370 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XIII. 



carrying ten stone apiece, where a great number of Gentlemen 

 stay, who have laid very considerable sums of money on both 

 sides ; but 'tis supposed the odds will lie on the Majors side. 



" After that there will be a great Match of Cock-fighting, 

 containing eight Battles, to be betwixt the Earl of Thomond 

 and a Wiltshire Gentleman. 



" On Thursday last, being the first of April, two Gentlemen 

 with three Footmen, coming from Newviai^ket, were set upon 

 (near a place called Bwitingford) by nine High-waymen, who 

 had information of a considerable sum of Guineys which they 

 had about them, which they had won at Newmarket ; some 

 of the Gang rid before the Gentlemen, the rest came up to 

 them with their Pistols cockt, which the Gentlemen espying, 

 one of the Gentlemens servants discharged, and shot one of 

 the Rogues horses in the neck, and one of the Gentlemen 

 shot and wounded another of the Rogues in the back. Those 

 who rid before being allarm'd by a whistle, came back ; but 

 the Gentlemen couragiously discharged at them, and rid 

 boldly up to them, and seized upon one of the Rogues, which 

 the rest perceiving, made their escape. One of the Gentlemen 

 hath left his servant near the place with the horse, to see if 

 any one will come to own him, and hath secured in prison the 

 Rogue whom they took. The Gentlemen received no harm, 

 excepting one of them, who hurt one of his fingers by dis- 

 chareinsf of his own Pistol." — "The True Domestick Intelli- 

 gence," April 6, 1680, No. 79. 



In consequence of the impunity with which the knights 

 of the road plied their trade at this time, Bishop Sanderson 

 desiderated in pure orthodox Latin as to whether an oath or 

 pledge given to highwaymen under compulsion should be 

 kept secret or considered binding. (See his De Jiirameiiti 

 Obligatione, Sees. 15-17.) 



" It is reported his Majesty will depart of the 20th of this 



month for Windsor and will return again on the 27th and 



«, , „ the 28th g-o to Neivjnarket when 5 considerable 

 C1i9.t16S II. 



1680. Matches will be run, and will return from thence 



Newmarket, to Whitehall on the 20th." — " Mercurius Tivicus," 

 ^P^- No. 10. 



