242 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



BuCK-nOUNDS. 



£ s. d. 

 Master's fee, whereof to himself per diem, twelve 

 pence, and the rest to sundry huntsmen serving 



his appointment 50 



Sergeants, two, fee apiece 20 



Yeoman Prickers, two, fee apiece . . .926 



Hounds, and meat to the groom of the Buck- 

 hounds' allowance . . , . . . 13 6 8 



Total £92 9 2 



Hart-hounds. 



£ s. d. 



Master's Fee 13 6 8 



Sergeants' Fee 11 8 1 



Officers and others serving said master, wages and 



allowances « 13 6 8 



Total £38 1 5 



Here was a difference indeed, and I can only attribute it to 

 the tact that the Queen perhaps found it more convenient to 

 herself to hunt fallow deer within parks than wild ones in the 

 open, and consequently valued bucks higher, as more easily kept 

 in such enclosures than stags. Her harriers, we find, cost 

 96Z. 7s. Sci, and otter-hounds 13Z. 6s. 8cZ., or a total per annum 

 of 240Z. 4s. lit?., fox-hounds not being mentioned amongst the 

 items paid for hunting. 



The British Solomon increased his expenses to pretty weU 

 double those of his predecessor, and we find buck-hounds 

 amongst them. In fact, in this reign Gervase Markham wrote 

 of the chase of the buck as follows : — 



" The chase much better than any of these is hunting of the 

 bucke or stag, especially if they be not confined within a park 

 or pale, but having liberty to chase their ways, which some 



