less wight to lodge in the king's prison for twelve weary months. James I. was a sport-loving sovereign. The lawyers of his reign framed (for his satisfaction, I suppose) no fewer than three Acts to repress poaching. Of these, the first enacted that from August 1, 1604, no one might keep a greyhound for coursing hares, unless he was either a man of good family, or enjoyed an income, in his own or his wife's right, of 10l. a year. Happily for Puss, the man who disregarded this statute might be mulcted in a fine of 40s. of good and lawful money of England. A flavour of popularity was infused into this arrangement by the proviso that the persons who were to benefit by the enforcement of the law were the poor and needy persons of the parish, upon whom the fine was to be duly expended by the churchwardens. Charles II. sanctioned a much more stringent Act, by which the property qualification was raised to 100l., due half-yearly from landed property, or at least a lease of 150l. for ninety-nine years. Only gentlemen of such visible substance, their heirs and keepers, were thenceforward to have or to keep guns, bows, greyhounds, harepipes, or other sporting implements. There exists a certain statute of William III. which is worth mentioning for the paternal spirit which it breathes, and the adroitness with which the draughtsmen pro-
