336 HISTORY OF THE EOYAL BUCKHOUNDS AND ASCOT RACES. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



GEORGE II. {concluded)— 11^^-11 m. 



The Earl of Tankerville, Thirty-ninth Master: December 31, 1744, to June 25, 

 1746. — Ealph Jenison, Esq. (ii), Fortieth Master : July 2, 1746, to 

 February 5, 1757. — Viscount Bateman, Forty-first Master : July 1, 1757, 

 to October 25, 1760.— ii. March 17, 1761, to July 5, 1782(?).— Records of the 

 Runs. — Annual Expenses of the Pack during the Reign of George II, — ^The 

 Huntsmen and the Hunt-Servants. — Ascot Race". 



On the last day of the year 1744 the Earl of Halifax was 

 appointed successor to Ralph Jenison, Esq., and his lordship 

 consequently became the Thirty-ninth INIaster of the Royal 

 Buckhounds on the day above mentioned. He retained the 

 official insignia of the hunt during the years 1745 and 174G 

 down to the opening of that season, when he retired from this 

 office. During Lord Halifax's mastership we find very few 

 allusions to the proceedings of the R.oyal Buckhounds in the 

 hunting field. His first season must necessarily be drawn 

 blank, so far as concerns any records of sport with the pack. 

 'Twas '45, and " '45 " explains the matter. Prince Charles 

 Edward Stuart was making a gallant attempt to recover the 

 kingdom which he, and many others, deemed to be his alone 

 by inheritance and "right divine." The proceedings of the 

 " Younir Pretender " and his Jacobite adherents need no further 

 reference here. In May George II. left for Hanover, and did 

 not return to England for some months. The Duke of 

 Cumberland was also absent, and was otherwise too much 

 engaged to take any interest in hunting. Nevertheless, the 

 pack had been out at least twice a week during the season, 

 and apparently gave good runs. It does not appear, however. 



