Old Sports and Sportsmen; or, the Willey Country with sketches of Squire Forester and his whipper-in Tom Moody

The Squire among his Neighbours—Roger de Coverley—Anecdotes—Gentlemen nearest the Fire in the Lower Regions—Food Riots—The Squire quells the Mob—His Virtues and his Failings—Inf...

The Squire’s Friends and the Willey Rector more fully drawn—Turner—Wilkinson—Harris—The Rev. Michael Pye Stephens—His Relationship to the Squire—In the Commission of the Peace—T...

Afforestation of Shirlot—Extent—Places Disafforested—Hayes—Foresters—Hunting Lodges—Sporting Priors—Old Tenures—Encroachments upon Woods by Iron-making Operations—Animals that h...

The Squire and the Wenlock Volunteers—Community of Feeling—Threats of Invasion—“We’ll follow the Squire to Hell if necessary”—The Squire’s Speech—His Birthday—His Letter to the...

Morfe one of the Five Royal Forests of Shropshire—Its History and Associations—Early British, Roman, Danish, and Norman Mementoes—Legends and Historical Incidents—Forest Wastes—...

The Wrekin Forest—Hermit of Mount St. Gilbert—Poachers upon the King’s Preserves—Extent of the Forest—Haye of Wellington—Robert Forester—Perquisites—Hunting Matches—Singular Gra...

Its quaint Interior—An Old Friend’s Memory—Crabbe’s Peter at Ilford Hall—Singular Time-pieces—A Meet at Hangster’s Gate—Jolly Doings—Dibdin at Dinner—Broseley Pipes—Parson Steph...

Early Features of the Country—The Hawk an acquisition to Sportsmen—Hawk aeries—Hawks according to Degrees—Brook and other kinds of Hawking—Hawking and Hunting—A Shropshire Histo...

“Tantivy! the huntsman he starts for the chase, In good humour as fresh as the morn, While health and hilarity beam from his face, At the sound of the mellow-toned horn.”

THE WILLEY SQUIRE AMONG HIS NEIGHBOURS. The Squire among his Neighbours—Sir Roger de 173 Coverley—Anecdotes—Gentlemen nearest the fire in the Lower Regions—Food Riots—The Squire...

The Willey Long Runs—Dibdin’s Fifty Miles no Figure of Speech—From the Clee Hills to the Wrekin—The Squire’s Breakfast—Phœbe Higgs—Doggrel Ditties—Old Tinker—Moody’s Horse falls...

Dibdin’s Song—Dibdin and the Squire good fellows well met—Moody a Character after Dibdin’s own heart—The Squire’s Gift—Incledon—The Shropshire Fox-hunters on the Stage at Drury...

Willey, close Neighbour to the Royal Chace of Shirlot—Etymology of the Name—Domesday—The Willileys—The Lacons—The Welds and the Foresters—Willey Old Hall—Cumnor Hall as describe...

The Willey Squire recognises the Duties of his Position, and becomes Member for Wenlock—Addison’s View of Whig Jockeys and Tory Fox-hunters—State of Parties—Pitt in Power—“Fiddl...

IT will be seen that around Willey and Willey Hall, associations crowd which serve to make the place a household word and Squire Forester a man of mark with modern sportsmen and...

THE WREKIN FOREST AND THE FORESTERS. The Wrekin Forest and the Foresters—Hermit of Mount St. 54 Gilbert—Poachers upon the King’s Preserves—Extent of the Forest—Haye of Wellingto...

THE MARSH AND FOREST PERIODS. The Hawk an Acquisition to Sportsmen—Hawk aeries—Hawks 8 according to Degrees—Brook and other kinds of Hawking—Hawking and Hunting—A Shropshire His...

THE SQUIRE AND HIS VOLUNTEERS. The Squire and his Volunteers—Community of Feeling—Threats 154 of Invasion—“We’ll follow the Squire to Hell, if necessary”—The Squire’s Speech—His...

THE WILLEY WHIPPER-IN. The Willey Whipper-in—Tom’s Start in Life—His Pluck and 124 Perseverance—Up hill and down dale—Adventures with the Buff-coloured Chaise—His own Wild Favou...

ROYAL CHASE OF SHIRLOT. Royal Chase of Shirlot—Extent—Places 31 disafforested—Hayes—Foresters—Hunting Lodge—Priors of Wenlock—Curious Tenures—Encroachments upon Woods by Iron-ma...

THE WILLEY SQUIRE MEMBER FOR WENLOCK. The Willey Squire recognises the duty of his position, and 147 becomes Member for Wenlock—Addison’s View of Whig Jockeys and Tory Fox-hunte...

WILLEY. Willey, Close Neighbour to the Royal Chase of 70 Shirlot—Etymology of the Name—Domesday—The Willileys—The Lacons—The Welds and the Foresters—The Old Hall—Cumnor Hall as...

THE WILLEY RECTOR AND OTHER OF THE SQUIRE’S FRIENDS. The Squire’s Friends and the Rector more fully 113 drawn—Turner—Wilkinson—Harris—The Rev. Michael Pye Stephens—His Relations...

MORFE FOREST. Morfe Forest one of the Five Royal Forests of 17 Shropshire—Its History and Associations—Early British, Roman, Danish, and Norman Mementoes—Legends and Historical...

THE WILLEY LONG RUNS. The Willey Long Runs—Dibdin’s fifty miles no figure of 93 speech—From the Wrekin to the Clee—The Squire’s Breakfast—Phœbe Higgs—Doggrel Ditties—Old Tinker—...

BACHELOR’S HALL. Its Quaint Interior—An Old Friend’s Memory—Crabbe’s Peter 102 at Ilford Hall—Singular Time-pieces—A Meet at Hangster’s Gate—Jolly Doings—Dibdin at Dinner—Brosel...

SUCCESS OF THE SONG. Dibdin’s Song—Dibdin and the Squire good fellows well 140 met—Moody a character after Dibdin’s own heart—The Squire’s Gift—Incledon—The Shropshire Fox-hunte...

THE WILLEY SQUIRE. The Willey Squire—Instincts and Tendencies—Atmosphere of 77 the times favourable for their development—Thackeray’s Opinion—Style of Hunting—Dawn of the Golden...