34 THE TURF 



in the instances of Panic, Premier, Swap, 

 the General, Prince Llewellyn, and others 

 some of whom were found to be as bad as 

 they had been represented to be good. But 

 the trial of trials took place many years 

 back at Newmarket, in the time of George i. 

 A match was made between the notorious 

 Tregonwell Frampton and Sir W. Strick- 

 land, to run two horses over Newmarket 

 heath for a considerable sum of money : 

 and the betting was heavy between the 

 north and south-country sportsmen on the 

 event. After Sir W. Strickland's horse had 

 been a short time at Newmarket, Frampton's 

 groom, with the knowledge of his master, 

 endeavoured to induce the baronet's groom 

 to have a private trial, at the weights and 

 distance of the match, and thus to make the 

 race safe. Sir William's man had the 

 honesty to inform his master of the pro- 

 posal, when he ordered him to accept it, 

 but to be sure to deceive the other by 

 putting seven pounds more weight in the 

 stuffing of his own saddle. Frampton s 

 groom had already done the same thing, and 

 in the trial, Merlin, Sir William's horse, 

 beat his opponent about a length. * Now,' 



