Book II.] SHAKESPEARE ON THE TURF. 107 



spirit of the modern turf, will be evident from the authority of 

 Shakspeare, who says — 



I have heard of riding wagers, 

 Where horses have been nimbler than the sands 

 That run i' the clock's behalf. 



Cynibeline, Act iii., sc. 2. 



And Burton, who wrote at the close of the Shakspearean era, 

 mentions the ruinous consequences of this innovation : 'Horse- 

 races,' he observes, ' are desports of great men, and good in 

 themselves, though many gentlemen by such means gallop 

 quite out of their fortunes.' " — " Shakspeare and His Times," 

 by Nathan Drake, M.D., pp. 288, 289. 



Denham, in his " Art of Riding," published in 

 London in 1584, incidentally alludes to the "prosperous 

 and peaceable " reign of Elizabeth, which afforded 

 so many unusual opportunities to the noblemen and 

 gentlemen of this land to keep horses " more for 

 pleasure than service." John Astley, " Maister of 

 hir Majesties Jev^ell house, and Gentleman of hir 

 priuie chamber," who also published a treatise on 

 horsemanship at this date, occasionally refers to the 

 progress of the manege in England in those peaceful 

 days. 



Jervis Markham,^^ in his quaint work on " How to 

 chuse, ride, traine, and diet, both Hunting-horses and 

 running Horses," etc. (London : " Printed by James 

 Roberts, Anno Dom. 1599"), after adverting to the 

 advice given by his predecessor in equine lore, 

 Maister Blundauill, boldly recommends the " Courser 

 of Arabia " as the beati iddal stallion to breed from 

 for the Turf. This animal, he tells us, is of reason- 

 able stature, neither too hif^h nor too low, " but 



