TURF ROBBERIES. 387 



of physical pain. She decHned to cross the ocean, 

 and Grana Uile was constrained to visit England, 

 and repair to Windsor. On her return to Ireland, 

 she landed at the base of Howth Castle, and pro- 

 ceeded to the gates thereof, which she found closed, 

 as was the family custom at dinner-time. In- 

 dignant at the want of hospitality, she seized the 

 young heir of the St Lawrence family, who was 

 playing outside the castle gates, and embarking on 

 board her ship, carried him prisoner to her castle 

 in Galway. He was not released until after long 

 negotiation, and only on condition that, for all 

 future time, the castle gates at Howth should 

 be kept open when the family went to dinner, and 

 that a cover should be laid for any stranger who 

 might chance to arrive. The custom was still 

 observed when I was last at Howth." 



Sir William Gregory's early recollections of the 

 Turf ran back to the days when most of the heavy 

 betting races were settled beforehand, as it was 

 called, " by arrangement." Never, except per- 

 haps in the case of General Peel, was there an 

 owner of horses who could reQount more stories 

 of Turf robberies, by some of which he had him- 

 self suffered, than Sir William Gregory. One of 

 the most famous he had received from Mr George 

 Payne. It is well known that, at the instance of 

 Mr John Gully, Mr Payne laid heavily against 

 Mr Gascoigne's Jerry, who won the Doncaster St 



