52 STAG-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



and when liis name stood at the head of the Hst of the Hamp- 

 shire Hunt. 



George IV. — then Prince of Wales — hved at Kempshot 

 from 1788 to 1795,' and he had a pack of staghounds which 

 were hunted by George Sharpe, who afterwards went to 

 Ascot as huntsman, and whose daughter Charles Davis 

 married. The stables at Kempshot were full of high-priced 

 horses, but the stable management \yas bad and they never 

 looked well. The Prince was already very gouty, and a 

 stout, strong woman named Nancy Stevens acted as his 

 nurse, and always helped him in and out of his bath. 

 Whilst he lived at Kempshot he hunted regularly, and a 

 little from the Grange and Crichel, wdiere he lived when 

 he left Kempshot. It was whilst he was living at Crichel 

 that he rode home one day with a Rev. William Butler, 

 whom he cross-examined upon the drinking capacities of 

 various esteemed boon companions in the neighbourhood. 

 He asked the reverend gentleman whether it was true that 

 a certain gentleman was in the habit of drinking three bottles 

 a night. Mr. Butler had no accurate information, but was 

 inclined to give no credit to the story, adding that he would 

 be ' as drunk as a prince.' When the Prince got home he told 

 the story against himself, but he did not quite like it at the time. 

 Many years afterwards Mr. Butler attended a levee, and the 

 Regent was heard to mutter : ' The Rev. William Butler ; I 

 sha'n't forget the Rev. AVilliam Butler.' Shortly afterwards he 

 presented him with a fat Crown living. Once, when Mrs. 

 FitzHerbert was staying at Kempshot, there was a great 

 lawn meet and breakfast. Lady Jersey and Lady Conyngham 

 followed the hounds on horseback ; but Charles James Fox 

 — who once rode post part of the way to Newmarket on 

 the wheeler behind the Prince of Wales on the leader, with 

 the postillions inside — though booted and spurred, was so 



' Sporting Reminiscences of Hampshire, by ' .Esop ' (F. Heysham, Esq.) 



