THE TURF. 
" 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 indifferent 
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 circum- 
stance of her being concealed in a vault during the 
search for his effects at the time of the Restoration. 
Mr. Place, stud-groom to Cromwell, was a conspicuous 
character of those days; and, according to some, the 
White Turk was his individual property. Charles II. 
was a great patron of the race -course. He frequently 
honoured this pastime with his presence, and appointed 
races to be run in Datchet Mead, as also at Newmarket, 
where his horses were entered in his own name, and 
where he rebuilt the decayed palace of his grandfather 
James I. He also visited other places at which races 
were instituted, Burford Downs, in particular (since 
known as Bibury race-course, so often frequented by 
George IV., when regent) as witness the doggrelof old 
Baskerville : 
" Next for the glory of the place, 
Here has been rode many a race. 
King Charles the Second I saw here ; 
But I 've forgotten in what year. 
The Duke of Monmouth here also 
Made his horse to sweat and blow," &c. 
At this time it appears that prizes run for became 
more valuable than they formerly had been ; amongst 
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