/ 



44 The Pytchley Hunt^ Past and Present, [chai. h. 



crooked, had suflficient merit to give him hopes of success; 

 and the famous " Cotherstone ^' for some time was *^ at 

 home '' at Althorp. Fond of shooting, and an excellent 

 shot, the " Rocketer ^^ might well crow with satisfaction, 

 who had escaped the dangers of the middle passage be- 

 tween Harleston Heath and Brampton fox-covert. Neither 

 height nor distance would avail him much if his line of 

 flight took him within range of the noble lord's unerring 

 weapon ; and he might get what satisfaction he liked out 

 of the fact that he was pretty sure to be dead before he 

 reached terra firma. 



A great admirer and patron of cricket, Lord Spencer 

 was always ready, at the time when ^' gate-money 

 matches '' were almost unknown, to bear a portion of 

 the expense of an important contest ; and to him the 

 public were indebted, in a great measure, for the 

 interesting match at Leicester in 1838, between the 

 North and South of England, when Alfred Mynn got 

 126 runs, and so injured his left leg in attempting to 

 make a new hit, known then as the " Cambridge 

 Poke," that he was laid up for many weeks. 



To the great sorrow of all the county, before he had 

 quite reached his sixtieth year, Lord Spencer succumbed 

 to a complaint which he had long known was incurable. 



Without at any time laying himself out for popularity, 

 few men ever lived, who by his own intrinsic whole- 

 heartedness had so won the respect and affection of 

 those of whom he had himself formed a favourable 

 opinion. So great indeed was the confidence he 

 inspired in individuals, that in cases of difficulty, when 

 the advice of a soundly-judging mind was required, 

 he was the chosen one to whom the friend in trouble 



