IfiTO.] THE SPRIXG MEETLYG 295 



The Spring meeting at Newmarket in 1670 was 

 honoured with the presence of the king,* Charles 11. 

 and many of the notable turfites of the period, .^ 



as appears by the subjoined contemporary Newmarket. 

 references to it : — 



" Yesterday [April 13th, 1670] in the morning, His Majesty, 

 accompanied by His Royal Highness, and attended by a 

 considerable part of the Court, went hence to Nezvmarket to 

 divert himself for some days with the Races, and other 

 Recreations of those parts, whither he was this morning 

 followed by his Highness Prince Rupert." — "The London 

 Gazette," April W, 1670. No. 460. 



'' London, April "^yO. On Thursday last His Majesty and 

 [his] Royal Highness returned hither from Neivniarket. On 

 Friday His Majesty was pleased to admit his Grace the 

 Duke of MonmoiitJi into His Council, where he took the 

 usual oath, and afterwards his place at the board according 



to custom." — Ibid. -^^^ , 1670. No. 465. 



May, 2 ' ^ ^ 



" May. A great fair of Horses and Cattel for 5 dales at 

 Newmarket." Feby. 1670. — "An almanack for the year of 

 our Lord God 1670." London, 4°, 1670. 



In the correspondence of the Right Rev. John Cosin,t 



* The king's journey from Whitehall to Newmarket in April, 1670, 

 cost £'^^'] i6j. zd. — Ace. Cofferer, s.d. 



t We learn from the Rev. George Ormsby, by whom this correspon- 

 dence has been edited, that Bishop Cosin was born in Norwich, on St. 

 Andrew's Day, 1595, and that he died "at his lodging in a street called 

 Pell Mell, within the suburbs of Westminster," on January 15, 167 1-2. 

 The reverend editor observes that " matters of public interest are often 

 mentioned by the Bishop when writing to the Secretary. Scraps of news 

 occur also, sometimes about the proceedings of the Court or the Parlia- 

 ment, or the death of some great personage ; sometimes about expected 

 promotions, sometimes even the result of a horse race is detailed to his 

 correspondent. Lord St. John of Basing, afterwards remarkable for his 

 eccentric mode of life as Marquis of Winchester, who had property in 

 the county Durham, and is occasionally mentioned, with reference to 

 business matters, in the Bishop's letters, seems to have ventured large 



