290 Letters concerning the Boundaries of Cranborne Ohace. 



his Lordship be pleased to grant a pardon to Vernier as a matter of Favour I 

 think he would acquire the good will of all the Tenants of Lord Buckingham 

 & they would never in future encourage any of their Servants to destroy the 

 Deer. A strict harmony should be kept up if possible between the Keepers 

 and Woodmen in the Chace, because the Woodmen have a right to be in the 

 woods at all hours and have therefore opportunities which no other men have 

 of killing the Deer, but at the same time if Friends to the Keepers, may 

 deter almost every Poacher who shall come into the Chace. I have no 

 interest nor concern in this matter, but have taken the liberty of mentioning 

 these particulars as a Friend to L d Rivers and I hope you will not think me 

 impertinent. I am Sir your O l H ble Servant 



"Wm. Chafin." 



William Chafin to Messrs. Brooke & Salisbury : — 



" Chettle June 29 th 1789. 



" Sir I received the favour of your letter, and I remember well the former 

 of the Transactions which you mention, but I know nothing of the latter but 

 from hearsay. I do not think that it was so long ago as forty years when 

 West brought Grey-hounds into the Chace, but I know that it was in the life 

 time of the late L d Arundell and my Father who was at the time Ranger of 

 Bursey stool walk, but neither L d Arundell nor my Father were present. 

 The circumstances attending the matter were to the best of my remembrance 

 as follows After the adjournment of the Court the Keepers attended Mr. 

 South the Steward with the Chace Hounds as usual and as they were passing 

 over Tollard Green in the way to Wiltshire Woods to try for a Buck and as 

 my Brother and I were riding in company with a few others a little distance 

 behind the Hounds we saw West L d . Arundells Gamekeeper from Wardour 

 standing under the Hedge with a brace of Grey hounds in a slip. My Brother 

 immediately rode up to him, and asked him what he brought those Dogs for, 

 he answer'd he did not know but supposed to kill the Deer, and that he 

 brought them by the order of Mr. South. On this my Brother gallop'd up 

 to Mr. South and demanded the reason for bringing Greyhounds into the 

 Chace, Mr. South said he intended to course the deer on Tollard Green and 

 intended to kill as many as he could, for he found the Keepers very tardy, 

 and the year before they did not endeavour to kill the Deer having lost a 

 fine Buck. My Brother told him that if he persevered in his intention, he 

 would not only order the Fences to be pull'd down and let the Deer into the 

 Corn Field called Braches where they had right to go, but would have the 

 Dogs shot the instant they were slip'd at a Deer, and to show that he was in 

 earnest he ordered Charles Bailey his Head Keeper to fetch his Gun to shoot 

 the Dogs. Bailey brought his Gun soon after upon which Mr. South order'd 

 West to take the Dogs home. We heard afterwards that the Grey hounds 

 did kill a Fawn on Farnham Common, but as it was attributed to accident 

 and not design, no notice was taken of it. At that time my Brother was on 

 a very intimate footing with the late L d Arundell and took the first opportunity 

 of complaining to his Lordshipp of Mr. Souths behaviour who disclaimed all 

 knowledge of the Fact, and gave Mr. South as we afterwards heard a severe 

 reprimand for his conduct. 



