Their History. xxi 



and determination when required. During Mr. Ames* 

 mastership the Worcestershire have done well. Great 

 care has been taken in rearing the hounds and keeping 

 together a pack worthy of the sporting shire, where 

 farmers support foxhunting almost to a man. It is 

 now fourteen years since Worcestershire was divided into 

 two countries. The west side under the Earl of Coventry, 

 being called the Croome. From the day that he left 

 college, some thirty years ago, Lord Coventry has devoted 

 himself to hunting in his own county. Racing for a short 

 time claimed him as its devotee, but his old love never really 

 was put aside. As a huntsman he was quick and decisive. 

 As a horseman bold and judgmatical. As a master of 

 hounds, good-natured and popular. While as a judge of 

 horse or hound he yields to no superior. Lord Coventry 

 gave up the Croome country to Mr. Lort Philips three 

 seasons ago, and he in turn yielded up authority to Mr. 

 Walter Greene, from Suffolk, two seasons back, and the 

 latter has won his way well, as he deserves to do. Mr. 

 Lort Philips has taken the North Warmckshire, where 

 he appears more at home. There are several old masters 

 of the Worcestershire living. Lord Hindlip, when plain 

 Mr. Allsoj)p, was master for several seasons, and before 

 him Mr. John Russell Cooke s was master — a capital 

 sportsman, always breeding and riding good horses, a 

 cheery man in every relation of life. There is a sad page 

 in the history of masters of the VYorcestershire, as the 

 late Mr. Parker, a well-known' old sportsman of the 

 county, ended his days, I believe in -poverty, He was a 

 great friend of Nimrod's, who thus speaks of him; " This 

 I can say of Mr. Parker that, next to Mr. Charles 

 Boultbee, I consider him the best man on a bad hunter — 

 indeed no hunter at all— that I ever saw. The seat 



