lord Cardigan's "resig- 

 nation," " removal," or " dismissal " from office. At any rate, his 

 official connection with the Royal Buckhounds terminated on 

 July 11, 1715. Beyond a casual allusion to the circumstance 

 nothing further transpired in the current news of the day. 

 The public press was scrupulously reticent on passing events 

 of this class, and as his Lordship was not directly impeached 

 on any charge of disloyalty to the new dynasty no reason was 

 vouchsafed as to why or wherefore he relinquished office. 

 Nevertheless, it must have occasioned much gossip, as His 

 Excellency Giacomo Querini, the Venetian Ambassador at the 

 Court of St. James', in a despatch to the Inquisitors of State, 

 dated London, July 17, 1715, considered it of sufficient import- 

 ance to announce that Lord Cardigan had " resigned into the 

 King's hands the post of Master of the Buckhounds, a very 

 profitable charge, and one which he obtained as a very great 

 favour at the commencement of the reign." He retired soon 

 * Lo7rl Chamberlain's Records, vol. yf^, p. 30. 



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