1 7: LIFE OF MYTTON. 



was at Betley, near Newcastle-under-Lyne, from 

 which he luinted what is called " the Woorc countrj'" 

 (once hunted by the late Sir Thomas Mostyn, pre- 

 viously to his taking Oxfordshire) and likewise a part 

 of Shropshire. The interest evinced for many sur- 

 rounding miles, in this extraordinary, and I believe I 

 may add Jiniqitc undertaking, was immense ; and it 

 was supposed that, independently of the contents of 

 carriages, there were considerably more than a 

 thousand horsemen in the field, with about seven 

 hundred of these in scarlet. 



Mytton, as usual, was resolved to make himself 

 remarkable in more ways than one ; and on the pre- 

 ceding evening he arrived at Whitchurch, to be near 

 to the scene of action, and where he had ordered the 

 best dinner that could be provided for himself and 

 two friends who accompanied him. But the dinner at 

 Whitchurch and its evils were not " sufficient for the 

 day;" he had his carriage round in the evening, and 

 drove to the village of Wrenbury, the rendezvous 

 of the different packs, where a main of cocks was 

 being fought. Having seen what was going on there, 

 he returned to his quarters at Whitchurch, and after 

 drawlnof a commercial traveller from his bed, and 

 dosing him with wine, retired at length to his own. 



