THE ROYAL HOUNDS, 219 



We can, it is true, trace, as will be presently shown, 

 the holders of the office of forester in fee of Exmoor 

 without a break till the moor itself became vested in 

 the Sovereign, and the office of forester in fee 

 became extinct, but we cannot find much trace of 

 the exercise of any sporting rights in the district by 

 the Crown, or bv anyone acting for the Crown. 



Staghunting at force was carried out by these 

 packs when Royalty was present, and by the packs 

 maintained by those great nobles who, like the 

 Mohuns of Dunster, held sporting rights over 

 sufficiently large areas, according to all the precise 

 rules and with all the ceremonial which prevailed in 

 France. Without going deeply into the manv books 

 written on the subject, we are fortunate enough to 

 possess in " The Master of Game " a complete 

 account of every detail. 



"The Master of Game" is a translation by 

 Edward, Duke of York, for the instruction of Henry, 

 Prince of Wales, afterwards Henry V., of " La Livre 

 de Chasse," by Gaston III., Count de Foix et Beam, 

 commonly known as Gaston Phoebus, who died in 

 1 39 1. This great French classic is the foundation 

 on which every subsequent book on hunting is built, 

 except, perhaps, " La Chasse," by Charles IX. 

 There are many MS. copies, some of which are 

 beautifully illuminated. Edw^ard, Duke of York, was 

 Master of Game and Forester-in-Chief south of the 

 Trent ; he made his translation between 1406 and 

 1413, changing a few passages of the original and 



