AN OLD SQUIRE'S DIARY 363 



much edification a few hours before. I don't know on 

 what topics the tipplers conversed, but I doubt whether 

 they confined themselves to theology. 



The ale-house or inn played an important part in the 

 life of the country gentlemen of that day. The Lancashire 

 gentry of Nicholas Assheton's time seem to have kept very 

 little wine in their own cellars, and it was their custom after 

 dinner to adjourn to the nearest inn and quietly fuddle 

 themselves till it was time to go home to bed. One needs 

 no better proof of the excellent quality of the liquor which 

 the innkeepers of that day provided for their customers. 



It will shock sportsmen of the present day to hear what 

 lax ideas Squire Assheton had on the subject of fox- 

 hunting. There was no close-time for foxes then. They 

 were hunted all the year round, and indeed were regarded 

 as vermin. A penny a head was paid by the parish 

 authorities for every fox's mask, and these trophies were 

 nailed to the door of the parish church. The fox was as 

 often coursed with greyhounds as hunted with hounds, and 

 if a fox could not be found a rabbit or a badger did just 

 as well. Here is an entry in point:— "June 24th. To 

 Worston Brook. Tryed for a foxe, found nothing. Towler 

 lay at a rabbit and wee stayed and wrought and took her. 

 Home to Downham to a foote race." Again : — " June 25th. 

 I hounded and killed a bitch foxe. After that to Salthill. 

 There we had a bowson [badger]. Wee wrought him out 

 and killed him." From which I gather that the hounds, 

 like their master, were not particular what they hunted. 



As to the convivial propensities of our Squire, let the 

 following candid entries suffice : — " July 3rd. I and 

 Richard Sherburne to Sladeborne. It rayned ; so we 

 stayed and tippled most of the day and were too foolish," 

 Again: — "Aug. 19th. All this morning we played the 

 bacchanalians ; at night as merrie as Robin Hood and all 

 his fellowes. — Dec. 3rd. Went to Mr Parkinson, the 

 steward — somewhat too busie with drink. — June 2nd. We 

 all to Pescod to a cocking, very pleasant ; tables (dice and 

 cards) all night ; made more than merrie." 



In this respect, however, Nicholas was no worse than 

 most of his class. He was not a sot, and his head was 



