EXMOOR UNDER THE PLANTAGENETS. 203 



writing to complain of the broken-down state of his 

 "park" at Porlock to John Arundel, who had been 

 appointed " keeper " for Porlock and Brendon by 

 the marquis's grandmother Cecily Bonville : — 



Cosyn Arundell aftr my herty recomendasions perscevyng 

 that my game and plesure which I was wont to haue in Purloke in 

 the ntie (countie) of Somersett is now in schuche dekaye that hit 

 is very nyghe vtterly destroyd, I require you hertly to take the 

 payne to haue the kepyng and ouershyght theroff, trustyng by 

 youre meanes that hit schalbe schortly in some better sorte and 

 order, whereby I shall haue cause to thanke you and thus most 

 hertly fare ye well ; in jast ffrom the kinge's Matie palayse off 

 Westmynstr the xxvij off January. Yor lovyng cousyn 



Henry Dorsett. 



That Elizabeth could on occasion appreciate a 

 good run over a country, and ride it right through 

 regardless of consequences, is related in her life by 

 Miss Strickland, who tells how she appointed to 

 meet the French Plenipotentiaries who came to 

 negotiate a marriage with the Due d'Alen^on at 

 George Pomfret's house at Easton : — 



"The excitement of the chase, however, proved 

 more interesting to Elizabeth than the discussions 

 of her union with Monsieur d'Alen9on, and she kept 

 the procurators waiting for her two days at Easton, 

 for having started a large swift stag on the morning 

 previous to that appointed for their audience, she 

 pursued it all the day and till the middle of the 

 night, and was so greatly fatigued in consequence 

 that she was compelled to keep her chamber all the 

 next day." 



