THE TURF TO THE RESTORATION. 65 



of ^500 depends upon his victory, and in the fourth act Venture and Rider appear 

 on the stage as the two jockeys. " He must be a Pegasus that beats me," says one, 

 to which the other very properly replies : " Your confidence may deceive you. You 

 will ride against a jockey that has horsemanship." Whereupon Venture ripostes in 

 an even loftier strain : 



A Jockey, a Jackanapes on horseback rather. 

 A monkey or a Masty dogge would show 

 A <liant to him. An 1 were Alexander 

 I'ld lay the worlde upon my mare .... 



A considerable deal of money is risked the moment the bell rings. Twenty to 

 fifteen is taken in sovereigns, and this early betting dialogue proceeds : - 



" Fairest. Forty pounds to thirty ? 

 Lvrd /iniii'i/e. Done ! Done ! I'le take all odds. 

 Try. My word, I hold as much. 

 Lo. Not so. 



Try. Forty pounds to twenty ? 

 Lo. Done! Done!" 







The men rush off to see the finish, while the ladies continue to bet in silk stock- 

 ings in the most sporting manner, till the winning jockey is led in to the triumphant 

 strains of a bagpipe. 



But Hyde Park does not owe its Turf associations merely to a dramatist. The 

 earliest sporting journalist I ever heard of describes a much more interesting event 

 there in the third number of the " Morning Post." Giving a little information about 

 Dr. Michael Hudson, who had been arrested in 1647 for his services to the King nine 

 months before, the newspaper reports that this sporting cleric (need I add he was a 

 Yorkshireman ?) had bought a " nag," which he proved to be very fast by trying her 

 against a speedy and well-known mare already in his possession ; he then came up to 

 Lambeth to see his ecclesiastical acquaintances, with the natural result that they began 







" talking horse " at once. " A match is made for a horserace in Hide Parke. Master 

 Hudson having not his mare in Towne, the Archbishop's gentlemen are so confident 

 of successe, that they would lay downe all the moneys they have, or what they can 

 borrow of their friends. Master Hudson doth seeme to be as desperate as they. 

 The monyes being layed down the race with great expectations beginnes. And 

 Master Hudson's nagge what with its own swiftnesse and courage, and the art and 

 helpe of his rider, doth make such hast that it doth outrun the other almost halfe in 

 halfe. The Archbishop's Gentlemen are brake, their money is lost, and to helpe the 



VOL. I. K 



