20 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



lasted for five hours and ten minutes, with 

 Mr. Loder's hounds in 1766, we are indebted 

 to Mr. Walter Money, F.S.A. The lines were 

 written by the fourth Lord Abingdon. 



An Account of a Chase which took Place 

 IN Berkshire in the Year 1766. 



Hark, Hark, Jolly Sportsmen, awhile to my tale. 

 Which to gain your attention, I hope will not fail, 

 'Tis of lads and of horses, and of dogs that ne'er tire 

 O'er stone walls and hedges, thro' dale, bog and briar. 

 A pack of such hounds, and a set of such men, 

 'Tis a great chance if ever you meet with again. 

 Had Nimrod the stoutest of hunters, been there, 

 Egad he'd have shook, like an Aspen, for fear. 



In seventeen hundred and sixty and six, 



The beginning of March for our hunt we did fix, 



At five in the morning by most of the clocks. 



We rode from Bright walton to try for a fox. 



The Betterton squire, and the bold Johnny Boot, 



While some went on horseback, and some went on 



foot. 

 Bob Ready, Jack Loder, the huntsman so stout, 

 Sam Southby, with others and so we set out. 



We had cast off the hounds for an hour or more 



When Wanton set up a most terrible roar, 



" Hark to Wanton," cries Tom ; and the rest were not 



slack, 

 (For Wanton's no trifler esteemed by the pack). 

 Old Bonny and Collier came readily in. 

 And every dog joined in the musical din ; 

 Had Diana been there, she'd been pleased to the life, 

 And some of the lads got a goddess to wife. 



