134 FOX-HUNTING 



in the class of "verming and such Hke," 

 and that they considered it a most magnani- 

 mous proceeding, instead of '*to knock" 

 foxes on the head as they can be found, 

 because these be beasts of prey, "to shake 

 him out of a bag and collect all the dogs," 

 and have a "hoont." 



The reader must not be too hard on 

 them ; they were hard-working farmers, 

 with small means, who could not afford 

 the serious depredations that they suffered 

 from foxes amongst their moor sheep, and 

 especially amongst their lambs in the spring. 

 There was no M.F, H., in the modern sense. 

 They kept a few hounds, one here and one 

 there, which were collected or "blown up" 

 on hunting days, and they managed their 

 sport in a very homely and simple fashion, 



