172 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hoimd 



Earl of Eu and Guisnes, High Constable of France, and on 

 either side she sees Charles, Lord of Blois, and the Earl of 

 Tancarville. David, King of Scotland, and Iiis Queen are 

 likewise present and likewise prisoners of war. There are 

 other great personages at the meet among King Edward's 

 guests upon whom fortune has not frowned, whom the fame 

 of England attracts to visit their hospitable shores. From the 

 East we see the King of Cyprus; from the North, the Sover- 

 eign of Denmark. The reigning Duke of Bavaria, the Duke 

 of Brabant, Sir Frank van Hall, Sir Henry Earn of Flanders, 

 "and many great lords and knights of Almain, Gascoigne, and 

 other countries," are also to the fore. A highly-coloured pic- 

 ture perchance, yet withal a faithful one without exaggeration. 

 Such a scene was witnessed in the vicinity of Windsor in those 

 (then rare) piping days of peace, preparatory to the INIaster 

 throwing off the hounds to seek the "antlered monarch of the 

 glen" within the confines of the forest "full of wilde dere," 

 with "homes hie," the greatest that "were ever seen with eie," 

 as old Chaucer hath it. These "grand huntings" were of fre- 

 quent occurrence, upon which the King expended, says Barnes, 

 in liis "History of Edward III," "extraordinary sums." 



"When the cares of state permitted. Queen Anne and the 

 high officers of the Court usually repaired to Windsor in July 

 for the avowed purpose of buck hunting. The Royal Diana 

 Venatrix was early and 'well entred' to the chase under personal 

 supervision of her Royal father, who (before he wore the 

 weary crown) was the most ardent huntsman of his day. Im- 

 bued with such venatic associations, Anne became a mighty 

 huntress. She continued to follow hounds on horseback until 

 the gout precluded the continuance of that exhilarating exer- 

 cise. Nevertheless, her ardour for the chase remaind undi- 

 minished; when she could not use the saddle she hunted on 

 wheels. Her Majesty's hunting calash was a light two-wheeled 

 carriage, containing a single seat, on which the Royal 'whip' 



