OF HORSEMANSHIP. 193 



Hence Withers introduces Britannia thus lamenting 

 his death : 



" Alas, who now fliall grace my tournaments, 

 " Or honour me with deeds of chivalrie *? 



hi this reign alfo the merit of the Englifli horfes 

 began to be fo acknowledged, that many w^ere pur- 

 chafed, and fent into France, where they continue to 

 be fo much valued and admired, that a great com- 

 merce is flill carried on, and numbers yearly fent into 

 that kingdom, as well as into Germany, Holland, Po- 

 land, and other places. 



Bajfompiere f, in his memoirs, gives an account of 

 their introduftion, and of the name given to them, at 

 their firft appearance in France. He fays, that the 

 court being at Fontainbleau, it was the fafhion to play 

 for large and ferious fums, and the Circulation being 

 very brifk, they called the counters which reprefented 

 money, i^uinterots, becaufe they palTed and repafled from 

 one player to another, with as much quicknefs and 

 rapidity, as the Englifh horfes were known to run, 

 and which were called ^linterots, from the name of 

 the perfon, who the year before had brought them into 

 France ; which (he adds) were fo admired for their 

 fpeed, that Englifli horfes have, fnice that time, been 



* Prince Henry's Obfeq. Eleg. ai, page 3(8. Lond. 1617. 

 -f- Menooirs, vol. i. page 206. 



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Vo L. I. C c always 



