THE TURF UNDER JAMES I. 11 THE MARKHAM ARABIAN?' 59 



clear also from the other author who has been laid under contribution to prove the 

 gradual systematisation of Turf matters in the seventeenth century. Michael 

 Barrett was always in favour of a waiting race, and proves his case against the 

 horse that makes the running by a mathematical disquisition, as thus : " Take a 

 number, as 20, and divide it into two equal parts, as 10 and 10, and let that be 

 supposed to represent the tough horse running the whole course. Then take the 

 number again, and divide it into unequal parts, as 15 and 5, and let that be imagined 

 to represent the hot horse who makes the running at the start. Now, in the first 

 case, multiply ten by ten, and the product will be 100 ; in the second case multiply 

 fifteen by five and the product will be only 75 ; and this although ten added to ten 

 is twenty, and fifteen added to five is also only twenty." By this calculation 

 Mr. Barrett tries to prove that if both cover the same ground the waiting stayer 

 travels twice as fast at the finish as his rival who went off so quickly. The figures 

 must have amused the Court mathematicians for at least a week. 



But the expansion of the Turf during this period was far from being limited to 

 those places which were within easy distance of Whitehall. The King raced at 

 Croydon and at Enfield Chase, as well as at Newmarket, and whenever opportunity 

 could be made, he also attended those meetings which were more usually 

 patronised by the majority of his subjects. It was at the former place, during 

 the Easter holidays of 1611, that a quarrel arose between an Englishman and a 

 Scotsman, which very nearly set all Croydon by the ears, and Philip Herbert was 

 made an Earl upon the spot to reward the patience which prevented open tumult. 

 The opportunity of conferring so great an honour upon the man whom Walpole can 

 only stigmatise as a "memorable simpleton," was very agreeable to King James, for 

 Herbert was a sportsman after his own heart, as good at cock-fighting as at Racing. 

 But the rowdiness which was its immediate excuse, had already become far too 

 common a feature on the various country courses. " These fiery Spirits," writes a 

 gentleman called Richard Brathwait, in 1630, " who have Thersites his tongue, and 

 Antaeus hand, are dangerous to consort with ; for they seldom resort to any meeting, 

 but they either doe hurt or receive it. So as even in those tolerable recreations of 

 Horse Races, Cockings, Bowlings, &c., you shall ever see those throw one bone or 

 other to make differences amongst men of qualitie and ranke, wherein they will be 

 sure to be interested as Seconds, if not as principall Agents." Some years before this 

 the Corporation of Doncaster, in consequence of the fatal brawls that often arose over 

 a horse, when so many wore swords, were obliged to issue an order putting a stop 



