174 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



of many a man who might have Hved and died in 

 the parish in which he was born and reared, was the 

 consequence of the thoughtless and fooHsh selfishness 

 of those who, by the chink of the guinea, lured to 

 ruin and disgrace the rustic who was all too weak 

 and too poor to resist temptation. 



' Budaius,' says Man wood, * reporteth this old verse 

 of venison, — 



' " Non est inquirendum, unde venit venison 

 Nam si forte furto sit, sola fides sufficit.' 



' If any one chance to be bid to his friend's house 

 to eat his part of fat venison, let him remember this 

 old verse, which in English is this, — 



' It is not to be inquired from whence venison cometh, 

 For if by chance it stolen be, 

 A good belief sufficeth thee.' 



Let me beg my visitors to the West to avoid 

 following" this advice. 



I trust that nothing I may have said as to the 

 rugged character of Exmoor, or the difficulties that 

 may at times be encountered in the chase, will deter 

 any of my fair countrywomen, who have a penchant 

 for horse exercise, from joining our merry meetings 

 at the covert side. In many respects the autumn 

 hunting is admirably suited to ladies. A bright sun, 



