FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 49 



to him by the Duke of Gloucester, and was the 

 only person who had permission to use, not only 

 the Kennels and Stables, but the King's House 

 likewise, if his Grace should choose to come, 

 which is very improbable — then, any strange 

 Pack must give way for the Time, that there 

 may be no more than two Packs at the one 

 Time. 



'' The Earths, not to be stopt till half -past 

 four in the Morning, and no Hounds to be thrown 

 off till five. 



'' The Earths, during the month of April, not 

 to be stopt but by the Keepers or their Servants. 



'^ The Keepers have orders not to suffer any 

 Fires to be lighted on the Earths, or any Person 

 to stand on the Earth to keep out the Foxes. 



'^ No Tarriers to be taken out, or Foxes dug, 

 in the month of April. 



^^ Date 1789.'^ 



No doubt the first actual Master of the New 

 Forest Foxhounds was Mr. Gilbert of Lambs 

 Corner, now called Hartley Lodge, who became 

 the M.F.H. from 1781 until he died in 1798. The 

 Hunt Club appears to have been founded in 1783, 

 when its meetings were held at Romsey, but soon 

 afterwards were moved to Lyndhurst. 



Mr. Gilbert's kennels were at Northerwood, 

 and a man named Woods was his first hunts- 

 man. He came into his service in January 1781, 

 and, according to an old diary, in July of that 

 4 



