FIRST PERIOD : CHARLES II. TO GEORGE II. 53 



of Monmouth), and Mr. Elliot (a Gentleman of 

 the Bedchamber), besides a Mr. Osley (or Oxley), 

 Sir Robert Geere, Colonel Aslon (an ancestor, no 

 doubt, of the Sir Willoughby Aston of a later 

 reign), and Messrs. Staple (or Sheldon) and 

 Felton (a historic name enough). Among the 

 professional jockeys, mention is made of a certain 

 'Jack of Burford,' which is not very explicit. We 

 have already come across the decidedly historical 

 Jerome Hare, rider of Old Merlin in the famous 

 match which probably took place at the end of 

 King William III.'s reign, or at the beginning of 

 Queen Anne's, and is said to have led to the 

 statute (9th Anne) passed with a view of re- 

 pressing heavy betting on horse-races as well as 

 other sports ; and one Hague is recorded as 

 jockey to Queen Anne and Prince George of 

 Denmark up to 1 708. The principal professional 

 jockeys from that date to 1760 were Thomas 

 Ovington (said to have been the original breeder of 

 Mr. John Crofts' famous Bloody Buttocks), John 

 South, Stephen Jefferson, Thomas and William 

 Erratt, Robert and William Heseltine, Thomas 

 and Christopher Jackson, Edward Jackson and 

 John Peirson (who both died within a few weeks 



