96 



Markham, in his Cavalarice, and that mirror of learned riding masters, 

 Michael Baret, descrihe also another mode of rnnning- matches across 

 the country, in their days, denominated the Wild-Goose chase, an imi- 

 tation of which has continued in occasional use to the present time, 

 under the name of steeple-hunting; that is to say, two horsemen, drunk 

 or sober, in or out of their wits, fix upon a steeple, or some eminent 

 distant object, to which they make a straight cut, over hedge, ditch and 

 gate, the devil take the hindmost. The w iid-goose chase was a more 

 regular thing, and it was prescribed, that after the Horses had run twelve 

 score yards, the foremost Horse was to be followed, wherever he went, 

 by the others, within a certain distance agreed upon, as twice or thrice 

 his length, or be beaten, or whipped up by the triers or judges. A Horse 

 being left behind twelve score, or any limited number of yards, was 

 deemed, beaten and lost the match. Sometimes it happened that a 

 Horse lost the lead, which was gained, and the chase won, by his stouter, 

 although less speedy antagonist; and the lead has often been alternately 

 lost and won, no doubt to the rapturous enjoyment of those who could 

 relish such laborious and dangerous amusement, which I fear were also 

 attended with disgusting circumstances of cruelty, in the triers beating 

 np the hindmost Horse. 



These rude and barbarous modes of Horse-coursing gave way in the 

 succeeding reign, to the more scientific, accurate and satisfactory trials 

 of the Horse carrying stated weights, over the measured and even turf. 

 Yet this favourite English diversion was not established without opposi- 

 tion; and Lord Herbert, of Cherbury (Wal pole's Lives), seeing only 

 one side of the question, thus roundly condemns the turf. " The exer- 

 cise I do not approve of, is running of Horses, there being much cheat- 

 ing in that kind : neither do I see why a brave man should delight in a 

 creature, whose chief use is to keep him to run away." The noble 

 author might, however, have adverted to the situation in which we 

 should be placed, if every usage were abolished, in which cheating is 

 practicable, and speed in a Horse is surely no evil quality. 



James I, in all probability, brought with him from Scotland, a strong 

 predilection for the turf, which must have been considerable in that 

 country, since, during his reign there, and before his accession to the 



crown 



