THE TURF ii 



First's time, viz., a silver and gilt cup and 

 cover, of the estimated value of eight pounds, 

 provided by the care of the aldermen for 

 the time being ; and Sir Edward Harwood 

 laments the scarcity of able horses in the 

 kingdom, 'not more than two thousand 

 being to be found equal to the like number 

 of French horses'; for which he blames prin- 

 cipally racing. 1 In 1640, races were held in 

 Newmarket ; also in Hyde Park, as appears 

 from a comedy called the Merry Beggars, or 

 Jovial Crew, 1641 : ' Shall we make a fling 

 to London, and see how the spring appears 

 there in Spring Gardens, and in Hyde Park, 

 to see the races, horse and foot ? ' 



The wily Cromwell was not altogether in- 

 different to the breed of running-horses, and 

 with one of the stallions in his stud 

 Place's White Turk do the oldest of our 

 pedigrees end. He had also a famous 

 brood-mare, called the Coffin mare, from 

 the circumstance of her being concealed in 

 a vault during the search for his effects at 

 the time of the Restoration. Mr. Place, 



1 Some time after this the Duke of Buckingham's 

 Helmsley Turk, and the Morocco Barb, were brought 

 to England, and greatly improved the native breed. 



