152 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book IX. 



friends, which I doe think dous love mee." From 

 this quaint epistle it is evident his heart was in the 

 right place as to the obligations of his position, yet 

 horse-racing was his ^^■Ax\!\Q.\2^.■^Lr penchant, and he found 

 opportunities for indulging in it, even in an army on 

 foreign service. Nothing was so acceptable to him 

 as the Newmarket news of the day, nor any present 

 so valuable as a bit or a saddle. He had great con- 

 tempt for " your spruce courters, and such as think 

 uppon nothing but goeing to playes and in making 

 of uisits ; " his mind was fixed upon winning cups. 

 " I can right you no nuse," he says in another familiar 

 letter, " but of a horsmache as it to be run yearely 

 at the Hagge, for a cuppe of 50 pounds, as every 

 officer gives yearly 20 shillings towards the bying of 

 it. I hope to win it afore I die myselfe. I have 

 rod but to maches cense I saw you, and haue won 

 them both. I hope like wise to win the cup for the 

 third." 



Henry Verney's predilection for the field sports 

 of his beloved England did not diminish his zeal in 

 the service of the Dutch. He went through the 

 campaign without reproach, and participated in the 

 famous siege of Breda when it surrendered to the 

 Prince of Orange, in October, 1637. Verney still 

 remained in the service of the Dutch, and in the 

 garrison at Breda. His fondness for horse-racing 

 continued undiminished. In return for " a pladd and 

 bitt, and all other furniture to itt," sent by his brother 

 Ralph, he wrote another letter acknowledging those 

 esteemed articles, and sure that his brother would be 



