SOME MEMORABLE MATCHES 285 



A.D. 161 9 (according to Pierce Egan's ' Sporting 

 Anecdotes') : ' On July 17, one Bernard Calvert, 

 of Andover, rode from St. George's Church, 

 Southwark, to Dover, from thence passed by 

 barge to Calais, in France, and from thence back 

 to St. George's Church the same day ; setting out 

 about three o'clock in the morning, and returning 

 about eight in the evening, fresh and hearty.' 



*A.D. 1671 : Mr, Elliot's Flatfoot, ridden by 

 the owner, beat King Charles II.'s Woodcock, 

 ridden by the owner, October 12, at Newmarket, 

 distance and weights unknown. (Notable as an 

 instance of the King's own performances ' in the 

 pigskin.') 



A.D. 1692 : A Mr. Norden undertook to ride 

 on the high road (between Ware and London, as 

 it turned out) 180 miles in 20 hours, having as 

 many horses, apparently, as he pleased. He 

 started on Thursday, September 22, 'at eleven 

 at night by moonshine ' from Ware, and rode 

 100 miles to and fro between Johnny Gilpin's 

 town and London by seven o'clock the next 

 morning ; then rested and slept two hours, and 

 set out again a little after nine o'clock, and finished 

 his task by two o'clock in the afternoon, ' in the 



