sporting uiuf Rural Records of the Cheveley Estate. 93 



said to have won various other important races. His Byerly Saxton Hall. 

 gelding (by the Byerly Turk, Captain Byerly's charger in King . v \ 



William's campaign in Ireland) is also said to have achieved a Godolphin. 

 brilliant sequence of victories, of which no records have been 

 preserved. It is, therefore, most probable he won and lost many 

 races with those and other horses bred and owned by him, of which 

 we have no knowledge, otherwise he could not have the reputation 

 he enjoyed among his contemporaries, particularly on the Turf. 



Congreve, in a Pindaric Ode to the Earl of Godolphin, thus 

 adverts to the Lord High-Treasurer's connection with the Turf: — 



U'hether affairs of most important weight 

 Require thy aiding hand, 



And Anne's cause and Europe's fate 

 Thy serious thoughts demand ; 



Whether thy days and nights are spent 



In cares, on public good intent ; 



Or whether leisure hours invite 

 To manly sports, or to refin'd delight ; 

 In courts residing, or to plains retir'd, 

 Where generous steeds contest, with emulation fir'd ! 



Thee still she seeks, and tuneful sings thy name, 

 As once she Thereon sung, 



While with the deathless worthy's fame 

 Olympian Pisa rung : 



Nor less sublime is now her choice : 



Nor less inspir'd by thee her voice. 



And now she loves aloft to sound 



The man for more than mortal deeds renown'd ; 



Varying anon her theme, she takes delight 

 The swift-heel'd horse to praise, and sing his rapid flight. 



And see ! the air-born racers start. 

 Impatient of the rein ; 

 Faster they run than flies the Scythian dart. 



Nor, passing, print the plain ! 

 The winds themselves, who with their swiftness vie. 



In vain their airy pinions ply ; 

 So far in matchless speed thy coursers pass 

 Th' ethereal authors of their race. 



