i6 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



the jury reduced the amount to that sum in 

 each case." 



After this, a whole crop of actions arose 

 against Mr. Capel and his friends, and 

 even against the huntsman, Thomas Oldaker. 

 Amongst others, the Marquis of Abergavenny 

 brought an action against Mr. Capel. Many 

 letters appeared in the sporting press com- 

 plaining of the growing antipathy to hunting, 

 and it seemed for the moment as if the sport 

 would be stamped out, just as it was beginning 

 to become generally popular. In 1811 a sin- 

 gular proclamation against the Bel voir Hunt 

 was issued by Sir William Manners: "The 

 Lord of the Manor of Grantham having for 

 years suffered incalculable damage from the 

 depredations of the Belvoir hounds, prosecu- 

 tions will be commenced against any persons 

 hunting with the said hounds and trespassing 

 on any of the lands belonging to Sir William 

 Manners, and situated in any of the following 

 parishes " (then follows a list of thirty-four 

 parishes). A Mr. Robinson also brought an 

 action for hunting trespass against the Duke 

 of Rutland, and more actions were brought 

 against Mr. Wood, successor to Mr. Capel, 

 as Master of the " Old Berkeley hounds " ; 

 while in Sutherland, an " Anti-foxite club" 

 was formed by the " Nobility, gentry and 



