MY NEIGHBOURS AT BEACON LODGE 191 



poacher named Clark, who had been for nearly a twelvemonth 

 at large, in defiance of the magistrates 1 summons and warrant, 

 which latter, when the constable came to execute, the offender 

 compelled his retreat from the cottage at the muzzle of his 

 poaching gun. The offence he had committed was, in threaten- 

 ing to beat out the brains of one of Sir George Rose's sons, Mr. 

 William Rose, I believe, for interfering with him when poaching 

 in a cover called Chewton Bunney, the property of Sir George 

 Rose. The brother of this man was similarly situated in regard 

 to contempt for all magisterial authority ; and he too not only 

 was at large, but openly living in the cottage with his brother, 

 within three miles of the bench whereat the warrants were signed 

 for their apprehension. Two kings of Brentford cannot be 

 coeval ; and, according to that adage, this fellow Clark made a 

 boast that he would never be put down by me. He continued 

 to poach, and tried to have it in his power to say he had shot 

 before my face. To gain some foundation for this boast, he 

 came out on Chewton Common while I was on it, and shot a 

 snipe, taking very good care to keep half a mile away from me. 

 Having tried to approach him as if carelessly, he seemed to come 

 to the conclusion that an encounter would probably take place ; 

 so he left the common and entered a cottage. On this I knocked 

 at the cottage door, called him by name, and told him if he 

 would come out with his gun on the common I would take it 

 from him, for that I had seen him use both dog and gun in 

 shooting game. I was too far off to see what it was he killed, 

 though I saw him stoop to pick it up. He made no reply : so 

 I went to the nearest justice, Mr. Hopkins, and having stated 

 who it was I was after, and the facts as to the former summons 

 and warrant, requested that I might be sworn in as a special 

 constable to take him. When I made this application it was 

 chiefly with a view to the former warrant, but Mr. Hopkins 

 objected, as I had a charge against him, though he had no 

 objection to swear in any other man specially, to take him 

 under the charge then made. A man was soon -found in the 

 person of my butler, Cratchley. I was perfectly satisfied with 



