274 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book IV. 



and was uninterrupted by other businesse. In which case, 

 it was then usuall for him to grant a commission to the 

 chamberlaine, or some other lord, to it. But experience soon 

 informed the empty Scot, that this airy treasure was in- 

 exhaustible, so it might be turned to great profit, seeing 

 the shoales of base and ignorant trouts that gaped after it 

 (the cause, accesse to the king was more daily difficult) by 

 this rending the temple of honour a common theater 

 into which the basest were suffered to enter for their 

 money." The minimum price of a Baronetcy was iJ^iooo 

 (although, in many instances, no reasonable offer was refused) ; 

 while the various grades of the peerage were procurable at 

 varying prices according to arrangement. The prodigality 

 of Charles I. in conferring the honour of knighthood and 

 titles of dignity was almost equal to that of his father. 



