8 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



Of the E/ev. William Butler, known familiarly as 

 " Billy " Butler, who had the living of Frampton, 

 in Dorset, the choicest stories of the time were 

 told. Mr Butler was a great character, and though 

 he was devoted to the pleasures of the chase, and 

 always " knew where to rise a salmon or flush a 

 woodcock," he was by no means inattentive to the 

 duties of his profession, and was, I believe, a good 

 reader and preacher. Mr Butler was, I think, one 

 of those parsons who, " to encourage matrimony 

 and early rising," as they put it, or, as it may 

 seem to others, to give themselves a clear day for 

 hunting, used to marry any of the labouring classes 

 without fee, on condition that they came for the 

 ceremony before eight o'clock in the morning. 



A story told of Mr Butler and Mr Yeatman is 

 that one day when they were driving to the meet 

 together, these two worthies disputed as to which 

 of them could best preach a hunting sermon. The 

 dispute waxed warm, and they settled they were 

 to try on the following Sunday. When the time 

 came, Mr Butler gave as the text of his dis- 

 course, " We heard of it at Ephratah, and found 

 it in the Avood," while Mr Yeatman chose the 

 words, " This is the heir," — hare, — " come let us 

 kill him." How the rival merits were decided I 

 do not know. 



Mr Butler was a favourite with all, from the 

 lowest to the highest, and many stories my father 

 used to tell of the friendship of the eccentric parson 

 with the Prince of Wales. The Prince, afterwards 



