212 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



of intelligence and education — I quote from a 

 trustworthy source — gathered round and strove 

 to encourage him to the best of their ability. 



Racing in particular he waged war against, 

 declaring it to be "an exercise of profaneness 

 diligently followed by many of our gentlemen 

 and by many of inferior rank also." Great 

 injury, he maintained, was done by men of rank 

 and others " who of their weekly and almost 

 daily meetings, and matches on their bowling 

 greens, or their lavish betting of great wagers in 

 such sorry trifles, and of their stout and strong 

 abbeting of so sillie vanaties amongst hundreds, 

 sometimes thousands, of rude and vile persons to 

 whom they should give better, and not so bad 

 example and encouragement, as to be idle in 

 neglecting their callings ; wasteful in gaming, 

 and spending their means ; wicked in cursing 

 and swearing, and dangerously profane in their 

 brawling and quarrelling." 



These observations, and many more to the 

 same effect, are to be found in the " Biography 

 of Bruen " ; yet in the long run the diatribes 

 made but little difference, for the passion for 

 gambling had taken a firm hold of the people 

 of almost all classes, and while it lasted it flourished 

 exceedingly. 



We do not hear of many famous horses during 

 the reign of James I., save the sires which the 

 king himself imported ; yet it is certain that the 



