ME. WILLIAM LOWEN APPOINTED HUNTSMAN. 253 



Melesina von Schulenburg, who was created Duchess of 

 Munster in the Peerage of Ireland, and afterwards Duchess 

 of Kendal in the English. Her rapacity was very great and 

 very successful ; and there is no doubt that her secret emolu- 

 ments for patronage and recommendations far surpassed any 

 outward account of her receipts. Sir Robert Walpole more 

 than once declared to her (but this was after the death of 

 George I.) that she would have sold the king's honour for a 

 shilling advance to the best bidder. Still, with the accounts 

 of the Treasurer of the Chamber open before us, we are bound 

 to exonerate the rapacious duchess of having any finger in the 

 sparse expenses allocated to the support of the Royal Buck- 

 hounds ; although it was surmised she was the means of 

 keeping open the Mastership of that pack until a favourable 

 opportunity presented for its disposal to the highest bidder. 

 At any rate, no recognised or official Master to the Royal 

 Buckhounds was appointed until the accession of George II., 

 when Colonel Negus — who had been commissioner for execut- 

 ing the office of Master of the Horse throughout the reign of 

 George I. — was promoted to the post. 



In the meantime the Royal Buckhounds were not idle. In 

 the year 1716 the pack consisted of 50 couples of hounds. This 

 number was soon after reduced to 30 couples, when the annual 

 cost of the pack was lOOOZ. per annum. Out of this yearly 

 allowance the huntsman had to defray all the incidental 

 expenses, as set forth in the subjoined summaries of the 

 accounts of the Treasurer of the Chamber of the Household, 

 and cognate records for the time being : — 



George R. 

 Kings Warr*. > Our Will and Pleasure is And We 



Mr. Lowen for Keeping / do hereby Direct Authorise and 



the Buckhounds £652 : 12 : 11 fComand that Out of Such our Trea- 



jsure as is or Shall be Imprested to 

 You at the Rec*. of Our Excheq as Trearer of Our Chamber and 

 for the Use & Serv*^^. of that Office You pay or cause to be paid 

 unto Will™. Lowen Sen"", or to his Assignes the Sufhe of Six 

 hundred fifty two Pou^nds Twelve Shillings & Eleven Pence in 



