2i8 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XI. 



meeting — The jockeys proceed to Cambridge — ^Degrees conferred on 

 them at the University by command of the King — Further costs for 

 building and repairing the royal stables at Newmarket — Dangerous 

 state of the heath — The King's directions thereon — The royal hounds 

 sent to Newmarket — Expenses attending them — Expected visit of 

 the King — Does not take place — Hunting and coursing within ten 

 miles of Newmarket prohibited — Abuses by poachers — The Duke of 

 Leiifiox — The Earl of Thomond — Sir John Cotton — 1665. The 

 new Twelve-stone Plate founded by the King — The round-course — 

 The articles for this race— 1666. The spring meeting — The King's 

 first visit — The races — Match between Bo-peep and Rainbow — 

 Spavins v. Whitefoot and other events — Royal visits in the vicinity 

 of Newmarket — The M.P.'s lodged at the King's expense — The 

 officers of state in attendance — Scenes on the course — The King and 

 the Worcestershire baronet — Negotiations by the King for the 

 purcnase of Audley End — And the result — Close of the meeting — 

 Sir Paul Neill — Viscount Mountgarret — The Earl of Exeter — The 

 Hon. Bernard Howard^The Earl of Oxford — 1668. Retrench- 

 ment in the royal household — Reductions made in the expenses of 

 the mews — Order in council relating to the game-keepers at 

 Newmarket, etc. — The royal buckhounds — The spring meeting at 

 Newmarket probably postponed — The May meeting — Attended by 

 the King, the Duke of York, the Duke of Monmouth, and the 

 principal court officials — Other celebrities present — " The sanctity of 

 the Sabbath " — The Duke of Buckingham in the pulpit — Incidental 

 expenses of the court during the King's sojourn — The September- 

 October meeting — Attended by the King, Queen, Duke of York, all 

 the court officials, and an immense number of the nobility and 

 gentry from all parts of the country — The races — Lord Thomond's 

 successes— Thumps wins the six-mile race— A close finish — Royal 

 recreations — Hawking, hunting, coursing, cocking, etc. — The maids 

 of honour— The second October meeting — The royal stud at Audley 

 End — Horse-stealing there — The King's wager with the Duchess 

 of Cleveland — She wins Non-Such Palace — Sells it to Lord Berkeley 

 — Pulled down and re-erected at Epsom — The Durdens — The new 

 royal palace at Newmarket — Thomas Elliot appointed custodian — • 

 His salary and duties — Incidental expenses of the court during this 

 visit — The Duke of Or/nond^Lord Berkeley — 1669. The first 

 spring meeting— Attended by the King, the Duke of York, etc. — 

 The second spring meeting — Visit of the royal family and court- 

 Events at Newmarket described by the King in his letter to the 

 Duchess of Orleans — A turf prophet of the period — Proves a bad 

 tipster — His royal dupe — The Abbe Pregnani — Objects of his mission 

 to England — Lord Arundel — Lord Clifford — The April-May meeting 

 — Attended by the King, the Duke of York, Prince Rupert, the 

 Grand Duke of Tuscany, the court officials, and a great many of 

 the nobility and gentry — The Duke of Tuscany's description of this 



