Chapter X 



The Rev. E. Chard—" Bishop " of the Taunton Vale— The Hero of Rorke's 

 Drift — If I were a Parson — Isandula — England Dumb — ^The Burning Hos- 

 pital — Hatch Beauchamp Church — Queen Victoria's Wreath — The Hero's 

 Last Days — The Farmers' Friend — A Gentle Voice — A Confidential Whisper 

 — A Martyr to Gout — A Strange Coincidence — Between Here and There — The 

 Rev. John Froude, M.F.H. — An Unruly Member — Bishop of Exeter Remon- 

 strates — Mr. Froude is Saucy — An Interview — The Bishop tries Again — He 

 Smells Rats — A Faithful Partner — Some Sporting Sermons — The Rev. Jack 

 Michell — An Epoch-making Run — Master of the Cotleigh Harriers — Endur- 

 ing Hunters — Badger Hunting — Mr. Michell's Charity — He Shames a Thief 

 — An Enthusiastic Fisherman — Advice when Shooting — A Song well Sung. 



IN the Taunton Vale country " The Bishop " is still sadly 

 missed. It is curious how well known this nickname was ; 

 indeed, many people knew him by no other. 



When staying in Northumberland a year or two ago, I was 

 asked if I knew what " The Bishop's " real name was, and was 

 glad to have an opportunity of telling a houseful of hunting 

 people about the Rev. E. Chard, rector of Hatch Beauchamp, in 

 Somersetshire, for I knew they would appreciate all I had to 

 tell of this sporting, kindly, and popular parson. 



For fifteen years parson Chard acted as honorary secretary 

 to the Taunton Vale foxhounds, and it says much for the beauty 

 of his character that at the end of these years he still could not 

 bring himself to believe or see harm in anyone. Just think 

 of it in this mind-our-own-business, out-of-sight-out-of-mind 

 world ! 



He was the youngest of the three sons of William Wheaton 

 Chard, of Pathe, Somerset, and Mount Tamar, Devonshire ; he 

 must have been a proud man to have three such distinguished 

 sons ! 



The eldest of the three, Colonel Wheaton Chard, commanded 

 the 7th Fusiliers, had a distinguished career, and died at the age 

 of fifty — a comparatively young man. 



The second son. Colonel John Chard, Royal Engineers, of 

 whom I cannot think or write without thrills, was the 



