266 The Dog Book 



which were particularly associated with the Duke of that name about one 

 hundred years ago, and the only dogs ever so associated with the name 

 were what we know as King Charles spaniels. 



'"Craven," in his "Young Sportsman's Manual," writes: "The 

 spaniel tribe is a numerous one, and variously designated, from the beau- 

 tiful little creature known as Charles the Second's or the Duke of Norfolk's 

 breed, to the handsome springer." To support this opinion regarding the 

 Duke of Norfolk's spaniels, we find in Colonel Hamilton's "Recollections" 

 a reference which seemingly coincides with "Craven's" statement. In 

 the chapter which treats of shooting dogs he says in his remarks upon span- 

 iels: "Crowned heads have condescended to patronise these dogs, par- 

 ticularly Charles the Second, who rarely walked out without two or three 

 beautiful animals attending him." Here an asterisk for a footnote is inserted, 

 the note being: "The breed of spaniels belonging to the late Duke of 

 Norfolk was highly prized by him, and there was much difficulty in obtain- 

 ing one from the Duke. He gave one to the Duchess of York, on con- 

 dition that Her Royal Highness would make a solemn promise not to 

 breed from the dog in a direct line." Taken by itself, this note, although 

 connected by the asterisk with the reference to the King Charles breed, 

 would imply nothing, but in conjunction with what "Craven" wrote it 

 bears the same construction, that they were small black and tans. The 

 Duke of York commanded the English troops which were sent to Holland 

 at the end of the eighteenth century, and Colonel Hamilton, then a cornet 

 in the Scots Greys, saw service there, and it was owing to his successfully 

 carrying despatches to the Prince of Orange under rather trying circum- 

 stances for a boy, such as he then was, that on his return he was sent for 

 by the Duke and mentioned in his despatches, was promoted, and thereby 

 eventually secured advancement without purchase. We mention this 

 merely to show that he would be likely to take some interest in anything 

 connected with the Duke, and we further find this with reference to the 

 Duchess: "The late Duchess of York was very partial to the canine 

 race. Her Royal Highness might constantly be seen walking in the gardens 

 of Oatlands with her dogs. Amongst them might be seen the Newfound- 

 land dog, the Italian greyhound, pugs, terriers and spaniels." One can 

 hardly fancy that the Duchess would be so anxious to get a black-and-tan 

 springer as to comply with the Duke's condition. 



From the Southey collection of anecdotes we take this clinching quota- 



