236 HUNTING. 



Mr. George Payne, Lord Chesterfield (whose reign was as 

 magnificent as Lord Sefton's in Leicestershire), Mr. Tom (not 

 Assheton) Smith followed, and then Mr. Payne again. It is in 

 Mr. Payne's second mastership that we first find connected with 

 these hounds a name which has since become a household 

 word in the Pytchley hunt — the name of Charles Payne. He 

 came from the Oakley, having graduated under that fine hunts- 

 man, George Beers, and at first his duties were confined to the 

 kennels. It was in Lord Hopetoun's time, in 1852, that Payne 

 was first entrusted with the horn, and never at any time, or in 

 any country, did huntsman carry it to more effect. In his 

 earliest days he was noted as ' a quick, intelligent, well-behaved 

 servant, and a marvellous fellow to get over a country,' and 

 these qualities he preserved undiminished to the end of his 

 active career. From 1852 till when he went into Wales to Sir 

 Watkin Wynne, he was at the head of affairs, through the 

 masterships of Lord Hopetoun, Mr. Villiers, Lord Spencer, 

 and Mr. Anstruther Thomson. No quicker or keener hunts- 

 man ever cheered a hound ; no better rider ever threw his leg 

 over a saddle ; no more civil or intelligent servant ever wore 

 scarlet. In 1862, the present Lord Spencer came into office 

 and stayed there for three seasons, and then followed Mr. 

 Anstruther Thomson, whose reign will be for ever memorable 

 for the great run from Waterloo Gorse. In 1873, when Mr. 

 Naylor was at the head of affairs, a second pack was set on 

 foot to hunt the Rockingham woodlands. In 1874, Lord 

 Spencer took the hounds again and kept them for five seasons, 

 when he retired in favour of Mr. Langham, but for a short 

 while longer kept the woodland country in his hands, hunting 

 it two days a week with Brigstock for his head-quarters. 



There are six commanding points of departure for the 

 Pytchley country — Rugby, Market Harboro', Weedon, Daven- 

 try, Lutterworth, and Northampton. Of these, Northampton 

 is the most central for the country. Market Harboro' the 

 most famous by name, and Rugby, perhaps, the most handy 

 for all sorts of good hounds and countries of all hunting 



