land-owners, who had rabbits, swore

that he had this demerit—

give him an inch of warren, he

would take a yard of ferret.

at partridges he was not nice;

and many, large and small,

without hall’s powder, without lead,

were sent to leaden-hall.

[pg 236]

he did not fear to take a deer,

from forest, park, or lawn;

and without courting lord or duke,

used frequently to fawn.

folks who had hares discovered snares—

his course they could not stop:

no barber he, and yet he made

their hares a perfect crop.

to pheasant he was such a foe,

he tried the keeper’s nerves;

they swore he never seem’d to have

jam satis of preserves.

the shooter went to beat, and found

no sporting worth a pin,

unless he tried the covers made

of silver, plate, or tin.

in kent the game was little worth,

in surrey not a button;

the speaker said he often tried

the manors about sutton.

no county from his tricks was safe:

in each he tried his lucks,

and when the keepers were in beds,

he often was at bucks.

and when he went to bucks, alas!

they always came to herts;

and even oxon used to wish

that he had his deserts.

[pg 237]

but going to his usual hants,

old cheshire laid his plots:

he got entrapp’d by legal berks,

and lost his life in notts.