Breakfast—Phœbe Higgs—Doggrel Ditties—Old Tinker—Moody’s Horse falls dead—Run by Moonlight CHAPTER IX. 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—Broseley Pipes—Parson Stephens in his Shirt—The Parson’s Song CHAPTER X. 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 Relationship to the Squire—In the Commission of the Peace—The Parson and the Poacher—A Fox-hunting Christening CHAPTER XI. 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 Favourite—His Drinking Horn—Who-who-hoop—Good Temper—Never Married—Hangster’s Gate—Old Coaches—Tom gone to Earth—Three View Halloos at the Grave—Old Boots CHAPTER XII. 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-hunters on the Stage at Drury Lane CHAPTER XIII. 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-hunters—State of Parties—Pitt in Power—“Fiddle-Faddle”—Local Improvements—The Squire Mayor of Wenlock—The Mace now carried before the Chief Magistrate CHAPTER XV. 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 Birthday—His Letter to the _Shrewsbury Chronicle_—Second Corps—Boney and Beacons—The Squire in a Rage—The Duke of York and Prince of Orange come down CHAPTER XV. 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 quells the Mob—His Virtues and his Failings—Influences of the Times—His career draws to a close—His wish for Old Friends and Servants to follow him to the Grave—To be buried in the dusk of the evening—His Favourite Horse to be shot—His estates left to his cousin, Cecil Weld, the First Lord Forester—New Hunting Song Appendix 189 Index 201 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.