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the turf, nothing can be more just than to recognize Charles II, as its 

 grand foster-father. This monarch, so sedulous in the business of his 

 pleasures, patronized that of horse-racing, by bestowing public prizes 

 and rewards, and strongly promoting it by his royal example, himself 

 becoming a constant and regular candidate, and entering Horses in his 

 own name. And that the most important materials of the sport might 

 not be deficient, Charles, as has been said, dispatched his Master of 

 the Horse, either Sir John Fenwick or Sir Christopher Wyvill, into 

 foreign parts, in order to purchase brood mares and stallions. Those 

 imported were chiefly Barbs and Turks, and from the royal mares, 

 are descended many of the best racers of the present time. In this 

 reign, the act of Henry VII prohibiting the exportation of Horses, 

 was repealed, and permission was granted to export them, on payment 

 of a duty of five shillings each. 



Early in the former reign, and previously to the breaking out of the 

 civil war, the number of places in which horse-races Avere held, had 

 considerably increased. They formed a part of the spring diversions 

 in Hyde-park, and racing, as well as hunting, was frequent at New- 

 market. Matching their Horses against time, had also become a 

 favourite practice amongst the English; and the above-mentioned 

 French traveller relates, that Mr. Germain, a nephew of the Lord 

 St. Albans, won his match by riding a little black Horse, eighteen 

 miles in fifty-iive minutes; nine miles out, and nine home. Also, that 

 another gentleman won a twenty -mile match, in the same time, offering 

 to take the same bet and start again immediately. 



Charles, soon after his return, re-established the races at Newmarket, 

 dividing them into regular meetings, and substituting, both there and 

 in other places, silver cups or bowls of the value of one hundred 

 guineas, his royal gift for the ancient bells, which were then generally 

 dropped both in name and effect. He also repaired the old hunting 

 seat at Newmarket, which had been frequented by former kings, and 

 which, from his days, has been called the King's-House, several of the 

 sovereigns, since, having resided in it during the meetings; and from 

 the example of Charles, a royal racing stud has since been kept at 

 Ne\\ market, with the appointment of a master of the Horses. Much 



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