THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



47 



CHAPTER VII. 



Lord Middleton as master — some sport from 

 Farnbokough. 



When Mr. Corbet severed his sporting connection 

 with Warwickshire in 1811, Lord Middleton became 

 the possessor of his hounds for 1,220 gs., and assumed 

 the reins of government in the country. Quite in the 

 early days, when Mr. Willoughby, he had hunted 

 hounds in Warwickshire, and was, therefore, not entirely 

 new to the work. To follow such a master and such a 

 man as Mr. Corbet, was a sufficiently difficult task for any 

 one. Lord Middleton possessed many of the qualifica- 

 tions necessary to hunt such a country as Warwickshire. 

 His finances would bear the strain, which must neces- 

 sarily be placed upon them, and as regards the work in 

 the field, both as a rider and a sportsman he was quite 

 qualified for the leading position, which the retirement 

 of Mr. Corbet had rendered vacant. 



His stud was said to be equal to any in the kingdom. 

 It was, therefore, with anticipations that the change of 

 masters would not make much difi'erence to the sport, 

 that Warwickshire men welcomed Lord Middleton 

 to their country. 



His first meet was at Itchington Heath, on the 11th 

 of February, 1811. We have, however, no record of 

 the first bit of sport he was enabled to show his follow- 

 ers. He marked his assumption of the leadership of the 

 hounds by giving a dinner at the Sun Rising Inn, at 

 Edgehill, to upwards of three score farmers and other 

 guests. Every person present accorded his lordship a 



Lord Middleton 

 as Master. 



Commencement 

 of his regime. 



