246 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



important racing centres before the Common- 

 wealth. 



"Though race horses were few at the time 

 of Charles II.'s accession," observes one writer, 

 " and none had eaten bread for years " (about the 

 middle of the seventeenth century race horses 

 were trained largely on bread), "and these had 

 languished in neglect, at the Restoration they 

 emerged from their obscurity when the penal 

 disabilities collapsed to which the Turf was sub- 

 jected by the Puritans. 



"The revival of horse racing was almost 

 magical in its effects. Thus we find the Turf rising 

 like a Phcenix from its ashes on the accession of 

 Charles II., to be thoroughly reinstated as our 

 great national pastime during the Merry Mon- 

 arch's reign. 



"To this resuscitation the king extended his 

 powerful patronage and support. His love of 

 the equine race is typified in the soubriquet by 

 which he was popularly known, namely ! Old 

 Rowley,' the name of his favourite hack. It is 

 possible that among all our sovereigns, with the 

 exception, perhaps, of Richard II., King Charles 

 II. alone rode his horses first past the winning 

 post. He was, indeed, a thorough English 

 sportsman who could hold his own against all 

 comers in the chases, on the racecourse and so 

 on." 



The above description approximately sums up 



