1773 THE MISTERS 183 



very next year, if the authorities err not, Selwyn would 

 have been too late, for the Duchess (of Portsmouth in 

 England and d'Aubigny in France) is said to have 

 died in 1734. Selwyn, who was M.P. for Ludgershall 

 at one time, and during many years for Gloucester, 

 and whose lovely country-seat called Matson, full of 

 historic and romantic memories, is known far and 

 wide by name to lovers of picturesque antiquity, him- 

 self died in 1791, and, though he had been a viveur, 

 is said to have been one of those members of the 

 Jockey Club who have ' made a good end.' 



The name of SHAFTO covers two great Turfites and 

 members of the Jockey Club, Messrs. Jenison and 

 Robert, both sometimes styled l Captain/ supposed to 

 have been brothers. Jenison is the greater, Robert 

 the lesser. 



JENISON SHAFTO, Esq., of Whitworth, Durham, 

 and of West Wratting, near Newmarket, was a sub- 

 scriber to the Jockey Club Challenge Cup in 1768. 

 It was he who is said to have cleared 16,OOOZ. in bets 

 by riding 50 miles at Newmarket in 1759 in 1 hour, 

 49 minutes, 17 seconds, using ten horses for the task, 

 having been allowed two hours and as many horses 

 as he pleased. It was he who in 1761 backed a Mr. 

 Woodcock (using as many horses as he pleased, not 

 exceeding 29), for a wager of 1,000 guineas a side 

 (laid with the famous Mr. Hugo Meynell) to ride 

 2,900 miles in 29 successive days, that is, 100 miles 

 a day on one and the same horse. Mr. Woodcock 



