FOX-HUNTING 



Quorn. Lord Sefton was a heavy weight, but his 

 example was speedily followed by those who had not 

 burthen of flesh to excuse them. 



The sporting ethics of a century ago were lenient 

 on the subject of bagmen. It would seem from this 

 note, culled from the Sporting Magazine of 1807, that 

 if the owner of a pack wanted to hunt any particular 

 district and foxes happened to be scarce therein, he 

 might temporarily stock the country without re- 

 proach : — 



* Mr. Fermor's excellent pack is come, or coming at 

 the end of this mouth (December), from his seat in 

 Oxfordshire to Epsom, for the purpose of hunting 

 there during the remainder of the season. The 

 gentlemen of Surrey expect much sport, as Mr. 

 Fermor will turn out a great number of bagged foxes.' 



When Squire Osbaldeston hunted in Suff*olk, season 

 1822-3, Mr. E. H. Budd used to buy half-grown foxes 

 for him from Hopkins in Tottenham Court Road, at 

 thirty shillings a brace, and send them down in a 

 covered cart, ten or twelve brace at a time. 



It was very usual to turn out a bagman for a day's 

 sport ; and such a fox often gave a much better run than 

 the practice deserved. On 18th December 1805, the 

 Master of the Chester Harriers had a bag fox turned 

 out in Common Wood at a quarter-past twelve : he 

 was given five minutes' law, was run to ground at 

 Pick Hill, was bolted, and thereafter stood up before 

 hounds till dark, when * hounds were called off by the 



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