552 THE HORSE. 



lin. The Baronet coolly desired the groom to accept the 

 offer, but, at the same time, privately instructed him to put 

 7 lb. more of weight into his saddle than were to be used at 

 the match. Frampton had previously given the very same 

 orders to his groom, and the two horses started on their 

 trial, each loaded with 7 lb. beyond the weight which he was 

 to carry. In the trial Merlin beat his antagonist by a length. 

 This being duly communicated by the grooms to their respec- 

 tive masters, each became certain of success. If my horse, 

 argues the Baronet, can beat the other with 7 lb. extra weight, 

 he is sure to win the race ; if mine, says Frampton, can come 

 in within a length, loaded with his extra 7 lb., his success in 

 the race is certain. The patriarch communicated the mo- 

 mentous secret to his friends, and numerous bets were offered 

 and accepted on the result. At length the important hour 

 arrived, and the betting was beyond all former example. 

 The south country gentlemen, confident in the stratagem of 

 their chief, declared that they would bet their gold while they 

 had it, and then their land : the north country squires, equally 

 assured of the success of their plot, took the bets to any 

 amount. The horses started, the jockeys did their duty, and, 

 just as was to be expected, the race was gained by Merlin 

 by the same distance as in the secret trial. The confusion 

 was immense ; the secret came out ; and the wily father of 

 the Turf found, 'as many are said to have since done, that 

 his opponent was too far north for him. Numbers of gentle- 

 men were ruined by this event ; and soon afterwards a law 

 was passed for preventing the recovery of gaming debts be- 

 yond the amount of L.10 sterling, a foolish law, seeking in 

 vain to counteract the natural feelings of gentlemen, by re- 

 lieving them of the obligation to pay their debts. Frampton, 

 the party implicated in this affair, deserves notice. He was 

 born in the reign of Charles II., and had been keeper of the 

 Running horses at Newmarket to King William III., Queen 

 Anne, and George I., as he continued to be to George II., in 

 whose reign he died, at the age of eighty- six. He was a man 



