240 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XI. 



authorizing the Vice-Chancellor of the University 

 of Cambridge to confer honorary degrees upon the 

 duke, who was invited, and about to proceed to Alma 

 Mater for that purpose. It seems academical favours 

 of this nature could not be conferred without the 

 consent and approval of the sovereign ; and thus it 

 came to pass that this epistle was written, and to it 

 we are indebted for our information relating to the 

 races at Newmarket at this date. Ross incidentally 

 mentions that " there is nothing but cursed noise, of 

 matches, and wagers, boldly asserted w*'' as horrible 

 oaths," at that place where his lord, " who is an 

 indefatigable sportsman," was enjoying good health. 

 " This day the first race was run between the Duke 

 of Richmond ^"° and L*^ of Suffolke ^"'^ who lost the 

 day, and the Duke won an loo"' though in the 

 morning hee got a very terrible fall in running a 

 horse of my Lord of Tumonds,^^"" who tooke up the 

 Duke bleeding at mouth, and dead for a time, but hee 

 got home, let blood, took Sperm-cete, and wefit after 

 diner to see his horse run, and imediately after to bed, 

 and is now aslepp being lo at night (Wednesday) for 

 the w°^ I shall suspend it [the letter] till I see y^ for 

 till then I shall be hardly able to say whither Cole 

 or Miller, or any other of the distinguished horses will 

 win, or who else was like to break his neck, but this I 

 will assure you, for mine owne part, I will hazard 

 neither my owne neck, nor money, but preserve my 

 selfe to aske your pardon for this, and to assure you 

 that I am most cordially your dear friend, &c. 



" Tiios. Ro;ss." * 



* State Papers, Dom., Charles II., vol. Ixix., No. 56, MS., P. R. O. 



