12 FAMOUS EACmO MEN. 



amount, and was sent to Newmarket to be trained, under the care 

 of one Hesletine, a jockey. Frampton's groom accidentally meeting 

 Hesletine, proposed to run the horses a private trial at the weights 

 and distance stated in the match, so that, by ascertaining which 

 could win, they might have an opportunity of enriching themselves 

 and their particular fiiends. The jockey refused, but in a manner 

 which gave the other hopes he might yet be induced to accede to 

 the proposal. Hesletine then immediately communicated the affair 

 to Sir William Strickland, a Yorkshire baronet, who was principally 

 interested in Merlin's match. Sir William returned for answer that 

 Hesletine might agree to the proposal, and directed him to carry 

 71bs. more than the weight specified in the match, but without in- 

 forming Frampton's jockey of the change. Soon after the receipt 

 of these instructions, Frampton's jockey met Hesletine and renewed 

 the proposal, using the most persuasive arguments to gain the 

 other over to his purpose. Hesletine in the end consented, but 

 with seeming reluctance. Now, Frampton had given similar orders 

 to his groom to carry 7lbs. extra weight. The two horses were pre- 

 pared, and privately ran the distance for which they were matched, 

 each jockey believing that he had deceived the other in the matter 

 of weight. After a very close race ^Merlin won by about a 

 length. The jockeys respectively communicated the result of 

 the trial to their employers, who were both equally confident of 

 winning. The result was that each backed his horse heavily. 

 Sir William Strickland's friends, who were in the secret, arguing 

 that as Merlin had beaten his antagonist with an extra 71b. on his 

 back, he must win easily at even weights, whilst Frampton calcu- 

 lated that as his horse had run the other so close, under such 

 a severe penalty, he must win at a level impost. It was 

 said that so much money had never before been known to 

 depend upon a single match. At length the eventful hour arrived. 

 The horses started — there was a gallant and exciting race, and 

 Merlin won, as in the secret trial, exactly by a length. Hundreds 

 who put their faith in Frampton's astuteness and, following his lead, 

 betted their all upon his horse, were ruined, and Tregonwell himself 

 received a staggerer, fi'om which he was some time in recovering. 

 Not very long afterwards "the plant was blown upon," to use the 

 slang of the modern race-course, and the greatest indignation was 

 expressed against Frampton — though why he should have been con- 

 sidered paore guilty than Sir William Strickland we are at a loss to 

 understand. It was a case of diamond cut diamond, that was all, 

 and the canny Yorkshireman got the best of it. But the curious 

 part of the affair was that, in consequence, of the heavy losses 

 incurred by the backers of Frampton's horse, " the Legislature in 

 order to put a stop to such ruinous proceedings, enacted a law 

 to prevent the recovery of any sum exceeding ten pounds betted 

 upon a horse-race." This was the forerunner of the Gaming 

 Act, which prohibits the recovery by law of any wager. For that 



