bacheloe's hall. 103 



Against the walls were grim old portraits of tlie 

 Squire's predecessors of the Weld and Forester lines, 

 with stiff-starched frills, large vests, and small 

 round hats of Henry YII.'s time ; others of the 

 fashions of earlier periods by distinguished painters, 

 together with later productions of the pencil by 

 less famous artists, representing dogs, cattle, and 

 favourite horses. In the great hall were horns and 

 antlers, and other trophies of the chase, ancient 

 guns which had done good execution in their time, 

 a bustard, and rare species of birds of a like kind. 

 Here and there were ancient time -pieces, singular 

 in construction and quaint in contrivance, one of 

 which, on striking the hours of noon and midnight, 

 set in motion figures with trumpets and various 

 other instruments, which gave forth their appro- 

 priate sounds. A great lamp — ^hoisted to its place 

 by a thick rope — lighted up that portion of the hall 

 into which opened the doors of the dining and other 

 rooms, and from which a staircase led to the gallery. 



A meet in the neighbourhood of Willey was 

 usually well attended : first, because of the cer- 

 tainty of good sport ; secondly, because such sport 

 was often preceded, or often followed by recep- 

 tions at the Hall, so famous for its cheer. Jolly 



