110 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



of racing as it existed many years ago in this country, this being in his 

 opinion desirable as proving that, although the modern race-horse is doubt- 

 less descended from three great Eastern stallions, which will be named 

 in due course, the sport flourished in this country long before the sires 

 in question were foaled, and that, consequently, it is unfair to deny 

 that the modern Thoroughbred may owe a portion of his excellence to 

 the mares which were crossed with the trio referred to. It is not, how- 

 ever, necessary to enter into a detailed history of the Turf, which in some 

 form or other flourished in England at an extremely remote period; but 

 it is desirable that some of the efibrts made by English sovereigns to 

 improve the native breed should not be lost sight of. King John, for 

 instance, was a firm believer in the ethcacy of Eastern blood, and devoted 

 a great deal of attention to his stud at Eltham, a locality which up to 

 now has been intimately associated with the develoi^ment of the race- 

 horse. The fortunes of this class of animal, however, appear to have 

 fluctuated somewhat until the time of King Henry VIII, who certainly 

 did more for British horse-flesh than any monarch who had preceded him. 

 It was during his reign that the blood of the high-class English horses, 

 which had got into the hands of foreigners during the Wars of the Eoses, 

 was reintroduced into this country, and he restored the glories of the 

 Eltham stud, besides founding similar establishments at Windsor and 

 Hampton Court. It is evident, moreover, that King Henry, like King 

 John, was a believer in Eastern blood, his master of the stud being called 

 the Keeper of the Barbary Horses, which he crossed with those he received 

 from the Marquis of Mantua, who had benefited by the wars alluded to 

 above to the extent of becoming the owner of some of the finest English 

 horses living, for one of which he is reputed to have declined an offer 

 of its weight in silver. Queen Elizabeth undoubtedly inherited her sire's 

 regard for horse-flesh, as she had studs at Greenwich, Hampton Court, 

 Windsor, St. Albans, and AValtham; but it was not until the reign of 

 King James I that racing became recognized as a great sport in England, 

 though across the border in Scotland it was established as a national 

 institution earlier, and in fact Queen Elizabeth had j)resented the s]Dort- 

 loving King James with some race-horses long before he succeeded to the 

 throne of this country. King James does not appear to have been at all 

 disposed to rest contented with the quality of his race-horses, as he 

 purchased the so-called Markham Arabian at a price which is variously 

 estimated at £500 and £200, but the transaction apparently turned out 

 unprofitable, as the horse ran badly and there are no records of any good 

 stock being left behind by him. A great acquisition was, however, secured 

 in the reign of King Charles I by the Duke of Buckingham, who purchased 



