26(5 HISTORY OF THE EOYAL BUCKHOUNDS AND ASCOT RACES. 



having preceded, and Sir Francis Child succeeding, him in 

 the civic chair) ; and was again Lord Mayor of London in 

 174L He died on March 21 in that year, lamented by all who 

 had the pleasure of his acquaintance. 



As to Ascot Races — which were first instituted in connection 

 with the Royal Buckhounds in the reign of Queen Anne — 

 there is very little doubt attending the assumption that those 

 meetings had taken place annually during the reign of 



Alderman Parsons in Hunting Attire. 



George I. Unfortunately we are unable to follow the annals 

 of those races succinctly year by year. Nevertheless, some 

 news of them was occasionally recorded by the chroniclers 

 of those days. Thus we ascertain that on August 15 and 16, 

 1720, two Plates of 30 guineas were announced to be run 

 for " on Ascott-Heath, in AVindsor Forest," by hunters " used 

 in hunting 12 months last past," which had never run for 

 money or plate. The horses were to carry 11 stone on the 



