22 FOREST OF WOLMER DEER-STEALING. 



called it, for twenty minutes ; when, sounding their 

 horns, the stop-dogs were permitted to pursue, 

 and a most gallant scene ensued. 



* VII. 



THOUGH large herds of deer do much harm to 

 the neighbourhood, yet the injury to the morals of 

 the people is of more moment than the loss of their 

 crops. The temptation is irresistible ; for most men 

 are sportsmen by constitution : and there is such 

 an inherent spirit for hunting in human nature, 

 as scarce any inhibitions can restrain. Hence, 

 towards the beginning of this century, all this 

 country was wild about deer- stealing. Unless he 

 was a hunter, as they affected to call themselves, 

 no young person was allowed to be possessed of 

 manhood or gallantry. The Waltham blacks at 

 length committed such enormities, that Govern- 

 ment was forced to interfere with that severe and 

 sanguinary act called the Black act l , which now 

 comprehends more felonies than any law that ever 

 was framed before ; and, therefore, a late bishop of 

 Winchester, when urged to re-stock Waltham- 

 chase 2 , refused, from a motive worthy of a pre- 

 late, replying, " It had done mischief enough al- 

 ready." 



Our old race of deer-stealers are hardly extinct 

 yet. It was but a little while ago that, over their 

 ale, they used to recount the exploits of their 

 youth : such as watching the pregnant hind to her 

 lair, and, when the calf was dropped, paring its 

 feet with a penknife to the quick, to prevent its 



1 Statute 9 Geo. I. c. 22. 



2 This chase remains unstocked to this day ; the bishop 

 was Dr. Hoadley. 



