21 8 Appendix XII 



APPENDIX XII 



THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE'S RULES FOR HORSE 



RACING 



' Being commanded by his Excellency the Lord Marquis of New- 

 castle to publish the following articles for his new Course, I am 

 first to inform you, that the work was begun so late, and is so great, 

 viz. : the ploughing of five miles in length, and a considerable 

 breadth, with the harrowing of it twice over, and sowing it with 

 hay seed to sord (?) it, that there will be no firm riding on it before 

 the last of July, when my Lord intends to give a cup of 5/., and 

 the same he will do on the last of August and September, then 

 ending the Course for this year. But the next year (if God grant 

 his Excellency life and health) he means to begin it on the last of 

 April, continuing it on the last of each moneth till the last of Sep- 

 tember inclusively, six months in all, giving each moneth a cup 

 of 5/. 



1 The Articles 



' 1. The horses are all to meet at Sparton-hill-top between eleven 

 and twelve, where the riders are to be justly weighed, the weight 

 ten stone downweight, by the weights (as they call them) of ' Aver- 

 du-poyse ' : the horses are to be bridled, sadled, and shod. After 

 the riders are justly weighed by such a gentleman as shall be demed 

 to be a just judge, not only of the riders weight, but also to judge 

 who comes first to the stoup ; another gentleman must be appointed 

 at the twelve-score-stoup, to judge what horse is rid out of distance, 

 which is a maine businesse, and a third must be desired to see them 

 start fair. 



' 2. The horses must be led down from Sparton-hill to the start- 

 ing-place ; and there must be three heats, the first heat to Sparton- 

 hill, there to rub half an hour, and then the judge is to give them 

 warning to get up and start ; but if in that half-hour they relieve 

 their horses with anything but fair water, or if they ride out of 

 distance, or the riders want weight, they must lose the cup ; only 

 there is allowed two pound for wasting. The second heat is to 

 end where they begun last, and two gentlemen must be desired to 

 see, not onely who comes first to the stoup, but at the twelve-score- 

 stoup who rides out of distance, and who not : and 'twere well to 

 have a flag at the ending stoup of each heat to be let down as soon 

 as the first horse is past the stoup, for the Judges easier discern 

 who rides within distance and who not : the riders must be weighed 

 every heat, the relief is to be onely water, the rub but half an hour, 

 and then the Judge is to bid them mount. 



