BRITISH TURF. 19 



formation, we do not in any respect consider 

 ourselves as pledged for its infallibility. 



The earliest mention of race-horses, or as they 

 were called in those days, running-horses, in our 

 national annals, is of those in the 9th^ century, 

 sent by Stugh, founder of the royal house of 

 Capet, in France, as a present to King Athel- 

 stan, whose sister, Ethelswitha, he was soliciting 

 in marriage. In the reign of William the Con- 

 queror, according to Cambrensis, Roger de 

 Bellesme, a follower of the King, and created 

 for his military services. Earl of Shrewsbury, 

 imported some stallions from Spain into his 

 estate in Powisland ; and we find their produce 

 celebrated afterwards by Drayton, the poet. 

 This is the first well-authenticated step we can 

 find towards the improvement of the breed of 

 horses. 



Fitzstephen, a monk of Canterbury, secretary 

 to the celebrated Archbishop a Becket, and who 

 flourished in the reign of Henry II, gives the 

 following account of races in Smithfield, in his 

 '' Description of the City of London," originally 

 published in Latin, but afterwards translated in- 

 to English by John Strype : 



*' There is also without one of the city gates, 



* Malmsb. de gest. Reg. Angl. Lib. II cap. VI. 



c 2 



