NOTITIA VENATICA. 43 



On the 9th of December, 1838, and in the eighty -first year of his age, 

 in Charles-street, Berkeley-square, died JohnWarde, Esq., of Squerries, 

 in the county of Kent. He Avas, during fifty-six years, a master of fox- 

 hounds, and enjoyed, till his death, the honourable title of " The Father 

 of Fox-hunters," which devolved to Mr. Warde upon the demise of the 

 first Lord Yarborough. 



Mr. Warde's dSbut as a master of hounds, commenced at a very 

 early period of his life ; in fact, he was only just of age vv'hen he first 

 became the possessor of a pack of foxhounds in France. He subse- 

 quently hunted Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, and Berkshire. In 

 the latter county he made his bow, in the year 1825, on the stage to 

 the fox-hunting world, where he had during so many seasons played his 

 part Avith universal applause, selUng his hounds to Mr. Horlock for 

 2,000 guineas. During the whole course of his long hunting career, he 

 never attempted to handle the pack himself, but left the entire manage- 

 ment of the hounds, after they had been throAvn ofi", to his huntsmen — 

 the most celebrated of whom were Jem Butler, when he hunted the 

 Pytchley country ; Robert Forfeit, who became afterwards his groom ; 

 and in Berkshire, old Will Neverd. The description of hounds Avhich 

 Mr. Warde bred through the Avhole of his life, Avas a large, bony, throaty 

 sort of hound, more calculated to plod his Avay over the cheerless and 

 flinty doAvns of Berkshire, than to take the shine out of the nags in the 

 Pytchley country ; and in latter hfe he even increased their size, Avhen 

 they were designated by the neighbouring sportsmen as " John Warde's 

 Jackasses." The folloAving extraordinary run occurred Avith Mr. Wai'de's 

 hounds Avhen he hunted the Pytchley country : — On Feb. 3rd, 1802, 

 found a fox at Marson Wood, between Welford and Market Harboro', at 

 half-past ten o'clock, and Avent aAvay immediately at the best pace over 

 Sibertoft, Howthorpe, Theddingworth, Laughton, Lubbcnham, and 

 Foxton, Avhere he Avas headed by a party coursing to Giuuley, OAving to 

 which the hounds slackened their pace a little, and Avere brought to 

 hunting near to Gumley House. About a mile on they got from scent 

 to vicAv, and ran SAviftly over Saddington, Smeaton, KibAvorth, Fleckney, 

 WistoAV, Newton Harcourt, Glenn, Oadby, Stoughton, Great Stretton, 

 Little Stretton, and on to Galby. Here they again came to hunting 

 over Trisby, to Billesdon, and under the cover side to Billcsdon Coplow, 

 where they came to very close hunting for near an hour over Cold New- 

 ton, Skefiington, and Tilton-on-the-lIiU, Avhere they hunted up to him in 

 a double hedge-roAV, from Avhence they got Adew and ran into him, after 

 a chase of four hours and a quarter, in the course of Avhich they ran 

 through twenty-six parishes, Avithout going into any cover ! The dis- 

 tance from Marston Wood to the fui'thest point is computed at tAventy- 

 seven miles, and the circle they made from thirty-five to forty miles. 

 Out of a numerous field at starting, the only people remaining Avith the 

 hounds at the end Avere the late Sir Henry Warde, K.C.B., brother to 

 Mr. Warde, and Sir Andrew Barnard, Avith Robert Forfit, the hunts- 

 man, and Jem Butler, the first whippcr in. The hoimds slept that 

 ni^cht in the kennels at Bowden Inn, where Lord Sefton, who then 



