The Royal Buckhoimds 171 



one feel a bit flighty, to say the least. Just how we managed 

 to reach the earth again is still a question. It was a ploughed 

 field, but of steep descent, and we landed somehow, but in 

 moving on, the old nag's feet got mixed, and down we went. 

 The fall began in the first stride after landing and never ended 

 until horse and rider fetched up at the bottom of the hill some 

 ten rods below. Never in the history of the island of Jersey 

 have a man and a horse collected such a quantity of soil on their 

 coats as was dragged out of that ploughed field on this occa- 

 sion. 



Let us return to the Royal Buckhounds. A quotation from 

 the history of the Royal Buckliounds, in reference to a meet 

 with this famous pack, is especially interesting as showing the 

 true sportsmanlike conduct of King Edward III, in inviting 

 his prisoners of rank to join with him in the chase. 



Now let us picture to ourselves the brilliant scene presented 

 at a meet of the Royal Buckhounds in those daj^s. In our 

 mind's eye we see King Edward in his pride of place, accom- 

 panied by the Black Prince, and his wife, — who has achieved 

 such celebrity as "The Fair Maid of Kent," through whom 

 the Order of the Garter is said to have originated — "time-hon- 

 oured Lancaster," Lionel of Clarence, and a brilliant troop of 

 lords and ladies, knights galore, and doubtless many a squire 

 of low degree, who had but recently won his spurs on numer- 

 ous hard-fought fields, all well mounted and eager for the 

 chase. Besides the natives, let us glance at the foreigners of 

 distinction who are present at the meet. The French King, 

 a prisoner of war on parole, the Duke of Orleans, with their 

 suites, the flower of the nobility of conquered France, are 

 there, trying to forget their misfortune in the pleasures of the 

 chase. How the heart of the peasant who came to see the meet 

 must throb with national pride as he looks upon the royalty 

 of humbled France! What pleasure he must feel as he tells 

 his sweetheart by his side that yonder sorrel carries Ralph, 



