24 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



and, as will be evident from the following 

 extracts, afforded a foundation for many of the 

 rules of racing, which afterwards came in use all 

 over England. 



One of the rules is worded as follows : *' E very- 

 horse that rideth shall be bridled, saddled, and 

 shod, and his rider shall weigh twelve stone, 

 fourteen pounds to the stone, and every rider 

 that wanteth above one pound and a half after 

 he hath rid the heat, shall win no plate or prize." 

 Another rule says: "Whosoever doth stop or 

 stay any of the horses that rideth for this plate or 

 prize, if he be either owner, servant, party, or 

 bettor, and it appears to be willingly done, he 

 shall win no plate, prize, or bets." Moreover, 

 " Every rider that layeth hold on, or striketh any 

 of the riders, shall win no plate or prize." 

 Another rule confers on the judges the following 

 power: "Any of the judges may call any of the 

 riders at the end of any of the heats, and if he 

 be found to have fraudulently cast away any of 

 his weight and want any more than his pound 

 and a half, he shall lose the plate, prize, and 

 stakes." One more extract from these rules will 

 suffice : *' Whosoever winneth the plate or prize 

 shall give to the clerk of the course twenty 

 shillings to be distributed to the poor on both 

 sides of Newmarket, and twenty shillings to the 

 clerk of the race, for which he is to keep the horse 

 plain and free from holes and cart roots." 



Betting and "turf profligacy" of all kinds 

 were in these times indulored in at Newmarket to 

 an extent far beyond the bounds of morality and 

 prudence, and, although King and Court were, 

 so to put it, in " the swim " of all that occurred, 



