heir land
or common rights, increased the public feeling on the subject, and,
happening at a time when public opinion was growing strongly
against arbitrary rule, was no doubt one of the circumstances which
contributed to Charles's fall.

George II. and Queen Caroline lived much at Richmond, and the
interview between Jeanie Deans and Her Majesty took place here.
Jeanie, it will be remembered, told her ducal friend that she thought
the park would be "a braw place for the cows"--a sentiment similar
to that of Mr. Black's Highland heroine, Sheila, who pronounced it "a
beautiful ground for sheep."

The practice of hunting deer in a park, now quite a thing of the past,
appears to have been very prevalent at Richmond during this reign, and
apparently was attended with considerable risk. In a chronicle of 1731
we read:

"_August_ 13, 1731. The royal family hunted a stag in Richmond new
park: in the midst of the sport, Sir Robert Walpole's horse fell with
him just before the queen's chaise, but he was soon remounted, and Her
Majesty ordered him to bleed by way of precaution.

"_Aug_. 28, 1731. The royal family hunted in Richmond Park, when the
Lord Delaware's lady and Lady Harriet d'Auverquerque, daughter to the
earl of Grantham, were overturned in a chaise, which went over them,
but did no visible hurt. Mr. Shorter, one of the king's huntsmen, had
a fall from his horse, and received a slight contusion in his head.

"_Sept_. 13, 1731. Some of the royal family and persons of quality
hunted a stag in Richmond Park. A stag gored the horse of Coulthorp
Clayton, Esq., and threw him. The Lady Susan Hamilton was unhorsed.

"_Sept_. 14, being Holy Rood Day, the king's huntsmen hunted their
free buck in Richmond new park with bloodhounds, according to custom."

It will be noted that this sport took place at a season when no
hunting is now done in England.

There are two other small royal parks within a walk of Richmond--Bushy
and Hampton Court. Both contain magnificent trees.

The New Forest is now the only royal appanage of the kind, and the
House of Hanover has never made use of it for hunting purposes,
although the Stuart kings were very fond of going there. It was to
enjoy this territory that Charles II. commenced the magnificent
palace at Winchester, the finished portions of which are now used as
barracks. Nell Gwyn's quarters at the deanery are still shown. Up to
1779 there was a great tract of royal forest-ground near