HISTORY OF HORSE-RACING. 23 



further sum of il. 2s. And the owner of every such horse shall 

 previously pay the sum of 2/. 2s. as the duty for one year to the 

 clerk of the course or other person authorised to make the entry, 

 which if he shall neglect or refuse to pay, he shall forfeit 2o/. 



We may here opportunely quote from the pages of Mr. 

 J. C. Whyte, the work referred to in our introductory remarks. 

 He says : 



The earliest historical record on which dependence can be 

 placed of the performances of the English racehorse, and published 

 in an authentic form, was a work of John Cheney, entitled, ' An 

 Historical List of all the Horse-Matches run, and all Plates and 

 Prizes run for in England and Wales (of the value of Ten Pounds 

 or upwards) in 1727, &c. &c. ;' and to which is added a list of all 

 Cock-Matches of the same year. 



From this book it would appear that the cities and towns 

 in England where races were then held amounted to 112, and 

 in Wales to five. 



The most correct set of racing records of the early history 

 of the British turf are in the possession of Messrs. Weatherby, 

 the proprietors of the 'Racing Calendar,' the nephews of James 

 Weatherby, many years keeper of the match-book at New- 

 market. This is a work which succeeded Cheney's, and is to 

 be found in almost every country in Europe. 



These gentlemen, the Weatherbys, who are generally es- 

 teemed for their urbanity and unblemished character, have 

 likewise in their library an old work published at York in 1748, 

 entitled an ' Historical List of all the Plates and Prizes run 

 for on Clifton and Rawcliffe Ings ; also since they have been 

 removed to Knavesmire, near the city of York ; likewise how 

 the mares came in every year at Black Hambleton, &c. &c.' 



The earliest race mentioned in these works is one for a 

 gold cup of 5o/. run on Clifton and Rawcliffe Ings, near the 

 city of York, by horses 6 yrs. old, in Sept. 1709. 



So much had this great national amusement increased in 

 favour with royalty towards the latter end of the reign of 

 Queen Anne, that we find that Sovereign not only, as aforesaid, 



