48 BEAUFORT HUNT: PAST AND PRESENT. 



It will be understood that a Master of Foxhounds such as the 

 8th Duke of Beaufort would be quite sure several times during hia 

 Mastership to be asked to accept from his friends some form of 

 thanks to him for his sporting kindness. One such instance was in 

 or about 1861, when a picture of the Duchess and himself, both 

 mounted, the Duke on " Sportsman,"' along with two couple of 

 hounds, was painted by Sir Francis Grant (President of the Royal 

 Academy), and after being exhibited in Chippenham, Tetbury, and 

 other towns, was presented to them, and is on the walls at Badminton 

 now. 



Another instance, one moreover of great interest to the present 

 writer, for to him was permitted the honourable duty of making 

 the presentation, was in 1898. His Grace retired from the M.F.H-ship 

 and from residence at Badminton. His numerous friends could 

 not possibly be willing that he should leave them without some 

 fresh record of their regard for him, and of their appreciation of 

 all the sport he had shown them. A portrait of him was therefore 

 painted by Mr. Ellis Roberts, for which his many friends were 

 delighted to subscribe, and the presentation of this picture was made 

 at a meet of the hounds at Badminton House on Saturday, March 

 5th, 1898, in the presence of an enormous and enthusiastic assembly 

 of his friends and neighbours. No one was missing. All '" Beaufort- 

 shire " was there. His Hunting Country is best described this way, 

 for it lies in two different though adjacent counties, Gloucester and 

 Wilts, each equally eager to make him and his hounds welcome. 

 A capital day's sport, moreover, followed the ceremony, which will 

 be long remembered. 



I will only add a word or two. I am old enough to remember 

 the fact of the Duke being for a time his own huntsman. 

 The post became rather suddenly vacant in 1855, and, promptly 

 deciding to hunt hounds himself, set his tailors to immediate work 

 to fit him out with green plush coats at one clear day's notice, that 

 the advertised appointment for the next day but one should be 

 duly kept. I was not present myself, for I was at the University, 

 but I know from a near relation, himself a real sportsman, that His 

 Grace was one of the cheeriest huntsmen he had known, and it was 

 a treat to hear him when hounds were drawing a covert. He hunted 

 hounds all the remainder of that season and all the following one, 

 when he engaged Tom Clark, from the Old Berkshire. Clark remained 

 ■with him for a long time and was succeeded in the post of huntsman 

 by the present Duke. 



Well do I remember the day, March 4th, 1868, on which I saw 

 young Lord Worcester in his first green plush coat and huntsman's 

 cap, riding with his hounds down the hill from the Monument to 

 Lower Woods, where he was to inaugurate his long and prosperous 

 career as huntsman. We had a good day's sport, too, and everybody 

 was pleased. He has indeed during all the years that have passed 



