1638.] EPSOM — THE HAGUE. 151 



the national sport of horse-racing, even under the most 

 adverse circumstances. We have ah'eady 



. 1638. 



given instances where they indulged in charies i. 

 this favourite pastime when either employed ^ ^^^^' 

 in foreign service abroad or while languishing in 

 banishment from their native land. At the time now 

 under review we find the Turf introduced into Holland, 

 and read of horse-racing at the Hague. 



Henry Verney, second son of Sir Edmund Verney, 

 having been educated in Paris, acquired a knowledge 

 of the French lano-uag^e to the orreat detriment of his 

 mother tongue, was sent out, in the twentieth year 

 of his age, to take his share in the wars of the Pala- 

 tinate, together with one of the Sydenhams, several 

 Turvilles, and others of the English volunteers who 

 were friends and relatives of the Verneys. This 

 employment was chosen for him by his father, and 

 was little liked by himself. " I tell you truly," he 

 says in a letter to his brother, " I doe not like it. I 

 wod have you think it is not the firing of the boullots 

 that fears me at all : but the true reson is, that I have 

 always given my selfe so fer to the sports and plesurs 

 of the world that I cannot giue my mind to this course 

 of life ; but to giue my father content and the rest of 

 my friends also, I will tarry this somer in this country, 

 for to learne the use of my armes, and to know the 

 duty of a soger, that when I of, it shall bee for my 

 credit and honnor. It shall not bee mee that will be 

 indg of it, but my captaine. If hee say noe beliuet 

 I will not come of: for I had rather louse my life then 

 to come of to be laught at, or to be slighted by my 



