1682 the Right Honble James, Earle of Abingdon, made another at
West Lavington.
___________________________________
Having done now with beastes of venerum, I will come to dogges. The
British dogges were in great esteeme in the time of the Romans; as
appeares by Gratius, who lived in Augustus Caesar's time, and Oppian,
who wrote about two ages after Gratius, in imitation of him. "Gratii
Cynegeticon", translated by Mr. Chr. Wace, 1654:-
"What if the Belgique current you should view,
And steer your course to Britain's utmost shore'!
Though not for shape, and much deceiving show,
The British hounds no other blemish know:
When fierce work comes, and courage must he shown,
And Mars to extreme combat leads them on,
Then stout Molossians you will lesse commend;
With Athemaneans these in craft contend."
___________________________________
It is certain that no county of England had greater variety of game,
&c. than Wiltshire, and our county hounds were as good, or rather the
best of England; but within this last century the breed is much mix't
with northern hounds. Sir Charles Snell, of Kington St. Michael, who
was my honoured friend and neighbour, had till the civill warrs as
good hounds for the hare as any were in England, for handsomenesse and
mouth (deep-mouthed) and goodnesse, and suited one another admirably
well. But it was the Right Hon.
Pages:
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150