AND THE FORESTERS. 61 



panies do ride or go to tlie said places, sometimes 

 wandering up to tlie middle througli bourns, and 

 rivers ; and then, they being come to the place, do 

 Ke down on the ground till those foresaid scouts, 

 which are called the Tinkheldt, do bring down the 

 deer. Then, after we had stayed three hours or 

 there abouts, we might perceive the deer appear on 

 the hills round about us (their heads making a show 

 like a wood), which being followed close by the 

 Tinkheldt, are chased down into the valley where 

 we lay ; then all the valley on each side being way- 

 laid with a hundred couple of strong Irish grey- 

 hounds, they are let loose as occasion serves upon 

 the herd of deer, that with dogs, guns, arrows, dirks, 

 and daggers, in the space of two hours fourscore fat 

 deer were slain." 



Hunting matches were sometimes made in these 

 forests, and one, embittered by some family feud 

 respecting a fishery, terminated in the death of a 

 bold and ancient knight, an event recorded upon a 

 stone covering his remains in the quaint and truly 

 ancient church at Atcham. 



" The bugle sounds, 'tis Berwick's lord 

 O'er Wrekin drives the deer ; 

 That hunting match — that fatal feud — 

 Drew many a widow's tear. 



