THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS, 



37 



Mr. Holyoake, of Tettenhall, Staffordshire, was also 

 an ardent sportsman and generally joined " the War- 

 wickshire " during the season, as did also Mr. T. Pem- 

 berton, of Birmingham, who had some very famous 

 horses. He was generally in the front and went in 

 good style all the time. Mr. Gillibrand was another 

 good sportsman who frequently joined the hunt during 

 the season, and his horse experienced a bit of hard 

 work during the Epwell business. 



While on the subject of the Epwell run I must not 

 forget to mention Mr. Stubbs, of Beckbury, Shropshire, 

 a conspicuous member of the hunt, and who got the 

 brush in the Epwell run. Let me introduce him in the 

 words of the author of the poem : — 



"With his hat in his hand, looking out for a gate. 

 Neither looking nor riding by any means straight, 

 Mr. Stubbs, a crack rider no doubt in his time, 

 But who hunting on Sunday once deem'd it no crime, 

 Making desp'rate play thro' some fine muddy lanes, 

 And by nicking and skirting, got in for his pains ; 

 High waving the brush, and with pleasure half mad, 

 Koaring out, " Yoicks, have at 'em ! we've kill'd him, my 

 lad ! " 



The reference to hunting on Sunday needs to be 

 explained. For some time this gentleman had kept a 

 pack of fox-hounds, which he was so anxious to provide 

 with sport that he kept a supply of caged foxes to avoid 

 a blank day. In feeding these one Sunday morning, 

 he managed to let one escape. Observing the runaway, 

 he exclaimed, "What! you thought you had me, 

 eh ? but I'll be a match for you," and so saying, he im- 

 mediately let loose the hounds, and a run of some 

 twenty miles or so ensued, the death taking place in 

 a village when the inhabitants were just returning 

 from Church. He was one of those, who, like the 

 master, managed to cross the country without much 

 fencing, but his pace was proverbial, and he usually 

 managed to be up not long after the sport was con- 

 cluded. He had good staying powers, too, and no 



Mr. John CdRBEi 

 1791-1811. 



Other names. 



Mr, Stubbs. 



An impromtu 

 run. 



