MK. (}K0K(;E PA^NE. 115 



magnificence and splendour unsurpassed e\en in Lord Chesterfield's 

 time. When he resigned the mastership, the whole of the Pytchley 

 country united to present him with a suitable testimonial — a silver 

 epergne, 3ft. 6in. in height, and 600 ounces in weight, with 

 a representation at its base of Mr. Payne, as master, and the 

 hounds running into a fox at the foot of a tree. It bore this 

 inscription : " Presented to George Payne, Esq., of Sulby Hall, by 

 upwards of six hundred farmers, tradesmen, and others of North- 

 amptonshire, as a testimonial of their high esteem for him, and 

 gratitude for his unceasing efforts to promote the manly and 

 healthy sports of the county." 



On the turf Mr. Payne was notoriously unlucky with his own 

 horses, though he was sometimes fortunate in backing those of his 

 friends ; when he and Mr. Greville put their heads and their 

 horses together, some very good coups were landed. But Mr. 

 Payne's first confederate on the turf was Mr. Bouverie, of Delapre 

 Abbey, near Northampton. Mr. Bouverie's colours were all black, 

 while those of his friend were all white. It was suggested that the 

 confederates should amalgamate their colours ; they did so, and 

 hence the famous " magpie jacket" and the pattern of Mr. Payne's 

 life-long neckerchief, which his friends called the tartan. But, popular 

 as those colours were, and often as they were seen at Newmarket. 

 Epsom, Ascot, Goodwood, Doncaster, and on every other race-course 

 in England, not excluding the most petty and insignificant, they 

 were never associated with any greater turf successes than the 

 occasional winning of a good handicap. The best horse Mr. Payne 

 ever owned was Musket, one of the horses bequeathed him by Lord 

 Glasgow, who left him at the same time a legacy of £25,000, 

 but Musket never can-ied the magpie stripes : the good son of 

 Toxophilite always being ridden in the white and crimson, as a com- 

 })liment to the memory of his former owner. His filly. Welfare, ran 

 second in the Oaks to the celebrated Crucifix, and at one moment 

 nearly turned her owner's hair grey, for he stood to win thousands 

 on Lord George Bentinck's flying mare, and had but a trifle on the 

 animal who nearly upset the good thing. His betting was of the 

 most reckless description. He would sometimes back two dozen 

 horses in a race for a big handica}) and then miss the winner. His 

 first " facer " was received before he was of age. As Mr. Gascoigne's 

 — afterwards J^ord Glasgow's — Jerry shot past the post for the St. 

 I^eger of 1824, Mr. Payne, who had backed Brutandorf and a colt 

 of his own, named, Cadiz besides laying heavily against JeiTy, recog- 

 nised the fact that he had lost €33,000 — not a bad beginning for 

 a lad of twenty. He was already popular, and the expressions of 

 condolence were many. They were misplaced, however ; the victim 

 said with his usual vivacity, " It is a pleasure to lose it, by Jove!" 

 Mere verbal condolence was thus disposed of, yet consolation of 

 a more practical kind was offered in another quarter. John Gully 

 had won a great stake on Jerry, and his big heart expanded. 



