BRITISH TURF. 71 



CHAPTER IV. 



The Arabian, Turkish, Barb, and Persian horses imported into 

 Great Britain. 



Although no reasonable doubt can be enter- 

 tained that horses of Eastern origin were im- 

 ported into this country previous to the time of 

 James I, the most authentic account we have 

 refers to this period. 



In the reign of this monarch, Mr. Markham, 

 a merchant, imported an Arabian, which he sold 

 to the King for £500. Not succeeding as a 

 racer, this horse tended to bring the Arabian 

 blood into disrepute in England. Accordingly, 

 with the exception of Place's white Turk, and 

 the royal mares, imported by Charles II, from 

 Tangiers in Africa, we find few, if any Eastern 

 horses were imported between that period and 

 the reign of Queen Ann. The Darley Arabian 

 was brought to England in the early part of the 

 reign of that Queen, which event forms the 

 gre'at epoch from which the history of the Turf 

 should be dated. 



