5 2 A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH TURF. 



somewhat long, so as to be proportionable, a flat legge and straight foote, and 

 hollow hoofe." 



For such a mare as this King James I., who was a constant sportsman, had an 

 excellent eye. The records of his reign are full of visits to Newmarket, for hunting, 

 hawking, and other forms of the chase prevalent throughout his reign. Lord Dillon 

 still possesses the original brass plates set under the heads of deer killed by James I. 

 and Henry, Prince of Wales, when hunting at Ditchley long ago. This King's 

 improvements at the Royal Palace at Newmarket amounted to no less than 

 ,4,660 us. 9jd. in one year, and to ,2,606 135. 2d. In the next, and 

 besides brewhouses, kennels and tennis-courts they included "a greate new 

 stable." It was amid these congenial surroundings that he wrote the 

 instructions on the "faith and duty" of the Prince of Wales, which are known 

 as " Religio Regis." After giving a very catholic catalogue of recreations 

 he goes on : " But the honnourablest and most commendable games that a 

 King can use are on horseback, for it becomes a Prince above all men to be 

 a good horseman. . . ." But his interest is by no means limited to the 

 "manege." His stud at Cole Park, in Wiltshire, seems to have had a race-track, 

 and was surrounded by a seven-foot wall, costing near ,400 of that money. At 

 Eltham, in 1620, the Middle Park Paddock was enclosed with palings brought from 

 Waltham Abbey and Theobalds at a cost of 70. Other Royal stables were at 

 Tutbury and Malmesbury ; and in the year of his accession the Earl of Worcester, 

 his Master of the Horse, was paying four Royal jockeys sixpence a day boardwages 

 and about ,59 a year for their expenses. The names of two Royal jockeys in 1622 

 are given as Thomas Freman and John Prichard, who had one " horse livery " each. 

 Sir William Powell and Sir George Marshall, " Surveyors of the Races," had ,22 a 

 year and " two hackney liveries." 



The importation of more foreign horses was provided for, within a few months 

 after the Markham Arabian had arrived, by sending the Equerry George Digby to 

 Italy with "fyve hundred and fiftie poundes of lawfull monie of England to be 

 imploied and disbursed by him for provision of horses for us for the Race," together 

 with a handsome allowance for all possible expenses. Italy seems to have been 

 especially favoured in this respect ever since the Ferrara Stud had first made its 

 reputation in the fifteenth century. Quite early in the reign twenty-seven "coursers 

 of Naples" had been presented to the Greenwich stud by the Archduke, eleven of 

 them being stallions, and a dozen mares in foal. Almost before Digby had left 



