3o6 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XII. 



they proceeded immediately to the court, " the King 

 and all the English crallants beinor there at their 

 autumnal sports." The next day, after dinner, Evelyn 

 was on the heath to see the great match run between 

 Woodcok and Flatfoot, the former belonorinof to the 

 king and the latter to Mr. Elliot, " of the Bed- 

 chamber," many thousands being spectators of what 

 he terms one of the most signal races run for many 

 years. 



The royal palace at Newmarket being utterly 

 insufficient to provide accommodation for the king's 

 guests, his majesty had, after the manner and custom 

 of the time, to look around among his loving subjects 

 and appropriate, for the nonce, some hospitable roof 

 capable of receiving and entertaining his worthy 

 guests. Lord Arlington's* baronial seat at Euston 

 was selected as the most eligible within easy distance 

 of the heath. It had the honour of receivinof, amone 

 other distinguished personages, the French Am- 

 bassador, Mademoiselle Querouaille,'^^ the Countess 

 of Sunderland, and several lords of high degree and 

 ladies of great purity. " During my stay here with 

 Lord Arlington," writes Evelyn, " near a fortnight, his 

 Majesty came almost every second day with the Duke 

 [afterwards James II.], who commonly returned to 

 Newmarket, but the King often lay here, during which 

 time I had twice the honour to sit at dinner with him, 

 with all freedom. It was universally reported that 

 the fair lady was bedded one of these nights, and the 



* Sir Henry Bennett, Earl of Arlington, Secretary of State and 

 afterwards Lord Chamberlain. 



