3^8 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XIII. 



people expressing abundant joy at the king's presence 

 among them, which was to continue for some time 

 longer. " His Majesty is pleased to divert himself with 

 Huntino-, HawkinQ^, and other Recreations this noble 

 place affords," 



The knights of the road were having a good time 

 of it during this meeting. Thus on March 9, " A 

 Gentleman with some of his family being in a coach with 

 six horses going to Nezvmm^ket, was set upon by some 

 Highway-men, and robbed of all his Money, Watch, 

 Rings, Stone Buttons, and a pair of Lac'd Sleeves. 

 And about four hours after, two Coaches coming from 

 Cambridge, the persons in them were robb'd of several 

 hundred pounds ; there were but five Highway-men, 

 two of them setting upon one coach, and three on the 

 other ; but at their departure, they were so noble as to 

 give the two coachmen (they were Hackney Coaches) 

 two Half-crowns to drink their healths. The coaches 

 were within a mile of Nczv-market when they were 

 robb'd, at a place called the Devils Ditch."* 



On the 17th, the Earl of Sunderland arrived at 

 Newmarket to attend on the king, who soon after 

 returned to London to witness a foot-race between 

 Harpley and Savage from Barnet to Smithfield. The 

 former, who won, accomplished the task in three- 

 quarters of an hour, and was given an annuity by 

 his master, the Earl of Pembroke, whereupon he 

 entered his Majesty's service.f 



" Whitehall, March 10, 1680. This morning their Majesties, 

 accompanied with his Royal Highness, and many others of 



* "The Domestick Intelligence," No. 72,- t ^bid., No. 79. 



