THE HISTORY OF THE BEL VOIR HUNT 



horseman, and went well late in life. " From Folkingham 

 Gorse to Aslackby Wood in forty minutes. This looked 

 much like the fox that gave us the run last week. He took 

 us from the big gorse at a great pace by the little gorse up 

 to Ponton drain, which was stopped, thence over the brook 

 up to Dunsby as if for Dunsby Wood, but turning to the 

 right ran into Aslackby Wood. This was done in forty 

 minutes, and as the ground was very deep all the horses were 

 blown. If any one had the best of it, Mr, Houson had on his 

 old grey horse, Mr. Houson being in his seventy-fourth 

 year."^ 



" I have seen him," writes Major Longstaffe, " lead the 

 Belvoir field at eighty years of age." With his perfect seat, 

 his accurate judgment, and the lightest of hands, he could 

 add something to his income by making hunters, for when a 

 young horse had been through his hands it was worth a good 

 sum. When he became Rector of Brant Broughton it was 

 at first as what was called a " warming pan " for Mr. Banks 

 Wright, a nephew of the patron, Sir Richard Sutton. The 

 story goes that Sir Richard, who was a friend of Mr. Houson, 

 arrived at Brant Broughton Rectory just about the time when 

 the Rector's resignation was due. When he got out of the 

 carriage he found the seven little Housons ranged solemnly 

 in the hall with their mouths open like young sparrows in a 

 nest. "What does this mean, Houson?" said Sir Richard. 

 " It means," replied the Rector, " that you are going to take 

 the bread out of those children's mouths to give it to your 

 nephew, who is well off already." Sir Richard took the hint, 

 and Mr. Banks Wright had another living found for him, 

 while Mr. Houson died Rector of Brant Broughton. 



Mr. Banks Wright was also somewhat of a character, as 

 the following verses tell : — 



* Memoirs of the Belvoir Hounds, pp. 127, 128. 

 306 



