BERKSHIRE'S STORY 



N that score, my friends, I have 

 not much to boast of ; but having 

 heard that the fair Queen had 

 taken to herself a consort 

 who rejoiced in the chase, 1 

 resolved to visit the royal 

 forest. Soon I found that 

 foxes here existed only in name. Some day in 

 December I was lying in Windsor Forest about 

 three o'clock in the afternoon, when I was disturbed 

 by the voice of Sir J. Cope's huntsman, Shirley, 

 who was taking the hounds through the forest to 

 find a fox. Though so late, he was most persever- 

 ing, and appeared determined to learn whether or 

 not within the purheus of the forest there was a fox 

 left ahve by the keepers. Seeing this I lost no 

 time ; but when stealing away was viewed by some 

 of the hunters. The hounds soon followed me, 

 and though it was a bad scenting day, I narrowly 



