PART III 



FROM THE STUART PERIOD TO THE 

 PRESENT DAY 



CHAPTER I 



Arrival of the Markham Arabian, the first Arab imported into 

 England — Newmarket village founded by James I. — Decline of the 

 "great horse" — The Royal Studs — James I. organises a race 

 meeting on the frozen River Ouse — Superstitious beliefs concerning 

 horses — James I. meets with a grotesque riding mishap — Pro- 

 sperity of the Turf — Riding match between Lord Haddington and 

 Lord Sheffield — The Turf vigorously denounced as " an evil likely 

 to imperil the whole country's prosperity" 



" TT^ING JAMES I.'s love of racing," writes a 

 A ^* trustworthy chronicler of the movements 

 at the court of James I. and Charles I. "was 

 due to the importation into England of the first 

 Arab horse ever seen here." 



That simple statement records one of the most 

 important incidents that has occurred in the 

 development of the horse in this country, an 

 incident that subsequently proved to be of great 

 moment in connection with the history of Great 

 Britain. For though the assertion has many 

 times been controverted, careful research proves 

 beyond doubt that until the arrival in England 



202 



