70 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1817 



farmer caught him, as the hound was seen to lay hold of 

 the fox several times in the field where this man was at 

 plough." 



Wednesday, March 12th, was celebrated for a marvel- 

 lous run. There is a tradition at Hoar Cross that it was 

 always a case of " no fox, no claret " after dinner. But 

 surely the squire might have allowed an exception to his 

 rule on this occasion, for they met at Longford, " found 

 at Shirley Park, went away with a middling scent by 

 Osmaston, through Bradley Wood, to the Park, where the 

 scent mended and we ran hard across Sturston brook, 

 over Knyveton Hills, across Brassington Pasture to 

 Bradbury Rock, where we were halloaed to a red cur, 

 and two couples of hounds went on with the scent, which 

 we never could catch, and we lost below Grange Mill, 

 about four miles from Bake well, an hour and fifty 

 minutes. A very fine run, most people's horses tired. I 

 rode Timothy ; Tom, Forrester ; Joe, brown mare. Did 

 not get home till nine o'clock." 



This was at least seventeen miles as the crow flies, but 

 they do not seem to have thought it anything extra- 

 ordinary, such wonderful runs did they have in those 

 days. 



On the Saturday, at Bagot's Park, hounds divided — 

 the squire, with five couples, killing his fox. He then 

 joined Tom, and the joint pack killed the other. On the 

 next hunting-day he mentions that several of Osbaldeston's 

 people were out. March 31st, met at Holly bush. " Found 

 in the banks, ran very hard for an hour, when the hounds 

 divided, and part went away. We went after them, but 

 without success, and afterwards heard they ran their fox 

 to Chartley." A good ten miles. 



They wound up the season with a day in the woods 

 on April 10th. 



They killed fifteen foxes, ran ten to ground, lost 

 thirty-six, and had ten blank days. 



The stud seems to have consisted of eleven horses, 

 of which the squire had three, Timothy, Feeble, and 



