46 



THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Mr. John Corbet 

 1791-1811. 



Death of Mr. 

 Corbet. 

 1817. 



His character. 



His pubUc offices 



His ancestry. 



their practices. To this they agreed and received the 

 amount regularly every Christmas Day. 



The rupture of a blood vessel on the brain removed, 

 on the 19fch of May, 1817, at Muddiford, Hants, this 

 most celebrated of fox-hunters, and most worthy 

 member of society. His age at death was 65, and in him 

 died one, who, with the strictest moral and religious 

 principles, combined the best affections of the heart. 

 As a friend, husband, father, master, landlord, or, in 

 fact, in whatever character he might be called upon to 

 fill, he displayed those genuine qualities which a mere 

 superficial good nature can never supply. 



For some years before his death he retired into the 

 enjoyments of a quiet life, but in earlier years he had 

 filled various public offices in his own county of Salop. 

 Among them were those of High Sheriff, treasurer to 

 the infirmary in 1775, lieutenant-colonel of the county 

 volunteers and local militia, and, on the death of Lord 

 Clive, in 1774, one of its representatives in Parlia- 

 ment. 



The funeral took place at Battlefield on the 31st of 

 May, when Mr. Corbet was laid in the family vault 

 amongst tokens of most universal respect. 



The first Corbet was a knight in the time of 

 William the Conqueror, and is reported to have 

 been " a cunning marksman against hart or 

 doe." Another Corbet, Robert, fought with King 

 Richard at Acre, where he won the admiration of his 

 lord, and obtained permission to bear two ravens for 

 his arms. In Norman French " Corbet " signifies 

 a raven. The family motto was*' Deus pascit corvos." 

 Peter Corbet is described as a mighty hunter in the 

 reign of Edward I., who gave him letters patent, 

 authorising him to take wolves in the royal forest. 

 The sporting proclivities so early displayed in his long 

 line of ancestors, seem to have been continued down 

 to the celebrated member, to whose memory in con- 

 nection with the Warwickshire Hounds, I have just 

 done honour as fully as the power within me lay. 



