THE GAME LAWS. 19 



Somerset Assizes, 1 8 H . Corner v. Champncys. 



This was an action brought against T. S. Champ- 

 neys, esq. and his gamekeeper, Ralph Crozier, for 

 shooting the plaintiff's greyhound ; which was 

 proved hy several sporting gentlemen to l>e of such 

 extraordinary value, that had it been their own they 

 would not have taken fifty or Vven one hundred 

 guineas for her. This action was attempted to be 

 justified by Mr. Champneys having caused boards to 

 be put on the outside of his grounds, specifying that 

 dogs found therein would be shot : but the judge was 

 clearly of opinion, that such notice could not justify 

 them in shooting the greyhound ; and directed the 

 jury to find a verdict for the plaintiff to the full value 

 of the greyhound, and they accordingly returned a 

 verdict for the plaintiff, Damages 50/. 



DOG-SPEARS. Dean v. Sir William Clayton, Bart. 



This was an action tried at the assizes at Oxford, in 

 1814, to recover the value of a dog, killed by means 

 of a dog-spear, in a wood called the Moor Wood, 

 the property of Sir William Clayton, Bart. This 

 wood, which is near six miles in circumference, and 

 is situated on the confines of Oxfordshire and Buck- 

 inghamshire, has for upwards of seven years past 

 been converted into an enormous game-preserve by 

 the owner, whose estate it joins for about one mile 

 and a half only, afterwards abutting, for a space ex- 

 ceeding four miles more, on the lands of different 



