loo THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book II. 



horses and hounds." The venatic ambassador himself 

 " was gay, well-bred, and entertaining ; he excelled in 

 all the exercises for which James had a passion, and 

 amused the king by relating the adventures which he 

 had met with, and the observations he had made 

 during- a lonsf residence in foreio;n countries ; but under 

 the veil of these superficial qualities, he concealed a 

 dangerous and intriguing spirit." * 



" Horse-racing was early practised as a popular 



amusement in Scotland. In 1552, there was an 



c. Elizabeth, arrangement for an annual horse-race at 



efseg. Haddinotou, the prize beino-, as usual, a 



Scotland. . . . 



1522-1608. silver bell. Early in the reign of James VI., 

 Peebles there were races at both Peebles and Dum- 

 Dumfries. f^ies. The Peebles race accustomed to take 

 place on Beltane-day, the ist of May ; it was the 

 chief surviving part of the festivities which had from 

 an early period distinguished the day and place, and 

 which were celebrated in the old poem of Peebles to 

 the Play. 



The great difficulty attending such popular festivities 

 arose from the tendency of the people to mark them 

 with bloodshed. Men assembled there from different 

 parts of the country, each having, of course, his peculiar 

 enmities, and the object of similar enmities in his 

 turn ; and when they met, and had somewhat inflamed 

 themselves with liquor, it was scarcely avoidable that 

 mutual provocations should be given, leading to con- 

 flicts with deadly weapons. So great reason was there 

 now (1608) for fearing a sanguinary scene at Peebles, 



* Robertson, sub anno. 



