1C29.] SALlSnURY 



119 



At Salisbury these Annals illustrate the progress of 

 the races there ; and, allowing for the difference in the 

 value of money then and now, the prizes were very 

 valuable. The articles for those races will be found as 

 interesting as they are quaint. The national sport at 

 Chester and Wallasey was much the same as in the 

 preceding reign. Races took place in Hyde Park, 

 where there was a course laid out for that purpose. 

 The Turf seems to be making headway at Stamford, 

 in Lincolnshire, and at Winchester, the latter meeting 

 being associated with heavy betting. At Berwick-on- 

 Tweed the races were suppressed, in 1639, owing to 

 the vicissitudes of war ; a like result having befell the 

 Epsom meeting nearly ten years subsequent to that 

 date. In Yorkshire, meetings took place at Ascombe 

 Moor, Hambleton, and Tollerton. Races also took 

 place at Newcastle in 1632 and 1633 ; and at Harles- 

 ton, Northamptonshire, about the same time. W^e also 

 find the Turf introduced to Holland, for the first time 

 in 1638, by some enthusiastic English officers then 

 serving in the Dutch army. 



At this time it appears the racing funds at the disposal 



of the corporation of SaHsbury amounted to ^43, derived from 



the sale of the gold bell and snaffle in 1619, to 



which was added ^^^246 \6s. gd., contributed by „^;. , ' 

 ^ ^ •' Salisbury. 



divers and sundry noblemen, knights, and gentle- 

 men interested in the sport. It was now agreed that the 

 corporation and citizens of Salisbury should make up the sum 

 of ^5^3 20 stock to provide a cup to be run for yearly for ever at 

 the general races there on Thursday next after the Middle 

 Sunday in Lent. The prize obtained from this fund was " a 

 silver cup gilt with gold to the full value of £iS." * 

 * See posf, sub. ann. 1654 



