13 



THE FOESTEN HUNT. 



Ax IMITATION OE PAEODT OF AN IeISH HUNTING SoNG, 

 ADAPTED AT EoESTEN, IN THE YEAE 1761. 



Hark, hark, jolly sportsmen, awhile to my tale, 

 To pay your attention I'm sure you can't fail ; 

 'Tis of dogs, and of horses, and lads who ne'er tire 

 O'er downs or o'er heaths, thro' furze, brakes, or mire. 

 A pack of such hounds, and a set of such men, 

 'Tis shrewd chance if ever you hear of again. 

 Had Nimrod, that mightiest of hunters, been there, 

 Egad ! he'd have shook like an aspen for fear. 



In seventeen hundred and sixty one, 



The month of December was scarcely begun ; 



At eight in the morning by most of the clocks 



We set out from Eorsten in search of a fox. 



Jack Trenchard and Simnes, that parson in grey. 



And Furber, the farmer, were with us that day, 



^ Jack Fane and tNed Phelips, those hunters so stout, 



Blair, Jones, and Tom Meggs, and so we set out. 



We cast off our hounds for an hour or more, 



When Piper set up a most tuneable roar. 



" Hark to Piper," cries Scott ; the rest were not slack. 



For Piper's no babbler esteemed by the pack. 



Old Miller and Polly came merrily in. 



And all the hounds joined in the musical din ; 



Had Diana been there she'd been pleased to the life, 



And one of the lads got a goddess for wife. 



• Jack Fane, afterwards gth Earl of Westmoreland, 

 t Ned Phelips. — Edward Phelips, Esq., of Montacute. 



