CHAPTER III 



The Commonwealth's " ordinance to prohibit horse racing " — 

 Revival of racing under Charles II. — The King a finished horse- 

 man — The figure of Britannia — The Royal Mares — Formation of 

 the thoroughbred stud — Thomas Shadwell's cynical description of 

 life at Newmarket — Spread of horse racing in Ireland — Jockeys at 

 Newmarket entertained by Charles II. — Sir Robert Carr ; the 

 Duke of Monmouth's connection with the Turf — Annual charge for 

 horses of the royal household, ,£16,640 — Newmarket under the 

 regime of the Merry Monarch ; the Duke of Buckingham 



' I v HOUGH it soon became evident that the 

 Commonwealth was determined to oppose, 

 tooth and nail, any step that might in the least 

 tend to keep alive the interest in horse racing and 

 horse breeding that for many years had grown up so 

 steadily throughout almost the length and breadth 

 of England, not until the 3rd July 1654 did the 

 Government finally decide to introduce "an ordi- 

 nance to prohibit horse racing." This ordinance 

 was duly passed, and the result may well be 

 imagined. 



For without further parley almost every race- 

 course in England was closed, thousands of men 

 of many different grades being thereby at once 

 thrown out of employment. Owners of valuable 

 thoroughbreds lost immense sums, for, practi- 

 cally without warning, they found the order 



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