290 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



Duke of Rutland meant a disruption of associations 

 which existed since fox-hunting commenced. Up 

 to this time it was a remnant of that powerful 

 splendour which enabled the old feudal lords to 

 carry into battle their own followers, and to keep 

 a troop of armed cavaliers always ready under 

 their own roof. When the necessity for this 

 ceased, fox-hunting sprang into life, ancient history 

 recording that in the reign of James I. the owners 

 of Belvoir Castle displayed sporting proclivities, 

 amusing the merry monarch. The earliest hounds 

 at Belvoir are supposed to have been kept to 

 hunt deer in the forests around, and a painting 

 still exists of them hunting a stag in the year 1689, 

 in the time of the tenth earl, the first Duke of 

 Rutland. Foxhound lists and pedigrees were first 

 kept at the kennels about 1750. 



A meeting was called in Grantham on February 

 27th by Lord Brownlow, Lord -Lieutenant of 

 Lincolnshire, to express regret at the retirement 

 of the Duke of Rutland from the Mastership, and 

 consider how the country could best avail itself of 

 his Grace's offer to lend the hounds and kennel. 

 The following committee was formed, representative 

 of the good sportsmen, covert-owners, and farmers 

 who resided in his Grace's kingdom, to consider 

 the offers of candidates for the mastership : — 

 Colonel Mildmay Willson, C.B., Mr. Edgar Lub- 

 bock, Mr. Montague Thorold, Lord Willoughy de 

 Eresby, M.P., Mr. Thomas A. R. Heathcote, 

 Lord Edward Manners, M.P., Mr. John Welby, 

 Mr. A. V. Pry or, Major Paynter, Mr. Charles 



