317 



CHAPTER XV. 



GEORGE II. {continued)— 1737 -17 U. 



Ralph Jenison, Esq., Thirty-Eighth Master : July 7, 1737, to December 25, 1744. 

 — Records of the Runs. — Ascot Races. 



1737. — The hunting season of 1737 with this pack opened 

 late and ended early. Mr. Ralph Jenison had succeeded Lord 

 Tankerville as jNIaster of the Royal Buckhounds shortly before 

 the season began. About the first week in August the King 

 and the Royal Family arrived from Richmond at Hampton 

 Court Palace. The Prince and Princess of Wales were at Kew, 

 The King was far from well. The Queen was slowly, but 

 surely, approaching her death. The weather was inclement. 

 Political affairs were in a worse muddle than ever, and the 

 botheration over the financial allowance of the Heir-Apparent 

 and the settlement of the Princess gave rise to much unneces- 

 sary unpleasantness in Court and political circles. Then the 

 Princess of Wales was sent to St. James', and there safely 

 delivered of a princess by " Mrs. Cannon, the Midwife of the 

 Archbishop of York." These and other circumstances partly 

 broke up and interrupted the hunting fixtures, so far as related 

 to the Royal Family and the Court. When these interruptions 

 were to some extent adjusted. Lady Walpole died, and she was 

 soon after followed to the grave by another of the King's most 

 intimate friends, Baron Hartoff, who was Secretary of State 

 for Hanover, and a prominent follower of the Royal Buck- 

 hounds. 



The first meet of this season took place on 



Wednesday, August 3, Richmond. — The King, Queen, Duke 



