260 THE SHOOTKR'S GUIDE. 



in 1803, Mr. Serjeant Cockell, in his address to the 

 jury, said, " He trusted there was not a judge or ma- 

 gistrate in this kingdom who would put the penal- 

 ties in force against agentleman who sported honour- 

 ably." Many other instances might be given to show 

 that both judges and counsel regard the game laws in 

 a very different light than that of engines of legal 

 persecution. 



Having said thus much, it may not be amiss just 

 to examine how far the great land-holders, and lords 

 of manors themselves, act consistently with the strict 

 letter of the law. For instance, it will be found that 

 many persons appoint gamekeepers, who are not le- 

 gally qualified so to do. By the 22d and 23d of 

 Car. II. c. 25. s. 2. no person under the degree of an 

 esquire has a right to appoint a gamekeeper; and yet 

 this is very common : there are numbers of game- 

 keepers appointed by gentlemen who are under the 

 degree of esquire* in the eye of the law,. though fa* 

 shionable politeness may name them so. 



Now, it would evidently appear, from what has 

 been asserted in the preceding pages, that these 

 strict -preserving gentlemen are not actuated by mo- 

 tives of justice and equity, since they so glaringly 

 violate the law; but seem to be influenced solely by 

 an overbearing and arbitrary spirit. I would wish 

 them therefore seriously to reflect on the consequences 

 resulting from the present very fashionable method of 



* For who arc esquires, properly speaking, see the article 

 QUALIFICATION. 



