1800.] OF HAMPSHIRE. 19 



my brother Etonians, Newton and Conlson 

 Wallop, from Hurstbourne. Mr. r n 



x ' t Mr. Poyntz 



Poyntz,* I believe, for many years ofMidg- 

 hunted a part of Mr. Smith's country 

 from Midgham, and for several years was in 

 the habit of bringing a strong pack to the Red 

 Lion at Overton. He lived, during his visits 

 there, at the large inn, f but always slept at the 

 Red Lion, his bedroom looking into the kennel. 

 His hounds derived some advantage from what 

 those of the present day seldom do ; for they 

 had plenty of room to make their casts. Eight 

 pounds was the maximum price for the hunters, 

 and no corn allowed between Lady-day and 

 Michaelmas. The hounds were never over- 

 ridden. John Topper, % huntsman, had some- 

 times difficulty in keeping his hounds together. 

 During the last few years of Mr. Poyntz's 



* Mr. Poyntz always kept his horses turned out, and never up in 

 condition ; and they were only corned the night before and the morn- 

 ing of hunting, consequently they were • never fit to go. Mr. Poyntz 

 was somewhat eccentric, and had a decided mania for dancing. When 

 at Overton, he used frequently to give dancing parties, and invite all 

 the farmers and their daughters, and, when staying with his friends, 

 would say to the lady of the house, " Can we not have a little dance 

 to-night ?" and request that the maid-servants should be sent for. After 

 hunting in his own neighbourhood, he used to dress in his carriage and 

 go off to a ball at Windsor. Another peculiarity was, that he always 

 had a bowl of punch placed by his bedside as a nightcap. He was, I 

 believe, father of Mr. William Stephen Poyntz of Cowdray, Sussex. 



f The inn was afterwards called the Poyntz Arms. It has nov\ r been 

 pulled down, and a school built on the site, which was bought and pre- 

 sented to the parish by Mr. Lamb of Basingstoke. 



% Topper was fond of his liquor, and when the scent was bad and 

 his hounds slack, invariably made a public-house cast. 



c 2 



