31 
and appears to have paid very frequent 
visits to the place to enjoy the sport he 
was anxious to encourage. He kept race- 
horses, and in his purchase of the Markham 
Arabian* we have evidence that he did 
not spare endeavour to procure the best. 
It is true that this horse proved a failure 
on the Turf; that his indifferent performance 
did something to discredit the Arab in the 
eyes of Englishmen, and no doubt con- 
tributed to check the importation of Eastern 
sires for racing; but his failure does not 
affect the fact that his purchase goes for 
proof of King James's desire to improve 
the breed of racehorses. Many foreign 
horses were imported into England during 
this reign. The Spanish horse still held 
its high reputation; in 1623, the Duke of 
* There is some doubt concerning the price paid 
by the King for the Markham Arabian. The Duke 
of Newcastle, in The New Method of Dressing Horses 
(1667) says: ‘“‘ Mr. Markham sold him to King James 
for five hundred pounds,” and this statement has 
been repeated by Sidney and other writers. In the 
Times of September 1, 1878, however, a correspondent 
signing himself ‘“‘H’”’ drew attention to the follow- 
ing entry in the ‘* Records of the Exchequer: 
‘‘ Item, December 20, 1616, paid to Master Markham 
for an Arabian Horse for His Majesty’s own use 
£154. Item, the same paid to a man that brought 
the same Arabian Horse and kept him /11. 
