Records of the Old Charlton Hunt 



and so particular was she in this repect that 



" the first firm maxim she laid down was this " 

 " that blood in ev'ry vein should be the best." 



Well, in this the Huntress Goddess saw her wishes carried 

 out to the full ; for commencing with the unfortunate Duke 

 of Monmouth there was hardly a single aristocratic family 

 in Great Britain that did not send a representative, at one 

 time or another, to swell the ranks of the " Gentlemen of 

 Charlton," either as a member of that most exclusive Hunt 

 or as an honoured guest of the same. 



The fruitless attempt of the Duke of Somerset (the then 

 owner of Petworth) to outrival the fame of Mr. Roper's 

 pack by establishing one of his own ; the consequent breeze 

 that ensued ; the death in the hunting field of the old 

 Squire ; the abandonment of his favourite pastime by the 

 Duke of Bolton owing to the superior charms of Miss 

 Lavinia Fenton, the celebrated actress, whom he eventually 

 married ; the tragic account of that black day upon which 

 Jack Ware, most indifferent of servants and huntsmen, 

 allowed the whole pack to run " amok " and destroy a large 

 number of sheep ; all these incidents are dealt with in the 

 Poem, which concludes with a description of the village of 

 Charlton as it appeared when at the height of its glory. 



To his Grace the Duke of Richmond, Lenox, and Aubignie, &c. 



My Lord. 



The fine Chaces I have seen at Charlton, the Kind and 

 Generous reception I have met with froyr Grace, and the 

 rest of the Agreeable Company there ; tho' an Unworthy 



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