24 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book VTF. 



fit to go abroad." Among other intelligence the secre- 

 tary mentions that about the time the post went from 

 Newmarket in the night, they were all awakened by a 

 doleful cry of " fire," and since by distance all things 

 multiply, especially from the court, the writer, in order 

 to allay apprehension and prevent exaggeration, assured 

 Windebank that the loss was confined to the demolish- 

 ing of two butchers' cottages. On the loth, the Lord 

 Treasurer ^*^ records that the kinsf went huntingf in 

 a cheerful mode, and in g^ood health, " althouofh he 

 had lately a very dangerous fall, which made him 

 only carry his arm in a scarf." * Her Majesty was 

 also quite well. On the 13th, one of those quaint 

 Newmarket proclamations (now rare) was issued, 

 restricting the abusive vending of tobacco, by virtue 

 of which all persons were forbidden to sell the same, 

 until they obtained licence, upon pain of censure in 

 the Court of the Star Chamber. From tobacco we 

 get to saltpetre, Lord Petre, Irish affairs, the races, 

 the gold cup, the approaching close of the meeting ; 

 the king in perfect health, " and at present at tennis ; " 

 the queen also well, "though she had taken a little 

 cold ; " the return journey and arrival in London 

 (March 20), where the Earl of Southampton failed 

 to pay his bets, " and has gone in all haste to 

 France." f As usual, the doctors of the University of 

 Cambridge were feasted at the palace, this time at 

 a cost of ^33 I9-S-. id.X 



* Lord-Treasurer Portland to his Excellency Lord Deputy Strafford. — 

 Strafford's Letters and Despatches. 



t State Papers, Dom., vols, cclxiii.-cclxv., passim. 



X Cofferer's Aces., Rot. 57. — See " The Art of Cookery Refined and 



