326 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XIL 



Sir Robert's despatch of the 24th is exceedingly 

 interesting. It exhibits the Merry Monarch riding his 

 own horses and winning all before him : " Yesterday 

 his majestic Rode himself three heats and a course and 

 won the Plate, all fower were hard and nere run, and I 

 doe assure you the King wonn by good Horseman 

 Ship. Last night a match was maid between Blew 

 Capp and a consealed horse of Mr. Mayes called 

 Thumper to Runn the six mile course twelve stone 

 waite vpon Tuesday in Easter week, for a 1000 

 guineas. And this is all our Newmarket news." * 

 The expenses of the king in his journey from White- 

 hall to Newmarket and back amounted to ^860 

 9^. \o\d. 



^9^ Sir William Coventry, fourth son of Thomas 

 Coventry, ist Baron Coventry of Aylesborough, county Wor- 

 cester, and his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John Alder- 

 sey, Esq., of Spurstovv. Sir William was born in 1626, and in 

 1642 became a gentleman commoner of Queen's College, 

 Oxford ; and after he had continued there some time, he 

 travelled on the continent, and at his return, adhering to Charles 

 II., was made secretary to the Duke of York, also secretary 

 to the Admiralty ; and elected M.P. for Great Yarmouth in 

 the Parliament which met at Westminster, May 8, 1661 ; and 

 also in that which was summoned in 1678. He was sworn of 

 the Privy Council, and received the honour of knighthood 

 June 26, 1667; being, as Bishop Burnet relates "a man of 

 great notions and eminent virtues ; the best speaker in the 

 House of Commons, and capable of bearing the chief ministry, 

 as it was once thought he was very near it, and deserved it 

 more than all the rest did." Yet, as he was too honest 

 to engage in the designs of that reign, and quarrelled 



* State Papers, Dom,, bundle (March) 359, passim. 



